Buying an expensive helmet (hopefully) should be a waste of money

[AkwA]

8 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

These guys are the gold standard in unbiased helmet research and testing

https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

Quite surprised to see so many Lazer helmet so high up, ive seen way to many get absolutely wrecked when they shouldnt have to wear one myself.

[DrRichard]

18 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

I've had concussion. Three times. The first hit had me pass out while talking to the driver of the car that caused the crash. When I recovered consciousness he was gone. The second time, I was out again. I don't know how long. It could be 5 minutes. It could be 2 hours because I was alone at the time. my neurosurgeon told me I won't work again. The third time was earlier this year, and I knew immediately what was happening, except I was wearing a much better helmet this time around.

All I can add to this discussion is that concussions are not a joke. MIPS / Turbo is the bare minimum any helmet should have. Anything less than that adds tremendous risk to a serious brain injury. 

last week had me suffering a bout of post concussion syndrome again, if anyone thinks that what I am saying isn't serious enough. 

You have ONE head. Protect it!

it is quite sobering doing a concussion test... can't remember simple lists and standing on one leg with your eyes closed is somehow extremely difficult...    really "silly" and not super high speed crash - but without helmet would not be writing this - concussion not fun at all - but got off reasonably lightly. As others have said - not sure if 6k helmet better than  2K at keeping your head intact - but not the piece of equipment to skimp on  

[DieselnDust]

32 minutes ago, AkwA said:

Quite surprised to see so many Lazer helmet so high up, ive seen way to many get absolutely wrecked when they shouldnt have to wear one myself.

Laser is one of the top hemet brands and is always a top performer in terms of safety 

[dave303e]

51 minutes ago, AkwA said:

Very few of us are fit enough to warrant a 70g lighter helmet, and the aero is going to be negligible.

 

Agreed, I’d much rather have an in tact head than a light helmet.

it is not just about fitness and going fast... 

Take a 25kmh side impact where you hit with your shoulder and your head whips sideways. You now have an extra 70grams which at 25kmh- now your neck is stopping and extra 500grams momentum. It is quite a difference.

Also your neck has 70grams less to support when you are hammering corrugations or gnarly trails all day, less fatigue while riding

[The Ouzo]

like an insurance policy, complete waste of money until the poo hits the fan, and then you're thankfull you did not skimp on it

[AkwA]

43 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Laser is one of the top hemet brands and is always a top performer in terms of safety 

Honestly not in terms of what ive seen, but thats just me
Ive got my Leatt enduro and im sticking to it

Edited September 11, 2023 by AkwA
Added 2nd sentence

[splat]

1 hour ago, AkwA said:

Agreed, mostly.

 

They will meet some standard, but after searching around a bit, there are a few different standards. Also, why settle for the minimum, why not go for something more protective, I’ve seen some of the really light helmets get absolutely wrecked in smallish crashes, where a buddy of mine didn’t even crack his Leatt helmet with one of the biggest crashes I’ve seen, and he did hit his head. 

Helmets are one hit wonders. If they take a knock, they have done their job.
They really should be replaced after a crash, even if you cant see any damage.
It may look intact, but could be compromised the next time you need it so it wont be able to do its job properly.
A helmet that comes apart or looks bad after a crash has done a great job of absorbing and dissipating the forces from the impact. Don't see it as a weakness.

[Robbie Stewart]

1 hour ago, DrRichard said:

can't remember simple lists and standing on one leg with your eyes closed is somehow extremely difficult...

Don't close your eyes in the shower unless you fancy a trip through the glass . . .

[AkwA]

I know that, they arent supposed to stay together, because they are supposed to absorb the forces.
I wasnt clear, but what I meant is, the helmet came completely apart, and the rider had damage to their head that they would not have had, had the helmet held together a bit more. Ive only seen 2 crashes with Lazer helmets and this was the case for both. Both had major concussions, both were at relatively low speed, with not too major of a head impact.

[Robbie Stewart]

8 minutes ago, AkwA said:

Ive got my Leatt enduro and im sticking to it

After my last crash which caused mild concussion, I replaced that Leatt helmet with a second Leatt helmet and I am not unhappy about that decision. I was wanting the Fox Speedframe Pro, but I got the Leatt at a stupid low price at one of the W&M days.

[BaGearA]

I'm lucky to still be walking today , ever grateful to my ol ( wrecked ) Leatt 4.0 

 

Have supported their products much more since that crash and on a new 4.0 right now. 

[Robbie Stewart]

3 minutes ago, AkwA said:

I know that, they arent supposed to stay together, because they are supposed to absorb the forces.
I wasnt clear, but what I meant is, the helmet came completely apart, and the rider had damage to their head that they would not have had, had the helmet held together a bit more. Ive only seen 2 crashes with Lazer helmets and this was the case for both. Both had major concussions, both were at relatively low speed, with not too major of a head impact.

It makes sense for the helmet to come apart to dissipate the energy of the crash which means the brain absorbs less of the trauma. That does mean though that the head is likely to take a few knocks and scrapes, but the aim is to deflect the trauma around the brain. If that means some stiches then so be it in my opinion. I would much rather deal with cosmetic problems than a traumatic brain injury.

[AkwA]

1 minute ago, Robbie Stewart said:

It makes sense for the helmet to come apart to dissipate the energy of the crash which means the brain absorbs less of the trauma. That does mean though that the head is likely to take a few knocks and scrapes, but the aim is to deflect the trauma around the brain. If that means some stiches then so be it in my opinion. I would much rather deal with cosmetic problems than a traumatic brain injury.

My point is, what happens in a crash that is actually a proper crash

[Robbie Stewart]

2 minutes ago, AkwA said:

My point is, what happens in a crash that is actually a proper crash

That is a question I prefer not to find the answer to. If the crash is so severe that your helmet is unlikely to help, then you will in all likelihood require EMT intervention.

edit - I had one in 2016. Was riding along happily and then suddenly found myself being strapped to a gurney and being shoved into a CT scanner. It was NOT a fun couple of months. Severe brain injury. I had to wait a week before they could wheel me into the theater to fix my shattered arm because the anesthetic would kill me with my head injury.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Robbie Stewart

[Shebeen]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

The Spez align 2 MIPS was rated one of the safest helmets in testing (still rated at the top end) and you can grab it brand new for under R1000

It just weighs 300g as opposed to 230ish

Aero it is not bad either.

I have 2. I choose safety and functional over being cool

there is a lot of marketing bollocks with helmets, especially once they cost more than R2.5k, but this probably the best safety for $$$ option out there

https://freewheel.co.za/products/align-ii-mips

challenge anyone to find a better alternative

[DieselnDust]

51 minutes ago, AkwA said:

Honestly not in terms of what ive seen, but thats just me
Ive got my Leatt enduro and im sticking to it

Well I do t know what you’ve seen.

o don’t know the impact of the incidents you witnessed nor the history of the products involved.

lazed exceeds the relevant standards and return acceptable results in the required testing so I have no reason to distrust their product.

im a bit of a giro freak because they fit my bounce quite nicely.my favourite is a giro fathom I paid R1000 for in the right size.

I also have Limar, Lazer, Bell ( Giro’s parent company) and MeT helmets. 
move tested a lazer and the Giro ( one test resulted in a few nights in hospital while some adamantium was grafted to my collar bone ). 
 

My go to helmet for summer is a stupidly expensive Giro but it does the job of keeping my head cool and allowing bees to FO out the back instead of stinging me into my next life.

Most of

my helmets have been purchased on sale. I think I paid R700 for a limar ultralight. The fathom was reduced from R2100 to R1000 .

what I am vigilant of is:

1) is th manufacturing date within the last 3yrs? Yes then buy . No then pass. Styrofoam ages and gets brittle if not stored properly.

2) does the helmet fit properly. My head is 55cm circumference so I buy a helmet with a shell that as close to that size as possible. I don’t make a big universal size  shell for a S-M size head. Fit is 90% of the safety right there.

3) I look for the appropriate EN and ANSI decals 

4) MIPS or similar is nice to have but it’s not a deal breaker if the helmet fits correctly to begin with. 
5) I avoid helmets with big peaks because in a crash these become dislodged or breaks and can damage my eyes.