Beginner Helmet recommendation?

[robt57]

We gave a few bikes to a friend and wife to repay a 6+ hour yard clearout/grading of briar and volunteer saplings becoming tree clusters. Was supposed to take 2-3 hours but, he kept doing might as wells.

Anywho, 90s Stumpjumper/Sid [last japanese steel] and Mint GT Karakorum went to good home.

What is inexpensive but not garbage? I told them to spend 40.00 each and they should be good, unless their noggins where worth less or more, they could decide.

All I have is poser bike enthusiast MIPs to go with multi thousand dollar bikes and have no clue on the reasonable range.

Thanks

[KonaSS]

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/al...=297727-186472

You could do a lot worse. But ultimately, anything sold through a major channel should pass the same tests, so it is about something that fits well.

[slowpoke]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

[...] ultimately, anything sold through a major channel should pass the same tests, so it is about something that fits well.

Yeah, heads are all different, so fit and how the rider wears their helmet is most important.

[Mark McM]

Helmets are obviously intended to be make cycling safer, so one might think that the level of safety they provide would be a factor in helmet selection. But, perhaps intentionally, there is little information available that a buyer can use to determine helmet effectiveness. All helmets sold in the US must pass the CPSC safety tests, but that serves as the minimum standard of safety - there's no good way to know which helmets may be safer than others.

That being said, there's little to indicate that a higher price buys a safer helmet. Consumer Reports has performed testing on bicycle helmets, and after verifying that they met the CPSC standards, they decided to increase impact energies beyond the CPSC standard to see how the helmets performed. There was only a mild relationship between helmet price and performance under higher impacts - however, the ones that performed better tended to be the less expensive models (this could have been due to a variety of factor - for example, the more expensive models were typically lighter and had larger vent holes, plus more styling features, whereas the less expensive models tended more toward being just a head shaped uniform layer of absorbing foam).

So, given a lack of information for choosing helmets based on safety data, and knowing that they all meet the same CPSC standards, probably the best advise is to find the helmet that fits the best and is the most comfortable. For any given person, that might be an expensive model or an inexpensive model.

[fredd]

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

Giant Rev Comp MIPS and Specialized Allign II both rank very high in protection (1st and 3rd for road going lids), while being relatively affordable.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by robt57

We gave a few bikes to a friend and wife to repay a 6+ hour yard clearout/grading of briar and volunteer saplings becoming tree clusters. Was supposed to take 2-3 hours but, he kept doing might as wells.

Anywho, 90s Stumpjumper/Sid [last japanese steel] and Mint GT Karakorum went to good home.

What is inexpensive but not garbage? I told them to spend 40.00 each and they should be good, unless their noggins where worth less or more, they could decide.

All I have is poser bike enthusiast MIPs to go with multi thousand dollar bikes and have no clue on the reasonable range.

Thanks

IMHO "beginner" has nothing to do with it. Your skull is your skull. Cars, trees, pavement, and helmets have no idea how many miles you have in your legs, nor do they care.

Get a good helmet that fits.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by reuben

IMHO "beginner" has nothing to do with it.

I think we all know it does. I mean beginner in terms of spending on gear, or thought I inferred it...

How many folks per capita but $200-300.00 helmets that are not enthusiasts. DEROGATORY, please don't answer.

I sometimes think I make an inference just cause I was thinking it. So my bad?

[AngryScientist]

^^^

you're absolutely right. the average person thinks a bike should cost about 300 bucks, not a helmet.

Around here, the big box sporting goods stores (REI, Dicks, etc) carry the lower end Giro and Bell offerings. Probably best to go to the store and find something that fits pretty good and buy a brand name helmet. They probably weigh a little more and vent less air than the $$$ ones, but i bet they protect your head as well or better than an uber expensive one.

[alancw3]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

^^^

you're absolutely right. the average person thinks a bike should cost about 300 bucks, not a helmet.

Around here, the big box sporting goods stores (REI, Dicks, etc) carry the lower end Giro and Bell offerings. Probably best to go to the store and find something that fits pretty good and buy a brand name helmet. They probably weigh a little more and vent less air than the $$$ ones, but i bet they protect your head as well or better than an uber expensive one.

+1. The CPSC standard is a legal requirement for any helmet manufactured for the US market. It was adopted by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, and is mandatory for all helmets manufactured for sale in the U.S. after 1999. It was based on the ASTM and Snell standards.

[rnhood]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/al...=297727-186472

You could do a lot worse. But ultimately, anything sold through a major channel should pass the same tests, so it is about something that fits well.

I second the recommendation on this helmet.

[oldpotatoe]

As has been mentioned, they all pass 'minimum' safety standards. BUT, want to ensure you'll look for the thing and actually wear it, keep it on yer head? Find one that fits. That means trying them on..anywhere that carries enough to try them on. You can be 'that guy'..tries it on then orders online but...fit is key.
Like Mark Mentioned, more $ doesn't equal more 'protection'..and if the helmet is trying to be uber light, might even offer LESS protection.
Even Costco, Sam's Club, Wally-World..etc...

[dgauthier]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

(...) you're absolutely right. the average person thinks a bike should cost about 300 bucks, not a helmet. (...)

The "average" person thinks a bike helmet is by its very nature uncomfortable. They don't know the right helmet can be so comfortable you forget you have it on.

Likewise bicycle saddles can only be endured for 30 minutes, drop handlebars inevitably lead to a sore lower back, etc. etc.

The best thing to give a beginner/casual cyclist is the understanding it doesn't have to be that way.

[pdmtong]

whatever they buy, make sure the straps are adjusted right so they front/rear make a v with the point just below the ear lobe and not by their chin

Try a few at the LBS and buy the own that fits best for $50

And if in between sizes try another brand.