To save your life. If your head is worth only $80 (but you're fine with $120 Air Jordans on your feet) then we have helmets for $19.99. I wouldn't wear one, but you can.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Thanks Tom!

Assuming we're talking about ANSI (o whatever the certification is called) helmets, what is it about expensive helmets that makes them safer? Harder shell? More coverage? ...

"other than they look cool?"

much of it is that they ARE cool, literally. the tough part in making a helmet is in inserting a lot of vents, yet keeping the helmet's integrity. thing is, i don't think $80 is expensive for a good helmet. $150 is.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Good question. Remember, I am not a helmet manufacturer or designer, so I am answering from the perspective of a bike retailer who sells helmets and a cyclists who wears them.

"what is it about expensive helmets that makes them safer?"

That I am aware of, nothing. Once a helmet reaches or exceeds the minimum tested safety standard I don;t know how to determine which one is safer.

In my opinion, more expensive helmets may incorporate features and benefits that make them more desireable to wear, including but not limited to:

1. Lighter weight generally.
2. A larger number of ventilating holes.
3. Fabrics built into the lining that manage perspiration effectively by wicking it away from your skim.
4. Internal "roll cages" (some Giro models have/may use this)to add some degree of integrity to the helmet.
4. Different or "better" aerodynamics.

I think if a helmet is more comfortable to wear, but provides the same degree of protection (or nearly the same, as long as it exceeds whatever the current accepted safety standard is- ASTM, ANSI, Snell)and it fits you correctly then it is a better helmet.

Having lost my best friend on May 2nd of last year in a cycling accident where it appeared that his helmet was ejected upon impact with a vehicle I have unpleasant, first hand knowledge that helmets fail some times.

I think the best thing you can do is try on a few helmets at the highest price range you feel comfortable with and buy the one that feels the best on your head. Remember, you have to have that thing on your head for hours on a long ride.

Helmets are like airline pilots: They earn their annual salary in a split second when the shit hits the fan. (How's that for a "Tomism").

In short, I don't know that a $150+ Giro Pneumo is any "safer" than their one size fits most $29.99 helmet. In my opinion it is cooler, lighter, has less wind noise and is more comfortable to wear on a long, hot ride. I think that is worth paying for IMO.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Tom brings up some good points. Weight is a big issue, especially on longer rides. I remember the Bell V-1 Pro that we wore "back in the day." It weighed 13 ounces! That's a lot of weight for your neck to support after a few hours. We used them mountain biking because we put them to frequent use.

Wind noise. Or, the lack there of. This is important for hearing traffic, other riders ("Car back") etc.

Hard shell: Critical to preventing c-spine injury and living the rest of your life in a wheelchair in assisted living. Some of you might remember the good old "styrofoam" helmets with the lycra covers. In a moving fall, the styrofoam padding would grab the pavement arresting your head while the remainder of your body continued to travel, playing havoc with your neck. A hard shell allows the head/helmet to skip along asphalt/concrete preventing violent jerking of the neck. Hard shells also spread the energy from the impact around the entire hemisphere (in theory).

Wearing a bike helmet will do little to prevent death if the accident is that substantial. What it will do is prevent you from living the rest of your life as a quad watching the other riders go by your window on a sunny day.

Brett

Here are two other reasons to buy a "better" helmet. And yes, unfortunately these are both me from many, many years ago:

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/...res/history/lg/6.jpg

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/...res/history/lg/5.jpg

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Tom, I like the leopardskin lycra shorts-in lavender no less. You animal...

---

"Du or Du not-there is no Tri" - Yoda

$80 helmet, or $8000 hospital bill.

Your call.

I'm wearing them now. :)

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I'd comment on the pictures, but Slowman might ban me... :)

Seriously, thanks for the advice, as I am in the market for a helmet as well. Mulligan, there are some good helmet reviews in the Product Review section, if you haven't come across them yet.