Low wind-noise helmet?
 

Hi, I'm getting fed up with the amount of wind noise from my Atmos. I did a search on the forums and the Specialized Decibel was reckoned to be quieter, but that model seems to now be really hard to get. But if I can find one, is it true that it is quieter? Are there any other helmets that have low wind-noise? I'd be prepared to sacrifice a little bit of ventilation since it doesn't often get scorchingly hot round here.

Cheers, Bryan

I know that there is little clips that go on to the straps of your helmet and they are suppose to really reduce the wind noise.I know he mentioned them on the fredcast before,but i dont know where to find them.sorry

Yes, I came across those, they're called Slipstreamz. But they sound a faff to fit, and the only ones I can find for sale are to be used with headphones.

Catlike helmets are pretty quiet and are freely available in the UK. I have a Kompact Pro which is significantly quieter than my previous helmet. Maybe the Whisper helmet is quieter still or maybe its just a name, I'm not sure but they are reasonably quiet helmets.

Regards, Anthony

I don't think the helmet has very much to do with it, I think it is mostly the wind rushing past your ears. It bugs the $h!t out of me also.

I have them. They really don't help at all - just change the pitch of the noise.

Ear plugs are really the only answer to noise. I wear them on my motorcycle always, 100% of the time. I am going to start wearing them on the bicycle. I have tinitus, which you do not want.

You can buy the cheap foam ear plugs by the box (of 1000 pairs) for less than $20 on the web.

I use earplugs to sleep, but i think the foam one's i use for that would drown out too much of the surrounding sounds (i do a lot of suburban traffic riding before i can reach the countryside) are their different decibel types that maybe the plugs would block the wind noise but allow the traffic and talking noise to come through better?

I have the slipstreamz too, they really do just change the tone, it does work sort of, but i think to really get the perfect effect you would have to wear your straps uncomfortably tight. They were like $3 or something, not like it was a big investment.

Anyone else think Decibel is a strange name for a helmet, since decibels meausure noise, and we're looking for something quiet? Or is it a play on deci-Bell - i.e., deci meaning 1/10 in the metric system, and Bell being a competitor helmet manufacturer? Just a (stray) thought...

Edit: Not intended to thread-jack....the original question is reasonable.

it brings the noise

I've gotten two different kinds of plugs through my workplace, where we often hit 105-115 dB. One is a custom fit Westone ES49, where they take a mold of your ear canal and produce an exact shape with an attenuation filter insert. Pricey, but they work -- but they start to suck when your ear canal changes shape.

The other kind -- which I've lost! -- are Etymotics "high fidelity" earplugs. Much, much cheaper, snug fit, and they allow sound clarity (plenty of "s" sounds) while knocking a good bit off of the total sound level.

If you really want to go the earplug route, I'd say to go with the Etymotic plugs.
http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er20.aspx

The Etymotic look just like these...
http://www.earlove.net/index1.html
Same thing, different name.

And developed by the same company (Etymotic Research): http://www.earlove.net/what.html

;)

I know it's a little cheap for this forum (ahem, ahem) but I've had really good luck with Bell Solars. I ride longer rides, and they're comfy, cheap, and as my brother will testify, do fine when in contact with pavement. I don't have any issues with noise.

Cheers for the input so far.

Perhaps I should clarify, I don't want to reduce any noise except wind noise through the helmet - I still want to be able to hear conversation, birdsong, teenage car passengers shouting insults, distant gunfire etc. So I don't think earplugs are the way to go. I don't get much wind noise when riding without a helmet, so I think most of it must be down to the air rushing round the shell and through the vents. My Atmos is noticeably noisier than the cheapo Specialized I had a few years ago, I'm sure.

I'd never heard of Catlike helmets before. Might see if I can find one to try on, though like the Decibel, they seem hard to get hold of. None of the reviews or descriptions I've seen make any mention of noise though.

This one is low noise and only weights 7.8lbs!

http://www.bulletproofme.com/new%20d...ICH-Helmet.JPG

Can you wear a cap under it?

One thing I remember reading in some consumer awareness article was that while expensive helmets look cool, they often have snag points on the back and top. Those snag points would also be noisy. Cheaper helmets (Bell Solar et al) are fairly rounded and don't create the same turbulence.

The extreme case is the BMX commuter helmet style, but I doubt that's what you're after :)

Hmm, that's a thought. I'll have to pay closer attention to the difference in noise between the Giro Xen & Pneumo and Bell Metro that I have. They're basically representative of pointy, roundish, and quite rounded helmets.

The Ionus is reported, by one man's opinion, to generate slightly less noise than the Atmos, the Sweep and the Specialilzed 2D.

http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthr...4&page=2&pp=15

Catlike makes the most quiet helmet Ive ever worn and Ive owned a bunch of helmets.