New bike helmet

[PaulSB]

I have no wish to enter the helmet debate but I'm looking for far more than "scuff protection." I've crashed at 25mph and smashed a week old £120 helmet in four places - cracked the polystyrene in four places.

Rather pleased I didn't suffer any scuffs.

I wouldn't chance my head with a £15 helmet.

And the OP is riding round in a 15 year old helmet which possibly offers no adequate protection at all.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

On a slightly different tack

I wear glasses and I would like some kid of protection from the sun.

I would also like a helmet with a light on the back - just as an extra to the 3 I normally have on the back on my bike

I have seen a few with a magnetically connected visor that comes done in front of the eyes - with interchangable colours for daylight, night and clear

This would be great for protecting from occasional stones and especially insects in the summer

soooooo

anyone got any experience of something like this
any recommendations???

Thanks

Mike

 

[cougie uk]

I have no wish to enter the helmet debate but I'm looking for far more than "scuff protection." I've crashed at 25mph and smashed a week old £120 helmet in four places - cracked the polystyrene in four places.

Rather pleased I didn't suffer any scuffs.

I wouldn't chance my head with a £15 helmet.

And the OP is riding round in a 15 year old helmet which possibly offers no adequate protection at all.

The £120 helmet - what certification has it passed that the £15 helmet hasn't ?

 

[PaulSB]

The £120 helmet - what certification has it passed that the £15 helmet hasn't ?

I have no idea as I don't know what certification the £15 helmet has.

I've no experience in helmet manufacture but 40+ years in production business. The businesses I worked for knew how to and did produce quality products. We also knew how to produce cheap product - it's simple, reduce the quality of the base materials as these are of lower cost.

It's easy to make two identical products, one of high quality and one of minimum acceptable quality.

If manufacturers of bikes, helmets, kit etc. were ripping off the customer by simply badging the same product and adding +£100 to the ticket we'd know about it already.

 

[Gunk]

If manufacturers of bikes, helmets, kit etc. were ripping off the customer by simply badging the same product and adding +£100 to the ticket we'd know about it already.

It happens all the time, you only have to examine a Decathlon own brand bike for instance with a 105 Groupset, the frame is probably made in the same Taiwanese factory as a Specialized and the equivalent Allez 105 road bike is about 35% more expensive.

BMC are the worst culprit, £1500 for an Aluminium framed bike with a 105 groupset, Decathlon sell the same bike for around £800

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Really don't know if manufacturers of helmets charging £150 are spending anywhere near that on the actual material, R&D and testing. A £15 helmet won't have an awful lot of room for markup at the till but may pass standard EN1078 testing better than it's 10x more expensive cousin. I would love to confidently think the dearer helmet IS better and passes testing with higher margins, but yet to see anything that confirms or denies that.

Same thing happens with SHARP ratings for motorcycle helmets. £60 noname brands get 5 stars vs a 4star £800 Arai/Shoei.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Either helmet is only as good as the tests against the standards. You can’t claim anything more for a helmet based on price.

 

[PaulSB]

It happens all the time, you only have to examine a Decathlon own brand bike for instance with a 105 Groupset, the frame is probably made in the same Taiwanese factory as a Specialized and the equivalent Allez 105 road bike is about 35% more expensive.

BMC are the worst culprit, £1500 for an Aluminium framed bike with a 105 groupset, Decathlon sell the same bike for around £800

I don't know the bikes and can't comment. I do though see you say "probably."

My judgement is based on one visit to Decathlon to look at shoes and boots. While there I looked at clothing. In my opinion their products are manufactured to achieve specific price points. In my view this does not always equate to best quality.

 

[PaulSB]

Either helmet is only as good as the tests against the standards. You can’t claim anything more for a helmet based on price.

Correct but onr can do the maths and form the reasonable view that a helmet manufactured for perhaps £5-6 might not offer much crash protection other than the legal minimum.

 

[newfhouse]

Correct but onr can do the maths and form the reasonable view that a helmet manufactured for perhaps £5-6 might not offer much crash protection other than the legal minimum.

Do you know the manufacturing cost of the £150 helmet?

 

[PaulSB]

Do you know the manufacturing cost of the £150 helmet?

No. I can though make a calculation of the likely manufacturing cost of a £15 helmet. Having done that I've concluded a helmet which probably cost £5/6 to manufacture may not offer the protection I require.

As I've already said I've crashed at 25mph and smashed a helmet which cost £120. Apart from a lot of aches I walked away from this. Consequently I have confidence in the brand. Having viewed other Decathlon products I wouldn't have confidence in their helmets and I don't want to be a crash test dummy!! 😄

If a company offers items such as clothing and shoes which don't match a standard I feel comfortable with it shouldn't be surprising if I form an opinion on other items offered at low cost.

It's simply my opinion gained through experience.

 

[newfhouse]

No. I can though make a calculation of the likely manufacturing cost of a £15 helmet. Having done that I've concluded a helmet which probably cost £5/6 to manufacture may not offer the protection I require.

As I've already said I've crashed at 25mph and smashed a helmet which cost £120. Apart from a lot of aches I walked away from this. Consequently I have confidence in the brand. Having viewed other Decathlon products I wouldn't have confidence in their helmets and I don't want to be a crash test dummy!! 😄

If a company offers items such as clothing and shoes which don't match a standard I feel comfortable with it shouldn't be surprising if I form an opinion on other items offered at low cost.

It's simply my opinion gained through experience.

Fair enough. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I doubt that there is a strong relationship between manufacturing cost, selling price, and protection. We all make judgements based on a perception of risk, but have no way of knowing if we’re right in individual cases. It’s a shame there aren’t more stringent tests beyond the bare minimum that would allow users to confidently choose an actual protection level that made them feel happy.

 

[PaulSB]

Fair enough. Maybe I’m too cynical, but I doubt that there is a strong relationship between manufacturing cost, selling price, and protection. We all make judgements based on a perception of risk, but have no way of knowing if we’re right in individual cases. It’s a shame there aren’t more stringent tests beyond the bare minimum that would allow users to confidently choose an actual protection level that made them feel happy.

I'm in 100% agreement. I would love to have more information on which to form an opinion.

 

[Mo1959]

I always thought the recognised safety standard involved exactly the same tests for a helmet at £20 as £200. The main reason some helmets are so much dearer is because you are paying for it being extra light, better ventilated, comfier straps, etc.

 

[Gunk]

I always thought the recognised safety standard involved exactly the same tests for a helmet at £20 as £200. The main reason some helmets are so much dearer is because you are paying for it being extra light, better ventilated, comfier straps, etc.

And the marketing costs of being an expensive premium brand.