I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one?

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NUKe
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by NUKe »

Tangled Metal wrote:
NUKe wrote:I quite like thse but can't get one to fit me. If you want something different and they have things like winter liners
http://bernunlimited.com/shop/bike.html they ca nbe bought inthe UK as well

Bern looks like skate park bmx lids. Also canoeing lids I think.

some do, also Snow boarding, because that where they originate from but in recent years they have started to make cycling specific ones with the likes of the Alston. I cant get one to fit but if it did I certainly would have an Alston for the odd fwe times I wear a lid. LIdl Ski helmets also are very similar, but our store didn't do the XXL last year I might get one this year though and use it for cycling.
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mjr
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by mjr »

Tangled Metal wrote:Not saying it'll save my life or anything just that I want one for my own way reasons, just not sure what's good one to get for commuting. Any ideas? Fit then price are my priorities but I'm thinking something in a bright colour with plenty of reflective decals.

You can get reflective decals from outdoors shops but it's probably worth double-checking with the helmet manufacturer that it won't dissolve the shell or something.

Fit and price are the priorities? Nothing about behaviour in a crash? Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a nice snug fleecy beanie for about a fiver? ;)
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Tangled Metal
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by Tangled Metal »

Fit means the helmet will work better, be more comfortable and therefore more likely to be used. Performance in a crash is covered by the Snell standard or BS or ANSI or whatever standard. MIPS is generally expensive but if you believe all the buyers guides from the cycling websites/magazines and other sources a cheaper helmet that meets the needed standards for cycle helmets are not significantly different in their safety performance than more expensive ones. Also fit is the most important thing to get right.

Of course if fit is not important and price is not important then what is important in helmet selection.
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Paulatic
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I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one?

Post by Paulatic »

I've owned a helmet for years, only wore it off roading and occasionally on a club ride. It cost me £20 I hated wearing it and it could give me headache after an hour or two.

Watching Geraint Thomas hit that telegraph pole with his head in the TdF made me consider getting a better one. I.e. lighter

Tried Kask but did not like the fit. Tried a Lazer Z1 and it felt, well there wasn't any feeling, didn't know it was on my head. Only problem was it was £180.

Trawled EBay for a few weeks and eventually got one for £60. Wasn't listed as a Z1 , but it is, in Pearl Izumi team international team colours with case and a clear cover to wear on rainy days.

The difference with this helmet and my old are worlds apart. 220g ,vents like having a powerful fan on your head, and most of all, I wear this one.
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Tangled Metal
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by Tangled Metal »

So you got the fit right. That too is my first choice. So far the best fit for my head is a £30 specialized helmet. Someone said specialized helmets are tested to the higher Snell rating so still good on a safety front I think. The weight felt good but only a longer ride will tell on that. It felt light enough to me. Vents seemed good. Personally I found even my old giro skyline (originally an expensive model but know the mark II is now a fairly cheap £45).

Specialized Centro helmet looks good to me as well.
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mjr
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by mjr »

Geraint Thomas hit the pole with shoulder and ear, both outside the tested area of the helmet. Of course, all involved with the sponsorship are happy to credit the helmet.

My last helmet was 230g but still caused neck injury rattling around Somerset roads.
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Tangled Metal
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by Tangled Metal »

One more point to mention, it's for winter commuting. In winter I'm not likely to want a fan effect from the vents. A catlike helmet with all those ugly vents won't suit my needs.
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by al_yrpal »

Tangled Metal wrote:One more point to mention, it's for winter commuting. In winter I'm not likely to want a fan effect from the vents. A catlike helmet with all those ugly vents won't suit my needs.


Put a shower cap on it in winter, in summer the vents will be needed

Al
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NUKe
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by NUKe »

I still say bern with a winter liner as you can also close the vents or buy a non vented helmet, The Brentwood has closeable vents but as you don't want to look like a skate boarder :wink:

What about POC ?
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Tangled Metal
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by Tangled Metal »

al_yrpal wrote:
Tangled Metal wrote:One more point to mention, it's for winter commuting. In winter I'm not likely to want a fan effect from the vents. A catlike helmet with all those ugly vents won't suit my needs.


Put a shower cap on it in winter, in summer the vents will be needed

Al

Won't be using it in summer. I have my reasons and the logic works in my head for that.

All Bern helmets look either skater ones or skier ones. Not my thing but I like the idea of crossover features. You can wear an under helmet hat of course but some removable, built in feature makes sense. Advantages would perhaps be if it is swapped with the summer pads so it doesn't change the fit. Hats add thickness to the padding so once you have that right you then need to change for hat use I guess.
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Re: I want a helmet for winter commuting - what's a good one

Post by Vorpal »

You can also buy high visibility hemet covers. That closes the vents and gives you the reflective stuff you wanted.
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