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"technically expire" ?
I'll take my chances on my own full face that gets used a couple of times a year over a rental that I don't know the history of... any day.
It's good that BPW has them to hire though.
Leave your helmet in a sunny porch and yes, the outer shell will weaken from UV like if you rode it in loads and loads. Keep it somewhere dark and dry and I suspect it'll last until you notice the foam degrading - which will take decades.
I can't find any science anywhere showing that expanded polystyrene changes over time if stored suitably.
I replace trail helmets because I wear the same one for commuting and all my other rides - but I get a good few years before crashes / low branches etc have done it in. I've still got the same full-face I bought after crashing on my previous full-face 13 years ago! Lives in a bag in storage in the house. Mostly wear it for trips to Wales so it never sees much UV at all! 😉
This is how my helmets get stored in my garden office
I tend to go all in on helmets.
Have a (Fox) Speedframe Pro that now gets used for gravel. A Speedframe RS for steady MTB rides. Dropframe Pro for chunkier rides. Proframe for bike parks. BELL Super DH convertible that doesn't really get used much.
And just ordered the new Dropframe Pro that I'll probably wear for some spicy stuff, or send back cos it looks ridiculous on my heed.
the MT500 FF helmet is quite narrow - if you have a big head or high cheek bones - beware - i have one and it pinches my cheeks - so much so it gives me a headache if worn alot. I bought another lid that fits better.
if you are on the uplift take a full face - even if just doing blues. there are still jumps n rocks n stuff on the blues.
I ride the reds and blues at BPW and don't own a full face helmet. Never felt the need as anything below black is not really any naughtier than my usual riding which I've always used a trail helmet for.
Same, been every year since my son was old enough and not felt the need. He has one now, but he does proper jumps. Only thing I've injured at BPW is ribs and you can't get protection for them. Do have knee & elbow pads now, so I'll use them next time. My ears don't sit happily with FF helmets (I have a metal insert in left ear) - putting on and taking off hurts! so I'll not be getting one. Wouldn't want to give myself a false sense of security either. Ride within your limits old man 😀
Seeing as my POC FF is getting on for 6 years old and I have a BC course booked I thought it wise to get a new on.
Just picked this up off Tredz:
Daughter has one (well on her second now...) and they're pretty sturdy - saved her head on a massive OTB at Nevis Range.
Some good prices on SportPursuit at the mo I noticed - POC for £108, Fox around £100, a very well vented looking Kali for £87 + Some Leatt full facers for £40!
As with a few others, I don't wear a full face at Bike Park Wales. I tend to ride the Blues, Reds and a few of the Blacks, actively avoiding the bigger jump lines. I generally know when I'm tired and am happy to call it a day.
If I was pushing my limits I would probably wear one, but, for me, BPW is more about riding as many laps as possible at 90%.
The new Dropframe turned up and looks ok tbh. Works pretty well with the Fox Purevue open goggles for a bit of a halfway house on the helmet and goggle options without going all out on both aspects
From https://helmets.org/replace.htm
"In 2015 MEA Forensic reported on their extensive testing of used (but not crashed) bicycle helmets shows that the foam liners retain their performance over many years. Some of the helmets were as old as 26 years. They crash tested 675 helmets in their lab. Their analysis showed that there was no significant impact performance change with age........ After crash testing the helmets on a standard test rig, MEA took core samples from an uncrashed area of 63 helmets and tested them. This generated data based solely on the foam performance. Again, the findings indicate that helmet liner foam does not deteriorate with age. "
How’d you get on with the Pureview when it’s wet? Any mud get under them? Ta!
I don't wear a FF helmet there. I probably should. But I just don't like them.
I don't ride differently to anywhere else so there wouldn't much rationale. I get the thing about speed though, particularly on the blues or easy reds. However I am confident that I would take more risks with a FF 😂.
Obviously if I was doing huge jumps on the blacks then yeah I would, but I don't, too old for that.
ive got a photo of my partner at the BPW cafe holding a scuffed Fox rampage full face helmet and a facial expression thats saying "im trying very hard to not think about the life altering facial injury ive just avoided" - Id share it, but she wouldn't thank me for it.
We're strictly wheels on the ground bimblers on the the green and blue only at BPW (but because we're old - not because we lack skills - we've been riding for decades) We had been to BPW a number of times on our own XC bikes before and hadn't really considered full face, but on this occasion we were hiring so we didnt need to take bikes. we hired the helmets more because I'd never worn one before so wanted to try it out.
She doesnt really know what happened (she blacked out for a few seconds) but I think she probably became accidentally airborne (poppty ping) bars hit a tree and she smeared the chin and whole side of the face aperture along the trail. walked away with no lasting damage but if she'd been in her own helmet it just doesnt bear thinking about.
so yeah, hire a lid at BPW for me
Anyone know how much the one-day FF helmet hire at BPW is so I can do the cost/benefit analysis?
Disregard, I had missed it but have now just spotted it above. Ta.