Crashed helmet, still mint, replace?

Originally Posted by TheStudent

I presume this was a general rant, as I fully intend to purchase a new helmet asap based on the advice given ....all of which I am very greatful for folks!

On a serparate point, based on my own research I found that the recommendation to replace a helmet every five years, mechanically and chemically applies to helmets that have been used.

<snipped etch stuff>
From which I would deduce that buying a five year old helmet is fine as long as it has seen no use.

Not really. Even sitting in the right environment a helmet will degrade. The lay up of the laminate weakens, the resins break down, the glues dry and change composition to something that can attack the materials they bond and the expanded polystyrene goes brittle over time. By the time five years has passed the helmet has a very short lifespan on someone's head. The shell is already compromised to a small extent, but the most important thing is the inner liner around the skull. If that goes brittle, which they do quite quickly in the bigscheme of things, then your head is in danger of suffering internal damage from the shock of the brain hitting the skull.

When a helmet hits anything there are three impacts

1) Helmet striking the ground or an object

2) Skull hitting the interior lining of the helmet

3) Brain hitting inside of skull

The purpose of any helmet is to absorb as much of the shock caused by numbers 1 and 2 as possible in order to eliminate number 3. If the interior liner has gone brittle then the ability to absorb shock is reduced, thereby increasing the likelihood of your brain suffering an impact against the skull. If that impact is severe enough it can kill you.

Originally Posted by mabozzar

I HAVE AN OPEN FACE HELMET,, i bought it second hand fur £15 around 7 years ago, its been in 3 crashes comeoffs.. an am still on the same visor... Good eh !!!! always wear an open face

at least its a Nolan...

If you've got a head that's only valued at 15 quid, buy a 15 quid helmet.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by TheStudent

I bought my OGK Aeroblade II almost four years ago, it was the only helmet in three shops that fit me properly and cost me £150.

Since then the helmet has fallen off a desk once or twice, and been sent down the road three times at +50mph (along with myself), but the helmet is still mint, not a mark on it!! Should I replace it still or am I wasting money?

My wallet says I am talking sense, my head is uncertain, but I have a funny feeling I need slapping and escorting to my local helmet retailer?

Cheers, Tom

Your helmet has been down the road 3 times at 50+, dropped off a couple of desks and is 4 years old...so it's pretty much useless for anything other than a crash barrier for your head. It won't give you any shock absorbtion or proper protection as it was designed to do.

When I was on my DAS last March, we were shown cross sections of a few helmets. One of them was 3 years old and had been used by someone doing approx 8,0 iles a year and the foam inner had decreased in thickness by 80%...in other words, no longer useful, so we were told to replace our helmets every three years even if they have not been dropped if we were doing any more than 6,000 miles a year. Another helmet was dropped off the roof of a small car and the "crushing" of the foam in the drop area was incredible...almost completely flat just from falling 5ft. That would be no good any more as if that part of your head hit the floor, it would be unprotected minus the crash barrier of the outer shell.

The most shocking was a helmet worn by one of their instructors. It was less than a year old and the foam was less than 1cm thick. It had covered 45,000 miles in that year, so all of the instructors there now have to replace their helmets every 6 months and are given vouchers to do so.

I know that was a lot of text...just making the point through what I've seen...not what I think.


Look after your noggin dude!

People you are all looking at this the wrong way. Didn't Darwin teach us anything.

Yea fill your boots, wear a 10 year old only been dropped twice on concrete in the cold, whenever you want.

At least your organs will be useful one they turn off life support.

It's a serious thing, don't mess with it! If there is any doubt just replace it with the best fitting and most comfortable you can. Would you let your child/wife/family use you helmet?

Lozzo clearly knows what he is talking, about listen to the man if you want more accurate advice.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by rodders

People you are all looking at this the wrong way. .

I think you'll find the majority in this thread are actually giving pretty much the same advice as Lozzo, and yourself....look after your head, you only have one.

Very good advice Dizzy

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

look after your head, you only have one.

Tries not to make a lewd comment...........

Makes no odds how many crashes the helmet's been in, or what speed those crashes were at, if it didn't touch the ground.

The drops you've described off a desk are fine. How is a helmet lining going to compress, when it's inside a hard shell on the outside, and there's no weight on the inside to compress it? If you keep a bowling ball inside your helmet whilst it's sat on your desk at work, then replace the helmet if it falls.

Still does sound like it's time to buy a new helmet, but not for either of the reasons above.

[Shawthing]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

What puzzles me the most is why people question those who obviously have huge knowledge of these things. Someone asks for advice and someone who has intimate knowledge of the matter responds with their professional opinion and facts. What makes some people think they are more clued up than the bloke or woman who works or has worked extensively in this trade and knows far more than the man on the street? .

Lozzo
Sorry if i cause any offence.
I stand corrected.
For the very reasons you have later given,
it was just my assumption that a general industry standard shelf life would be being respected by a large 'reputable' motorcycle accessory dealer.

I hope we can all learn that prior to making purchases of equipment, which the manufacturer has been kind enough to label with manufacturing date, that we check that date and use the information to make our decision to purchase or not.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Makes no odds how many crashes the helmet's been in, or what speed those crashes were at, if it didn't touch the ground.

The drops you've described off a desk are fine. How is a helmet lining going to compress, when it's inside a hard shell on the outside, and there's no weight on the inside to compress it? If you keep a bowling ball inside your helmet whilst it's sat on your desk at work, then replace the helmet if it falls.

Still does sound like it's time to buy a new helmet, but not for either of the reasons above.

At last, someone who's looking at it from a sensible viewpoint and backing up what I'm saying.

I'll bet that hurts deep inside, eh Ralph?

Originally Posted by Shawthing

Lozzo
Sorry if i cause any offence.
I stand corrected.
For the very reasons you have later given,
it was just my assumption that a general industry standard shelf life would be being respected by a large 'reputable' motorcycle accessory dealer.

I hope we can all learn that prior to making purchases of equipment, which the manufacturer has been kind enough to label with manufacturing date, that we check that date and use the information to make our decision to purchase or not.

No offence taken, no apology needed.

Move along please... nothing to see here