buying older helmets

"Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay" <seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com> wrote in message
news:BB94B8A6.11F10%seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com...

Quoted message said:

I wrote to Giro and got a very lawyer-phrased answer, so I'm looking for

the

Quoted message said:

real answer (and not a flame war about what kind of protection helmets actually provide). What is
the danger of buying non-current-year helmets (other than not having the latest and greatest and
most fashionable new color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3
years, but what is that based on? Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal

wear?

Quoted message said:

Half-life or styrofoam? Surely that time is adjusted to avoid lawsuits,

so

Quoted message said:

what is a reasonable? If one buys last year's or even a two year old helmet, shouldn't they still
last for a similar period from first use, or does the clock start ticking once they pop out of
the mold?

Thanks,

Seng

If you're talking last year's model for 70% off, I think you're alright. If you're buying a
container of Bell Bikers from 1985, I'd think again! Motorcycle helmets are only certified for 5
years and they are fairly similar to bicycle helmets in the sense that they both use EPS to
dissipate energy. So figure 3-5 years is probably a good indicator of "peak" performance. You can
probably use it longer and it probably degrades accordingly. I suspect at some point it will crumble
away like my old cooler. If you're going to go through the trouble of wearing the stinky, sweaty,
hot bucket on your head, you might as well make sure it works by keeping it fairly current!

Cheers,

Scott..

On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 14:33:10 -0700, Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay

seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com said:

color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3

Lately, I've heard of manufacturers retracting that statement, although I'd be hard-pressed to
remember where I heard it.

Quoted message said:

years, but what is that based on? Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal wear? Half-life or
styrofoam? Surely that time is adjusted to avoid lawsuits,

Half-life of styrofoam, or more specifically, whatever the stuff in helmets is (EPS or something).
It breaks down from ozone in the air. Modern helmets are made from a different material that doesn't
have that problem.

Quoted message said:

what is a reasonable? If one buys last year's or even a two year old helmet, shouldn't they still
last for a similar period from first use, or

They should, unless the store where you bought them is full of televisions and electric motors
running all the time (which put ozone into indoor air).

Quoted message said:

does the clock start ticking once they pop out of the mold?

Nope.

Quoted message said:

Thanks, Seng

Disclaimer: All of the above is information from fuzzy memories of stuff I've read in random places.
Any or all of it may not be true.

Search google for the real information.

--
Rick Onanian

In article <BB94B8A6.11F10%seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com>, seng@*junk*visi*filter*dot*.com says...

Quoted message said:

I wrote to Giro and got a very lawyer-phrased answer, so I'm looking for the real answer (and not a
flame war about what kind of protection helmets actually provide). What is the danger of buying
non-current-year helmets (other than not having the latest and greatest and most fashionable new
color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3 years, but what is that
based on?

Their need to keep customers buying helmets.

Quoted message said:

Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal wear?

No.

Quoted message said:

Half-life or styrofoam? Surely that time is adjusted to avoid lawsuits, so what is a reasonable? If
one buys last year's or even a two year old helmet, shouldn't they still last for a similar period
from first use, or does the clock start ticking once they pop out of the mold?

If you are buying new old stock, don't worry about it. It just means you are not paying for the
latest fashionable colors.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay said:

I wrote to Giro and got a very lawyer-phrased answer, so I'm looking for the real answer (and not
a flame war about what kind of protection helmets actually provide). What is the danger of buying
non-current-year helmets (other than not having the latest and greatest and most fashionable new
color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3 years, but what is that
based on? Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal wear? Half-life or styrofoam? Surely that time is
adjusted to avoid lawsuits, so what is a reasonable? If one buys last year's or even a two year
old helmet, shouldn't they still last for a similar period from first use, or does the clock start
ticking once they pop out of the mold?

Thanks,

Seng

What's the deal? Doesn't some manufacturers like Giro give you a heavy discount when you exchange
your helmet after a crash or when it's three years old. I did get a new helmet, for 30% of what I
originally paid for it, after a crash and I think it's the same if it exceeds three years. However I
need somebody to confirm this as I've only heard it on the grapewine.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay said:

I wrote to Giro and got a very lawyer-phrased answer, so I'm looking for the real answer (and
not a flame war about what kind of protection helmets actually provide). What is the danger of
buying non-current-year helmets (other than not having the latest and greatest and most
fashionable new color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3 years,
but what is that based on? Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal wear? Half-life or styrofoam?
Surely that time is adjusted to avoid lawsuits, so what is a reasonable? If one buys last year's
or even a two year old helmet, shouldn't they still last for a similar period from first use, or
does the clock start ticking once they pop out of the mold?

Thanks,

Seng

What's the deal? Doesn't some manufacturers like Giro give you a heavy discount when you exchange
your helmet after a crash or when it's three years old. I did get a new helmet, for 30% of what I
originally paid for

it,

Quoted message said:

after a crash and I think it's the same if it exceeds three years. However

I

Quoted message said:

need somebody to confirm this as I've only heard it on the grapewine.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

I just cracked my helmet. I emailed Giro to see what the crash replacement policy is these days and
found out it is 20% off retail.

I went and bought a 2001 model Eclipse for $39.98 from Price Point instead of paying $80 for the
same helmet in a different color (or $100 for a "this year's color" version in a LBS).

Mike

Mike S. said:

"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

What's the deal? Doesn't some manufacturers like Giro give you a heavy discount when you exchange
your helmet after a crash or when it's three years old. I did get a new helmet, for 30% of what I
originally paid for it, after a crash and I think it's the same if it exceeds three years.
However I need somebody to confirm this as I've only heard it on the grapevine.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

I just cracked my helmet. I emailed Giro to see what the crash replacement policy is these days
and found out it is 20% off retail.

I went and bought a 2001 model Eclipse for $39.98 from Price Point instead of paying $80 for the
same helmet in a different color (or $100 for a "this year's color" version in a LBS).

Mike

Strange. I did the same thing in June and paid 30% of list price. Maybe it's dependent of local laws
and certifications. I live in Europe and my guess is you don't.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay said:

I wrote to Giro and got a very lawyer-phrased answer, so I'm looking for the real answer (and not
a flame war about what kind of protection helmets actually provide). What is the danger of buying
non-current-year helmets (other than not having the latest and greatest and most fashionable new
color)? According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3 years, but what is that
based on?

Their need to keep sales volume up.

Quoted message said:

Degradation due to sun/sweat/normal wear? Half-life or styrofoam?

Most styrofoam is not radioactive.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | We have a record of conquest, colonization and expansion _`\(,_ | unequalled by any people
in the Nineteenth Century. We are not (_)/ (_) | to be curbed now. --Henry Cabot Lodge, 1895

Keeper of the Mighty Macaulay said:

According to manufacturers, the life of a helmet is only about 3 years, but what is that based on?

To give a slightly less obnoxious answer, I can't see anything about foam degredation on my 3+
year-old helmet. But the plastic overlay is all cracked, the foam inserts smell like week-old fish,
and the straps are coming loose. I'm looking to replace it based on those considerations alone.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or _`\(,_ | that we are to
stand by the president right or wrong, is not (_)/ (_) | only unpatriotic and servile, but is
morally treasonable to the American public. --Theodore Roosevelt

Quoted message said:

To give a slightly less obnoxious answer, I can't see anything about foam degredation on my
3+ year-old helmet. But the plastic overlay is all cracked, the foam inserts smell like
week-old fish, and the straps are coming loose. I'm looking to replace it based on those
considerations alone.

The shell does nothing for protection, you can peel that off if you wish.

Callistus Valerius' may have said:

Quoted message said:

To give a slightly less obnoxious answer, I can't see anything about foam degredation on my
3+ year-old helmet. But the plastic overlay is all cracked, the foam inserts smell like
week-old fish, and the straps are coming loose. I'm looking to replace it based on those
considerations alone.

The shell does nothing for protection, you can peel that off if you wish.

The shell will fend off things that will scrape the surface, such as small branches, and it also
protects the foam's upper surface against UV degradation. I don't know if the potential slide-off
factor in a more major impact is significant or not.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.

Per Elmsäter' may have said:

Mike S. said:

I just cracked my helmet. I emailed Giro to see what the crash replacement policy is these days
and found out it is 20% off retail.

I went and bought a 2001 model Eclipse for $39.98 from Price Point instead of paying $80 for the
same helmet in a different color (or $100 for a "this year's color" version in a LBS).

Strange. I did the same thing in June and paid 30% of list price. Maybe it's dependent of local
laws and certifications. I live in Europe and my guess is you don't.

Perhaps Europeans are not so obsessed with "this year's color" that they would intentionally bash
the helmet so that they could get a new one for 30%. Some Americans would, if that policy was in
effect here.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.