longbeachcyclists.com

…that was the question we asked a few weeks ago, and this it what you said:

I am going to try to write this article without being too preachy, it may be difficult, and I hope you all understand.

If you are the type of person that buckles your seat belt not because it’s the law, but because you feel safer in that off-chance that a crash may occur, then you might be the same person that likes to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.

Some Numbers*:

Out of the 85 million cyclists in the US, 540,000 visit emergency rooms annually, 67,000 have head injuries and 1/8th of those injuries results in brain damage.

Of the 34,000 traffic fatalities annually in the US, only 2% of those deaths is a cyclist… but nearly 90% of those are due to severe head trauma.

Replacing Helmets:

Did you have a crash? REPLACE!
Helmets are designed to crush when impacted so as to absorb the shock before your head does. Even a minor crash can be cause to replace. If you’ve had a crash and you don’t think you hit your head, it may be because the helmet did its job! Still be sure to inspect your helmet for any cracks, scratches or dents… especially in the under side or in the hard plastic cover.

MOST helmet manufacturers are more than willing to replace a crashed helmet for either a nominal fee or sometimes for free. It bodes well for them to say that their helmet saved someone’s life. Check your warranty info, or ask a shop employee (most likely the manager).

Did you drop it on a hard surface? REPLACE! (maybe)
Same as above. Inspect your helmet for any cracks or dents.

Is it from the 70s? REPLACE!
I know that nobody actually voted this statistic, but I know at least 2 people that read this blog are still riding around with a Bell Biker helmet from the 70s. Polystyrene, the material that helmets are made of, has a limited shelf life. With the sun beating down on it, sweat and pinecones falling on your head (true story), the material breaks down at the molecular level and cannot be trusted to effectively protect your noggin in the event of a crash.

Does it lack a CPSC, SNELL or ANSI sticker? REPLACE!
These helmets are actually difficult to find, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless you bought your helmet out of the country.

It’s not comfortable or can’t be adjusted properly? REPLACE!
When purchasing a helmet, you want to select the smallest size that fits comfortably on your head. Not sure if it fits securely enough? Try bending forward with the chinstrap unbuckled. If it falls off your head, then it needs to be adjusted.

Do you just plain hate it? REPLACE!
Helmets come in hundreds of designs, colors and patterns. There is no reason to have a helmet that you just don’t like.

Some Commentary:

Aside from the variety of colors and styles of helmets, there is also a wide range in pricing. You can walk into Performance during one of their bi-weekly clearance sale extravaganzas and get a helmet for $20, or dig around on the internet for a $200 Giro Ionos that was apparently responsible for several Tour de France wins. Who knew?! As long as your $20 helmet has a CPSC, ANSI or SNELL sticker, it is JUST AS SAFE as that $200 helmet. What you end up paying for is styling, weight and venting, and of course branding.

*There are a lot of different sources for this information and some of you may come up with different numbers. These numbers listed above are a compilation of statistics provided by the NHTSA, AAA and various helmet manufacturers.