krazyderek

I'm looking at getting a new summer helmet since i'm still having a bit of forehead sweat problems.

I looked at the obvious and popular Giro Atmos (discovery), but it was really uncomfortable, the pads just sucked around the forhead, felt like chicken wire, IMO. And yes i did measure my head and make sure it was the right size, and yes i do know how to adjust the size strap.

Then the Bell Sweep R (CSC), this was a tough more comfortable, but didn't seem to have as many large open vents right around the bottom/front of the helmet.

Then i tried the Bell Ghisallo (last year's pro model?), great fit, felt like the helmet was a little deeper, and the front vents are HUGE, like, i'll have to wear sunscreen on my forehead.

Right now i'm leaning towards the Bell Ghisallo, just thought i'd get some other options from you guys that switched to another helmet for a cooler head/more air flow, and what helmet did you end up with?
Please try and refrain from "i heard this one..." or "this is probably good but i haven't tried it...", and definitly "this one looks......"

platypus

I would have suggested the atmos, since I have one and love it, and I got it mainly for the airflow. Actually, truth be told I got one for my wife since she has problems overheating, and then I couldn't let her have a nicer helmet than me, now could I?

hmai18

Haven't had any problems with my Sweep R, even while riding in 40C weather. Great helmet for the money.

whitemax

Gyro Pneumo lets in more air than any helmet I have ever used. Lot cheaper than Lances helmet too

hmai18

But you may get the "mushroom head" look with the Pneumo.

'nother

Sorry to aim tangentially, but since you mentioned sweat being an issue: have you tried a headband or helmet liner? I was skeptical but tried one and was surprised at what a difference it made in terms of keeping sweat off of my brow (and out of my sunglasses).

fixedfiend

I think all Giros, even the Atmos is larger in circumfrence than other helmet brands.

Terex

I tried on Atmos and Pneumo - I agree that Atmos was very uncomfortable. I bougt a Pneumo, and doesn't look too bad in blue & white. Better looking and lots of airflow is Bell X-Ray, a modern classic interms of functionality & style.

rosem

I love my Sweep R

krazyderek

I have some on the way, but here's why i think a helmet would make a bigger difference.

sweat only seems to poor down when i get in the drops, and have to turn my head more to look forward, as a result my forhead pushe's against the pads in my helmet and squeeze's out all the sweet that was sitting there otherwise not dripping down. A sweet band would just hold more water for my head to squeeze out, therefore it would make sense to try and get rid of the sweet as it's being made with better air flow to the front forehead section. Granted i could just squeeze the sweat out before a descent, and even with a headband i may still do that, but i'd like to start on the right foot with the best ventilation possible compared to my no/minimal air flowhelmet i have now.

meme

Getting a white color helmet would also help as it won't absorb as much sunlight than say black color helmets.

webist

I use a headband. Headsweats would probably also work. I situate the headband (a thin one) higher on the forehead and lower in the back. My intent is to channel sweat to the back of my head. Seems to work.

wrench_meister

I suffered with ventilation through my helmet going through several Giros and Bells. Then I tried one I had never seen before: The Giro Eclipse. But how to test it? I brought my bike to the shop one day and strapped on the Eclipse and went for a ride. Of course the owner told me not to sweat in it and if I did then I just bought it. I was gone for 45 minutes! So of course I bought it.

That helmet rocks! The air rushes over my huge noggin very well in order to cool me down (it helps that I have no hair).

Anyway, in short, I recommend the Giro Eclipse helmet.

Arizona-Cyclist

I have a Bell Alchera whilch only has 17 vents, but they are HUGE and well placed. It keeps me pretty cool. The way I can tell it vents well in addition to being cool is that bugs fly right through it...

burtonbiker

I just bought a Pneumo and it better rock as it cost more than I wanted to pay for a dumb helmet.... hey dudes LOOKY -- if you haven't discovered the Halo headband yet you are missing out on the best headband out there! It has a rubber strip which goes across your forehead and keeps your glasses amazingly dry - even in TX in the summer - for $13 bought my second one today and highly recommend.

hi565

you aint seen air sucking helmets like this!



whatchya think?

hi565

For air sucking reasons I would have to say the atmos, but that has been ruled out.

ulmer

I second the Bell Alchera. It's cheap, like $50 on sale at Performance, and the vents are very close in size to the high dollar helmets. I really like mine! I also get a lot of insects in and through the helmet. :-)

krazyderek

hmm... i wonder if i need a large in the atmos, despite it's sizing labels, that's the one heltmet i didn't really feel my head "sink" into, i wish they hada had a large at the store to try on. I'll look for the Alchera next time

allgoo19

Helmet liners don't work the same way as sponge pads or cotton terry do. They don't hold the sweat but spread it.

You think riding a bike with no helmet would be the coolest it can be right? Wrong.
Try riding a bike with only helmet liner(either made of Coolmax or better yet, Vaportech by Pace(Why I think Vaportec is better? It's a mesh and woven tighter. Capillary action works better with tightly woven material.)). You can feel your sweat actually cooling your head as it leaves the material. More you sweat, more it spreads out to wider area and no dripping(as long as covered by the material, that is). If it drips, you are wasting your sweat.

Try this experiment. Wear helmet liner and go out to ride your bike for ten minutes very hard. Take off your liner and try to squeeze out the sweat. The chances are, you can't, but you can only feel it's wet.

krazyderek

no.... no, i can actually ring out the pads on my helmet after a ride, we're talking runny tap of water here, not just a couple drops. Maybe i should pick up some new forward pads the stock one's with my Belle ARC might have just been to generic? Or when you say liner, do you mean the evapo-sweatband headbands?

late

I have a Ghisallo. Great helmet. Go for it.

'nother

Actually, I think somebody did some controlled tests on this theory and found the difference in temperature at the inside of the helmet was negligible between dark and light colored helmets. I'll try to find the article and post if possible. As I recall, the conclusion was that the foam that absorbs impact also acts as an insulator against the solar radiation, regardless of shell color.

'nother

That's what I was talking about, way back. They're not the same as pads, as allgoo19 suggested. Their job is not to absorb, but to wick. I was surprised and impressed. Worth a try . . . not too expensive.

allgoo19

This is skull cap.

This is helmet liner.

This is shorty skull cap.

Basically, they all work the same way.