Who loves their helmet?
07-18-18, 01:15 PM
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Who loves their helmet?
My old Giro seems worse for the wear and I am looking for a new helmet. I'd like to hear from anyone who LOVES their helmet. Specifically, anyone who has crashed and can testify to their helmet saving their bacon. I've tried several brands and,to me, they all seem about the same. The U.S. vs. U.K. safety ratings are beyond me. I'm hoping there is a standout favorite.
07-18-18, 01:36 PM
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Probably ANY helmet from a reputable manufacturer is going to give roughly the same protection. Your choice should be based on fit/comfort/appearance, in that order.
I love my Specialized Prevail BTW but that's because it fits me well. I did have a minor crash and it worked great, I was able to get a replacement at a discount too.
You may want to consider a MIPS helmet but the jury is out if that really offers more protection.
I love my Specialized Prevail BTW but that's because it fits me well. I did have a minor crash and it worked great, I was able to get a replacement at a discount too.
You may want to consider a MIPS helmet but the jury is out if that really offers more protection.
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07-18-18, 01:43 PM
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I like my Bell helmets -- Solar and Formula MIPS. I don't love 'em. They're just helmets. But they're comfortable even in summer (it's over 100F here now), weigh almost nothing, and the Solar saved me a from a cracked noggin a couple of months ago when I was hit by a car.
The Formula is a nicer helmet than my older Solar. Fully finished -- no exposed external styrofoam. Giro helmets are just as nice, with very slight differences -- softer straps that are less fussy to adjust, snap/unsnap. My Bell Formula strap snap is slippery when my hands are sweaty, and the straps are more like typical ballistic nylon.
Dunno about more expensive helmets. I can't see myself paying more for a helmet than my bike cost. If I can afford a bike that costs more than $1,000, then maybe I'll consider a helmet that costs more than $100.
The Formula is a nicer helmet than my older Solar. Fully finished -- no exposed external styrofoam. Giro helmets are just as nice, with very slight differences -- softer straps that are less fussy to adjust, snap/unsnap. My Bell Formula strap snap is slippery when my hands are sweaty, and the straps are more like typical ballistic nylon.
Dunno about more expensive helmets. I can't see myself paying more for a helmet than my bike cost. If I can afford a bike that costs more than $1,000, then maybe I'll consider a helmet that costs more than $100.
07-18-18, 02:08 PM
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Fit and ease of adjustments is what makes me choose one helmet over another.
But I do have a Giro Atmos with a big crack in it that saved my skull, so I'm kind of partial to Giro.
But I do have a Giro Atmos with a big crack in it that saved my skull, so I'm kind of partial to Giro.
07-18-18, 02:47 PM
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Specialized Echelon II. Only $70 and they fit amazing, great venting, chin strap is awesome, and very adjustable. Feels pretty light and looks good.
07-18-18, 02:54 PM
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There is a discussion of this in the July 14 episode of The Outspoken Cyclist podcast. Not all helmets protect the same. Interestingly, the road racing ones perform better than the commuting ones.
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New York City and High Falls, NY
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Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
07-18-18, 03:20 PM
#7
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The helmet that fits right and is comfortable so that you WANT to wear it is the best helmet.
Certainly better than an uncomfortable helmet that ends up not being worn.
Fit is the most important thing. Some helmets might be "better" than other helmet, but no helmet or a helmet never worn is worse than any helmet out there.
Fit is very personal, almost as much as saddle fit and comfort, so "recommendation" is kind of moot. Go try them on.
I love AGV MC helmets, they have some of the best ratings, but they don't fit, and give me headache... so I bought something else.
Certainly better than an uncomfortable helmet that ends up not being worn.
Fit is the most important thing. Some helmets might be "better" than other helmet, but no helmet or a helmet never worn is worse than any helmet out there.
Fit is very personal, almost as much as saddle fit and comfort, so "recommendation" is kind of moot. Go try them on.
I love AGV MC helmets, they have some of the best ratings, but they don't fit, and give me headache... so I bought something else.
07-18-18, 03:22 PM
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I have smashed two different low end Giro helmets, and they both saved my life. I'm currently using a low end Bell. I tend to buy mtb helmets, because I like the visor.
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07-18-18, 03:50 PM
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I'm a big fan of the Kask Mojito. Light, comfortable, looks good, lots of adjustment options... But more importantly, it saved my ass... admirably so. I crashed hard on 6/11 and it did it's job. If it were not for that helmet. I don't know what would have happened to me. I like it so much, I just replaced it with another.
07-18-18, 04:12 PM
#10
I pedal in my sleep...
I love my Specialized Echelon II as well. Hit by a car last year and landed on my head with no injuries. I have a small head and it fits me really well without looking mushroomy too.
07-18-18, 04:18 PM
#11
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No love / hate relationship with my helmets.
I don't notice them, kinda like socks, part of my dress.
All are adjusted for a good fit.
A necessary tool for organized rides.
A good safety device for any rider.
I don't notice them, kinda like socks, part of my dress.
All are adjusted for a good fit.
A necessary tool for organized rides.
A good safety device for any rider.
07-18-18, 05:46 PM
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I like my s-works prevail. I got a good deal on it, otherwise I wouldn’t have spent that much. It disappears on my head. I will fork over the money for another some time in the future.
07-18-18, 05:56 PM
#13
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Really like my POC Octal MIPs. I swear that it’s actually cooler than not having a helmet at all. I also had one of the specialized road helmets that I thought was pretty good but not as good as the POC. I’m not sure I’d like their new helmet that they introduced this year though.
I saw somewhere that there are three shapes of heads that helmet designers worry about and they all sort of each focus on a given shape. There is round, there is oval and there is “roval” which is a rounder oval. So you need to find the one that fits your shape of head. I have an oval shaped head and wound up with a round helmet. Basically think of that as the square peg in the round hole. Did not fit comfortably really hurt on the forehead after a while.
So my guidance would be, find the helmet that fits your shape head, then pick the one that has the most vents (more is better at least for me) and then get the MIPs version. MIPs is available at almost every price point now and is something that I sure would not want to be without.
J.
I saw somewhere that there are three shapes of heads that helmet designers worry about and they all sort of each focus on a given shape. There is round, there is oval and there is “roval” which is a rounder oval. So you need to find the one that fits your shape of head. I have an oval shaped head and wound up with a round helmet. Basically think of that as the square peg in the round hole. Did not fit comfortably really hurt on the forehead after a while.
So my guidance would be, find the helmet that fits your shape head, then pick the one that has the most vents (more is better at least for me) and then get the MIPs version. MIPs is available at almost every price point now and is something that I sure would not want to be without.
J.
07-18-18, 07:02 PM
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^ I used to think I'd never like the POC helmets, but they've grown on me. Now I'd consider one if I wasn't partial to my Giro Synthe.
One helmet that hasn't grown on me with age is anything from Catlike. Those things remain hideous.
One helmet that hasn't grown on me with age is anything from Catlike. Those things remain hideous.
07-18-18, 08:04 PM
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I bought a nice new Bell "MIPS" helmet this spring. Crashed on it a month ago, wrecked my shoulder and shattered the helmet, but no neuro damage! 
Got a "crash replacement" discount on a new identical helmet a couple weeks ago.
Got a "crash replacement" discount on a new identical helmet a couple weeks ago.
07-19-18, 09:36 AM
#17
Fredly Fredster
A Giro Venti saved my melon from disaster in 2015. Head was protected, but broke left collarbone. The Venti model was for XL heads. The latest Giro XL model is Bishop and I use it for all of my mountain and gravel rides. Good, comfortable helmet with visor.
Bontrager Starvos MIPS XL for road cycling.
Bontrager Starvos MIPS XL for road cycling.
07-19-18, 11:01 AM
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I love my Bontrager Ballista.
07-19-18, 12:00 PM
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I love POC Octal. I was looking for a helmet when I got my first road bike earlier this year and tried in some kasiks some giros and then tried the POC Octal and it felt the best on my head and the airflow even while standing there still I could tell would be better than the others I had tried.
07-19-18, 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by awesomeame
I love my Bontrager Ballista.
07-19-18, 02:07 PM
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Once you go Kask... Absolutely love my Kask Rapido, so much that replaced my mtb helmet with Kask Rex.
07-20-18, 03:19 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnJ80
I saw somewhere that there are three shapes of heads that helmet designers worry about and they all sort of each focus on a given shape. There is round, there is oval and there is “roval” which is a rounder oval. So you need to find the one that fits your shape of head. I have an oval shaped head and wound up with a round helmet. Basically think of that as the square peg in the round hole. Did not fit comfortably really hurt on the forehead after a while.
So my guidance would be, find the helmet that fits your shape head, then pick the one that has the most vents (more is better at least for me) and then get the MIPs version. MIPs is available at almost every price point now and is something that I sure would not want to be without.
J.
So my guidance would be, find the helmet that fits your shape head, then pick the one that has the most vents (more is better at least for me) and then get the MIPs version. MIPs is available at almost every price point now and is something that I sure would not want to be without.
J.
Last edited by kbarch; 07-20-18 at 03:24 AM.
07-20-18, 06:29 AM
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Definitely get whatever fits best. I'd been using a old Bell Array that fit perfectly until about 2 months ago when the retention system broke. Bought a POC Octal for cheap online and had to return it because it didn't fit well (which was weird because their Tectal MTB helmet fits like a dream). Ended up at my LBS and tried on a bunch (Giro/Kask/Cannondale) before settling on a Kask Protone. It was literally the only helmet they had that fit my massive head properly. I already knew that Giro's don't fit since I have a oval head and they are very round shaped, but even the cheaper Kasks (Rapido/Mojito) are shaped differently and didn't fit.
It was expensive (of course the only one that fits is the most expensive one) but I'm good friends with the people there and they actually let me buy it at cost+tax so it wasn't horrible. It fits great and is super comfortable. Kasks have a leather chin strap too which feels great.
It was expensive (of course the only one that fits is the most expensive one) but I'm good friends with the people there and they actually let me buy it at cost+tax so it wasn't horrible. It fits great and is super comfortable. Kasks have a leather chin strap too which feels great.
