Helmets & Helmet Suggestions

Oh I forgot to mention that more expensive helmets tend to be available in smaller sizing increments (54, 55cm etc, as opposed to S,M,L), which makes finding a good fit easier - in my experience, this is the best thing about more expensive helmets.

^^ thanks

I'm surprised you (skive) get on with both of those brands. The Catlike is for proper roundheads, and the Specialized seems much more in the egghead camp like Giro.

But like Smallfurry said, there's not even consistency between different models for the same brand, and even between different examples of the same model sometimes. Considering the woeful manufacturing tolerances, the cost of most of them is taking the piss.

^agree re: price and stuff.

My Giro has been giving me a Klingon forehead after long rides for a while now... takes ages to go away. Have considered changing it but I can't be arsed to fork out over that, considering it was expensive and will probably not make it through another summer of repeated sweating into.

Catlike, Cratoni, Met - round
Specialized, Giro - egg

Useful to be able to narrow down the field.

Can anyone tell me which camp Kask fall into?

Kask seemed pretty round to me.

Bell are also egg.

I'm surprised you (skive) get on with both of those brands. The Catlike is for proper roundheads, and the Specialized seems much more in the egghead camp like Giro.

But like Smallfurry said, there's not even consistency between different models for the same brand, and even between different examples of the same model sometimes. Considering the woeful manufacturing tolerances, the cost of most of them is taking the piss.

what you saying about my head??

:)

i prefer the straps on the specialized but both have good adjustment and the cradle fits my bonce with both. the catlike is more easily adjustable on the cradle....arrgghh i don't know!

i'll only wear the catlike when i need to look euro-pro or the specialized is knackered.

ta

... Considering the woeful manufacturing tolerances, the cost of most of them is taking the piss.

This is what annoys me. I tend to fit Giro helmets, but their quality is not great. Every one I've used has had failures in the retention systems ie: tiny bits of plastic snapping. The confusing part is that my snowboarding helmet (giro), that was cheaper than my bike helmet yet is way better made, fits perfectly and has many in-built technical features. Why do this for one market category and not another?

True, the Rol-loc mechanism thing always fupping breaks on Giro's

^agree re: price and stuff.

My Giro has been giving me a Klingon forehead after long rides for a while now... takes ages to go away. Have considered changing it but I can't be arsed to fork out over that, considering it was expensive and will probably not make it through another summer of repeated sweating into.

My Met stradavarararaviririousous does that. It has a silicon pad at the front for fit. Which keeps sweat out of your eyes...........untill its collected a decent amount, to dump in one go, and blind you. Shame, its a great lid. Thought I loved the fit, untill I tried a Sine thesis.

Considering the woeful manufacturing tolerances, the cost of most of them is taking the piss.

Foam molding expandable beads is my field (I'm in the glamorous world of fish boxes, and insulation though).

Cutting corners, leads to poor bead welding, and post molding expansion. I've seen this in cheap kids helmets. Which is why my kids have Bell helmets.

has anyone ever had their helmet stolen? i'm sick of carrying mine around and would like to leave it with my bike, but am also worried it might get nicked.

Why would you lock your helmet with the bike?

Just get used to it, or don't wear one.

Im suprised none really mentioned Uvex. They do make some really great helmets. Just got a Uvex FP 1, in matte gray/red. Its 200 gramms. It was 38 gbp... Fits like a glove. 200 gramms feels nothing on my head. Looks like this:

Really comfy helmet, and great quality. Made in Germany.

Looks like this on a pro's head:

sweet visor bro...

It comes with it, you can remove it, as i did.

where is a good place to try helmets on in london?
I anticipate needing to try a few on, as in my experience of trying to buy headwear, I seem to have a non-standard head shape.

suggestions appreciated too - I want one without sticky-out-pointy bits as I'm paranoid about them catching on the ground should I ever go sliding across the road one of these days. general purpose - long rides and commutes. decent ventilation. moon on a stick etc. maybe Bern?

not bern. Okay for weather like this and pootling around, but summer and longer rides and they get uncomfortably warm.

Hoefla, the Bell metro could tick those boxes, you just have to get past the nodder associations..

Cool, thanks. I'm not that bothered by increasing my nodder status. Is evans best for range?

I think Cycle Surgery stock Bell, last I remember Bell is getting rather small at Evans for LG.

metro no longer made, here's what's stocked at crc > http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/SearchResults.aspx?Search=bell < muni or citi seem nearest

For general purpose riding during the colder months Ribcaps are quite nice

Using a non-newtonian fluid polymer--- remember the experiments with corn starch--- the caps are soft and flexible and only get hard on impact. The protection is far removed from what an ideal bicycle helmet can offer but they are also less vernerable--- any impact (such as from a short drop) on a bicycle helmet renders it useless. The caps can be tossed about, folded, banged about and continue to have their function. They also, I think, look quite nice
.

Why would you lock your helmet with the bike?

I do, all the time. Saves carrying a helmet around. The lock goes through a part of the strap that would render the helmet useless if cut. I don't see why I wouldn't lock my lid with my bike.
What's going to happen? Ermagherd, a dog might piss on it?