Clone Helmets
 

So the whole no name chinese frame/wheels thing has been discussed to death on this forum. I recently noticed a crack in my helmet and have been checking out the deals on ebay. I wanted a lazer helmet which none of my lbs' stock. I came across a few supersellers with no name helmets. Im not positive where lazer is made but I know most helmets are made in china anyways. I also know that there is supossed to be no difference in protection from low to high end helmets.


anyone else ride a no name helmet.

http://stores.ebay.com/HaoFang-store...sub=2538580011

Any thoughts?

cheers

I am not going to get into any debate on the quality on these helmets, but if you participate in any sanctioned events then you will have an issue since all helmets need to meet the standards as dictated by the governing body...

interesting, I mean i race cat 5 and I have never had my helmet checked by anyone. But it is something to consider.

The proof, they say, is in the pudding. Unless the helmet you're buying has been certified, do you really want to take that chance?

Every time I think about buying something from China that hasn't been passed through a Western company, I remember this:


What can I say, I was addicted to watching failed crash tests for a few months.

The neighbor wears one of those BS, no name, non-certified motorcycle helmets. I always laugh at him and tell him 'If you've got a $5 head, put it in a $5 helmet.'

Good Lord how cheap can some people be??? Seriously, FFS. Any roadie committed enough to race can afford a properly certified helmet. Period.

ehhhhh

I'd find some other way to pinch pennies.

I was Tour of Catskills last year with a group of guys from Toronto and one of the guys had a Catlike helmet that the US cycling official was not familiar with. He asked to looked at it, and it did not have the proper certification sticker and they were not going to let him race until he could prove that the helmet was in fact certified. Luckily he was able to borrow a helmet for that stage and able to locate proof of certification for the next stage so he could use his.

They take it seriously because if they let you race and something happens then they can be held liable...

Clone helmet?
http://images.buystarwarscostumes.co..._clone_tro.jpg

I crashed--hard--last Saturday. Had surgery for a broken right clavicle on Thursday. Here's what my helmet looks like:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=274457

Had a crushing headache for two days, and a nasty bruise on my forehead, but the CT scan was negative. I had a Bell helmet. I'll be replacing it with another name-brand helmet. A knock-off eBay jersey from China is one thing--a helmet is an entirely different story.

Not to mention Cat 5 races are probably the worst for crashes.

I remember a comment I once said about cycling shorts: your nuts are resting on those, do you really want to skimp on those? It's doubly true for helmets: the big head is much more important than the little one.

well im glad I brought this up, I guess Im going to find another way to pinch pennies...

I bet the clone helmet is just as safe, but I wouldn't take the chance.

I just bought a Schwinn Thrasher helmet from the Wallymart for $20. One doesn't need to get cheaper than that, I think.

Not that I'm going to buy one but maybe I need to snap a picture. A store called Five Below sells helmets, complete with safety regulation compliance stickers, for $5. They're not pretty, basically just styrene foam with some plastic on top, but I guess they passed inspection!

I see no mention of them having CPSC Standard stickers which are required by Law here.
I would not put one on my head or my grandkids with out one.

I would not take the chance. I mean, if you are gonna save money on anything, do it on something else besides safety.

I also think that if the helmet would pass the safety regulations, it would have an indication of this as do all other helmets.

The idea that a helmet, may, or may not, protect my head in the event of a crash devalues it so much (to me) that I actually believe itis overpriced given this uncertainty.

The question you've got to ask yourself is: Did they really?

Or are the stickers cloned as well? A clue might be a spelling mistake on it somewhere.

And does the helmet have a manufacturer sticker on the inside?

Eh, they're not actually clones. They're some off-brand sold legally here in the U.S., bearing the CPSC sticker. They're just cheap looking and ugly. Again, I'm not interested in purchasing one. The foam itself looks about ready to disintegrate between the road and the rider's head. I doubt that's something tested for with certification.