Helmets again

[Fordulike]

I am keen on starting to wear a bike helmet and touched upon it in another post.

After trying on a few of the new lycra style helmets, I soon realised that, although good looking, they still made me look like a nob head. They appear really huge and out of proportion to my actual head.
They also tend to have some sort of alien look protusion at the rear of the helmet.

Now I know that primarily they have been designed to offer maximum protection in the event of a crash, but being a vain sort of chap, have been put off by their hugeness.

Has anyone come across a helmet that has discreet looks, but still offers good head protection?

I suppose like anything, it costs to miniaturize, but I'm prepared to spend big bucks for the right helmet.

 

[martin@onbike]

I think if you're not comfortable in helmets, you will always feel like you look daft....but remember that to others you just look like a guy in a cycle helmet-perfectly normal.

The only helmet i would consider wearing would be one of the Casco range- pricey, but stylish and suitable

 

[Fordulike]

Thanks Martin, I'll take a look

 

[neptune]

Why not consider instead wearing a Snow board helmet. See the thread "Helmets at Aldi".

 

[RobF]

Why not consider instead wearing a Snow board helmet. See the thread "Helmets at Aldi".

The link in post one will give you a good idea.

I have a Lidl one - very similar - and I'm pleased with it, not least because it is comfortable and a good fit.

No point in 'shelling' out £90 or £100, in my view.

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/13407-helmets-aldi.html

 

[Fordulike]

I think if you're not comfortable in helmets, you will always feel like you look daft....but remember that to others you just look like a guy in a cycle helmet-perfectly normal.

The only helmet i would consider wearing would be one of the Casco range- pricey, but stylish and suitable

Hey, I really like this one from Casco. Hasn't got that H.R. Giger thingy at the rear:



Thanks for the suggestions of a snow board helmet, but I'd like a little more ventilation for the summer months. Not that it gets that hot over here lol

 

[banbury frank]

Hi we wear and recommend ski helmets Not a silly polystyrene thing on your head the problem is you bang your head you end up a vegetable or dead

Vcan Matt Black SNOWBOARDING & SKI HELMET Medium 57/58cm | eBay


The ear pads stop a lot off wind noise and keep your ears warm

Frank

 

[smudger1956]

I am also a skateboard type helmet user, I do not like the one's that look like some ornate basket weaving excercise, and make you look like an extra in a Sci-Fi B movie.........

 

[jackhandy]

I had to same problem - looked like a 63 year old pillock in a lycra type one.
Got a Bell scate/snow board style 'ard 'at from Halfords for £30.0 less 20% off &found a velcro'd soft peak from an old surfing/canoe helmet.
Sorted.

 

[Willin']

I started off with one of those alien headgear helmets and I hated it. Then I saw a Bell Faction Skate Boarding helmet and I bought that. I think I look really cool with that and my Raybans (£3 greek market) - don't think anyone else does though.

Bell Faction Matt Black Helmet Bike Bicycle BMX Skate | eBay

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Plus one to the snowboarding one, They're very warm in winter and have detachable ear pieces to keep you cool in summer. They're very comfortable, give you much better protection than a cycle helmet and stop you looking like a tw@t.
Take your pick:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1311&_nkw=snowboard+helmet&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[RobF]

And the Lidl/Aldi ones have switchable vents - not that I've tried them in this weather.

The Bell one linked earlier looks good, too, for £20.

Bell is a good make, so it should be up to snuff protection-wise.

 

[Fordulike]

I'll try on a few snow boarding ones to see if I like them.
I think the initial shock came from the aggresive rear end styling of the helmets I tried.

 

[martin@onbike]

I like the look of some of those snowboard helmets...but are they tested in the same way as "proper" bicycle helmets?
Snow isn't as hard as concrete/tarmac.
I would like to be sure if i was going to bother at all.

 

[NRG]

It looks like Ski or snowboard helmets come under a different standard IE: Snell RS-98 vs B-90/95 but a quick read of the two specs appears to indicate that the testing procedure and limits are more or less the same to my untrained eye...so I don't see any reason or evidence to suggest that a Ski helmet would offer any less protecting that a bike helmet...

 

[NRG]

Found this post on bicycles.stackexchange.com:

If you're thinking about wearing a ski helmet for biking, for what it's worth the Snell RS-98 recreational skiing and B-95 biking helmet standards are nearly identical, word for word, including things like visibility requirements and anatomical coverage. There are some small differences in the drop test. The energy of the flat anvil drop test in the B-95 standard is 110J vs. 100J for the RS-98 ski standard. The hemispherical anvil drop test is 80 J for RS-98 and 72 for B-95. Bike helmets are tested against the point of a right angle "kerbstone" anvil, but ski helmets are tested against an "edge anvil" 6.3mm wide -- basically a decapitating machine -- and at higher forces than the kerbstone test too. Both bike and ski helmets have to be tested after being chilled and soaked, but bike helmets have to be tested after being cooked at 50 C (122 F).

The reasonable conclusion is that a Snell certified ski helmet is probably a suitable choice for winter biking, but should not be used after exposure to extreme heat. Yes, a certified ski helmet might pass the 100J flat anvil test but not the 110 J test, but it probably does.

As for ASTM 2040, who can say? It's not available for free inspection. But it appears that the requirements for recreational ski helmets and bike helmets are pretty close.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The reasonable conclusion is that a Snell certified ski helmet is probably a suitable choice for winter biking, but should not be used after exposure to extreme heat. Yes, a certified ski helmet might pass the 100J flat anvil test but not the 110 J test, but it probably does.

Just because the test standard is different, it doesn't mean that the helmets are different. As far as I can see the construction of each type is identical and they use the same materials. They're probably made in the same factories with the same methods. Most of the protection comes from a simple expanded polystyrene moulding that has a thin plastic shell to make it look nice and resist puncturing.The snowboarding helmets wrap round more, so give better protection, plus, you don't have those stupid protrusions front and rear that knock your helmet off your head in a crash. I know which one I feel safer with!

 

[RoadieRoger]

I`ve been wearing my Aldi snowboarding helmet for a few months now . I can tell you it`s warmer , more comfortable and more substantial than my cycle helmet . To some untrained eyes you are on your Motorcycle and they might want to charge you for petrol when buying milk in a Petrol Station !

 

[morphix]

I've always been anti-helmets and would never wear one of those dreadful looking things, but I saw one the other week which is the most discrete and sensibly designed cycle helmet I've ever seen which might even tempt me into wearing one!

I wish I could remember the brand/site, I think I may have bookmarked it on my laptop so I'll post it up if I can find it.. basically the helmet looked like more like a sports hat in black fabric.. nothing sticking out, and no weird shape, just looked like one of those thin wool sports hats you might go running in! They had different fabrics, some grey and dark blue if black was not to your liking. Only thing is they were pretty expensive.. about £50 I think. The manufacturer was a European company, possibly Swiss.

EDIT: I think it may be Ribcap. If not that, something similar anyway.

 

[Jez]

I never use to wear a helmet because I hate the look and feel of them....but deep down knew I should. I looked at getting a snow boarding helmet but was warned about the lack of decent ventalation as they are designed for cold weather. In the end I bought an Urge Enduro....and I love it. One small thing though, the front vent holes let cold air hit your head so I cut some foam and filled them in for the winter, leaving the back vents open to let heat out. I have no problem wearing a helmet now.
Jez.