Where to find a good, cheap helmet?
 

Obviously no price is too high to pay to protect my head. But where would I find a good helmet for a decent price (<$35)? I'm using one of those Wal-Mart Bells right now =D

What's wrong with the Bell?

Bell makes good helmets, but when you talk about helmets it's all about what they are protecting. How much is your head worth? Mine is worth $25 on sale at REI. :D

Check nashbar/performance, or your lbs and see whats on clearance. As long as it is CSPC approved, it will work just fine. Spendier helmets may have better venting, or flashier graphics, but are otherwise similar from a protective standpoint.

boog

A have a black and a white Bell Arc - $19.95 on sale at Performance. Not sure if they make that model any longer, but there are plenty of inexpensive helmets out there...

Dunno, I found mine at Target. It has a Schwinn label, although I don't think that makes any difference one way or another. What does make a difference is that is fits my noggin snuggly, and has the appropriate safety ratings. I've tried more expensive options at the LBS, but all they offered was better ventilation and a sexier package. The safety ratings were the same.

Might want to think local (LBS or box store is your choice, as long as the helmet it rated) on this one, as fit is crucial.

If you're a student, check with your school/university. Or, try checking with your employer. Sometimes you can find really good deals. This is one from my college:
http://www.bhs.umn.edu/services/helmet-headlights.htm

Alright, I guess a better question would be where would I go to find general bike stuff? I'm totally new to the cycling thing and don't know what the big websites are, (ie Tennis-warehouse.com for tennis, Newegg.com and Tigerdirect.com for computer parts). Get the idea? =D I also wanna find a place to browse through road bikes for the day I can finally buy one.

And as for the helmet, I'll probably stick with mine for a bit until I get out of college. It's not like I'll be speeding around on campus =)

It has pretty much been stated here that you pay more money for better ventilation and lower weight.

Check with the sponsors ( www.nashbar.com, www.performancebike.com).
That's where I stared. Good place to start.

Performance has decent deals on the Bells now. I've got the Alchera which is $42 (so a little outside your range) but it's pretty comfortable. Also has an adjustable clickwheel to make the band tighter/looser in addition to the straps - results in a good fit. They have some of the cheaper Bells on sale too, but I haven't tried them.