Subject: RE: Bike Helmets Like the others said, the differences between a $30 helmet and a $200 helmet are mostly cosmetic/comfort. A more expensive helmet usually has more ventilation. But keep in mind that helmets have a "lifespan" of about 3 years or so. Then the polystyrene starts to stiffen or break down and become less reliable as a shock absorber in case of crash. UV will shorten the lifespan, so ironically the more you are out using it, the quicker the time will come to replace it. Also, don't store it near volatile chemicals (like gasoline ) if you keep it in the garage. For most of my years of serious riding, I used inexpensive helmets. But when I got a carbon fiber bike last year, I upgraded my helmet to a lightweight expensive one, with more ventilation. I feel faster (so the cyclometer is lying when it says I am not).Anyway, my point is get a helmet. Any helmet. If you want to spend your gear dollar on other stuff, get a cheap helmet and it will be fine. In a couple of years when you replace it due to age, you can decide if you want a "fancy" helmet as an upgrade. If you get one on-line, from closeouts, they are even cheaper, but you have to check the age - they are often last year's models, so they are already down one year of use. |