fake Catlike Whisper on eBay

[steampunk]

good grief...even fake helmets now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/honeycomb-style-cycling-helmet-catlike-style-/260821733516?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cba2fd08c#ht_500wt_1098

[zetroc]

I hope nobody gets hurt after a crash with one of those.

[FixedNotBroken]

Wow..that fake is so terrible looking.

[trener1]

Goes perfectly with his fake Oakly's.

[Joachim]

Free publicity for BH bikes. Wonder if he has a fake bike too? Why would someone knowingly buy fake products? I just don't get it.

[false_Aest]

Nah, that's just overstock from Ben's trunk.

[rice rocket]

Wow..that fake is so terrible looking.

And the real ones are any better? :rolleyes:

[AngryScientist]

78 bucks for a fake?

the only reason i wear a helmet is a guaranteed level of protection. i know that my helmet will provide at least the level of protection that the standard it was built to provides.

with a fake you're guaranteed nothing.

[illuminaught]

Wow. KO jerseys is one thing... but untested KO protective equipment is insane.

[GRAVELBIKE]

I hear they include a free pack of Trojan-like condoms with every helmet.

[FixedNotBroken]

And the real ones are any better? :rolleyes:

No, they are very ugly but I am saying the real ones looks so much better than the fakes. Those are terribly done..who would ever purchase one of those?!

[bike22]

its just for the decoration.

[Mark McM]

I wonder if the seller knows he is breaking federal law by selling non-CPSC certified bicycle helmets in the US?

[wc1934]

Goes perfectly with his fake Oakly's.

But they clearly state: "Only the helmet is for sale"!

What a ripoff - but why am I not surprised.

[vintag3]

That's just terrible. Probably won't even protect your head properly during impact.

[6mt]

can having a fake helmet worse than no helmet?

with that been said, I've seen fake Rapha Condor kit last year on ebay.

[steampunk]

there's tons of fake cycling kit on eBay.

eBay has rules on counterfeits but enforcement is a bit of a joke. it takes ages for them to take down listings and sellers who violate their own rules.

[slowandsteady]

That's just terrible. Probably won't even protect your head properly during impact.

That is, above all the VERY scary reality of a fake of this nature. Fake a shirt, fake a bag, fake glasses...its not good but no one gets hurt (physically) at least...

[steampunk]

the listing has been removed. good riddance.

[rice rocket]

can having a fake helmet worse than no helmet?

with that been said, I've seen fake Rapha Condor kit last year on ebay.

Not really.

Today's helmets are pretty much junk IMHO. Expanded polystyrene sucks for impact absorption. It's popular because it's cheap, easy to mold, and it passes CPSC/CE testing. CPSC testing says 300g peak acceleration to pass in a 10 mph impact. 300g!

There's been some research in football, concussions start to show around 70g.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/7625

Not until the CPSC steps up their game will companies research other materials to manufacture helmets from. Or maybe there is a market for a "safer helmet", who knows.

[6mt]

Not really.

Today's helmets are pretty much junk IMHO. Expanded polystyrene sucks for impact absorption. It's popular because it's cheap, easy to mold, and it passes CPSC/CE testing. CPSC testing says 300g peak acceleration to pass in a 10 mph impact. 300g!

There's been some research in football, concussions start to show around 70g.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/7625

Not until the CPSC steps up their game will companies research other materials to manufacture helmets from. Or maybe there is a market for a "safer helmet", who knows.

and yet the named brand helmet these days cost a ton. apparently helmets have expiration date as well; once expired, the manufacture cannot be held reliable if injured in a crash, thus making periodically changing a new helmet a must.

funny you've mentioned the football helmet thing. I've just heard a story on NPR about the helmet design for football player and brain injuries. very serious stuff.

[oldpotatoe]

Not really.

Today's helmets are pretty much junk IMHO. Expanded polystyrene sucks for impact absorption. It's popular because it's cheap, easy to mold, and it passes CPSC/CE testing. CPSC testing says 300g peak acceleration to pass in a 10 mph impact. 300g!

There's been some research in football, concussions start to show around 70g.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/7625

Not until the CPSC steps up their game will companies research other materials to manufacture helmets from. Or maybe there is a market for a "safer helmet", who knows.

The 'standards' to which bicycle helmets are tested is surprisingly low. Like a fall from 4 feet and 10 MPH. I've always said, 'may help, they never hurt' but helmets are not an automatic when it comes to prevention of a head injury. In spite of the 'I would have died or been a zuccini if I didn't have a helmet on' type stories.

Modern helmets cost a lot, don't cost much to make. BIG margins. Some in the $ range of decent motorcycle helmets.

NO, not trying to start or finish a pro/con helmet thread.

[Mark McM]

apparently helmets have expiration date as well; once expired, the manufacture cannot be held reliable if injured in a crash, thus making periodically changing a new helmet a must.

I've never heard of a helmet expiration date, can you give a reference?

[6mt]

^^i can't give you a specific example, but it's like a life span of a helmet, or shelf life.

due to the fact that the foam might dry out, or hidden crack. it is recommended by some manufactures that you replace your helmet every so often. i wish i could provide an solid link here, but i can't seem to find anything via google. maybe I'm just not searching properly.

anyway, this is what i was told.

[yngpunk]

The idea with expiration date is that the foam will gradually degrade, esp. when exposed to UV rays.

In terms of helmet testing, better to look for Snell Foundation certification. More info on the Snell Memorial Foundation here: www.smf.org

[Mark McM]

^^i can't give you a specific example, but it's like a life span of a helmet, or shelf life.

due to the fact that the foam might dry out, or hidden crack. it is recommended by some manufactures that you replace your helmet every so often. i wish i could provide an solid link here, but i can't seem to find anything via google. maybe I'm just not searching properly.

anyway, this is what i was told.

I've read both the CPSC and the Snell helmet standards, and I can't find anything about a helmet expiration date.

I couldn't find anything about helmet lifespan on the Giro Helmet website. The Bell Helmet website FAQ says:

Q:How Often Should a Helmet Be Replaced?
A:Bell has a general recommendation of replacing your helmet every three (3) years. If you are unsure of the condition of your helmet, or whether it should be replaced, call us at 800-456-2355 or e-mail us at consumersupport@bellsports.com for information on a free inspection.There is no explaination about why the 3 year life. Or whether that is from the date of manufacture, date of sale, or start of use.

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute web site has a page on helmet replacement recommendations (http://www.bhsi.org/replace.htm). They basically say that a helmet only needs to be replaced if it has been crashed or damaged, or if it was certified to an obsolete standard (or has no certification at all). In regard to to degradation of the EPS (Expanded Poly Styrene) foam, it says:

Occasionally somebody spreads rumors that sweat and ultraviolet (UV) exposure will cause your helmet to degrade. Sweat will not do that. The standards do not permit manufacturers to make a helmet that degrades from sweat, and the EPS, EPP or EPU foam is remarkably unaffected by salt water. Your helmet will get a terminal case of grunge before it dies of sweat. Sunlight can affect the strength of the shell material, though. Since helmets spend a lot of time in the sun, manufacturers usually put UV inhibitors in the plastic for their shells that control UV degradation. If your helmet is fading or showing small cracks around the vents, the UV inhibitors may be failing, so you probably should replace it. Chances are it has seen an awful lot of sun to have that happen. Otherwise, try another brand next time and let us know what brand faded on you.

At least one shop told a customer that the EPS in his three year old helmet was now "dried out." Other sales people refer to "outgassing" and say that the foam loses gas and impact performance is affected. Still others claim that helmets lose a percentage of their effectiveness each year, with the percentage growing with age. All of that is nothing but marketing hype to sell a replacement helmet before you need it. There is some loss of aromatics in the first hours and days after molding, and helmet designers take account of that for standards testing. But after that the foam stabilizes and does not change for many years, unless the EPS is placed in an oven for some period of time and baked. The interior of your car, for example, will not do that, based on helmets we have seen and at least one lab crash test of a helmet always kept in a car in Virginia over many summers. Helmet shells can be affected by car heat, but not the foam. The Snell Memorial Foundation has tested motorcycle helmets held in storage for more than 20 years and found that they still meet the original standard. EPS is a long-lived material little affected by normal environmental factors. Unless you mistreat it we would not expect it to "dry out" enough to alter its performance for many years.

The BHSI page also has a quote from the Italian helmet manufacture MET:

An honest manufacturer: MET
The Italian company MET says in their 2010 catalog:
"We are often asked 'For how long is a helmet safe?', or 'how often should I replace my helmet?”' Until now it has been difficult to find any reliable figures to help answer these queries. MET have now developed a series of tests which are conducted on aged helmets to determine a 'best before' date (unless the helmet is involved in an accident. In that case it should be replaced immediately.). The results indicate that, if used properly accordingly to our owner manual, our helmets will still do their job up to eight years after they have been made. Not only is that good news for the customer, it’s great news for the environment!"

We applaud MET for undertaking an actual testing program on helmet life and for making that statement. We regard it as a triumph of integrity over marketing. MET's helmets are made with industry standard shells and liners, so there is no reason we can see that their recommendation should not be good for many other helmet brands as well. If another manufacturer comes up with a testing program that shows earlier deterioration in the protection from their products we will review this page.

In sum, we don't find the case for replacing a helmet that meets the ASTM or Snell standards that compelling if the helmet is still in good shape and fits you well.

[firerescuefin]

Dear Lennard,
I decided to retire my six-year-old helmet and am searching for a new one. When shopping at local bike shops, I have come across several “new” helmets that have a manufactured date of 3-4 years ago shown by the sticker on the inside. Is this OK or should I search for one that is manufactured in the last year? In other words, what is the shelf life of a helmet for sale in my local bike shop?
— Mark

Answer from Specialized:
Actually, there’s no evidence that there is any deterioration in performance over time. I am attaching below the response we typically send. Deterioration is generally a function of use, and so helmets in warehouse storage should be fine after several years. However, while the standards and improvements over time can be significant, it makes sense to shop for newer models.

The Snell Memorial Foundation recommends the following:

Why should you replace your helmet every five years?

The five-year replacement recommendation is based on a consensus by both the helmet manufacturers and the Snell Foundation. Glues, resins and other materials used in helmet production over time can affect liner materials. Hair oils, body fluids and cosmetics, as well as normal “wear and tear” all contribute to helmet degradation. Petroleum-based products present in cleaners, paints, fuels and other commonly encountered materials may also degrade materials used in many helmets possibly degrading performance. Additionally, experience indicates there will be a noticeable improvement in the protective characteristic of helmets over a five-year period due to advances in materials, designs, production methods and the standards. Thus, the recommendation for five-year helmet replacement is a judgment call stemming from a prudent safety philosophy.

Personally I would recommend a helmet manufactured in the last one year or so as you will be getting the most modern design/functionality and then in another 5 years you will be ready to replace it again.
— Michael Grim
Specialized Helmet Manager

[6mt]

thanks for taking the time to conduct such thorough research. the myth was busted for good.

i need to conduct better research in the future. shame on me.