Looking at Giro helmets

[Ralph]

My old Giro helmet is about 15 years old now, and I think I'm about ready for a new one. This one is beyond coming apart. It fits well, so I'm inclined to check this brand out first. Our LBS usually has a big August sale, so that's not far off.

Which one do most of you prefer? Living in Central Florida, ventilation is very important. How far up the helmet model list do you need to go to get most of the benefits? I'm a 69 year old recreational cyclist riding most days for health and fitness about 100 miles per week. I doubt if I need what Lance uses.

[soulspinner]

How about a Saros. Good ventilation, not too heavy, fairly easy to adjust.

[nahtnoj]

15 years? I'd be inclined to say that anything you buy is going to be better ventilated than your current helmet.

For a while, I rode helmets in the $50 to $80 range. Each one was a marginal improvement in fit and airflow. Then about 4 years ago I sprung for an Atmos. It was a revelation in comfort and airflow. I crashed it and got an Ionos to replace. Its no better ventilated and doesn't fit me quite as well. So, I'd be tempted to just stick with the Atmos if I were you.

[firerescuefin]

Agreed about anything being an upgrade. I have an Pneumo and Atmos and they're both great. Unfortunately the pads inside wear out relatively quickly if you ride a lot, but they're a $8 item. The team I ride for is sponsored by Rudy...I like the Giro product much better.

[SoCalSteve]

15 years? I'd be inclined to say that anything you buy is going to be better ventilated than your current helmet.

For a while, I rode helmets in the $50 to $80 range. Each one was a marginal improvement in fit and airflow. Then about 4 years ago I sprung for an Atmos. It was a revelation in comfort and airflow. I crashed it and got an Ionos to replace. Its no better ventilated and doesn't fit me quite as well. So, I'd be tempted to just stick with the Atmos if I were you.

I like the fit of the Atmos better than the Ionis as well. Try them both.

Good luck

[dekindy]

Giro and Bell helmets are the same company now. I forget who bought who and when. However the Ionos is the first Giro helmet that fit my head well so I agree with the observation that the Atmos may be a better fit compared to the Ionos. The Ionos is definitely better ventilated than the Bell Sweep. I can tell a significant difference. Also, for some reason I am between sizes on the Sweep. The medium is too small and the large is too big. I really cannot explain it. Fortunately a local shop had Bell, Giro, and Specialized helmets in stock that I could try on in the same location. For me the Ionos was way more than I wanted to spend but the superior ventilation has been worth it. I favor the wheel adjustment over the Giro only because one of the Giro plastic pieces broke when I first got it. Even though that is the only time it has happened I took my Bell Sweep with me for a backup just in case it broke again while gearing up for the Ride Across Indiana. The Specialized S-Works was a close second and is supposed to be well ventilated. The Giros just had a more quality feel, which is about as a subjective criteria as there is, but there it is for your consideration. BTW, I havew no experience with Bell's new top of the line helmet so you may want to give it a look.

I also agree about the Giro pads. Even though the helmet came with a complete extra set, I am going to have to order replacements since less than two summers wear is all I am going to get out of the originals.

[eddief]

googling Bell and Giro does suggest they are both owned by Bell. I'll be.

[stephenyi]

I found this site pretty informative:

http://helmets.org/

[pdmtong]

atmos or ionos (both vent similarly to me); the specialized s-works is also worth trying

[Ralph]

I found this site pretty informative:

http://helmets.org/


Interesting....So it comes down to fit, venting, and style in the end.

[Acotts]

It drives me nuts that they manufacture giant stupid looking mongo helmets in order to justify the added cost of normal helmets.

Frankly, no helmet should be more than $100. The only reason they can sell helmets for $200 is that they make the $60 helmets look like an asshole.

I will pay a premium for a lot of cycling goods. But this is one area that I would be more than happy to see some companies get driven out of business by a Chinese competitor who makes the same damn Cat Whisper molds and sells the product for $20.

[firerescuefin]

Having been struck in the head by a truck mirror (which my Pneumo took the brunt of)...I am a big fan of Giro helmets. Being someone who rides a lot, I am a big fan of light, good fit, and lots of vents.

I don't mind paying a premium for something that does its job well. Ammortized over years of use...is it such a high price to pay? Kind of ironic to be debating a 100-200 dollar item (that protects such a vital part of our beings) on a Serotta forum.

[Charles M]

ATMOS // IONOS

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=5039

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/giro/ionosatmos.jpg


One doesnt fit "BETTER" than the other. the shapes are similar but a litle different and your head shape determines who likes what.

The IONOS and several Giro Helmets will habe the new Roc Loc 5 Retention shipping soon...

[Acotts]

Having been struck in the head my a truck mirror (which my Pneumo took the brunt of)...I am a big fan of Giro helmets. Being someone who rides a lot, I am a big fan of light, good fit, and lots of vents.

I don't mind paying a premium for something that does its job well. Ammortized over years of use...is it such a high price to pay? Kind of ironic to be debating a 100-200 dollar item (that protects such a vital part of our beings) on a Serotta forum.

point taken.



still dont like it...grumble, grumble, grumble

[wc1934]

the bigger the holes, the more you pay.
the more holes there are, the more you pay.
and then there are the bugs and the bees

[michael white]

[QUOTE= But this is one area that I would be more than happy to see some companies get driven out of business by a Chinese competitor who makes the same damn Cat Whisper molds and sells the product for $20.[/QUOTE]

I've seen those helmets sold in big box stores in France for about that price.

[Charles M]

I don't really think you have... (not meaning to be a jerk...)




And does anyone really think the Chinese have a side deal agreement to knock off every other product in cycling except helmets?


Cheap, simple designs that have very easy molds to work with and using lesser grade foam and retention... You get a 40-60$ helmet.


You want multi part molds that creat VERY good channeling and complex internal shapes, along with internal reinforcment structures that both protect you and vent well... You pay for that.


Not saying helmets couldnt be cheaper, but the bitching might take a little less conspiracy theory with a little better understanding about how helmets are made and a bit more attention paid to what goes in under and over the different types of crush material...

[Peter B]

About 30 years ago Bell ran a clever print ad for their motorsports race helmets. "If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet."

Sure you can spend too much, but there's a price point where your wife and children will more likely continue to know you as you were before the fall.

[soulspinner]

The OP said he doesnt need a Lance level hemet. A Saros can be had for 75-85 clams and its a fine brain bucket.

[Acotts]

I don't really think you have... (not meaning to be a jerk...)




And does anyone really think the Chinese have a side deal agreement to knock off every other product in cycling except helmets?


Cheap, simple designs that have very easy molds to work with and using lesser grade foam and retention... You get a 40-60$ helmet.


You want multi part molds that creat VERY good channeling and complex internal shapes, along with internal reinforcment structures that both protect you and vent well... You pay for that.


Not saying helmets couldnt be cheaper, but the bitching might take a little less conspiracy theory with a little better understanding about how helmets are made and a bit more attention paid to what goes in under and over the different types of crush material...


I still think they go out of their way to make cheap helmets look overly stupid. For me, its not so much the venting or the weight, its the shear size.

For some reason, the fancy lay-ups are sleak and thin. Meanwhile the $40 jobs look like this guy:

[Charles M]

:hello:

[ClutchCargo]

[QUOTE=Acotts]It drives me nuts that they manufacture giant stupid looking mongo helmets in order to justify the added cost of normal helmets.

Frankly, no helmet should be more than $100. The only reason they can sell helmets for $200 is that they make the $60 helmets look like an asshole.
. . .
QUOTE]

Interesting theory. So, I've been meaning to ask this:
how much should a frame cost?

Just askin' :)

[michael white]

[QUOTE=PezTech]I don't really think you have... (not meaning to be a jerk...)



Hi Pez, you weren't trying very hard, were you?

I believe it was a Carrefour {note: actually I think it was a Geant store, which is Carrefour's competitor} store, a French hypermarket chain which makes Walmart look like a Dollar General. This particular store was on the outskirts of Mandelieu, not far from Cannes. i was spending two months there nearby. This was about five years ago. I was amazed at all the cycling goods for sale there, back near the grocery aisles. I remember seeing shrink-wrapped thread-on Shimano freewheels, for instance. Virtually any cycling tool you could possibly need. They did have a line of helmets which looked to me exactly like Chinese Giro clones. I don't know any other way to describe it. I don't recall the brand. However, they did cost right around 20 euros. I didn't buy one, but tried one on briefly and it actually felt more comfortable than the Giro I had worn to get to the store.

[Ralph]

I'm probably going up to the Saros or Atmos level. Fit and venting is most important to me. It's usually hot here in Central Florida most of the year, so I usually ride with a wet wash cloth folded inside my helmet to act a little like an air conditioner and hold the sweat. (my wife cycles worn wash cloths from bathroom to my corner of garage) Air blowing over a wet cloth does help. Just keep it wrung out.

I also need some new riding shorts. I notice the ones I rotate are wearing thin. So need a couple pair. I hate to spend over about $100 for shorts. Wonder what's currently best in that price range? I usually ride Elite Pearls or similar.

[Acotts]

[QUOTE=Acotts]It drives me nuts that they manufacture giant stupid looking mongo helmets in order to justify the added cost of normal helmets.

Frankly, no helmet should be more than $100. The only reason they can sell helmets for $200 is that they make the $60 helmets look like an asshole.
. . .
QUOTE]

Interesting theory. So, I've been meaning to ask this:
how much should a frame cost?

Just askin' :)

I honestly would never pay more than $1500 for a frame.

But that’s me. I'm 29, living in an expensive city, dating, and saving for a house.

I race the crap out of my bikes - parts break, paint scratches, components get worn out, kits need replacing, race fees need to be covered...I can barely afford to keep going as is. I spend at least 2k a year just maintain these things. It’s like a goddam yacht!

And now I need to go buy a new helmet because I banged up my last one that I loved. Great helmet...it was an IronMan Pro that was light, sleek, and $80. They stopped making them years ago. I got my last one on ebay last year. It was pre-scratched.

That is why I grumble about this so much. Other than food and rent, cycling consumes more of my money than anything else in my life. I have 12k worth of bikes being towed by a 7k car. These $150-200 expenses just keep adding up and they never seem to end.

This helmet displaces the money I had for a new cassette I was going to buy for CX season. Now I will be on an old cassette and this will cause my chain to jump at a sucky moment! It’ll happen right in front of a new girlfriend and I will get a face full of mud and she will start eye-balling the chump with skulls on his socks who’ll pass me for 17th place. And then I’ll be wondering if I need to replace the helmet or not because some marketing folks published some scare-tactic research saying that foam is only useful once.

That is a quality of life impact right there, folks.

The worst part is that I know I’ll be wearing this damn helmet for 20 hours a week for the next 60 weeks. I also understand that it is protecting a semi-valuable organ. I get its value. I just think we should be given a break here because wearing helmets kinda sucks…but we do it anyway.

If you (by you, I am referring to The Man a.k.a. Congressional-Military-Industrial Complex a.k.a. Hollywood a.k.a. UCI a.k.a. USAC) are going to force me to wear this stupid foam hat, then give me one that won’t make me look so MONGO and won’t cost me a night of passionate with my yet-to-be-met CX girlfriend .

Ralph, I hear you on the shorts. Everytime our team gets a new sponsor, (which is every year) I gotta drop $100 on new shorts.

[Editors note: Acotts’ race season has gotten crispy. He needs a break and/or a benefactor.]

[67-59]

I also need some new riding shorts. I notice the ones I rotate are wearing thin. So need a couple pair. I hate to spend over about $100 for shorts. Wonder what's currently best in that price range? I usually ride Elite Pearls or similar.

After years of spending anywhere from $80-150 for shorts and bibs, I recently purchased some of these Nalini bibs (http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=C8185) for about $30 from probikekit.com. I fully expected that they'd seem "cheap," but figured for the price it was worth the shot. They are now my favorites. One key is that I tend to like a slightly thinner chamois (Assos never worked well for me...), so if you like lots of padding, these might not work for you. The fabric feels much nicer than I expected, and they fit me like a glove. I see that they've recently cut the price to about $25, and they always ship free.

I wear a Medium in Pearl, and the size 4 works well.

(And no, I do not work for Nalini or probikekit....)

[Charles M]

Acotts what size helmet are you?

[bozman]

I honestly would never pay more than $1500 for a frame.

But that’s me. I'm 29, living in an expensive city, dating, and saving for a house.

I race the crap out of my bikes - parts break, paint scratches, components get worn out, kits need replacing, race fees need to be covered...I can barely afford to keep going as is. I spend at least 2k a year just maintain these things. It’s like a goddam yacht!

And now I need to go buy a new helmet because I banged up my last one that I loved. Great helmet...it was an IronMan Pro that was light, sleek, and $80. They stopped making them years ago. I got my last one on ebay last year. It was pre-scratched.

That is why I grumble about this so much. Other than food and rent, cycling consumes more of my money than anything else in my life. I have 12k worth of bikes being towed by a 7k car. These $150-200 expenses just keep adding up and they never seem to end.

This helmet displaces the money I had for a new cassette I was going to buy for CX season. Now I will be on an old cassette and this will cause my chain to jump at a sucky moment! It’ll happen right in front of a new girlfriend and I will get a face full of mud and she will start eye-balling the chump with skulls on his socks who’ll pass me for 17th place. And then I’ll be wondering if I need to replace the helmet or not because some marketing folks published some scare-tactic research saying that foam is only useful once.

That is a quality of life impact right there, folks.

The worst part is that I know I’ll be wearing this damn helmet for 20 hours a week for the next 60 weeks. I also understand that it is protecting a semi-valuable organ. I get its value. I just think we should be given a break here because wearing helmets kinda sucks…but we do it anyway.

If you (by you, I am referring to The Man a.k.a. Congressional-Military-Industrial Complex a.k.a. Hollywood a.k.a. UCI a.k.a. USAC) are going to force me to wear this stupid foam hat, then give me one that won’t make me look so MONGO and won’t cost me a night of passionate with my yet-to-be-met CX girlfriend .

Ralph, I hear you on the shorts. Everytime our team gets a new sponsor, (which is every year) I gotta drop $100 on new shorts.

[Editors note: Acotts’ race season has gotten crispy. He needs a break and/or a benefactor.]

Post of the year.

[Acotts]

Acotts what size helmet are you?

I think large. Some larges are larger than others, though.

[Charles M]

shoulda said what's your head size... measured

[Acotts]

22.25" +/- .25 inches

[Charles M]

That's a medium in most... 57ish

PM me an address and I'll send you a good helmet.