Not been on the bike for a while, but went for a ride a few days ago and noticed a small crack on the inside of my helmet (as shown below). Thing is, I haven’t a clue how it got there! I’ve never crashed it, and there is no damage on the outer shell to indicate it being dropped or crushed during storage.

So, I have 2 questions. 1) How the hell did this happen? Can sweat really corrode helmets!? 2) Should I continue using it or plump up the cash for a new one?

Looks a bit like it has been sat on or otherwise squashed. I’d get a new one if I were you, although wearing that one is obviously safer than not at all.

What Glen says – that will reduce the effectiveness of it

Get a new one imo, is it really worth the risk?

looks like there’s been an impact to cause that – i would replace it.

Seriously you have to ask? It’s your head! Get a new lid.

It looks like that crack is all the way through to the first vent (tiny crack showing on pic) so it will have lost a lot of its absorption potential.

If it is a Giro and less that 3 years old, you can get a half price replacement. Bing it!

It’s a Bell Slant. Replacement it is then! Anyone got any recommendations?

Bell have a crash replacement policy too – http://www.madison.co.uk/bell/

could have been squashed in the car by something like a bike pressing on it ?

get a new one.

Kev

Cheers thepurist, one problem though…

The customer must first contact the Madison Warranty & Technical department to obtain a returns number, and then send in the following:

* the old helmet
* information about the accident
* proof of purchase of the old helmet
* a cheque or postal order made payable to H. Young Operations Ltd

I don’t have the original receipt and can’t remember which online shop I bought the helmet from!

Bugger.

I rang Madison and they said I didn’t have to send in the receipt (I had been bought it as a present so didn’t have it). They eventually sent me the replacement (after sending the wrong size twice!).

Cheers grumm, I just phoned them now and they said the same, figers crossed I get the right size!