ink1373

i'm not a regular on this portion of bikeforums, but i generally hate the modern world...so i'm curious about helmets. are there any helmets on the market that don't look like they came straight out of a video game? it's hard to get any sense of "vintage" about any new helmets that i've seen. are there some out there that generally match the theme?

H23

Nope.

I think this is a stubborn hole in the helmet market-- to make a helmet that is tasteful and understated.

To be fair, however, one does need a certain amount of foam, and a certain number of holes to be comfortable and to meet standards, so the general shape is pretty much locked in to be what you see today.

In the late 80's and early 90's fabric covered helmets were popular and looked cool. You don't seem them around today unfortunately. Keirin racers have fabric covered helmets, but they are too big and make riders look like they have pac-man heads.

lotek 

This is one area where I give up the Vintage aspect. I am just
not going to ride a cinelli hairnet, and the early Bell and skidlids
were terrible. I had a Bell Biker (?) nice looking, had 6 vents and
was like wearing a pressure cooker. The other problem with vintage
helmets is that the materials break down over time, thats why
you should replace your helmet every 3 or 4 years (if uncrashed).
Some of the lower end models look a lot less "video game" than
the top of the line, they also are larger and weigh more. Trade off I'd say.

Marty

Berodesign

I have seen old helmets that is like stripes, one around your head, then three (or so) going from back to front and then one from ear to ear to keep everything steady. Use to be made in leather, with probably steel inside. Look damn cool but I wonder if they help. Not really dampening material as in todays helmet.

jemoryl

A bar that I was in on Saturday had a college basketball game on (I don't follow BB) and I got a chuckle when I looked up and saw a player driving to the net with what appeared to be a Cinelli leather bike helmet on his head. Turned out the guy had cornrows and a black headband on...

Noah Scape

Check out the Bell Metro and Citi. Nashbar has them.

daneil

If you really want to keep things in the "retro" spirit, no helmet at all. Just grab a white Campagnolo cap and ride. The Cinelli leather helmets provided no actual crash protection whatsoever. Style and spirit wise you're better off with a cap and no helmet.

Berodesign

If anyone finds a Cinelli leather helmet, pm me. I would love to have one... on the wall... atleast most of the time

ink1373

maybe i should get an old leather motorcycle/aviator helmet.

close your eyes and envision the baron von richtofen (sp?)...

i'm sure it wouldn't do jack if you got hit by a car, and would be horrible on hot days, but it would be soooo stylin'.

also, to clarify, i wasn't looking for an old helmet exactly, just something that looks, as H23 said "tasteful and understated"...maybe even in an earthtone, instead of the usual red, yellow, lime green, and magenta options.

ink1373

hmm...



vintage fetish mask?

Chongo

I have an original Bell Biker sitting in my garage. It must be about 30 years old. It's kind of dorky looking. Want it? Actually, why do you care what a helmet looks like as long as it keeps your brains semi-intact, and it's cool and light? It's not like you have to look at yourself when it's on.

John E

Because safety-critical technology has improved so much, I use very modern, blatantly anachronistic, helmets, "screaming yellow" jacket, lights, brake pads, cables, and tyres.

wpflem

I remember that the bicycle riding caps were popular in bike store into the mid 1980's.

For a reasonable history of the bicycle helmet check out: https://www.bhsi.org/history.htm

deathintransit

Pro-Tec.
Non-****z styling and mellow colors. They come blank. Protec site.

soonerbills

I'm reviving this thread because I am interested in what the thoughts on this subject is in today's C/V
I hate the look of the new helmets and do ride with cloth caps at my peril but after a couple of close calls am rethinking my decision
What say you?

beech333

natural selection.

I'm sure that I will catch some flak for this, but I won't go riding without a helmet and I probably wouldn't use an old one. Does the integrity hold over time?

soonerbills

Here's a interesting page on helmets...

https://www.bhsi.org/helmet10.htm

jco1385

i picked this up for $.99 at the goodwill about a week ago:




not sure how old it is though. i assume 80's.

Exit.

I ride 45 hours a week and don't even own a helmet. The white Molteni cap was good enough for Eddy, so it's good enough for me.

iab 

Vintage helmets still suck.

I don't care what a modern helmet looks like. I can't see it when I wear it. But I do know I can't tell I am wearing one two minutes after I put it on.

Only you can decide if you want to wear one or not.

EjustE

+1

and the other thing that was lacking in vintage helmets (those nets excluded) was ventilation... I use to ride with a headband just to keep the sweat off my eyes and glasses back then...

teambhultima

My 2 cents worth comes from 2 wrecks. One as a teen in the late '70s with no helmet. I woke up in the middle of the street with a concussion, police thankfully on scene, and spent the night in the hospital. One in the '80s while wearing a Bell V-1 Pro. Layed it down hard. I got back up (slowly) and, although I'd ground a lot of skin off my shoulder and back, my Bell did it's job and I was alert, coherent and rode back home to get first aid for the abraisions. Easy decision... I always wear a helmet now. Modern, comfortable and up-to-date with safety standards.
Best Wishes

Tremdo

This is a nice one! I'm actually looking for a vintage helmet to, so that "vintage helmet" thread was picking up my curiosity!

cnnrmccloskey

I still occasionaly rode without a helmet up to like 2 weeks ago when I crashed, seperated my shoulder and broke my helmet, probably saved me from a pretty serious head injury, thankful that I was wearing one and I will never ride without one again.

thirdgenbird

early 90s...

i had not too fond of memories of that head oven as a kid.