Hi,

Helmet manufacturers tell you that a helmet loses its protective properties after a couple of years and accordingly riders should replace them, even if one's never had an accident or dropped anything on the helmet.

Is this really true?

If so, how long does it take to "go bad"?

Tnx

I would say unless you left it in the sun where UV rays could degrade the helmet then it will last a long long time. That is only if it's true that it is never bumped off a shelf onto the floor or thrown around etc.

They do degrade over time but the recommended timeframe is about 8 yrs.

No way I'd trust a helmet 8 years unless I didn't ride much. Just look at what your sweat will do to the insides -- you can see the foam breaking down. I replace every couple of years. Safety is not a good place to cheap out and it's a tiny part of the total cost of riding.

According to helmets.org: As long as you have a cared for (not crashed) helmet that is of the modern era, then it should be fine. Their claim is that it is marketing by helmet manufactures that you need a new helmet.

That being said, if you aren't very careful with yours (you like to throw it around and drop it), then this changes things.

Cheers,
Charles

Bell and Giro both recommend you replace their helmets every 3 years, but don't specify why. My guess is this is part CYA and part marketing.

As far as I know, styrofoam and plastic are both quite stable. As long as you haven't bashed the helmet, it should be fine for much longer than 3 years.

The length of time a helmet lasts depends on several factors:
-UV exposure
-sweat and hair/face products

I've had "all-natural" sunscreen melt the plastic off of other bottles so there is an effect on the styrofoam over time.

cplager, from your link:
[h=3]An honest manufacturer: MET[/h] The Italian company MET says in their 2010 catalog: "We are often asked 'For how long is a helmet safe?', or 'how often should I replace my helmet?”' Until now it has been difficult to find any reliable figures to help answer these queries. MET have now developed a series of tests which are conducted on aged helmets to determine a 'best before' date (unless the helmet is involved in an accident. In that case it should be replaced immediately.). The results indicate that, if used properly accordingly to our owner manual, our helmets will still do their job up to eight years after they have been made. Not only is that good news for the customer, it’s great news for the environment!"


Here is a list of substances they tested on helmets with some surpising results
https://www.helmets.org/substancetest.htm

This is dangerously close to a helmet thread.

For me, it's not an expensive enough piece to try to cheap out and extend the most possible. I clean my helmet about every 3-400 miles, and I don't throw it around and it stays inside, out of the sun.

I replace veery two years not only because I want to be sure, but because I want the latest technology when it comes to my head.

Technology hasn't changed in over 10 years with helmet safety. It's a molded chunk of styrofoam.
The only big innovation has been in-mold and that's really an aesthetic/venting thing.

That said, it's always nice to have a new helmet with new styling.

I replaced a ~9 year old Giro helmet last year because the outer plastic shell was starting to bubble and come loose from the main foam shell, was never in a crash. I still trusted it to do its job, but it was getting pretty ugly and probably had lost some of its protective ability. Replaced it with another, very similar, new Giro... hope it lasts another 9 years without a crash! The only noticeable difference with the new helmet, is the clicky-wheel headband fit system, other than that it looks nearly identical to the 9-year-old model.

It's pretty easy to tell when a helmet is about to go bad. They will start hanging out with the wrong crowd, get tattoos, wear pants below their underwear and have the munchies constantly.

I'll repeat the same thing I always post whenever this comes up:

Whether a helmet degrades after three years or eight doesn't really matter to me. The question you have to answer is: Is your head worth $50-$200 a helmet costs every two to three years?

I think mine is.

cycling caps never go out of style

Is your head worth $200 every day?
$200 every month?

Mine is.



I'm not going to buy 30 helmets a month though.

Styrofoam lasts for decades. New recycling companies are starting up about 10 a year to deal with the stuff. That is why you should never throw any styrofoam in a landfill. That stuff never breaks down.

as with anything helmets lose some of their integrity with use. Otherwise everything would be made out of Styrofoam.

I know form personal experience that indeed styrofoam DOES degrade when improperly stored at least.

I bought a new helmet 20 years ago, used it till we moved 16 years ago. After we moved I cycled a little for a summer and then the bike and helmet went into the shed in the yard. Exposed to heat and cold, dampness and dryness and very LITTLE UV exposure. When I pulled the bike out after being in the shed for 15 years the helmet was flaky and shed powdery dust when I rubbed it. I was able to crumble the edges of the foam part of the helmet very easily and when I wore it a few times it left a powdery residue on my skin. It was shot. I bought a new one.

Question is: Why take a chance? They are cheap enough. if you value your brains then get a new one if at all in question. I would also question the integraty of the strap as well, especially being soaked in acidic sweat repeatedly.

That's a good point rootman.
I think inspection of the strap and retention are a good idea. Most helmets have replacement parts that are very cheap, sometimes free.

It might last for decades, but that doesn't mean it retains all its properties. Heavily used helmets of mine show very noticeable degradation, presumably from sweat.

Also, whether something is biodegradable or not is practically irrelevant in a landfill. Even biodegradable things like banana peels take forever to biodegrade because everything is packed so tightly and the living things and oxygen typically needed for biodegradation are lacking. Plus, it's a friggin landfill filled will all kinds of garbage...

still working on this one.

OP, did you glean an answer?

I emailed Louis Garneau to ask this question when my LG helmet was four years old, because I was told helmets should be replaced every three years by a bike shop employee. The folks at LG told me the helmet was just fine and would be for a couple more years. I did end up buying a new one because I got a better fit from a different model and brand, but still keep the LG one as a backup.

Just toss it in the washing machine every once in a while

It is.

My head has been going bad with time, but I do hope it outlasts my current helmet.