Need help selecting a bike helmet

In My Humble Opinion
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I’m an aging Boomer who rides her Wal-Mart bike on quiet, residential streets. I’ve been looking at bike helmets online and would like some info about people’s experiences with the different types/styles.

For example, which do you prefer, the teardrop-shaped style that kind of sits on top of the head, or the more bowl-shaped style? I’m thinking the vents are a necessity here in Texas in the summer. What about a visor-- will I still need sunglasses? Preferred brands? I’m thinking of spending $30-$40–realistic?

Stories of how wearing a bike helmet saved you from serious injury (or worse) would be appreciated.

I do not plan to buy online, as I know I will have to try them on. Thx.

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If you are just going to tootle around your neighborhood you can easily get a nice basic helmet in that price range. the ones with visors usually are for mountain biking; the ones with out, for road biking, the bowl shaped ones are usually for BMX. Casual riders, such as yourself, tend towards the ones with visors. In the bright sun you prob will still want to wear sunglasses.
Do you have a reputable bike shop in town? If so, head on over and explain to them what you are looking for. Try a bunch in your police range on and pick the most comfortable. If it’s not comfortable, you won’t wear it. Fit is important. It should sit squarely on you head, not angled back. They should show you how to adjust the fit so the helmet cradles your head snugly enough so when you toss your head around the helmet hardly moves.
Lots of vents would be a good thing in hot TX! Beware tho, you can get a sun burn on your scalp on sunny days through the vents, as I discovered.

Helmet story: I was riding my mtb on a lovely fall day, down a leaf covered trail, moving right along when my rear tire caught a root hidden under the leaves. The bike slipped sideways and down, I went flying right into a tree. At the last second, as I saw the tree heading my way, I turned my head and the right side of my helmet took most of impact. My jaw hit the tree too, but the helmet saved my skull. I had a big brushed egg on my jaw for days. My poor husband got lots on dirty looks when ever we were out in public together.

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Edit: bruised egg on my jaw

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What is BMX?

Hmmm… my good friend shaves his head… this could result in an interesting sunburn pattern.

Yikes! :eek: Good story.

There is a good bike shop. I just wanted to go in there with some information under my belt.

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BMX - bicycle motor cross Those are those smaller bikes that are usually being ridden by young males. They can do some amazing tricks on them.

REI has some nice info on picking the right helmet

Have fun riding! It’s snowing up here in NE so it’ll be a few weeks until I can get out for a ride. :frowning:

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You caught that typo but missed this?

Damn autocorrect.

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I don’t wear a helmet currently, but I have tried out some here and there and have done a bit of research on them.

The folks at BHSI, a longtime online helmet advocacy group, claim the safest helmet is white or brightly colored (to make you easy to see), round (so there’s not something that can snag in a crash), no visor that can shatter into sharp edges, few vents that objects can penetrate. In other words your basic dorky mushroom helmet from the early 90s. I don’t think there’s been any realy studies to back up their claims, and a helmet that people will wear is safer than one they refuse to because it looks dorky.

Color doesn’t make a significant difference as far as cooling. A very old study was actually done that found that at any significant speeds there was enough air movement to prevent heat from building up in a dark helmet as opposed to a light one.

Bell and Giro are the biggest names, and are actually the same company but have very different fits, with Bell working on rounder heads and Giro for more squared of heads.

Basically you have:
Time Trial helmets- have those huge “teardrop” pieces in back. Only really for professional racers where every last bit of aerodymic streamlining might save a fraction of a second

Mountain and Road helmets- the standard ones you typically see and are best for most people. Sometimes the only difference between a “mountain” and “road” helmet is whether it has a visor or not, if you’re riding a road bike with drop handlebars a visor can obstruct your vision. Most visors are removable if you’re riding your road bike instead of a mountain bike that day or if it’s cloudy out, but my thinking is they could eventually break, the retention mechanism being hard plastic rather than metal. More expensive designs might have more vents in the front for a road helmet (move as much air while you’re riding fast) or on the top for a mountain helmet (let out the heat building up while you’re slowly climbing a hill). Some mountain bike helmets also have more rear coverage.

Skate helmets: Very round and shiny with a few, small vents, the Bell Faction and most of the Pro-tec models are examples. These have limited multi-impact protection and more rear coverage (you have minor slip-ups a lot while skateboarding), as well as one shot protection for higher speed bicycle crashes. Some people like the style, so skate-style helmets for bicycling only do exis, but when used for bicycling they’re a lot hotter than road or mountain bike helmets, with the extra rear coverage but with no visors.

BMX helmets- Like skate helmets designed for multiple impacts and hot for ordinary cycling. Some of them have chin protection more like motorcycle helmets.

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While almost any helmet that is sold in a bike shop will meet one the safety standards, my experiece is that the more you spend the more/larger/better engineered the vents will be. At the higher pricepoints, they are designed to help pull air thru the helmet keeping you cooler.
I like Rudy Project some of their helmets comewith a ‘bug liner’ that will help with the sunburn issue. Otherwise, buy a cheap skully (spandex do-wrag) to wear under your helmet.
Personally, I like helmets that have some inner channeling in the front as opposed to flat styrofoam as this pulls the sweat away & keeps it from dripping into my eyes, which really stings.

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Should mention my intention wasn’t to threadshit, I realized it could be interpreted that way after I posted it.

Uvex tend to have bug nets too, and I’m surprised they’re not more common as how simple they are and the possibilty of stinging insects being sucked in. Like Rudy project they tend to be found in bicycle shops or outdoor stores rather than say Walmart.

Cheaper models might have the outer shell taped on. If it doesn’t bother you aesthetically I don’t think it’s a real problem.

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It’s entirely possible that I will not be riding hard enough to sweat much.

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Mdcastle’s post got me wondering if Consumer Reports has tested bicycle helmets and, if so, did any score well and are they recommending any? While CR is not perfect (what organization is?) and some disagree with their testing methods, they will sample and test far more products than you or I typically will, and more thoroughly, and best of all they accept no adverti$ing dollar$ from any company so as to help them be more objective in their reporting. Anyway, take this as simply another data point, to use or not as you see fit.

The Specialized Echelon rated highest in their tests. It rated among the best for impact absorption and ventilation, ease of use, weight, and fit adjustments.

The Bell Array scored well. It scored high on convenience, adjustability and ease of use. For impact absorption it rated as Fair.
Here’s from their bike helmet buying guidance, HTH:

Good luck!

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My Schwinn helmet has a knob in the back to adjust the helmet fit easily, which I really like because, depending on the weather, I may wear a fleece headband or even a balaclava under my helmet. That might not be an issue for you in Texas, though!

One piece of equipment that I love and would never ride without (and I ride mostly on quiet residential streets) is a rearview mirror. I wear glasses, so I have the kind that attaches to my temple piece. I like it a lot better than the kind that replaces the handlebar plug.

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Don’t use a time trial style helmet unless you want to look like a goofball. They’re only acceptable during time trials. The people wearing them still look like goofballs, but they have a reason to wear them.

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The basics have been covered but I would like to touch on wearing the helmet.

  1. Always wear it. At the shop where I bought my first bike one of the employees had some work on his own bike at home and went to ride around the block. He fell and is now in a wheelchair. The technical term for a rider sans helmet is “Organ donor”.
  2. No matter what your religion when riding you are not Jewish and the helmet is not a Yarmulke. It does not go perched on the back of your head leaving your forehead bare. If you wear it this way and fall face first your forehead will absorb the hit and save the helmet. This is the wrong way around. The helmet sits centered on your head level all the way around.
  3. When trying on a helmet try this fit test. With the straps buckled grab the helmet and try to pull it down over your eyes or up off your forehead. If you can do either of these things either the helmet is too big or the straps are too loose. If you crash the forces you helmet will encounter will be very strong, you don’t want your helmet being ripped off just when you need it most.
    One last thought on the cost. Back in the day Bell ran an ad that said. If you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet.
    Go to your local bike shop and look and try on different helmets. Find one that fits. Then worry about price.
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Great info, y’all. 'Preciate it muchly.

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I think it is worth mentioning that with bike helmets less is more, by which I mean the more you pay the less you get. Competitive cyclists (and wannabes) are willing to spend $$$s for bigger ventilation holes and shave off a couple of ounces. Cheaper helmets do not mean a compromise in safety.

Obligatory helmet tale: in a collision with an idiot/blind driver I landed with my chin and helmeted forehead on the asphalt. Helmet ended up with huge crack in it. I ended up with grazed chin, no concussion and I still have a face. I also got a new bike courtesy of drivers insurance.

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Like bikinis, right? Big, old-lady bathing suits are cheap. Bikinis that use as much fabric as a hankie can cost in the hundreds.

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Riding a bicycle with a motor attached. (See eBay) Going about 15-20 mph. Pulled some dumb stunt, like pop clutch, accelerate, brake etc… at the same time. Hit the ground. Hit my head. (Not to mention, elbow, knee, hip, foot, shoulder.)I was stunned for a few seconds. Got home, the helmet was split, with the part of the helmet where my head hit was flapping like a flag.
Moral: No helmet, no handsomeharry.

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I wear aPro-tec skateboarding helmet; it’s designed to withstand repeated, lower-speed impacts, unlike bike helmets which have thicker foam meant to ‘crack’, to better handle high-speed impact. There’s debate over skateboarding helmets being ok for cycling but due to my style of riding I feel it’s enough protection. It covers much more of my noggin than one of those stupid-looking vented cycling helmets. Plus, I like the way it looks. It gets a bit hot in the summer but my head is freakishly unsweaty so it’s not an issue. And it’s warm in winter!

My bike has been my main form of transportation for a couple years now but I’ve never been in an accident. I’m careful, follow traffic rules, don’t act like I’m in a car, don’t go very fast (I ride in downtown Philadelphia, and people aren’t driving fast either) and don’t ride with distractions like headphones.

Most cyclists I know in the city never or rarely wear a helmet. I know a lot of people who’ve been in bike accidents with injuries, and I know a lot of people who smash a couple helmets a year because they like going (IMO) way too fast, but I don’t personally know anyone who has been brain injured or killed because they weren’t wearing a helmet. Shit does happen, though.

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Since there have been a couple of posts mentioning crashes, one other very important point:

**If you crash it, trash it! **

Even a lower speed crash may damage the structure but you might not be able to see it. You don’t want a partially good helmet if you have another crash. Also, they don’t last forever. Environmental factors (sun, smog, sweat, etc.) degrade them over time. I’ve seen anywhere from 2-5 years before it should be replaced.