The one thing I have never spent a lot of money on is cycling helmets. My perception has always been a really expensive helmet is an inefficient use of resources when comparing cost to benefit. This was based on perception only. However, I just recently purchased a helmet that caught my eye at all places, Walmart. So I decided to take a more scientific approach to the issue. I actually paid attention to features and weight.
As I say, the helmet I purchased is, at the very least, aesthetically pleasing to me. It came with a visor, which is what I wanted as I was looking for a mountain bike helmet. It features 24 vents and, on my home scale, weighed only 288g (with the visor). It is made by Zefal and meets all required safety standards. I paid $22.95
I then googled best helmets review. I came across this link from bicycling magazine http://www.bicycling.com/node/60321. Most of the best helmets they listed were in the $150-175 range and while the lightest, I believe was around 240g (no visor weighed), most of the helmets were over 300g.
I guess, I’m kinda lost at this point. If they all protect the same, have relatively similar ventilation and are around the same weight or heavier, what do these $175 helmets have that my $22 helmet from Walmart doesn’t?
Higher end helmets typically have more ventilation and better fit systems (Roc-loc, etc.). They are also more fashionable and have higher marketing costs (magazine ads, pro athlete sponsorship); the Walmart polo ($10) is also a lot less expensive than a Lacoste one ($90).
Wear what fits your head, your style, and your budget.
I have a large head and for me it came down to what fit best as most helmets sit too much on top of my head instead of around it. Unfortunately the Lazer helium was the best fit I could find…it was also the most expensive.
It is a great helmet to wear, and very comfortable…but if I found a cheaper helmet that fit as well I would be there in a flash.
You might want to consider the actual purpose of a helmet…to protect you noggin. Do you feel that a $22.95 helmet made in China and sold in WallyWorld will do as good a job as a Bell or Giro? Companies that actually have standards. I wonder how much testing Ying Yang industries did when they copied one Giro’s helments or what about the physical characteristics of the foam used. And that sticker on the inside of the helmet. I’m certain it is legit!! Hey, it’s your brain. Protect it and use it to what ever degree you desire.
You might want to consider the actual purpose of a helmet…to protect you noggin. Do you feel that a $22.95 helmet made in China and sold in WallyWorld will do as good a job as a Bell or Giro? Companies that actually have standards. I wonder how much testing Ying Yang industries did when they copied one Giro’s helments or what about the physical characteristics of the foam used. And that sticker on the inside of the helmet. I’m certain it is legit!! Hey, it’s your brain. Protect it and use it to what ever degree you desire.
Where do you think bell and giro helmets are made ? Are you aware that Walmart sells helmet with the same name brands? do you know when the last time the CSPC standards were updated? the cheaper helmets clearly have more foam which will spread an impact over a greater surface area. Do you have anything besides superstition to suggest those helmets are less safe?
And that sticker on the inside of the helmet. I’m certain it is legit!!
OK, now I know why officials need to check our helmets to make sure we aren’t trying to sneak in one of those “foreign” helmets.
When I went to a major retail store, browsing the bicycle section my eye was caught by a helmet that looked like the GIRO Air Attack.
It was CPSC certified, solid quality and 30 bucks.
Ventilation was a little sub-par (but I normally like my noggin warm for those early morning rides).
Helmet technology has not changed/improved in decades.
The US sticking with CPSC and claiming CE is less safe is protectionism at it’s finest.
New inventions to improve helmet function (such as protection from concussions by the MIPS technology -http://mipshelmet.com/home) are only very slowly accepted by major helmet producers.
Technical advances would make me pay more than 100 bucks and get my business.
More air channels or even lighter (=less safe) helmets will not.
I see no reason to pay for a brand name that does not offer to keep my noggin more safe than the cheapo CPSC/CE helmet.
So Scott got my business when I was shopping for a new road lid this spring (at full retail).
Dude, don’t be an ignorant. All the helmets sold legally in the US comply with the same safety standard; regardless of how cheap they are or where they were made.
Depends on who you are and what you want. The way a $175 helmet is better than a $30 one is no different than the way a $10K bike is better than a $1000 bike. Could make little difference to you. Could be a whole world of difference.
You might want to consider the actual purpose of a helmet…to protect you noggin. Do you feel that a $22.95 helmet made in China and sold in WallyWorld will do as good a job as a Bell or Giro? Companies that actually have standards. I wonder how much testing Ying Yang industries did when they copied one Giro’s helments or what about the physical characteristics of the foam used. And that sticker on the inside of the helmet. I’m certain it is legit!! Hey, it’s your brain. Protect it and use it to what ever degree you desire.
And also what is your head worth? Is it worth $39.95 reduced to $24.95 on closeout from Bike Nashbar?
Or is it worth $209.99 MSRP like a top-level helmet? I’m the latter, which means that I care about my more than five times as much as someone who buys a cheap helmet at full price, and eight times as much if they get it on closeout. Right?
That’s a separate issue. My question was what is the difference between a $20 helmet and a $170 helmet. There appears to be little to no difference. In fact, my $20 helmet seems to be lighter than some of the most expensive helmets with just as much air flow.
You might want to consider the actual purpose of a helmet…to protect you noggin. Do you feel that a $22.95 helmet made in China and sold in WallyWorld will do as good a job as a Bell or Giro? Companies that actually have standards. I wonder how much testing Ying Yang industries did when they copied one Giro’s helments or what about the physical characteristics of the foam used. And that sticker on the inside of the helmet. I’m certain it is legit!! Hey, it’s your brain. Protect it and use it to what ever degree you desire.
And also what is your head worth? Is it worth $39.95 reduced to $24.95 on closeout from Bike Nashbar?
Or is it worth $209.99 MSRP like a top-level helmet? I’m the latter, which means that I care about my more than five times as much as someone who buys a cheap helmet at full price, and eight times as much if they get it on closeout. Right?
Again, do you have proof the $209.99 helmet protects better than the $39.95 helmet? Proof, not “it costs more”. And expensive helmets can be had at discount just as easily, so I’m not sure how that’s relevant to the argument.