Ouch! Maybe a little ice?

I read in a dirt bike magazine once: "lean over in the tight trees and you'll get cleaned right off the bike".

Sullivan Canyon, it belongs to the Gas Company and from time to time they dig it up to work on pipelines. It also changes dramatically if there is a lot of rain. Probably don't have to worry about that again.
Where did you start and how did you come back up? I usually start at the south end of Reseda Blvd., go to the Hub, then Backbone trail to J-drop. J-drop is a nasty .6 of a mile that drops from Backbone into Rustic Canyon. From there it's a short climb out to Sullivan Ridge which parallels Sullivan Canyon, or there is another drop into the canyon.

Here I am on Backbone/Will Rogers trail.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...087a025f70.jpg

I'm okay. It's just a little stiff.

We climbed Sullivan Ridge to Dirt Mullholland, did the Broken Arrow singletrack loop to the west, came back east on DM, and dropped down into Sullivan Canyon and enjoyed the singletrack that snakes alongside the road. It was my first time riding in that area, and I had a great time, despite the tree mishap. I definitely want to do more riding in that area. I will try to use my head a little better next time.

I like to cruise out to the Parker Mesa Overlook. It's non-technical fire roads with a lot of climbing. There is quite a view above Pacific Pallisades. This is a friend almost at the overlook.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e9ab429126.jpg

I have an older road helmet in great shape but am considering replacing it with a newer technology (MIPS) and a visor.

Yes. One of the very early hardshells saved my life 44 years ago but I spent 5 days in a coma and a TBI that altered my life forever. I would have fared a lot better in the helmets 10 years later. Now I get concussions easily. Just as MIPS was announced, I crashed hard with my chinstrap loose. Not planned that way, but apparently the helmet did a MIPS-like spin around my head. Helmet did some damage. Ripped my glasses off and cut me with them right around my eye. Started to take my ear off. But no concussion whatsoever! I bought the first MIPS I found in a bright color that fit.

That helmet is ready for replacement. (Delayed by COVID but also it is a very well made POC and is holding up far better than the Bells I used to buy. And no hard impacts yet!)

POC make some good helmets. I've been using their ski helmets for about a decade now (2 different models in that time). Unfortunately their current bike helmets don't seem to fit my head shape, otherwise they would have been my first choice. It's odd because their ski helmets fit perfectly!

I'll join the chorus of those saying to replace helmets every few years. Helmet technology is continually getting more protective and is never quite protective enough for bad crashes. Brain surgery is expensive. It's a no-brainer (ha!) to put brain health above the very few hundred dollars for a highly rated current tech helmet. The U of V site is an excellent place to start.

Mine was $98,000
Still left with a Damaged Brain Forever.

So now to the real Nitty... Gritty...

How much ya gonna spend on your helmet?

Yep, I never ride without one, and yes a helmet has saved my life, but do you really need to spend a couple of hundred bucks on a helmet?

No, you don't, though I do. I have two helmets - a high end Giro that retails for close to $300. it's aero and sleek and relatively safe (MIPS) and a low end Specialized, also MIPS, that cost $60, looks a little clunky, and gets high ratings from Virginia Tech.

Many of us spend "too much" on bikes, wheels, accessories, etc. The extra cost of an "expensive" helmet is nothing compared to some of those other indulgences.

But for chrissake, buy a decent new helmet every few years. It doesn't have to be the spendy kind.

both of these helmets are red, which makes them faster
dont tell a cyclist what redshift really means

You don't NEED to spend a lot on a helmet to get good protection. Some of us, however, are slaves to fashion. I'm currently in the market to replace the helmet that got wrecked last Sunday, and I expect to be paying around $200.

EDIT: Good ventilation is a big deal to me, which is also a factor that drives the price up.

Personally, I can't stand the way POC helmets look. YMMV.

What model helmet did you wreck? When I bashed my Giro Synthe last year, Giro gave me 1/3 off (I think? Maybe 1/4?) any helmet as part of their crash replacement program.

Synthe worked great. No headache, no concussion, nothing.

I Likes mine.
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d17090dfea.jpg

I agree they're odd looking - but if they were the best fit for my head, I'd get one and learn to love it.

Post #21 in this thread - Abus Aventor. The helmet did its job perfectly. I liked it okay, but there were some minor issues that have me looking for something different.

You haven't changed my opinion at all - LOL. To each, their own. You do you, man.

If it works for you, great. I will be looking for something else.

Me three. Based on aesthetics, I dislike POC. They kind of have a MTB and BMX vibe, IMHO. That counts for zero in any body else's choice, of course.

I ride mostly with Giros these days. I tend to like the Lazers and they get very high safety ratings, but some years ago I had a really bad experience with the headband adjuster - it just kept breaking, and so I haven't gone back.

I spend a good amount of time on a MTB, but I'm definitely more into the roadie aesthetic. I wear the same kit on the dirt as I do on the road. I've had Giros over the years that have been good for me, and will go back to using one until I decide on a replacement for my crushed Abus. The new Lazer Sphere is a strong contender, at the moment. I like it's rounded lower edge better than the squared-off line of the G1.

No. Go to the University of Virginia helmet testing web page. There are plenty of highly rated helmets that cost around $100 or even less. They won't be as lightweight or as well ventilated or as adjustable as some of the more expensive ones but they have high safety ratings.

Also note that there are quite a lot of cheap helmets that have very poor safety ratings.

Now you mention it I'm not keen on the way POC bike helmets look either. But for me that would be very much a secondary factor in choosing a helmet!

I really like my Lazer Genesis (G1). It's super lightweight and has great ventilation. I don't know much about the Sphere, but it has less vents and is heavier.