Re: Helmets

[miles todd]

Chris wrote:
>
> Lies. All helmets certified by the CPSC - that's everything made by real
> helmet makers like Bell, Giro, LGarneau, Briko, whomever -will protect the
> OP fine. You can easily get a good-enough helmet for half of your $69
> baseline. Also, I have long, thick hair and have never had a ventilation
> problem in my $29-on-sale Bell Ukon - and I wear a bandanna between my head
> and the cover (as no sweatpads can restrain my manly flow of perspiration).
>
> I'm of the opinion that helmets are the one area where riders consistently
> spend way too much money. Yeah, it's your head, but the cheap ones work
> just as well as the expensive ones (assuming you're not trying to do a DH
> run with a little roadie job on you skull).
>
>
>>Go to your lbs(local bike shop) and get
>>fitted properly.
>
>
> Not necessary...anywhere that sells helmets (LBS, outdoor stores, -Marts)
> better let you yank a helmet out of its box and see if you can get it to
> fit. If you can't do it yourself - adjusting a strap in the back and one
> under your chin - then you have problems no helmet will fix.
>
>
>>Good luck and cover your melon.
>>
>
>
> That part I agree with.
>
> Chris
>
>


I will agree that all helmets sold in the US have to meet the same
safety testing standards, but I would never say that they are all
equally safe.
The testing protocols really don't resemble the real world at all- they
simply put a weight in the helmet, drop it from a standard height, and
see if it broke.
Typically, the more money a helmet sells for the better the fit,
adjustability, and not least, comfort. Sure, a $150 helmet won't
protect an eigt pound weight dropped on a laboratory floor any better
than a $21 helmet will. It can, though, protect somebody's head better.

miles

 

[Brett Jaffee]

miles todd <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>Sure, a $150 helmet won't
> protect an eigt pound weight dropped on a laboratory floor any better
> than a $21 helmet will. It can, though, protect somebody's head
> better.
>
> miles
>

I've been wondering about this. Certainly I understand the issue of fit on
saftey, but it seems odd that not even the manufacturers seem to claim that
the more expensive helmets offer any better protection then the cheaper
models. Usually the only claims are about more holes and better
ventalation.

Aside from comfort/fit (which I concede is very important), what factors
would make the more expensive helmet better at protecting your head?

 

[Per Elmsäter]

Brett Jaffee wrote:
> miles todd <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> Sure, a $150 helmet won't
>> protect an eigt pound weight dropped on a laboratory floor any better
>> than a $21 helmet will. It can, though, protect somebody's head
>> better.
>>
>> miles
>>
>
> I've been wondering about this. Certainly I understand the issue of
> fit on saftey, but it seems odd that not even the manufacturers seem
> to claim that the more expensive helmets offer any better protection
> then the cheaper models. Usually the only claims are about more
> holes and better ventalation.
>
> Aside from comfort/fit (which I concede is very important), what
> factors would make the more expensive helmet better at protecting
> your head?

I'd say it's fit that makes the only difference safetywise. If you can get a
cheap helmet with nice fit to your head then you are probably doing OK,
safetywise. With fit I mean that it shall be easy to put the helmet on and
then tighten it in the back so that it will not fall off when head is shook.
After that the chinstrap can be fastened.

I had to borrow my wifes helmet last year for a week when I'd crashed mine.
It was OK fit wise, but so awful comfortwise that I bought her a new helmet.
If you've been wondering. Yes my helmet cost me more than $150 ))

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

 

[Chris]

"alex887" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:kQ_9c.63810$cx5.54431@fed1read04...
> I recently bought a nice fitting Bell Ukon and compared it to the $150
> helmets. They had more holes, them same amount of adjustments, the same
> quality clasp and other plastic fittings. What, material or special
> manufacturing goes in to the $150 helmets that justisfies the extra $120
> difference I wonder?
>

Exactly. The Ukon has the same adjustment-thingy in the back, pad
arrangement, skull-retaining-plastic cage, and styrofoam compound as
everything else Bell makes. The difference is it doesn't look as cool, have
big vent holes (which you could conceivably argue make the helmet MORE
dangerous), or let your buddies know you blew a hundred bucks on a helmet.

If it works, it works. All XC helmets will protect you fine...save the
money.

Chris

 

[Pete]

"alex887" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:kQ_9c.63810$cx5.54431@fed1read04...
> I recently bought a nice fitting Bell Ukon and compared it to the $150
> helmets. They had more holes, them same amount of adjustments, the same
> quality clasp and other plastic fittings. What, material or special
> manufacturing goes in to the $150 helmets that justisfies the extra $120
> difference I wonder?

Marketing and hype.

Pete

 

[Brett Jaffee]

"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Exactly. The Ukon has the same adjustment-thingy in the back, pad
> arrangement, skull-retaining-plastic cage, and styrofoam compound as
> everything else Bell makes. The difference is it doesn't look as
> cool, have big vent holes (which you could conceivably argue make the
> helmet MORE dangerous)

I can only assume that the all those extra holes means extra r&d to make
the helmet as safe as one with fewer vents. I suppose it might be a bit
more difficult to manufacture, plus, if they change designs every
year...perhaps that's where the cost comes from.

 

[Pete]

"Slacker" <[email protected]> wrote
> >
> > I've been wondering about this. Certainly I understand the issue of fit
on
> > saftey, but it seems odd that not even the manufacturers seem to claim
that
> > the more expensive helmets offer any better protection then the cheaper
> > models. Usually the only claims are about more holes and better
> > ventalation.
>
> I believe that's because everyone is testing to meet the legal
> requirements. It cost a lot of money to come up with specific tests. I
> know the company I work for (Aerospace) frequently has to do this.
>
> The helmets that have more venting while still meeting the same standard
> of helmets that don't tell you something about the design/engineering of
> it. I believe that's one of the reasons why they're way more expensive;
> those dang engineers are expensive!

"The idea is to raise prices and get the consumer to buy up. If you have a
helmet at $50 with 500 vents, how are you ever going to sell a $100 helmet?"
-Bell's Senior Product Manager Candi Whitsel September 1, 1997

Pete

 

[Shawn Curry]

Pete wrote:


>
> "The idea is to raise prices and get the consumer to buy up. If you have a
> helmet at $50 with 500 vents, how are you ever going to sell a $100 helmet?"
> -Bell's Senior Product Manager Candi Whitsel September 1, 1997

duh, 1000 vents!
Isn't that how we got the Hummer and Extinction er, Excursion?

Shawn