When Do You Buy A New Helmet?

[elapid]

As long as it has not been involved in a crash and it still fits well, do you replace your helmet and, if so, after how many years?

 

[twothirds]

Every three years for me. Salt from sweat, imperceptible damage from the elements, minor bumps, drops, etc. It's cheap insurance.

 

[winkybiker]

I replace mine about every 3-4 years-or-so, moving the old one down to commuting duty. If they're not crashed, the inner pads going all manky, smelly and starting to fall apart is usually the issue. The pads can usually be replaced, though at that time I usually want to upgrade for "fashion" reasons. I guess I'm outside of manufacturers' recommendations as my oldest helmet can be up to 7 or 8 years old.

But nothing would make me move to one of those Garmin Sharp POCs!

 

[Jspear]

3-4 years can be a good rule of thumb, but it's one of those things that all depends on you. They can last longer or shorter. How much you ride, how much you sweat, do you wear sweatbands?, are you hard on your equipment. Wear and tear is all relative to the kind of rider/user you are.

 

[stutue]

When I break the old one, or if I can't get replacement pads.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

As long as it has not been involved in a crash and it still fits well, do you replace your helmet and, if so, after how many years?

When it starts to stink..about every 2 years or so.

NO POC helmet, seriously ugly

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

The answer is: every eight years. Or never. Maybe.


Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute:

When Should I Replace My Helmet?

 

[avanti]

Every 3 to 4 years (or when I see one for a price that is a great deal).

I smash the old ones so they do not end up being used by someone else.

 

[Jspear]

Every 3 to 4 years (or when I see one for a price that is a great deal).

I smash the old ones so they do not end up being used by someone else.

My dad would use a helmet for several years, and then once it was old and grimy it was handed down to me.

 

[King Boonen]

When I break it, which is more regularly than I would like...

 

[MarkvW]

The answer is: every eight years. Or never. Maybe.


Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute:

When Should I Replace My Helmet?

That's what I go by.

 

[Netserk]

I don't.

 

[hiero2]

The answer is: every eight years. Or never. Maybe.


Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute:

When Should I Replace My Helmet?

I don't.

Nets - you crack me up!

The BHSI article covers the ground extremely well. I recall from somewhere a Bell Biker that was many years old and out of date being put under the ANSI standard test - and passing with flying colors.

Salt doesn't degrade the foam or plastic. Sunlight does, but it takes a LOT - so if you've left it sit in the car back window for the past few years - probably time to replace. Normal ride time sunlight is not enough - unless you've been circumnavigating the globe daily for the past 5 or so years.

Most helmets today, I think, use glue to hold in the retention straps at some point. This glue can degrade and come apart. I've got an approx 10 year old mid-range model in which the stabilizing back-of-the-head strap has come out like this. The helmet would actually still offer its protection - as the primary 3-point retention straps remain intact - and they are the real nuts and bolts of the protection paradigm. The stabilizer straps are "nice-to-have" I think.

Replacement fitting pads can get hard to find - I've made do with various substitutes. And they do get skanky!

The only other reason I've ever changed helmets has been style. The Bell Pro looked cooler than the Biker. The microshell pointy helmets then looked even cooler yet - with color schemes and everything!

But I've never been a real fan of the pointiness - so these new Air Attacks are looking interesting. Wasn't there a similar model from Kask that Cav wore last year?