Are expensive helmets better?
 

So the other day I was looking at some Giro helmets. The Indicator 'sport' low end helmet costs about $35 and weights 284 grams, 20 vents. The Pneumo 'road' high end is $140 and 290 grams, 19 vents. Both have the same 'in - mold' construction. I put them side by side and couldn't figure out how one costs 4x more than the other. The only difference is I could see was style, and not so big at that. The Pneumo comes in 3 sizes, the Indicator is 'one-size-fits-all'. I have a fairly small head, so the small Pneumo looked better. But 4x! Could someone explain this?

No, not really a differance. Frequently, ,the new helmets get sold off or become the trickle down model the following year. Not much unlike Bicycle components. The new fancy helmets usually look pretty cool though. :)

If you are a frequent rider, I recommend against the one-size-fits-all helmets. Getting a great fit is difficult and a good fit significantly improves your saftey. If price is important to you, look at the cheapest models that come in at least 3 sizes. Also, learn to customize the fit for your head, including pulling the straps tight in both the front and the back. If a small tug on the front or back can pull the helmet off your head, then it may be useless in a crash.

Most of the time, when you buy a high-end helmet you're spending a lot of $$$ on R&D, or maybe getting better ventilation or a fancier retention system. Fundamentally, they're the same in terms of protecting the noggin.

I splurged on a Giro Atmos, though, and it's extremely comfortable. Super light, very well-ventilated, and looks really cool.

DrPete

Style matters to some people and of course there are also the ones who 'have to have' the latest and greatest. Economy of scale also makes a difference. Three sizes for the expensive one means different molds and seperate stocking at the stores. I would bet they move 5-10 times as many of the cheap ones.

Is the difference worth it? To me no. UNLESS it comes down to a fit issue. If you have a loose fitting helmet it can be a distraction (thus an actual danger) and also is less effective. SOME of the very expensive helmets are very much fit issues. They fit those who can not get a decent fit from the 'standard cheap' helmets.

Sometimes the most recent latest and greatest does have better impact absorbing properties. But unless you are into rather radical riding and actually expect to crash the difference on that level is probably not worth the price difference. (And you would need to do some research to find out which really are better on that count, it will not ba all the expensive ones).

That's the only thing I don't like about the really low end helmets, one size fits all. That usually means if you have a small head, you will look like a mushroom because the outter shell is large enough to fit the big heads. As far as price, though, the more expensive models usually cool you off better and look nicer. Protection is ABOUT the same, as long as they're approved by the same organization(s) such as ANSI or SNELL. I usually buy a mid-range helmet when it's on sale or closeout.

I'd rather have a cool looking sub 400 gram helmet on my head than a slightly cool looking 800 gram helmet.

The Indicator was big but could be adjusted to fit snugly and don't move at all. But the 'mushroom effect' remained...

I was going to mention that, but in the OP's case, the two helmets mentioned are almost the same weight and vent count.

Oh yeah. I guess I should have read the first post. :D

I'm hoping that the more expensive helmet are better, otherwise I have just thown away a chunk of change. My current helmet is a low end Trek badged model that was fine when I was riding at an average speed of 18 mph. During the last year I have put in a bit of work and now I'm riding a quite a bit faster and hence putting out more watts. My old helmet was fine during the Florida winter, but now that the weather is hot and humid I am getting a river of sweat running down my face after twenty miles even though I am wearing a good sweat band. I splurged for a Giro Atmos from Nashbar because they had a deep discount on an '05 model in red and blue and I should be getting it tomorrow. My hope is that the better ventilation will help with this sweating problem and possibly have a performance increase by better cooling. The human head is really important part of the human cooling system. I have no idea how those pros can survive time trialing in their aero helmets that look like they offer no ventilation.

I've researched helmets and helmet safety and the results are mixed. On a positive note, all helmets must meet a minimum standard, so a Gyro Atmos is at least as safe as a $30 helmet weighing 300 grams more, and vice versa. The down side is that "vice versa" at the end: because the standard is a minimum, it is impossible to tell which helmet is "safer". I would gladly sacrifice a few grams/vents for a helmet that is noticeably safer (i.e. far above the standard)--yet I have no way of knowing. There is a bicycling standard, and a more general (and I think more stringent) SNELL standard. I've looked at a list of SNELL approved helmets and saw that the Specialized Decibel was among them while the Atmos was not. But who knows, maybe the list was outdated, or Giro didn't submit their helmets for testing, etc.

Basically, I want something like the 5 star crash rating system they give for cars.

Found this which is interesting.

http://www.helmets.org/cu_2006.htm

I have always gotten a higher end helmet, not sure why. A couple of years ago I had a slight crash and a piece of my helmet broke, since it was still under warrenty I figured it wouldn't hurt to try and get it fixed. While I sent the helmet back I needed something on my head and bought a cheaper model. It was night and day the difference in comfort. Both helmets fit fine, but the cheaper one was not as comfortable after an hour on the bike. The broken one was replaced with a new one and now I know why I spend the extra cash.

oliverw

comfort, fit and weight... that's the difference I've found. I had a $60 range Giro one size fits all that hurt my skull like a mofo... got a NOS Giro Pneumo and it's like wearing nothing at all... got it just under $100.. so much better.. comfort was the key for my noggin'.

To beat a dead horse it is definitely a matter of comfort and fit. While in your example the weight is close, and the cheaper model had "1" more vent, I would argue that the vents on the more expensive model are probably larger and placed in such a way to allow better airflow.

R&D, tooling costs (cheap models get sold in mass in the same design for years making tooling costs negligible, not as much so in the case of higher end models), sponsorships and Market branding account for most, if not all of the cost difference.

All of them should protect you noggin, but which one do you want to wear.

All clothes cover your body, but which ones do you want to wear.

All bikes will get you from point A to point B, but which to you want to ride.

Expensive is always better than cheap!.............................................

"On a positive note, all helmets must meet a minimum standard, so a Gyro Atmos is at least as safe as a $30 helmet weighing 300 grams more, and vice versa. "

A small correction: both helmets meet a CPSC standard, which is a minimum threshold. But currently, there seems no way to determine which helmet gives greater impact protection, no way to determine whether the Atmos "is at least as safe as a $30 helmet." The $30 helmet may be safer.

I, too, would like crash-testing of helmets and would pay more money for a demonstrably safer lid.

I recently bought two new helmets: one retails for $150, the other for $70. Judging from their designs, I really don't think one is safer than the other. The more expensive helmet does have slightly better ventilation and graphics, though.

I understand the Atmos might be slightly better, but not 4x better and certainly not 4x safer.

I mean Pneumo, but probably the same for Atmos.

Cyclists don't seem to understand that the road bike business is a fashion business primarily and a sporting goods business secondarily.

Some of us do, some of them don't.....

Yes the helmet recall link was interesting. Several expensive models on that list.

Naw, that would waste valuable posting time :D But I always had the opinion like you that the expensive ones are lighter and cooler. My top priority is fit, though. Then looks, and price is only important if I can't afford the one that fits and looks cool.

More importantly most cyclists have never studied pricing strategies, or understand the difference between "value pricing" and "cost plus" pricing. Most think that pricing decisions are cost plus in nature.


If Microsoft did that then Windows would cost around $3.00