Bike helmet purchase options :- Retro grouch or do I have a point?

[elantra]

Yeah I sympathise with Open Roader.

Safety equipment (such as a helmet) should not be a dull colour.
But helmets, like shoes, can be an extraordinarily difficult purchase because fit is very important. Very.

I bought a new helmet about a year ago.
It’s a Kask, and it has a very stand out bright yellow fluoro highlighting.
It’s also quite comfortable and has an above-average retention system.

That’s the good news.
The bad news is that it was over $ 200, reduced in price from over $ 300 because apparently it was a discontinued model

Perhaps it was a discontinued model because it had fallen foul of the 2023 fashion trend.
But anyway I am a happy camper wearing my Fluoro coloured Kask

My previous helmet (which I still have) was an $ 80 dollars budget brand and a really dull colour
But does come with a lot of reflective inlay which stands out like the proverbial at night.
It is also extremely comfortable (for my head) but compared to the more $$$ Kask it has a much inferior retention system

[Duck!]

My opinion: helmet colour is a very small part of a cyclist's potential visibility, so don't bluddy worry about the colour and buy what feels most comfy on your head! You may be lit up like a Christmas tree, but an (all too common) inattentive steering wheel attendant is not going to see you if they're not looking out for you regardless of what you're wearing

[AUbicycles]

Regarding laws for overseas helmet, law needs to be first adopted by each state for it to be legal… so not yet legal.

I have reflective stickers, though for dark / night time visibility.

An idea, triangle stickers (cut a square diagonally) you could go fluero and yellow and get best of both world.

[open roader]

Read this the other day :-

https://link.springer.com/epdf/10.1007/ ... A_VQ%3D%3D

and this one.......

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26902784/



My helmets are stored indoors, in a dry light sealed cupboard. I rinse and drip dry my helmets in the shade every use without fail. The padding sets are still close to mint and the straps, anchors and buckles etc are all still perfect. Needless to say the outer shells are also in perfect condition.

I'm not saying the bicycle helmet industry recommendation to replace helmets every X or Y years is just a convenient marketing strategy, however, I'm yet to find the science that says this is so.

For now I'll continue to wear both my old helmets.

[am50em]

Thanks for those links. Science over marketing.

[AUbicycles]

If you are looking after your helmets to this level (kudos) then you are a step ahead.

[Jean]

Didn't they change the rules so that OS compliant helmets are permitted now?

Yes, they have.

https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/minis ... e-industry

I believe we can officially use any approved helmets now.

Interesting. I hadn't seen that, but the blurb in that link suggests that the states have to do their bit yet.

[Aushiker]

Yes but ....

Separate to the new safety standard, State and Territory road safety authorities administer laws that govern which helmets can be legally used on public roads in each jurisdiction (road ‘use’ laws). Currently, all States and Territories require cyclists to wear a bicycle helmet that complies with the voluntary Australian standard only.

The new safety standard will provide States and Territories the opportunity to allow cyclists to wear a greater range of safe bicycle helmets. The Government encourages the States and Territories to update their road use laws in line with the new safety standard.Allowing businesses to supply helmets which comply with an increased range of voluntary Australian and overseas standards will allow them to reduce their regulatory burden and provide consumers a greater choice of helmets at a lower cost.