guidosan

Well this is just a bit of a rant, but any advice would be appreciated. It seems that I am close between a medium and a large for the Bell helmets. Giros just don’t fit all that well, something to do with my head shape and the helmet shape. But a medium Bell helmet fits okay with just a little extra room for me on the days I want to wear a beanie underneath. But forget it if I don’t keep my hair trimmed and want to wear a hat too. The medium helmets seem to sit really high on the head and there is a lot of space between the ears and the helmet. I know not to go by looks, but this just doesn’t look right. Then the large is just too big. I can get it adjusted so it is snug, but not tight enough to be right. The large sits lower and seems right, just too loose. I currently have an eight year old Bell that is a large, but it is time for me to replace this and so my search goes on.

Any thoughts? The search goes on.

frankenmike 

I can sympathize, having had the same issues with helmet fit. It seems to me that the helmet companies switch around their sizing criteria every few years, so the only way is to go to a bike shop and try them on- I bet you'll find one. I recall several years ago that Giro had a weird sizing system that went small/medium and large/xlarge, so you basically had to get either a small or xlarge size. My current helmet is a specialized, their sizing seemed to work for me (I also wear a beanie underneath sometimes).

caterham

i have a similar fitting issue-
measure approx 58,and apparently have a round head shape -ie: i fall between sizes of many manufacturers mediums and larges and wound up having to choose between 'zippy-the-pinhead' with no room for a cap/beanie and 'mr mushroom' needing extra padding to snug up the fit.

i tried nearly a dozen brands and would recommend that you check out the UVEX sport boss or race boss before making a final decision. they're very nicely made and engineered helmets for a reasonable price.nice features like a molded-in bug screening on the front vents,good shell coverage to the back of the head, fully adjustable suspension(height + diameter) and secure locking buckles, convenient & easily adjusted release clip. very good ventilation, good comfort, easily adjusted, 2 pc.in-moulded full coverage shell, compact shape with minimal protrustions & has provisions for attaching optional flashing visibility lights.



L-R: Uvex Race Boss, Selev Matrix, Spiuk Nexion, Catlike Kompact Pro,Shain BK100

gcottay

Sorry, no suggestions here except to keep on looking and be picky. My current active helmets took one and about twelve tries respectively.

longbeachgary

You may want to try a helmet with universal fit. I have the Slant (I think it's the Slant) that has a knob to turn to tighten or loosen the helmet. You can dial in the fit real nice.

longbeachgary

https://www.bellbikehelmets.com/produ....asp?prodID=10

xenologer

Air helmets fit great and protect just as well when hit by a car as a styrofoam one, perhaps moreso in the case of protecting your neck from whiplash.
They also tend to be much easier to fit since the air is naturally a bit squishy and you don't have to worry so much about the size being perfect.

pacificaslim

air helmet?

cudak888 

He means no helmet.

-Kurt

pacificaslim

Ah, thanks. That's my favorite kind as well. I thought he might be talking about some new kind of foam (like bern's honeycomb type foam or something).

AndrewP

Louis Garneau for me - easy dial-in adjustment but I found that different models looked much the same,but fitted different head shapes. It is capable of accomodating a winter hat.

Basil Moss

Cycling caps are usually one size fits all.

zeytoun

Unless the OP is deliberately starting a helmet/no helmet debate thread, must we turn each thread into one?

If yes, let's cut to the chase:

(PH: Pro-Helmet, AH: Anti-Helmet)

PH: Always wear a helmet
AH: Why? They're useless.
PH: Fine, win Darwin's award.
AH: That's stupid. Helmets are useless for several reasons.
PH: You're an idiot. Some protection is better than no protection, always.
AH: You're not taking into account these statistical factors.
PH: Listen, my friend/brother/uncle drools on himself. I'm wearing a helmet.
AH: That's anecdotal, and useless data for our purposes.
PH: There is evidence that helmets can protect our heads and save lives. A helmet is cheap insurance.
AH: You're misinterpreting your data.
PH: No, you're misinterpreting yours.
AH: Regardless, cycling has a net-positive effect on your health and lifespan.
PH: That doesn't mean we shouldn't always try to be safer.
AH: Well then, do you wear a helmet in your car/in the shower/on a ladder?
PH: That's different. Besides, it's inevitable that you will crash one day. It's just a matter of time.
AH: No it isn't. Cycling is not very dangerous.
PH: Then you're not doing it right. When you crash, you'll wish you were wearing a helmet.
AH: Let's change the subject.
PH: OK, what's the new subject?
AH: VC cycling....

(Am I leaving anything out?)

guidosan

Actually I am not trying to start any long drawn out discussion on pro vs anti helmets. I am just venting that I have a hard time finding something that actually fits me. I just tried a universal fit from Bell and it was better, but all they had was black. Websites have other dark colors and as a commuter, I really want something that is a bit more visible in low light conditions too.
I tried all the LBS that are close to me, and they all seem to have the same stuff. I would like to find out who carries the Uvex as well as the specialized. I will also try the Giro again to see if they changed in such a way that they fit me better.
Hope this post doesn't turn into a flamefest, I should have thought about this before posting.

Brett77

Damn, I thought this was easy. Go into store, buy the absolute cheapest "skateboard" style helmet which is good for unlimited crashs.

cudak888 

^
Granted, those usually fit better, and a couple of them (Giro Flak comes to mind) provide far more forehead protection then conventional peach pits.

-Kurt

zeytoun

I wasn't venting at you.

People should be able to post something like your original post without it turning into a flamefest.

I don't wear a helmet, but that doesn't mean I need to reply to your post asking for helmet help telling you one you shouldn't wear one. (seems we have a bit of a habit of telling the OP that they shouldn't be asking for the thing they are asking for, instead of just either answering or ignoring the thread.)

Phrenetis

/thread

capejohn

Take a look at the bell "city" helmet.

Wino Ryder

Sure, go down to your LBS and get you a Bell 'Stelvio'. They're cheap (about $35), look fairly decent, ventilated okay, and dont fit too bad. They even have it in red/black/silver, which I thought was pretty cool for a cheapie.

check it out

uke

TSG Evolution. Provides more coverage than a regular bike helmet and is more discreet. Since I got mine, I haven't worn my Giro Transfer.

degnaw

Do you find that warmer at all than a regular helmet? After all, it's still march.

uke

Yes, it's a bit warmer (which is nice in cold weather), but not hot. I've ridden with it in 35-65 degree temps without issue. The wind generated by the ride keeps things cool.