The reason I ask is I got one kicking around (given to me) which I never wear. I got a skills course to practice jumping coming up and a trip to Scotland (Fort Bill Downhill included).
Worth wearing? At least I'd look the part....
They offer more protection to kids, but solely on the basis that kids will actually wear these, and would rather go nekkid than wear an unfashionable helmet.
Thought pisspots took numerous (not massive) knocks whilst a typical trail lid was a "one-hit-wonder".
Hence pisspots are more durable, day to day, for jumping and clattering about.
I'm under the same impression as cheeky monkey.
[i]They offer more protection to kids, but solely on the basis that kids will actually wear these, and would rather go nekkid than wear an unfashionable helmet. [/i]
So true. On my way to work every day I go past a school. All the teenage kids cycling in have there helmets dangling from their handlebars! Clearly the parents have told them they have to wear them and as soon as they get round the corner, they whip them off and just leave them dangling from the bars!!
+1 CM they are more durable and will take a battering on and off the bike.....wouldn't say they off 'more' protection and a normal lid is designed to break on a high impact.
They should not be regarded as able to take repeated impacts. Same as any other helmet the majority of the protection is in the poly liner. The poly liner crushes when given a hard impact and although it may appear to have rebounded it will not be as able to absorb impact as well in a future knock. All the outer shell does is hold the liner in place. Its the liner that protects
Even motorcycle helmets are meant to be discarded after one significant impact.
I believe they offer marginally more protection as they tend to cover more of the head and the poly liner is a greater coverage. The smoother outer shell and the fact they stick out less front and rear should provide less leverage for oblique impacts to crate rotational forces. However I have seen no real evidence to support this view.
Personally I wear a pisspot helmet when heat is not an issue - so when its cold on when I am only wearing the helmet for short periods - jumping at GT freeride perhaps. When I want to wear a helmet for long periods it has to be a XC style one to stop my brain boiling.
In brief. Maybe marginally more protection but no data to back this up
Semi related rant. I only wear pisspot style helmets and I ordered a new 661 skate helmet from CRC (in the bike section) a couple of days ago, in the belief that "skate" referred more to the styling.
It arrived yesterday and I discovered it has no poly liner inside and is basically just an outer shell with a couple of pads to keep it place on your head and a big red warning sticker inside which says under no circumstances should it be used for mountain biking 😡
I'm considering one just to wear in winter due to the lack of vents
Very often these types of lid are hardshell only with 'comfort' pads.
Thinking out loud but, Pisspots don't have a retention system to keep them in place on your head so the fit isn't as likley to be as good as an xc lid with a good retention system and surely if it doesn't fit as well it will offer less protection.
Iain
No idea, mine usualy sits unused as I wear either the full face or the XC style ones (got a XEN for winter/fun rides and a E2 for roadie/XC rides).
Pisspots don't have a retention system to keep them in place on your head so the fit isn't as likley to be as good as an xc lid with a good retention system and surely if it doesn't fit as well it will offer less protection.
Don't know about that - my Giro shaped head fits nicely into the Flak i use and passes the hang your head upside down with the chin straps undone and see if it falls off test 8)
Best thing about them - they're cheap and you can cover them with stickers 🙂