Bike helmet lifespan?

el tel

Guys, I have a Giro helmet which, as far as I recall, was bought about 10 years ago. It was an expensive one, £120 at the time, so still looks good and it has been well looked after, never crashed or dropped and had only minor use.

My question is this: Do helmets have a limited lifespan after which they should be replaced regardless of condition?

daymobrew

The FAQ on Giro's website says:

Giro FAQ wrote:

How often should a helmet be replaced?
Giro has a general recommendation of replacing your helmet every three (3) years.If you are unsure of the condition of your helmet, or whether it should be replaced, call us at (800) 456-2355 or email feedback@giro.com for information on a free inspection.

el tel

Thanks for that. 3 years is relatively short, but not unsurprising. I wonder what proportion of cyclists change their skid lid every 36 months?

rubadub

el tel wrote:

3 years is relatively short, but not unsurprising.

Yeah not surprising that a company selling helmets says you should buy as many as they can sell without sounding too greedy.

I would love to get a brand new one and send it back for a "free inspection" telling them it was 5 years old, would probably tell me it was useless

mockerydawg

Older helmets used to suffer from sunlight exposure issues as far as I can recall. So it might be a good idea to have it checked. Also I've no problem replacing a helmet every 3 years, as I use one 5/6 days a week it makes sense to if not sooner

el tel

mockerydawg wrote:

Older helmets used to suffer from sunlight exposure issues as far as I can recall. So it might be a good idea to have it checked. Also I've no problem replacing a helmet every 3 years, as I use one 5/6 days a week it makes sense to if not sooner

yeah, I've heard that UV light can have a cumulative damaging effect on helmets however what this damage is, and to what extent, is something I'd like to find out about. Seems like a new one is on the cards for me...dilemma is which one to chose...

hunnymonster

I replace my helmet everytime it takes a knock. That unfortunately is a lot more often than once every 3 years.

crashoveroid

I change mine every year just to be safe as i have had helmets split on me before

Trojan

I'm coming up on 5 years now and thinking of getting a new one in the next few months.

el tel

Checked insidemy old Giro Helios and discovered it's 10 years old this month so decided its time for a new one. Had a look at some helmets at the weekend and was surprised at what I found. The one I wanted most, Met Stradavarius II in limited edition red-white-blue, couldn't be found in my size in the shop (chainreactioncyles) and the others, including one top-end Bell item had what felt like a spike in the inside just wouldn't do. In the end I went for a Spiuk Nexion in the Caisse D'Epargne/Illes Balears Pro team colours like this:



Am very pleased with it so far.

junii

Thats a nice helmet. I have a met and find it very comfortable. It cost €120 so Ill probably hold on to it for more than 3 years!