Helmet

I've recently had a friend get badly hurt from not wearing a helmet. He's fine now but i was wondering what sort of helmet would be reccomended for city cycling? As sleek as possible so that he might actually wear it, needs to look like it's "not a safety feature" if you know what i mean. Anyone have any sugestions? Where from and what sort of price would he be looking at?

thanks

Emmet

Enduro

If he got badly injured as a result of crashing without a helmet, and he is still worried about how he might look if he wore one then it seems like the crash caused a bit more than physical damage. Try explaining to him that it really doesn't matter how he thinks other people think about how he looks. Its just ever so slightly less important than preventing head injury. A helmet is a safety feature. It will always look like a saftey feature by definition as a result.

As for what type of helmet... they are all certified to give pretty much the same level of crash protection. The main differences between them are in what type of cycling they are designed for, how light they are, how well vented they are, and how much they cost. Any helmet will do. All helmets should be thrown away after about 2 years, as they degrade over time.

uberwolf

here's what I ride in - looks like a piece of sculpture!

this is in the region of €130 I think

www.giro.com might be a starting point, but in the end of the day walk into any decent bike shop and you'll see a range

happygoose

I've got the same giro, they stock them in cyclesuperstore in tallaght but they're on the expensive side.

Check out the Met stradivarius on google, grea lookin helmet available in a lot of shops in Ireland.

Apologies, i typed the message wrong in two ways, firstly he was almost badly hurt in an accident and secondly i am also looking for a decent helmet for myself. A low profiled one if possible.

daymobrew

First bit of advice - never look in the mirror when wearing a bike helmet. They never look great, just admire them before putting them on.

I have the Met Stradivarius (72 euro) in red. I like how it looks, decent ventilation and the bit that comes down the back of your heat (Giro called it the RocLoc AFAIK) keeps it secure.

The 2005 Stradivarius is more expensive at 101 euro. They have reduced the number of vents by merging multiple vents into huge vents.

Yellow might be a good color for visibility.

I also recommend continuing the 'yellow' with reflective gear. I think the backpack cover is a great idea.
Gloves are good for keeping your fingers warm (and mobile enough to grab the brakes) and to protect your palms in the case of a fall.

I have the Zefal Dooback mirror at the end of my right handlebar. A quick glance keeps me informed of what is approaching. Very helpful.

jman0

I recommend Canyon helmet: http://www.bikebits.ie/product.asp?id=513&category=Accessories&product_type=Helmets#
They are much cheaper and in my experience, weigh less than most helmets out there.

tundish

Enduro wrote:

All helmets should be thrown away after about 2 years, as they degrade over time.

That's very interesting Enduro, I never knew that. Does it apply to unworn helmets as well? I was about to put into service have a helmet that's about seven years old (although never worn) but I guess it's now for the bin.