Consumer Reports on bicycle helmets

[Les Earnest]

Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
Buy. The report is available online at
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.

-Les Earnest

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

Les Earnest wrote:
> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> Buy. The report is available online at
> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.


Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
course, swoopy styling).

"More is less" - Mies van der Road

 

[Tom The Great]

On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Les Earnest wrote:
>> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
>> found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
>> superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
>> Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
>> best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
>> Buy. The report is available online at
>> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>
>
>Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
>impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
>course, swoopy styling).
>
>"More is less" - Mies van der Road


True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
bucks more than the citi made it second.

later,

tom

 

[B. Lafferty]

"Les Earnest" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They found
> two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best Buy.
> The report is available online at
> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>
> -Les Earnest
You've become quite the agent provocateur.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

Tom The Great wrote:
> On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> >Les Earnest wrote:
> >> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> >> found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> >> superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> >> Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> >> best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> >> Buy. The report is available online at
> >> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
> >
> >
> >Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
> >impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
> >course, swoopy styling).
> >
> >"More is less" - Mies van der Road
>
>
> True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
> bucks more than the citi made it second.
>

Sure, the same point can be made about the Bell Slant v. the Giro
Atmos.

FWIW, I do wonder why the Bell Metro was so much further down in the
tests (not just price related). IIRC, the Citi is just a Metro without
the geegaws (vent plugs, mirror mounts, etc).

 

[Zilla]

"Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Les Earnest wrote:
> > Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> > found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> > superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> > Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> > best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> > Buy. The report is available online at
> > http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>
>
> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
> impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
> course, swoopy styling).
>
> "More is less" - Mies van der Road
>

But how does the Bell Citi or Slant compare in "comfort"
with the Giro Atmos? Seems like the Atmos will be more
comofortable during hot days because of the bigger holes.
I don't own any of these.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC USA
(Remove XSPAM)

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

Zilla wrote:
> "Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Les Earnest wrote:
> > > Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> > > found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> > > superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> > > Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> > > best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> > > Buy. The report is available online at
> > > http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
> >
> >
> > Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
> > impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
> > course, swoopy styling).
> >
> > "More is less" - Mies van der Road
> >
>
> But how does the Bell Citi or Slant compare in "comfort"
> with the Giro Atmos? Seems like the Atmos will be more
> comofortable during hot days because of the bigger holes.
> I don't own any of these.
>
> --

FWIW, CU rated the $45 Bell Citi and the $50 Bell Slant equal in
ventilation to the $190 Giro Atmos.

What price style? What price "Paris"?

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

Zilla wrote:
> "Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Les Earnest wrote:
> > > Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> > > found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> > > superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> > > Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> > > best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> > > Buy. The report is available online at
> > > http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
> >
> >
> > Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
> > impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
> > course, swoopy styling).
> >
> > "More is less" - Mies van der Road
> >
>
> But how does the Bell Citi or Slant compare in "comfort"
> with the Giro Atmos? Seems like the Atmos will be more
> comofortable during hot days because of the bigger holes.
> I don't own any of these.
>
> --

FWIW, CU rated the $45 Bell Citi and the $50 Bell Slant equal in
ventilation to the $190 Giro Atmos.

What price style? What price "Paris"?

 

[Tom The Great]

On 7 May 2006 13:22:11 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Tom The Great wrote:
>> On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >Les Earnest wrote:
>> >> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
>> >> found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
>> >> superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
>> >> Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
>> >> best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
>> >> Buy. The report is available online at
>> >> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>> >
>> >
>> >Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
>> >impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
>> >course, swoopy styling).
>> >
>> >"More is less" - Mies van der Road
>>
>>
>> True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
>> bucks more than the citi made it second.
>>
>
>Sure, the same point can be made about the Bell Slant v. the Giro
>Atmos.


I don't think so,

Bell Citi got a 79 point rating.
Bell Slant got a 79 point rating.

Giro Atmos got a 68 point rating. (4th place for adults)

Plus Giro Atmos cost almost 4 times more than the Bell Slant.


later,

tom @ www.NoCostAds.com









>
>FWIW, I do wonder why the Bell Metro was so much further down in the
>tests (not just price related). IIRC, the Citi is just a Metro without
>the geegaws (vent plugs, mirror mounts, etc).

 

[Sorni]

Tom The Great wrote:
> On 7 May 2006 13:22:11 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> Tom The Great wrote:
>>> On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Les Earnest wrote:
>>>>> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue.
>>>>> They found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them.
>>>>> They rated four superior for impact performance and two of those,
>>>>> the Bell Citi and the Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell
>>>>> Boomerang is still listed as best toddler model, and the Schwinn
>>>>> Intercept youth helmet got a Best Buy. The report is available
>>>>> online at
>>>>> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos
>>>> in impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except,
>>>> of course, swoopy styling).
>>>>
>>>> "More is less" - Mies van der Road
>>>
>>>
>>> True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
>>> bucks more than the citi made it second.
>>>
>>
>> Sure, the same point can be made about the Bell Slant v. the Giro
>> Atmos.
>
>
> I don't think so,
>
> Bell Citi got a 79 point rating.
> Bell Slant got a 79 point rating.
>
> Giro Atmos got a 68 point rating. (4th place for adults)
>
> Plus Giro Atmos cost almost 4 times more than the Bell Slant.

You might try re-reading this exchange. (Hint: you just re-made Ozark's
point.)

> later,

Spam-Sig removed.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

Sorni wrote:
> Tom The Great wrote:
> > On 7 May 2006 13:22:11 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
> > <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Tom The Great wrote:
> >>> On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
> >>> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Les Earnest wrote:
> >>>>> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue.
> >>>>> They found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them.
> >>>>> They rated four superior for impact performance and two of those,
> >>>>> the Bell Citi and the Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell
> >>>>> Boomerang is still listed as best toddler model, and the Schwinn
> >>>>> Intercept youth helmet got a Best Buy. The report is available
> >>>>> online at
> >>>>> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos
> >>>> in impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except,
> >>>> of course, swoopy styling).
> >>>>
> >>>> "More is less" - Mies van der Road
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
> >>> bucks more than the citi made it second.
> >>>
> >>
> >> Sure, the same point can be made about the Bell Slant v. the Giro
> >> Atmos.
> >
> >
> > I don't think so,
> >
> > Bell Citi got a 79 point rating.
> > Bell Slant got a 79 point rating.
> >
> > Giro Atmos got a 68 point rating. (4th place for adults)
> >
> > Plus Giro Atmos cost almost 4 times more than the Bell Slant.
>
> You might try re-reading this exchange. (Hint: you just re-made Ozark's
> point.)
>

Thanks.

I don't see where the confusion lies: the same points in Bell Citi v.
Giro Atmos can be made in Bell Slant v. Giro Atmos.

At any rate, the conclusion is clear: the Giro Atmos is really
over-priced, offering nothing substantive in return for it's very high
price. At least Lance didn't have to buck up for his.....

 

[Jeff Starr]

On Sun, 7 May 2006 20:25:04 -0400, "Zilla"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Les Earnest wrote:
>> > Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
>> > found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
>> > superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
>> > Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
>> > best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
>> > Buy. The report is available online at
>> > http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>>
>>
>> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
>> impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
>> course, swoopy styling).
>>
>> "More is less" - Mies van der Road
>>
>
>But how does the Bell Citi or Slant compare in "comfort"
>with the Giro Atmos? Seems like the Atmos will be more
>comofortable during hot days because of the bigger holes.
>I don't own any of these.


I'll never understand why people blindly trust Consumer Reports. In
the past, I have found items tested, that I have knowledge of, to be
inaccurate. So I don't really trust them when it comes to helmets.

I bought a bargain Bell, for my first helmet. It gave me a headache,
just trying to adjust and fit it. I sent it back. I bought a Giro
Stelvio, closeout for around $30, it was comfy, but had a lot of wind
noise. A year later I went to a Giro Eclipse, much better. Also bought
on closeout, it retailed for $100, I paid $55. I still use it when I
wear anything under my helmet. Last year I bought a Giro Pneumo, new
on Ebay, for a more precise fit. Which it does, coming in more sizes.

If I needed, or wanted a new helmet, I would consider an Atmos, at a
discount price. Although I believe my Pneumo has the same Roc Loc
system.

Actually, ProBikeKit has a number of helmets, not normally marketed in
the USA that look interesting.


Life is Good!
Jeff

 

[Dave Larrington]

In article <[email protected]>,
Ozark Bicycle ([email protected]) wrote:
>
> Zilla wrote:
> > "Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > > Les Earnest wrote:
> > > > Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue. They
> > > > found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them. They rated four
> > > > superior for impact performance and two of those, the Bell Citi and the
> > > > Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell Boomerang is still listed as
> > > > best toddler model, and the Schwinn Intercept youth helmet got a Best
> > > > Buy. The report is available online at
> > > > http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
> > >
> > >
> > > Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos in
> > > impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except, of
> > > course, swoopy styling).
> > >
> > > "More is less" - Mies van der Road
> > >
> >
> > But how does the Bell Citi or Slant compare in "comfort"
> > with the Giro Atmos? Seems like the Atmos will be more
> > comofortable during hot days because of the bigger holes.
> > I don't own any of these.
> >
> > --
>
> FWIW, CU rated the $45 Bell Citi and the $50 Bell Slant equal in
> ventilation to the $190 Giro Atmos.
>
> What price style? What price "Paris"?

I think it's a fair bit lighter as well. Which, for those of us who are
obliged to wear a MartleHat for racing, may be a consideration.

Disclaimer: I have an Atmos. I paid a hundred and twenty of the
BRITONS' pounds for it.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
The elder stoat leads, in all circumstances.

 

[Tom The Great]

On Mon, 08 May 2006 01:30:49 GMT, "Sorni"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Tom The Great wrote:
>> On 7 May 2006 13:22:11 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Tom The Great wrote:
>>>> On 7 May 2006 12:04:41 -0700, "Ozark Bicycle"
>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Les Earnest wrote:
>>>>>> Consumer Reports has an article on helmets in their June issue.
>>>>>> They found two that flunked and prompted Trek to recall them.
>>>>>> They rated four superior for impact performance and two of those,
>>>>>> the Bell Citi and the Bell Slant, got the Best Buy tag. The Bell
>>>>>> Boomerang is still listed as best toddler model, and the Schwinn
>>>>>> Intercept youth helmet got a Best Buy. The report is available
>>>>>> online at
>>>>>> http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/bike-helmets-606/overview.htm.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi outperforms the $190 Giro Atmos
>>>>> in impact protection and equals it in all the other areas (except,
>>>>> of course, swoopy styling).
>>>>>
>>>>> "More is less" - Mies van der Road
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> True but I liked the looks of the slant more, and it seems it's 5
>>>> bucks more than the citi made it second.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Sure, the same point can be made about the Bell Slant v. the Giro
>>> Atmos.
>>
>>
>> I don't think so,
>>
>> Bell Citi got a 79 point rating.
>> Bell Slant got a 79 point rating.
>>
>> Giro Atmos got a 68 point rating. (4th place for adults)
>>
>> Plus Giro Atmos cost almost 4 times more than the Bell Slant.
>
>You might try re-reading this exchange. (Hint: you just re-made Ozark's
>point.)
>
>> later,
>
>Spam-Sig removed.
>


OH, I thought he was replying to my post about citi and slant being
equally rated, citi vs slant. But I liked the slant more.

Not citi vs atmos, and slant vs atmos.

But I stant by what I read in CR.

tom

 

[Tom Kunich]

So insufficient is better in your books than ineffective? Not
surprising.

Did you note in previous threads that I bet that the newer more
expensive models were considerably less effective?

But as in the first line, being the best of a bad lot isn't being good.

 

[Tom Kunich]

I haven't seen the article but I'd be willing to bet that they don't
test the ventilation properly.

In the test that were done to test ventilation on the Specialized
supported study ALL test subjects (I seem to recall it was like 6 or 8)
had a substantial performance reduction from the helmets at high output
slow wind speeds.

This suggests that at the critical points - CLIMBS - that helmets
perform badly by blocking radiative cooling.

That COULDN'T be why all of the fast climbers always removed their
helmets instantly they could on the final climb could it? Maybe Les and
Laff@me could explain to us that it was just smart assed dumb racers
doing that.

 

[RicodJour]

Tom Kunich wrote:
> I haven't seen the article but I'd be willing to bet that they don't
> test the ventilation properly.
>
> In the test that were done to test ventilation on the Specialized
> supported study ALL test subjects (I seem to recall it was like 6 or 8)
> had a substantial performance reduction from the helmets at high output
> slow wind speeds.

Even light doesn't operate the same at all speeds. Why would
wind/ventilation?

> This suggests that at the critical points - CLIMBS - that helmets
> perform badly by blocking radiative cooling.

I guess you ride a recumbent.

> That COULDN'T be why all of the fast climbers always removed their
> helmets instantly they could on the final climb could it? Maybe Les and
> Laff@me could explain to us that it was just smart assed dumb racers
> doing that.

Your point is you don't like helmets. We already got that. Your
attempts at substantiating your postion do you more harm than good.
Let it go.

R

 

[Sorni]

Dave Larrington wrote:

> Disclaimer: I have an Atmos. I paid a hundred and twenty of the
> BRITONS' pounds for it.

Save yer braggin' for JFT!

:-D

 

[Tom Kunich]

"RicodJour" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Your point is you don't like helmets. We already got that. Your
> attempts at substantiating your postion do you more harm than good.

My point is that those highly vented and EXPENSIVE helmets probably work
better in a climb than the other helmets with fewer vents because it allows
more radiative cooling vs. air flow cooling. Do you REALLY suppose that Bell
and Giro go to all the trouble inventing new technologies to manufacture
helmets just so they look better? Or do you believe that you're just
naturally smarter than they are?

If you'd bothered to read the studies instead of demonstrating your own
ignorance, you'd have found that air flow cooling starts being effective at
about 10 mph. At lower speeds helmets that cover less of the head would be
more effective at cooling than those designed to maximize air flow cooling
by ducting air. Gee, just like the older helmets.

I suggest you actually learn something before commenting on it.

 

[[email protected]]

Ozark Bicycle wrote:

> Interesting that the $45 Bell Citi (snip)

In Periwinkle, plus silver, black, blue (= periwinkle?), $29 and in
stock:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19336&subcategory_ID=4210

You get a visor, too. --D-y