A cycling helmet is now one of the absolutely indispensable accessories for every sensible cyclist. Although it is only compulsory by law for children under 18 years of age, there can be no doubting its benefit for every rider, regardless of age. Head injuries are among the most common injuries when riding a bicycle, scooter or roller skates. The head is very vulnerable and wearing a helmet greatly reduces the risk of injury in the event of an accident. And that regardless of whether you drive every day or just for fun, whether you drive fast or slow.
So if, like most sensible cyclists, you wear a helmet, you probably think you've done your best for your safety on the bike. It was certainly reasonably expensive and fits you well. You have never fallen out with her and you take good care of her. And do you remember when you bought it? Time passes very quickly and sometimes we don't even realize that we have been using it for a long time. Perhaps you did not know that after 5 years its function can be reduced due to the aging of materials exposed to external influences. How does it work? We will explain this to you in our article.
All bicycle helmets are made of EPS (polystyrene) and shell (polycarbonate, PVC or ABS plastic). All these materials are subject to aging due to UV radiation, changes in temperature (direct sunlight, use in frost, etc.), humidity (air humidity, sweat). At first glance, the helmet shows no signs of wear and damage, but in the event of a fall, it cannot function as it should and adequately protect your head. Unfortunately, this only becomes apparent in a crisis situation, when you need it the most.
With children's helmets, we usually change helmets more often due to growth, but then again we have to consider faster wear and aging. Children's helmets sometimes sit in the sun all day while their little owner plays next door in the sandbox. There are also more frequent falls of the helmet to the ground during careless handling. There is a risk of damaging the skeleton or the clamping system. We therefore recommend checking the condition of children's helmets more often and, if necessary, changing them even after two years. We definitely cannot recommend the common practice where the younger child in the family so-called inherits the helmet from his older sibling.
It goes without saying that the helmet should be replaced after each fall. Even a minor impact can damage the helmet and reduce its protective properties. If the helmet cracked during your fall, thus fulfilling its protective function correctly, it is not a manufacturing defect.
It follows from all of the above that we always buy a new helmet, not from a bazaar or an advertisement. We can never know what the helmet went through, how many times it fell to the ground and how often it was used.
And what is the correct replacement interval? Everything depends on the quality of processing and the materials used. Some manufacturers guarantee a lifespan of 3 years, others 5 years, and we can even meet those who promise a lifespan of 8 years. If you buy a more expensive helmet, it will most likely last longer than the helmets from the supermarket for a few crowns. In summary, the already mentioned 5 years can be considered a reasonable interval, which is also agreed upon by most experts.
If you want to save money, try to check with your health insurance company. A number of insurance companies contribute to the purchase of helmets as part of their benefits for their clients (usually this refers to children's helmets, which are legally required for children under 18).
AUTHOR offers quality cycling helmets under its own brand at reasonable prices within a wide range of cycle accessories. The range includes children's helmets, classic adult models and more durable models with an ABS shell for trail, enduro, BMX or inline skates.