Road Bike Helmet Lifespan

There s a lot of confusing information out there about why and when you should replace your helmet so we asked experts from giro bell and bontrager for their takes on the subject.

Road bike helmet lifespan. Many of us believe that bike helmets have a limited lifespan before they become unsafe to use. Here at road bike rider we think the most important feature of a helmet is protecting your head. A helmet s peak must not move less than 6 mm during testing with a weight of 2 kg for 30 seconds. One of the first semi aero road bike helmets available the kask protone offers decent ventilation in all but the hottest conditions while claiming to retain the benefits of an aero helmet.

Every cyclist knows the value of a safe helmet but you don t have to invest 200 to 300 to get top safety features in a lid. Although the snell foundation recommended replacing your helmet every 5 years some manufacturers recommend every 3 5 years. Sweat and sunlight have no affect on a helmet. A helmet has a limited lifespan in use and should be replaced when it shows obvious signs of wear.

This myth was put forth by the helmet companies themselves as a way to sell more helmets. Cyclingdeal road mountain bike bicycle cycling adult helmet. But starting about 2015 styles began changing and the compact road helmet became more fashionable. So we ve rounded up this list of bicycle helmets that meet or exceed the bar in safety without breaking the bank.

How should you treat your helmet in order to get the longest and safest use from it. We are emerging from a period when helmet styles had been more squared off and elongated. I use to be notorious for dropping my helmet while carrying it to and from the bike. There are certain testing standards that every bike helmet manufacturer should follow.

It could quite literally save your life so it s worth making sure it s in peak condition. A quality bike helmet is one of the most vital bits of kit you can buy. In 2011 according to a report from the insurance institute for highway safety 67 percent of people who died from a cycling accident weren t wearing a helmet. As long as a helmet has not been involved in a crash there is no reason to replace it.

If you take your bike in the car for example consider storing your helmet in a padded bag to keep it safe. If you cannot afford to replace it every 3 years here is how you can extend the life of your helmet. Bike helmet testing standards. In the us every helmet in order to be legal must pass a test of dropping from 4 7 feet onto a hard surface usually an anvil.