I have had my helmet for a number of years now, had the occasional off and I am sure its stopped a few bumps and bruises but nothing major. Its seen better days but I was wondering if it is time for a replacement on safety grounds?

I am thinking its about 8 years old, polystyrene pitted but no cracks. Is it unsafe or not?

Is there any formal recommendations on how long to have a helmet for? Thats based on something other than a manufacturer saying buy another?

If you’ve bashed it, change it.

have a google, a few studies say 5 yrs, a few helmet companies say 3 yrs.

British Cycling ask their coaches to stick to the 3 years, for themselves and any students they are coaching

Manufactures will always give a low figure.

If you have a crash then change it, otherwise mine get binned after 5-6 years because they get too horrible to wear

Saw a few conflicting things on the internet and wasn’t really sure about going with a helmet manufacturers recommendation as that is always on the light side.

This thread may or may not be used as part of a discussion to open the house joint account funds to buy bike parts btw 🙂

If you’ve bashed it, change it.

This for me

Mine’s about 20 years. Got a bit knocked off when I dropped it yonks ago. Only a small corner though. I don’t expect it to save my life if I get run over by a lorry – not least because I usually don’t wear it on the road – but it does save me from branches to the head when MTBing in trees. Mind you it also means I hit branches that I’d have ducked under bare-headed.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/does-anyone-replace-their-helmet-after-3-yrs-if-undamaged

When you start saying an helmet like a BBC newsreader is about the time I’d say.

Seriously though I’d replace it if you’ve had it that long and had a few bashes.

As said above 5 years but seems to be the key thing when not using them to keep them out of direct sun light but you can buy a new helmet and it was made 2/3 years ago don’t know if that’s good or bad thing helmets seem much cheaper than 20 years ago so I tend to use them for few years then use them to commute with and that seems to wreck the foam quite quick when you use it day after day.

I’d like to revise my previous comment.

I have been bashing my helmet for 32 years and it’s fine, if a little worn around the edges.

YMMV

What about full face helmets? Mine gets rarely used and the poly stuff is not exposed so can’t see the condition. My regular lids do get noticeably worn looking on the poly surface over a few years even without crashing.

I’ve just changed my 10 year old bell. It was looking pretty tatty but still going strong. I’d say change it when you feel it can no longer do its job properly not when the helmet sellers tel you you need to.

I once had a purple Bell. Didn’t realise what I’d bought until the relentless ridicule started! Changed that one pretty quickly!

Apart from my full face that I only use a few times each year I change my road and mtb lids every few years. It’s not a great deal of money

3-5 years from the date of manufacture depending on who made it…. for something in the biking world that actual does it job I don’t mind spending out on a new lid, depending how dear your helmet is £10-20 a year isn’t bad return for protecting your head.

Both LAZER and BELL say 3years, on their website. Even if it’s been unused and stored in the box etc.

Not worth the risk having it longer.

I’ve still yet to see ANY independent studies saying polystyrene ages, even in sunlight.

Cyclists are perfect consumers, they’ll believe anything

Recently spotted a split in my Spesh Vice helmet. No idea how long it’s been there but the helmet’s 5+ years old. Upgrade time!

cynic-al – Member
I’ve still yet to see ANY independent studies saying polystyrene ages, even in sunlight.

Have you seen ANY that says it doesn’t?
IE the reseach has been done by the people who are making and assesing their products.

Watch a video of an old baby car seat and you’ll see why you should change your helmet after a few years.

I’ve still yet to see ANY independent studies saying polystyrene ages, even in sunlight.

Not the necessarily the polystyrene, the straps are sunlight sensitive. Black, full of sweat minerals and subject to UV 3 years max life for all the ones at work.

My head is definitely worth £80 to £150 every 3 years. YMMV.

I’ve had 2 giro hex’s over the past 7 years. The first was replaced when a 30ft jump resulted in a completely caved in and compressed side. Just got a new Bell super 3 as my replacement hex was 5 years old and the straps/pads were all knackered and I’ve had the odd crash with a small bump to my head over the years.

Probably a year at the most. I like to start the new year with a new lid

the reseach has been done by the people who are making and assesing selling their products.

FTFY

My head is definitely worth £80 to £150 every 3 years. YMMV.

Such a tiresome “point”, I won’t even bother.

So Al has anyone other making lids done the research, is there any contradictory research? Or do you just not want to believe it.

Is there anywhere that old helmets can be recycled, by the way?

MET state 8 years on their helmets (and imagine the engineering safety factor added there), they don’t use anything different to anyone else so I apply that to everything else out there.

I’d also drop this in for everyone to read:

UV has little effect on helmets shelflife

This website also blows away a lot of mis-conceptions (inc sweat):

Helmets website

All very vague though. Unfortunately when institutions adopt policies then it is difficult to argue the case, for example, as BC say 3 yrs, if you send your kid to coaching sessions with a 4 yr old helmet you can expect them to be told to come back with a new lid or not come back.

Mike, your sentence doesn’t make sense.

You refer to research, what research is that?

35+ year (not worn it since about 1990 though)