Helmets

if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?
Deacon Mark

Am 23.04.2021 um 15:19 schrieb Mark cleary:
if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced
they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but
frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need
another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?

If you belive helmets protect you in falls, you should exchange your helmet

1) whenever it bashed against anything because bashing weakens the
internal structures
2) when it's regularly used, after 3-5 years because the plastics
degrades in UV light

(the same is valid for motorbike helmets but the speed of degradation
depends on the exact material used; IIRC Kevlar helmets withstand UV
light for 10 years but I stopped motorbiking 30 years ago so might
misremember)

If you only wear helmets because it's the law or because it's
fashionable you don't have to worry about things like that.

Rolf

On 4/23/2021 8:19 AM, Mark cleary wrote:
if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?
Deacon Mark


Probably no definitive general answer.

UV oxidation and other factors can make the fittings and
bands brittle, to failure, which may indicate the impact
resistance may have also declined.

People seem to replace helmets for those ancillary failures
or general crud rather than suspicion of shell integrity issues.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Friday, April 23, 2021 at 6:45:45 AM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
On 4/23/2021 8:19 AM, Mark cleary wrote:
if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?
Deacon Mark

Probably no definitive general answer.

UV oxidation and other factors can make the fittings and
bands brittle, to failure, which may indicate the impact
resistance may have also declined.

People seem to replace helmets for those ancillary failures
or general crud rather than suspicion of shell integrity issues.

The Q-cell lining in my Bontrager helmet has changed over the last couple of years from yellow to black. It is probably time to replace it and since they are only $150 there is little reason not to. As for foam helmets - they are a more of a danger rather than a safety precaution and should be replaced with the Q-cell helmets made by Trek. I don't know if the Bontrager helmets work any better but at least they are trying to make them protect against concussion. The foam helmets are specifically designed without any care for concussion.

On 4/23/2021 9:19 AM, Mark cleary wrote:
if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?
Deacon Mark


America's most dedicated helmet promoter is Randy Swart, AKA the Bicycle
Helmet Safety Institute. He's literally devoted his life to promoting
helmets, even making them mandatory for everyone - adults included.

He arranged to have some really old helmets put through the helmet
certification test. Despite their advanced age, the helmets still
passed. He says you don't need to replace your helmet, and certainly not
at three years as the helmet manufacturers (and many other helmeteers)
had been saying.

Understand, that's from a guy who is such a fanatic that he wants to
make it illegal everywhere for even adults to ride a bike without the
fancy hat.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On Friday, April 23, 2021 at 8:50:40 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 4/23/2021 9:19 AM, Mark cleary wrote:
if you listen to the crowd they say bike helmets should be replaced they break down. Now I can see if you crash maybe swap the helmet but frankly my helmet is at least 6 years old possible 7 or 8. Do i need another one? I can understand technology gets better but really?
Deacon Mark

America's most dedicated helmet promoter is Randy Swart, AKA the Bicycle
Helmet Safety Institute. He's literally devoted his life to promoting
helmets, even making them mandatory for everyone - adults included.

He arranged to have some really old helmets put through the helmet
certification test. Despite their advanced age, the helmets still
passed. He says you don't need to replace your helmet, and certainly not
at three years as the helmet manufacturers (and many other helmeteers)
had been saying.

Understand, that's from a guy who is such a fanatic that he wants to
make it illegal everywhere for even adults to ride a bike without the
fancy hat.

Frank, the helmet tests are so stupid that a bowling ball would probably pass. It is impossible to make a "safe" helmet using foamed plastic and the present standard. I don't know if the Bontrager Q-cell is any better but at least they addressed the actual problems.