Retro helmets?
#1
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From: Royersford, PA
Bikes: 1989 Eddy Merckx Century Hitachi, 1982 Colnago Roger de Vlaeminck, 2002 Saeco/Cannondale R2000 Si, 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 5 Liquigas, 1995 Vitus 992 Lotto, 2008 Cervelo Soloist CSC, 2023 Bianchi Impulso Allroad, 2008 Pinarello Prince
Retro helmets?
If there is a more appropriate place to put this, my apologies, but I'm going for a vintage look with modern safety.
I love the style of the Ekoi Legende (Roman Bardet wore a fantastic French team version at World's last year) and the Met Trenta 3K (current UAE team wears them) that harken back to the leather "hair net" worn by pros in the old days. However, I don't really feel like shelling out the $200-$350 for which I've seen these products listed.
Anyone see a brand offering something similar?
I love the style of the Ekoi Legende (Roman Bardet wore a fantastic French team version at World's last year) and the Met Trenta 3K (current UAE team wears them) that harken back to the leather "hair net" worn by pros in the old days. However, I don't really feel like shelling out the $200-$350 for which I've seen these products listed.
Anyone see a brand offering something similar?
#2
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Bikes: 1964 Legnano Roma Olympiade, 1973 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Raleigh Super Course, 1978 Peugeot PR10, 2002 Specialized Allez, 2007 Specialized Roubaix, 2013 Culprit Croz Blade
I saw these on the Brooks stand at Eroica. Back in the day, our helmets were almost always black. These are pretty colorful, but might suit somebody. Not my style. I would like them better without the tweedy stripe.
#4
Bike Butcher of Portland


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From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
Since helmets are a safety feature only (who wears one just for the looks?) it's the one item I want modern every day of the week, and twice on Sundays.
I treat 'em like shoes: if they fit, I'll wear it.
I treat 'em like shoes: if they fit, I'll wear it.
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#5
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Bikes: Trek 800 x 2, Schwinn Heavy Duti, Schwinn Traveler, Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, Schwinn Continental, Cannondale M400 and Lambert, Schwinn Super Sport
That does have the vintage "hairnet" look.
#7
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From: Northern Bergen County, NJ
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I wear an mips helmet, because it's current "best" tech to protect the brain (within reason, I'm not about to wear a motorcycle helmet). If not for safety concerns, I would wear what we wore when not actually racing bitd, nothing.
#8
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From: Northern Bergen County, NJ
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#9
Thread Starter
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From: Royersford, PA
Bikes: 1989 Eddy Merckx Century Hitachi, 1982 Colnago Roger de Vlaeminck, 2002 Saeco/Cannondale R2000 Si, 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 5 Liquigas, 1995 Vitus 992 Lotto, 2008 Cervelo Soloist CSC, 2023 Bianchi Impulso Allroad, 2008 Pinarello Prince
...and they look NOTHING like the vintage "hairnet" for which I was looking.
#10
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From: Royersford, PA
Bikes: 1989 Eddy Merckx Century Hitachi, 1982 Colnago Roger de Vlaeminck, 2002 Saeco/Cannondale R2000 Si, 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 5 Liquigas, 1995 Vitus 992 Lotto, 2008 Cervelo Soloist CSC, 2023 Bianchi Impulso Allroad, 2008 Pinarello Prince
As I led off my thread, "I'm going for a vintage look with modern safety."
...and if you don't consider looks when buying a helmet, you might end up with one of those butt-ugly POC things on your head!
...and if you don't consider looks when buying a helmet, you might end up with one of those butt-ugly POC things on your head!
#11
You mean like these?
I actually think they are some of the best looking helmets out there. To each their own, I guess.
You are not going to find a real vintage look with modern safety, unfortunately, it just doesn't seem to exist. People post a thread like this fairly regularly and nobody ever comes up with anything better than "kinda ok."
#12
No, Brooks doesn't have anything to do with Brooks Brothers.
#13
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From: Lexington, KY
Bikes: 2001 Lemond Zurich, 2002 Lemond Poprad, 1993 Trek 520, 1986 Trek 560 Fixie
I have always liked the Giro Sport Design - Santa Cruz collection. Most of the products they market in that collection are very understated and have a classic look. I have one of their helmet for road bike riding. It looks similar to the pics the OP posted but it is in a Matte Black, my favorite color. I also have a couple pieces of the apparel. All of them are very functional and look good on and off the bike. No bling.
#14
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I haven't seen another like it. I guess if you want fashion you have to pay. I hope those stickers come off, as you'd get stopped at the starting line for that BITD. If you search for folding bike helmets you'll see there's some very cheesy ones that are vaguely similar but uglier.
Some Giro helmets can be pretty close, if you get a black one and peel the stickers off. That's what I did. I agree with the others though, a helmet is for safety. It's purpose is to protect your noggin. Modern good, vintage bad. Just deal with it and wear a modern one IMO. Today's drivers are rude, distracted and crazy. Anyway, the most authentic vintage helmet is no helmet, as has been noted. Hairnets were just to satisfy race rules.
Some Giro helmets can be pretty close, if you get a black one and peel the stickers off. That's what I did. I agree with the others though, a helmet is for safety. It's purpose is to protect your noggin. Modern good, vintage bad. Just deal with it and wear a modern one IMO. Today's drivers are rude, distracted and crazy. Anyway, the most authentic vintage helmet is no helmet, as has been noted. Hairnets were just to satisfy race rules.
#15
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From: Northern Bergen County, NJ
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No, Brooks doesn't have anything to do with Brooks Brothers.
Sheesh...If you don't appreciate my sense of humor/humour, just say so. I'll understand... Lots of people don't.
Best regards, Eric
#16
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I’m not buying the mips hype. We were all born with mips already installed. It’s our scalp. It functions exactly like mips but with even more movement. Until the testers use a dummy head with a layer that acts the way the scalp does, I consider the testing invalid and will not believe that mips is safer than any other helmet design out there.
#18
1/2 as far in 2x the time


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From: Northern Bergen County, NJ
Bikes: Yes, Please.
I’m not buying the mips hype. We were all born with mips already installed. It’s our scalp. It functions exactly like mips but with even more movement. Until the testers use a dummy head with a layer that acts the way the scalp does, I consider the testing invalid and will not believe that mips is safer than any other helmet design out there.
Food for thought, and idle time research.
#19
Me duelen las nalgas

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From: Texas
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
MIPS works. I had an opportunity to have it proven a couple of months ago, unintentionally.
On a group ride we were split at a railroad crossing. The signal light came on just as we were crossing. I braked hard and stopped just short of the tracks. The train was still about 400 yards away and moving very slowly. As I backed up, just walking backward, the crossing arm came down suddenly and conked me in the head.
As claimed, the Bell Formula MIPS deflected the blow. Nary a scuff or dent in the helmet, and no harm to my admittedly thick skull.
No idea whether that would translate to a typical bike crash. But MIPS does exactly what it's claimed to do.
On a group ride we were split at a railroad crossing. The signal light came on just as we were crossing. I braked hard and stopped just short of the tracks. The train was still about 400 yards away and moving very slowly. As I backed up, just walking backward, the crossing arm came down suddenly and conked me in the head.
As claimed, the Bell Formula MIPS deflected the blow. Nary a scuff or dent in the helmet, and no harm to my admittedly thick skull.
No idea whether that would translate to a typical bike crash. But MIPS does exactly what it's claimed to do.
#20
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From: Madison, WI USA
Granted, I bought it for the coverage, not cosmetics. (That, and it was on sale, quite likely because of the color.) I had a few people I trust tell me that area of coverage is more important than the MIPS technology, and the POC had the greatest coverage area of anything reasonably affordable I could find.
Don't worry, Eric, some of us "see what you did there".
Last edited by madpogue; 06-17-19 at 09:50 AM.
#21
#22
Frankly, I found leather hairnets to be too goofy looking to ever consider wearing one, back in the 80's so when the Bell V1 Pro helmets that emulate the look of leather hairets came out, it did not make sense to me......
Now as a C&Ver, I don't really know why, but I've grown to accept and like the look of modern helmets that look a bit like hairnets. I presently use a Giro helmet that looks like one that I bought a couple of years ago.
Now as a C&Ver, I don't really know why, but I've grown to accept and like the look of modern helmets that look a bit like hairnets. I presently use a Giro helmet that looks like one that I bought a couple of years ago.
Last edited by Chombi1; 06-17-19 at 10:16 AM.
#24
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Joined: Apr 2015
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not sure what is up with this trend to make everything look like a can of mountain dew...I've searched high & low for helmets with a more simple, elegant, unassuming aesthetic and without spending $. I think Giro has the nicest offerings...
#25
Bike Butcher of Portland


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From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
I'm waiting for the Mel Brooks helmet.
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.





Sheesh.