Do you have a cheap EBay Chinese head?

Funny. But it still doesn't answer the question as to the difference between the no-names and the brand names. Aren't they made from the same materials?

no, most likely not

not all "foam is foam"

and i guarantee any of those chinese helmets isnt certified...

why not just strap some packing peanuts to your head and go for a ride, probably wont be a problem unless you are in a crash

Article shows the differences between a real and fake helmet.

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/components/catch-counterfeiter-sketchy-world-fake-bike-gear

 
Helmet is the first thing I go cheap on, I mean come on, it's not like your head does anything important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHZHys3Q4e4

Jeez, it sounds like you don't have much inside your head worth protecting so go right ahead.

ETA: When I opened this thread up, I honestly thought it was one of those jokes where someone takes the title of one epically stupid thread, changes it up to something even more ridiculous and uses it to poke fun from afar.

I'll let someone else start the "Cheap eBay Chinese Pacemakers - Any Experience?" thread...

Helmet, stem, and handlebars.

Pssh, I make my own stems. Why be locked into 10mm increments when you can easily make your own with a little scrap wood and a sawzall?

I just ordered my first 3D printer. I think I'll start printing my own innertubes, spoke nipples, BB spindles, and saddle rails.

Do they have any certification?

You can just go to Walmart or Dick's and get a helmet that is certified properly and is still very cheap! Worth the piece of mind

You can just go to Walmart or Dick's and get a helmet that is certified properly and is still very cheap! Worth the piece of mind

Thanks for the civil reply. Honestly, I was asking questions because I did not know. I know some here have bought knock-off carbon bike frames and wheelsets with some success. Just wondered if the same applied to helmets.

Thanks for the video link. Quite the eye opener. Non ebay helmet for me.

I have several cracked helmets in my garage that saved my life when I was bike racing. If you want to go on the cheap, don't wear a helmet at all.

Yup surprisingly those two stores have some decent training products in their bike section... helmets, tubes, flat kits, bar grips, clothing etc

Yeah thus my motto: if you don't need an helmet, you don't need a brain.

Yeah thus my motto: if you don't need an helmet, you don't need a brain.

I completely agree. I've crashed several times and always wear a helmet. But my question was as to the quality of the Chinese ones; not whether to wear one or not.

Looks like the foam stays in tact so the difference is in the shell?

I was hit by a car this year and landed on my head at 30 mph. My giro helmet cracked in all the right places and I walked away with only a really bad case of road rash. Thought and engineering went into that helmet.

The quality of many Chinese brand products is uncertain (and variable) and that is the issue - you might get a good one or you might get a bad one, and the manufacturer is not going to be liable either way. The prudent thing to do would be to buy several, test all but one to destruction, and then make a call on whether to wear the last one. Oh, and keep a record of your test methods and results so you can show that to the race officials when they question why your helmet doesn't have any safety certification stickers.

Or just buy a helmet here, where you can check out the cert stickers and you have some legal recourse if there should ever be an issue with the helmet.

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Less is more.

I only buy on DH Gate....first $15 Giro copy saved me from a head injury. The next ones are still looking like new after 12-18 months. The paint is superior to Giro and doesn't fade like Giro does in the sun.

here is everyones thought process;

Expensive on the helmet so when their cheap chinese wheels break, they will be saved.

The same reason why they buy off brand blenders, mowers, chainsaws, etc. So when the blades come loose and go flying - they are protected by their tight woven Ralph Lauren shirt.

Ain't that the truth.... But I gotta say that Harbor Freight has some tools with higher quality than big box stores at a fraction of the price