adrien

I've heard 2 years and 3 years, along with "never, as long as you don't have a fall".

Just bought a new one because I figured it wasn't worth risking the noggin...it's been 2 1/2 years, many thousands of miles but no impacts to the helmets.

Is this replacement thing like the word "repeat" on the shampoo bottles...as in designed to keep the comapnies in business? Or should I toss the old one so I don't get tempted to put on a potentially less-effective one?

Brian Ratliff

Helmets last a long time, if you don't do stupid things like leave it repeatedly in the trunk of your car on hot days. There are only two reasons to replace a helmet, IMO. 1) you crashed it. 2) you want to take advantage of improved technology. 2-1/2) it starts smelling really bad.

Helmets don't wear out just from general use. The "replace it every 5 years" advice from the helmet manufacturers is just to keep up with technology. If what you have is sufficient, don't bother.

That said, some recent innovations, like inmolding the shell so it strongly attaches to the foam and better strap/head restraint systems, are real benefits that should be taken advantage of. The inmolding thing makes the helmet stay together after the first hit (otherwise, it shatters into a million pieces and is unavailable for the second hit as your head bounces along the ground), and the strapping system improvements means the helmet stays on your head better as you are flying off your bike and after it hits the ground the first time.

In fact, I did a little test on two helmets (at two separate times), one the older style with the taped-on shell and the other with the inmolded shell. The taped on shell helmet shattered into several pieces with one stomp of the foot to the crown. The inmolded shell helmet took several stomps to the crown, hits with a hammer and throws against the floor and off the balcony of a three story building, and it never broke into multiple pieces. When I was done, the foam was fractured in several parts, but it stayed generally intact. Granted, this is not a true test as there was no headform inside, but anecdotal evidence (my father got into a crash where he heavily landed on his head - his helmet shattered into 5 pieces) suggests that the taped on shell helmets tend to shatter, which means it won't stay on your head to absorb a second hit.

CdCf

It's really a matter of how you treat it.

Things that are bad for a helmet:
UV radiation - total time in sunlight (i.e. outdoors during sunny days) is one factor.
Scratches and other damage - the more you mistreat it by dropping it, banging it into other objects, the faster it will degrade.
Crashes/falls - obviously, any crash or fall where the helmet took a direct hit should be followed by an immediate replacement.

A helmet can sit in storage for several years without degrading, so bringing it home and leaving it the same way doesn't accelerate the degradation. Active use does, and the more you use it, the more frequently you should replace it.

Helmets should come with a lifetime UV dosimeter or something!

dalmore

One other thing that degrades with time is the glue that attaches the straps. Oh and aother thing that MIGHT degrade - the straps themselves may degrade to uv, humidity or sweat depending on what material is used in the straps.

adrien

Hmmm...the UV thing is the most compelling. It loks fine after 2 1/2 years, but I don't see the point in risking it for the $80 it cost me.

ax0n

I crashed last week using a 12 year old helmet. It did its job just fine (and the main body of foam did crack upon impact), but it only had about 3 years of sun exposure. It was tucked away in a closet the rest of the time.

stapfam

If I get a knock on a helmet- then I inspect it very closely. Then as I fall off quite often offroad- then I will be lucky if a helmet lasts me for 2 years. Usual things apply such as don't leave in sun- don't leave in a car that gets hot and don't kick it around the floor. I have never had it happen to me but I know of several riders that have had the Strap fray on them. That in itself may not be serious but if it becomes awkward to adjust or do up the straps- then yet another reason to change it.

Phantoj

When the pads fall out and it smells so bad it's like putting a giant piece of dog food on your head.

CliftonGK1

Mine was developing a funky reek that just wouldn't go away, so I bought a new one. Years and years from now when this one smells funky, I'll buy a new one.

The only time I replaced a helmet for anything other than funky stank was the one that exploded on impact in a bad crash. (Actually, Giro had <maybe they still have> a good replacement policy where you sent them the wrecked one and they replaced it for ~$15.)

FormerFF

The Snell Memorial Foundation recommends every five years. You could keep it longer if it has not been used very much.

tspoon

I have a spray bottle at work I filled with a Methylated Spirits / Water 25/75 mix. I spray liberally on the helmet upon getting to work. At home I remove the padding from the helmet and hand wash it as I shave after the shower. Keeps the smell down. The padding normally lasts for around 18 months until I get my ex-wife to make some more on her sewing machine.
The spray bottle is also good for the shoes and fanny-pack, as well as my work boots at the end of the shift. I have managed to largely control problems with athletes foot in this manner.
The five year U.V guideline seems reasonable, although you could adjust for factors such as living further from the equator, as well as maybe the times of day when you do most of your riding, i.e. dawn/dusk.

Bekologist

I wear my helmet pretty much every day, and it gets knocked around. they microshells begin to crack, the foam not covered by microshell begins to degrade from everyday use and abuse.

Once a year, like clockwork.