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up for a new helmet . . . . .
OK,
After four and a half years of wonderful service - and protecting my noodle, my catlike helmet finaly broke.
Which raises the question of:
What do I replace it with?
There is no F#$%^ing way I am going to buy a helmet over the net - so I'm looking at what I can walk into a store and purchase in Perth.
I know I can get the exact same helmet from one of my Fav LBS's but I have looked at the new Laser and Specilized (Which my better half rides with).
I'm happy to go road (which I have now) - I don't use the peaks on helmets (Or they have snapped off when I face planted!),
An yeah, I know - when it comes to this wort of thing - 4 riders - 6 opinions . . . . . .but I'm keen to find out whats been happening in the helmet world since I last bought.
Love
Yarg
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I'm about to replace my Specialized helmet with another Sepcialized helmet, I like them, but I have to admit I am a Specialized fanatic. The old helmet has had one to many knocks, the worst being the time I drove off with it on the roof.
I'll be buying a Tactic.
1) Fits correctly and is comfortable
2) Fits correctly and is comfortable
3) Fits correctly and is comfortable
4) Looks cool.......
Agree with the not buying over internet unless you've tried the exact same one on somewhere else, but then it'd be taking the p!ss if you'd done that at a/your LBS.
Look of the Kash and Lazer helmets.
Just about to purchase the new Fox Striker, like the addition rear protection.
Just bought this from Tim at Kalamunda Cycles, easy to fit and very comfortable.
The helmet harness is independent of the chin strap which means the fit adjustment is all in the chin strap and on the strap around the back of the head.
Adjusts within 1 minute, sits straight and don't need to cut the chinstrap to length to get rid of the slack.
I use Lazer, and would recommend you do the right thing by your LBS and go and get it from them.
If it doesn't fit properly you might as well not wear it.
I'm a big fan of the Giro Helmets
Well, if its about good looks that have to match your shaven chin, I would look at the new Mavic, you would be beauty in motion.
I have a Met, nice comfortable and fits very well.
MPN
Firstly -
Definitely getting the new helmet from one of our LBS's.
Agree on the "it fits and is comfortable" - although it can be hard to tell in the shop - you need to be at the end of a three hour ride sweating like a pig to know if it's a great fit - so it's always a bit of a gamble.
I'm planning to go look at one of the options after work today . . . and the other this weekend . . (I hope!).
Appreciate your advice.
Ian
also consider the MET Kaos helmet which is the best rated helmet on the MBTR site. It's super light and very well ventilated...my next helmet for sure...!
Cheers
i replaced my cheapy ol helmet last year with a lazer 02. awesome! and once it is on you dont know you are even wearing it. The retention system is a breeze and it wont push down you halo head band, if you wear one.
if i had 3 thumbs i would give it 3 thumbs up, however in this instance i will have to go with 2 thumbs up.
p.s. i would recommend a bike shop that stocks them, but that would be unfair to all the other bike shops i know and love, though I do know that at least one of the 12 hour sponsors stocks lazer hemets.
Hi Yarg,
I am not sure if you have seen yet but we have just got in the complete Bell range (almost all with peak that is removeable) in now as well as the Giro Ionos. These are on top of the large range of Lazer helmets we carry.
We carry so many models because like all the comments show it all comes down to fit.
Keep your head safe Yarg cos it is too pretty to mess up
Cheers
Mike.
I bought a Limar 910 (RRP$200) yesterday from my LBS.
Torpedo7 has a sale until the 9th of Janurary, $59 for a Limar 910
I told my LBS this and they sold me the helmet for $95
I was happy to spend this and support my LBS
My LBS reakons that Torpedo7 are selling them at below cost.
The Torpedo7 helmet has the qualification "Please note, For Off Road use only." Which I assume means that they have sourced some non AS (Australian Standard sticker) stocks, so a fine safe helmet, but technically not legal for road use or MTBA racing. I'd be interested to confirm.
But hey, all my 3 MTB and road helmets are only EU certified as I bought them while living there
Re: T7 Limar helmet: Apart from being a potential compensation nightmare if you ever get hit on the road,the lack of AS/NZS 2063 sticker will block your use of it in any event held in the ACT, regardless of insurer or event organiser. So using it at the Mont for example would be out.
Yes the inflated Oz prices are a pain but our unique standards and mandatory helmet laws have stifled competition unfortunately.
Given that what we do is a risk activity as it is, I'm resigned to considering the local price premium as an insurance cost.
I had noticed the "Road only", it also says CPSC Safety Standard.
I clicked on their Limar 104 and this has the Aus/NZ standard shown.
I googled CPSC Safety Standard to find its the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Also found this
Im glad I did buy mine from my LBS
Of all the helmets I've tried, specialized,Adura ,fox, met and laser, the laser with the rollsys retention system is the best fitting by a long shot and the specialized was second but had heaps better ventilation. The rollsys adjust the band all the way around your head,not just at the back so you get no pressure points as the front of the helmet doesn't touch your head.
Very comfy, very light and it's saved my life at Awaba at the 8hr last month. Plus Cadel wears one too. You can't get a better endorsement than that.
But according to ChopStirs post
LBS is selling a helmet for a RRP of $200
Torp7 selling them at $60 which according the the LBS is cost is below cost price
So let's say cost price to the LBS is $50
Isn't that a 300% mark up?
$60 is below cost so the wholesale price would be more than $60. A $200 helmet would be around $120 wholesale, less if you ordered a large quantity.
I went for the S-Works MTB helmet - from JC.
Have ridden a few times on road and a good blast in the hills on Sunday.
Still getting used to / adjusting the straps.
Initial observations:
(1) It grips the noodle well via the back of the head adjuster.
(2) The chin strap attaches to the helmet directly - as opposed to the noodle cradle as did my old catlike - this is caucusing a bit of fine tuning as the strap position/set up becomes different due to the two systems.
(3) Not sure about the peak (Its removable)when head down - eyes up on road bike the peak is only just visible above my glasses - do i not have the helmet forward enough?
And I'm going to have a look at the new catlikes - when they arrive . . . .
Yarg.
For what it's worth I bought a Limar 910 about 8 months ago from T7 for $50. It has the AS/NZS 2063 sticker attached and is the best fitting, most comfortable helmet I have ever used
I found a crack in my trusty old Lazer Genesis last week. After a bit of looking around online and almost getting a helmet from overseas, I found this,
http://www.specialized.com/au/gb/bc/SBCWhatsNewD...
Traded the old girl in for a nice shiny new S-Works this afternoon. Pretty good deal if there is anyone else out there with an ageing helmet. If only the prices could stay like this!
Thanks for that link, their mtb helmets don't look too bad with the visor on the front.
Pity their road helmets are so fugly
They both look to be the same helmet it's just the MTB version has a visor that, from what I could see yesterday is not removable. The road helmet comes with a clip on visor so I got that as I use it for both. The road version has the carbon skeleton thingy visible but the MTB one doesn't.
Photo of mine with the the clip on visor, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150541...
after contributing to this thread I now find I need to buy a new skid lid. After a small altercation with the footpath coming down towards Roseville bridge, I will be on the hunt.
Thanks to the OP for posting and all those who contributed, seems I will be taking my own advice sooner than I thought.
FWIW Midland Cycles is doing a trade in on Specialised helments, trade your old helmet in for a new Specialised one - cuts the price of a new helmet by 40% or more I think. Getting a new S-works helmet there
Jase, I just traded in an old helmet for an s-works. My visor definitely comes off though. Rob made a point of showing me when I bought it.
My helmet looks slightly different to the photos you posted on FB though.
Yeah, I didn't want to go pulling on the visor too much on the MTB one, I wanted white and the MTB version doesn't come in white. I'm probably more of a hairy legged roadie now, MTB doesnt clock up the k's like it used to.
? I'm getting Specialised MTB in white - medium.
Yeah ok. I couldn't see them listed on the website. Silver was the closest I could see. They do have them in black with a lime green colour at the back that would match my BMC MTB pretty good, may have to take one of the kids helmets in for it.
That Spesh roadie helmet doesn't look so bad with the visor on.
Went to Bike Addiction today where I bought my last brain bucket and tried a few brands on and found that the Limar ones were actually the best and most snug fit for my Mr Potatoe head. Not convinced the venting on the 910 is much to write home about, especialy at the rear. The 757 seems much better.
The nicest fit of all was some Italian roadie thing that had a mesh hair net thing all the pads were stuck to, which would end my days channelling Darth Maul with my helmet hair, and it was super light and looked great, but .... no AS/NZS 2063 sticker to be seen!
Might try one of those Spesh helmets when I'm next over at Chatswood, I have an old one with cracks and grungy pads that would serve as a trade-in, otherwise Limar it will be.
Italian made-stylish & light-now being sorted through JetBlack
Aus/Nz accreditation a bit of a pain in the arse for boutique small volume imports a lot of the DJ style helmets never used to have them.
MET were always seemed to be very good value and fitted my noggen well. Different brands have different shapes so make sure you try a variety of brands.
Met VelenoD was probably the noisiest, worst fitting helmet I've owned. Yes, the fit comes down to head shape, it left red marks on my forehead, but those two flat pieces of foam that sit right next to your ear made that much wind noise you could hardly hear anyone talking to you or cars coming while commuting. I got the helmet when I had my shop so got it at wholesale less staff discount and still thought it was poor value. This was back before JetBlack had the distribution of Met and the RRP was up around $200 but the fit system and amount of foam that wasn't covered by the inmoulded outer shell were more in line with a $100 helmet like the Adura Tec.
Limar helmets look OK but the lack of big exhaust ports doesn't make it look like it will keep you cool and the shape doesn't really lend itself to mounting lights with all the lumps.
Found this on another forum: