So my wife was collecting our things for our ride and my helmet slipped out of her hands and bounced all the way down the stairs into the basement. Is it time for a new one?? Should I mention that the black/blue Pnuemo does not really match the new red bike??

I wouldn't replace it, but that's just me.

Well... since you already need a matching helmet... replace it. You can use the dropping down the stairs bit as an excuse. It may work even better being that your wife is the one who dropped it.

Is there some point where you should replace it just due to age? I know if you have a significant impact it should get replaced, but was wondering whether the protection degrades over time even without impact to the structure.

That helmet is now a threat to all humanity and should be destroyed immedately, primarily because of the color issue. I doubt that "bouncing down the stair" incident has significantly damaged the protection vlaue or that age has a significant impact either. I have heard that 2 years is a minimun lifespan of a helmet and that manufacturers encourage you to replace at that time . After that it's up to you to judge condition, degree of usage and care, etc. I unfortunately have never had a helmet survive more than a year because of a periodic "crashing" problem. Was glad to replace the fractured remains of my primary safety system each time.

agreed with ^^^^

sounds like your wife dropping it constitutes a great excuse for a flashy new matching helmet. get an atmos this time! the ventilation is breathtaking.

Helmet maufacturers would say yes. (I've seen reccomendations ranging from 2-5 years.) Helmet manufacturers also consult with lawyers and the marketing department when they form these reccomendations.

Keep it.

It depends. Were the stairs carpeted, wood or concrete/metal? If carpeted, I'd check it thoroughly and continue wearing it if it's ok. If wood, I'd think about it and if concrete/metal stairs then contact Giro and have it replaced under their crash replacement program, but shop around for prices on the helmet that you want as sometimes you can find it less expensive elsewhere.

A helmet falling down a flight of stairs can crack just as easily as falling 6 feet while being worn. It just depends on how it lands and where it's struck.

The other question you can ask yourself... how much is your head worth to risk wearing a possibly cracked/weakened helmet? If you have a spare head somewhere in your house, the risk it.

I was half kidding when I wrote this post, but you got me thinking now...

The helmet is two years old and the stairs were wood...

I'm going to take a good look at it tonight when I get home...

Drop it like it's hot! You may not be able to see the damage that could give way during a real crash.

depends on what you're using it for. how many times have you wreaked on a solo ride? hopefully never. group ride, maybe, race, don't chance it.

The way I understand it, the concern is whether or not the foam has compressed. If it has, get a new helmet. I don't think bumping down a few stairs is going to make much difference. And sweat can cause the foam to deteriorate, so if you sweat and ride a lot, two years is probably a good time to replace. Sunlight can mess with a helmet's protective qualities, too.

I keep my old helmets to lend to friends who borrow bikes when they come over. I figure my old helmet is better than no helmet.

For my daily riding though, I get a new helmet every few years. (Three? Four?)

I have recently opened a dropped helmet destruction company. Please send me all $100+ helmets that have been dropped on the ground and I will see that they are properly disposed of. I would hate to see these defective helmets get into the wrong hands. No helmets that have actually been in a crash will be accepted, however. Sorry.

A helmet that has been crashed.

3-5 years or a hard hit. The outside is a harder material designed to protect the inside from crushing. with the light weight, it is probably just fine. That being said if your head or other objects are in it when you drop it, its gone, buy a new one.

Whenever my helmet suffers any kind of minor impact - bonked my head on the car door, dropped the helmet, stupid friend slapped it - I inspect it carefully for any cracks or compressed foam. If I don't see any, I keep it (I know, the lawyers don't recommend it). I did warn my wife not to drop my helmet, which she did once, and she understands the meaning of cracked foam but scoffs at the thought that a drop from 3' high with no head attached would cause a problem.

A helmet that strikes any hard surface with your head inside is toast. But just the helmet's weight alone bouncing down some stairs -- no way.