Presume:
Not dropped
Not left in the sun
Do helmets have a use before date?
(Specialized 2D)

I change mine approx. 3 to 4 yrs. My last Giro started to have issues with the tension strap at the back and the plastic went all iffy, so in the bin it went……

If you’ve not had regular crashes and it looks ok, then don’t change it! If it’s bashed, looks brittle or crumbly or the attachments are getting tired then change. I don’t think it’s possible to put a genuine timescale on the life of a helmet… how long has it been in warehousing/shop storage etc? Different materials will change in different ways.

I had a lot of crashes using my 661 full facer, and I’m still happy using it as it’s not cracked and still protects my head well despite some continued recent hard smacks on the deck.

I’ve had mine 10 years+. Seems fine to me. 50+ crashes but I’ve never landed on my head.

The industry usually puts a 3 year on them, not just for warranty but that they claim the poly stuff will break down over time enough in that time that it becomes ineffective.

Normal lids I’ve usually had a big enough crash every few years to warrant replacing them anyway 😀 . Full face I keep longer. They usually have a bit more to them than just poly with a plastic cover. Just make sure it’s still a squeeze on the cheeks when you stick it on.

All the helmets I’ve looked at have a sticker inside which details the manufactured date, I generally replace them three years after I buy them and no more than four years after they were manufactured.

Apparently they degrade and need replaced every 3 years…but funnily enough I googled it and could find nothing on EPS degrading.

Bog standard from manufacturers is 3 years – however Bell (Will have to check it was them), said they should be good until about 7 years and then they’d swop them out as the UV rays will have had their wicked way.

Edit – Wasn’t Bell (3 years), it was MET – have stated they are happy their helmets are good for 8 years.

Helmet replacement

I was told by a key helmet designer who has worked for three major cycle helmet brands that they simply cannot put a figure on the timescale.

Three major things affect the helmet, water (sweat and rain) UV Rays, and impacts.

One end of the usage spectrum is a helmet stored in a dark and dry garage, placed carefully onto head and then back on a shelf after use, used once a month, will last for many years.

Other end of the spectrum, racer guy rides every day, does loads of miles, hammers his (or her) kit, slings the helmet in the back of the car and leaves it there all day in the sun, bashes it about and never washes the sweat off it. The helmets will in theory only last a few months. But he will Probably buy anew one, or smash it and replace it a few times a year anyway

Three major things affect the helmet, water (sweat and rain) UV Rays, and impacts.

One end of the usage spectrum is a helmet stored in a dark and dry garage, placed carefully onto head and then back on a shelf after use, used once a month, will last for many years.

Other end of the spectrum, racer guy rides every day, does loads of miles, hammers his (or her) kit, slings the helmet in the back of the car and leaves it there all day in the sun, bashes it about and never washes the sweat off it. The helmets will in theory only last a few months. But he will Probably buy anew one, or smash it and replace it a few times a year anyway

Pretty much spot on.