Helmet Comparison Articles ??

What is a 'high quality helmet'? How is helmet quality
measured?

"Churchill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| Hello,
|
| Do you know where there are any good Helmet reviews for
| high quality
helmets
| ?
|
| Perhaps, a comparison ?!
|
| Thank you
|
|

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

Quoted message said:

Hello,

Do you know where there are any good Helmet reviews for
high quality

helmets

Quoted message said:

?

Perhaps, a comparison ?!

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all have the
same certifications, which is the only guidance you'll find
as to their potential effectiveness in protecting your head.
Whether this is worth anything or not is a matter of
opinion, but it has little bearing on helmet choice, since
in this regard they're all the same.

Which leaves fit, style, and comfort. Factors that don't
stand up to objective comparisons.

That's why the helmet market is all about image and
subjectivity, and why price and "quality" have no
relationship.

If you want a helmet, you go try on a bunch until you find
one that fits your head and has a retention system that will
keep it in place without discomfort, and that you like the
looks of. If you care about your place in the fashion
pantheon, you buy one with lots of big holes that costs more
than $100. If you don't, you buy one with lots of medium
sized holes that costs $30.

RichC

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Hello,

Do you know where there are any good Helmet reviews for
high quality

helmets

Quoted message said:

?

Perhaps, a comparison ?!

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all have
the same certifications, which is the only guidance you'll
find as to their potential

Mostly, but not completely true: several of Specialized's
helmet models meet the Snell standards in addition to the
CPSC and ANSI standards. Most others do not.

....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in
the newsgroups if possible).

Rich Clark said:

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all have
the same certifications, which is the only guidance you'll
find as to their potential effectiveness in protecting
your head. Whether this is worth anything or not is a
matter of opinion, but it has little bearing on helmet
choice, since in this regard they're all the same.

Which leaves fit, style, and comfort. Factors that don't
stand up to objective comparisons.

That's why the helmet market is all about image and
subjectivity, and why price and "quality" have no
relationship.

If you want a helmet, you go try on a bunch until you find
one that fits your head and has a retention system that
will keep it in place without discomfort, and that you
like the looks of. If you care about your place in the
fashion pantheon, you buy one with lots of big holes that
costs more than $100. If you don't, you buy one with lots
of medium sized holes that costs $30.

What Rich says is basically true, but he's omitted one
thing:

While all helmets in the USA have to pass the same standard,
the expensive helmets - those with maximum ventilation,
minimum weight, up-to-the-minute styling - tend to pass the
impact standard with lower margins of safety. IOW, when you
buy a $20 *-Mart helmet, you get more crash protection than
when you spend $140 to look just like your racing hero.

Consumer reports occasionally tests helmets, and I believe
the current issue has such a test.

--
--------------------+ Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove
rodent and vegetable dot com, replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

What is a 'high quality helmet'? How is helmet quality
measured?

By the amount of money they take from your wallet. 🙂
Seriously ask any helmet maker if their super expensive
model protects your head any better than their bargain
basement model and see what they say.
--------------
Alex

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What is a 'high quality helmet'? How is helmet quality
measured?

By the amount of money they take from your wallet. 🙂
Seriously ask any helmet maker if their super expensive
model protects your head any better than their bargain
basement model and see what they say.

They'll say they don't! They'll be perfectly willing to
admit that their top-line helmets are no safer than their
less-expensive models. Once you get to the level of helmet
where fit issues have been addressed (which occurs around
$40), you don't buy a safer helmet when you go up the
ladder. What you do (hopefully) get are-

#1: Better ventilation. High-end helmets are often subject
# to wind-tunnel
tests in a quest to improve aerodynamics and measure
cooling.

#2: Better graphics & appearance. Higher-end helmets are
# screened better,
and the expanded polystyrene material is molded
directly into the plastic shell, rather than being
glued & taped to it.

#3: Lighter weight. It takes a lot of work to get helmet
# weight down,
while retaining the same crash protection.

What you generally won't see is a manufacturer saying that
one of their helmets is safer than another, as the admission
that something isn't as safe as it could be is an invitation
to lawsuits. However, it's entirely possible (perhaps even
likely) that a less-expensive model may offer greater crash
protection than a high-end one. Why? Because the
manufacturer is going to work at shaving as much weight as
possible from a high-end helmet until it can just pass the
standards (tests) they're looking for. A lower-end helmet,
on the other hand, isn't going to go through such scrutiny.
If it passes the standard test, they're not going to go to
the time & expense of finding out how much tougher a test it
will pass, nor will they find out what they can remove or
redesign and still have it pass.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Quoted message said:

While all helmets in the USA have to pass the same
standard, the expensive helmets - those with maximum
ventilation, minimum weight, up-to-the-minute styling -
tend to pass the impact standard with lower margins of
safety. IOW, when you buy a $20 *-Mart helmet, you get
more crash protection than when you spend $140 to look
just like your racing hero.

Not quite- the very cheapest helmets tend not to fit very
well, and if the helmet's moving around on your head or
incorrectly fastened, it's not likely to protect as well.
The sweet spot- the place where you get the superior
fit/retension systems- is around $40.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 10:09:58 -0400, David Kerber
<ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all have
the same certifications, which is the only guidance
you'll find as to their potential

Quoted message said:

Mostly, but not completely true: several of Specialized's
helmet models meet the Snell standards in addition to the
CPSC and ANSI standards. Most others do not.

Endorsed. I was told by the guy who tests helemts to
standards in the UK that Specialized is the only major brand
he will recommend.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Frank Krygowski said:

While all helmets in the USA have to pass the same
standard, the expensive helmets - those with maximum
ventilation, minimum weight, up-to-the-minute styling -
tend to pass the impact standard with lower margins of
safety. IOW, when you buy a $20 *-Mart helmet, you get more
crash protection than when you spend $140 to look just like
your racing hero.

There may well be a lot of truth in this. Look at the list
of manufacturers certified to Snell standards:

AGV SpA Arai Helmet, Ltd. Hong Kong Sports Helmet Mfg., Ltd.
Limar Mien Yow Industry Co., Ltd. OGK Hanbai Co., Ltd.
ProRider, Inc. Qranc Specialized Bicycle Components
Strategic Sports Ltd. Tong Ho Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tung Kuang I Light Industry Co., Ltd. Zhu Hai Safety Helmet
Manufacture Co. Ltd Zhuhai Golex Helmet-Making Co., Ltd.
Zhuhai Star Safety Helmets Co., Ltd.

I don't think I've missed any out.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

Frank Krygowski said:

Rich Clark said:

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all have
the same certifications, which is the only guidance
you'll find as to their potential effectiveness in
protecting your head. Whether this is worth anything or
not is a matter of opinion, but it has little bearing on
helmet choice, since in this regard they're all the same.

Which leaves fit, style, and comfort. Factors that don't
stand up to objective comparisons.

That's why the helmet market is all about image and
subjectivity, and why price and "quality" have no
relationship.

If you want a helmet, you go try on a bunch until you
find one that fits your head and has a retention system
that will keep it in place without discomfort, and that
you like the looks of. If you care about your place in
the fashion pantheon, you buy one with lots of big holes
that costs more than $100. If you don't, you buy one with
lots of medium sized holes that costs $30.

What Rich says is basically true, but he's omitted
one thing:

While all helmets in the USA have to pass the same
standard, the expensive helmets - those with maximum
ventilation, minimum weight, up-to-the-minute styling -
tend to pass the impact standard with lower margins of
safety. IOW, when you buy a $20 *-Mart helmet, you get more
crash protection than when you spend $140 to look just like
your racing hero.

Consumer reports occasionally tests helmets, and I believe
the current issue has such a test.

Dear Frank,

Yes, the July 2004 Consumer Reports tests helmets with the
ratings on page 45.

None of 15 adult helmets were rated excellent for impact.
Two were rated unacceptable because their straps didn't
hold them on.

A $45 Louis Garneau leads the pack in impact, followed by a
$60 Trek, with both rated very good.

A $140 Giro and a pair of $100 Bell helmets are rated only
good on impact.

The only adult helmet rated with a black half circle (fair)
for impact was a $25 Bell.

The variety is bewildering.The Nashbar catalogue that
just arrived lists 37 helmet models, plus another 18 on
close-out.

Carl Fogel

Churchill said:

Hello,

Do you know where there are any good Helmet reviews for
high quality helmets ?

If you accept that none of them are really likely to work in
a serious accident, you might as well buy the one you like
the look of. I wear one when I am made to do so (e.g. by
velodrome owners). I don't expect it to save me: it's just
there so I am allowed to ride.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 10:09:58 -0400, David Kerber
<ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The helmets marketed by the major manufacturers all
have the same certifications, which is the only
guidance you'll find as to their

potential

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Mostly, but not completely true: several of Specialized's
helmet models meet the Snell standards in addition to the
CPSC and ANSI standards. Most others do not.

Endorsed. I was told by the guy who tests helemts to
standards in the UK that Specialized is the only major
brand he will recommend.

Not that I think it matters, but note that Specialized
helmets are certified only to the Snell B-90 standard,
which is no more demanding than the CPSC standard. That
Snell did the certification tests and that Specialized paid
for them (and the additional cost per helmet for the Snell
sticker) may or may not mean anything to you, beyond the
higher price.

Me, I'm willing to accept that companies like Giro/Bell or
Trek are capable of making sure their helmets meet the
standards. If a Specialized helmet was a better fit at a
given price point, that's what I'd buy. Everything else is
highly theoretical and pretty much improvable.

RichC

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 07 Jul 2004 10:17:50 -0400, Frank Krygowski
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

While all helmets in the USA have to pass the same
standard, the expensive helmets - those with maximum
ventilation, minimum weight, up-to-the-minute styling -
tend to pass the impact standard with lower margins of
safety. IOW, when you buy a $20 *-Mart helmet, you get
more crash protection than when you spend $140 to look
just like your racing hero.

There may well be a lot of truth in this. Look at the list
of manufacturers certified to Snell standards:

AGV SpA Arai Helmet, Ltd. Hong Kong Sports Helmet Mfg.,
Ltd. Limar Mien Yow Industry Co., Ltd. OGK Hanbai Co.,
Ltd. ProRider, Inc. Qranc Specialized Bicycle Components
Strategic Sports Ltd. Tong Ho Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
Tung Kuang I Light Industry Co., Ltd. Zhu Hai Safety
Helmet Manufacture Co. Ltd Zhuhai Golex Helmet-Making Co.,
Ltd. Zhuhai Star Safety Helmets Co., Ltd.

I don't think I've missed any out.

Guy

Interesting, around the shops in Ottawa, ON., Canada the big
sellers are Giro, Bell and Louis Garneau and not one is on
the list -🙂

Good thing I asked !!

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:40ec55fb.0@entanet...

Quoted message said:

Churchill said:

Hello,

Do you know where there are any good Helmet reviews for
high quality

helmets

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

?

If you accept that none of them are really likely to work
in a serious accident, you might as well buy the one you
like the look of. I wear one when I am made to do so (e.g.
by velodrome owners). I don't expect it to save me: it's
just there so I am allowed to ride.

I disagree, depending on the impact the rider has a barrier
could save a head injury. However, there are limits !

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 16:25:13 -0400, "Rich Clark"
<[email hidden]> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Me, I'm willing to accept that companies like Giro/Bell or
Trek are capable of making sure their helmets meet the
standards. If a Specialized helmet was a better fit at a
given price point, that's what I'd buy. Everything else is
highly theoretical and pretty much improvable.

But the guy who tests them disagrees. He has had a lot of
helmets fail the tests, even though they are notionally
certified (CPSC has no independent testing, we're told). The
only major brand he'll recommend, based on having hit and
broken rather a lot of lids over the years, is Specialized.
You can take that as you will.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

On Wed, 7 Jul 2004 16:29:29 -0400, "Churchill" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Interesting, around the shops in Ottawa, ON., Canada the
big sellers are Giro, Bell and Louis Garneau and not one is
on the list -🙂

Maybe Bell is spending so much on funding dodgy
"research" that they can't afford the certification
programme any more ;-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University

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

Quoted message said:

cf.consumerreports.orgindex.cfmOpen ↗
6&storynumber=1&station=wisn

Quoted message said:

Here's an interesting CU report on helmets for those
helmet fans:

consumersearch.combicyclOpen ↗
e_helmets/fullstory.html

Thanks, that is what I was looking for 🙂

hit a curb with my helmet on, at 20 mph, while wearing Giro
Pneumo. I was not overly impressed with the results. I was
knocked out for about 1 minute. Took about 2 hours for my
thinking to return to normal. There was some cracking and
broken Styrofoam, but not as much as I expected. Most of the
torn styro was where the straps connect to the helmet. I
feel if more of the helmet would have disintegrated, I
wouldn't have ended up with such a headache.

"Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

hit a curb with my helmet on, at 20 mph, while wearing
Giro Pneumo. I was not overly impressed with the results.
I was knocked out for about 1 minute. Took about 2 hours
for my thinking to return to normal. There

was

Quoted message said:

some cracking and broken Styrofoam, but not as much as I
expected. Most

of

Quoted message said:

the torn styro was where the straps connect to the helmet.
I feel if more of the helmet would have disintegrated, I
wouldn't have ended up with such

a

Quoted message said:

headache.

Sorry, there's nothing in any of the standards about
protecting the wearer in a 20mph impact. If you have an
embarrassing clipping-out incident at a stop light, however,
you can probably rely on it to keep your head from denting
the SUV waiting next to you.

RichC