Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Helmet Life

[lancisto]

Does anyone have any views on how long your crash helmet should last if it has not had any knocks or bangs.
I was in a bike shop yesterday and the guy there said 5 years is the tops really. I haven't heard this before, is there any evidence or proof that UV rays or similar degrades helmets in this time.

[Florence]

A while back 3 years appeared to be the norm. so probably 3-5 as long as you haven't dropped it or bashed hard could be OK. Depends how happy you feel with it

[Melnie Mouse]

the correct answer if no knocks/drops/bangs is 3 for a poly helmet and 5-6 for anything else!

so you're all right!

[Melnie Mouse]

and i've been to a helmet factory in Italy,and it was very very impressive. especially the test they did even on a lexmarx poly helmet with and without the lining.

Without the lining the 100mph test went straight thru shell, with the eps lining and the padding it bounced off, so looking at helmet couldn't tell it had been bashed, but you take the comfort padding and the eps lining was damaged. which most people wouldn't know. Utterly amazing.

The visor bit was impressive too, most people moan at prices of visors, but you look at one before they've finished it and it's disorted images, wouldn't be fun would it? You'd be crashing into parallel parked cars or something!

[phil_h]

Dont worry about the outer.
Its the polystyrene inner shell that degrades - it age-hardens, and there is nothing you can do about it ... and a hard inner is not what you want if you crash
The acu change the helmet-approval sticker every so often to get old helmets out of racing circulation.

[Melnie Mouse]

Originally Posted by phil_h

Dont worry about the outer.
Its the polystyrene inner shell that degrades - it age-hardens, and there is nothing you can do about it ... and a hard inner is not what you want if you crash
The acu change the helmet-approval sticker every so often to get old helmets out of racing circulation.

yeah, the polystyrene inner shell, is lots of poly balls that compress with air and made into the shell, that's the most important bit, and as you say, get's harder with time, (as the air dispurses) it leaves no bounce ability if you see what i mean, which is why you must change them in event of a spill and with age.

You get a lot of people riding around with really really ancient helmets sometimes, particularly scooter riders, as they don't think they 'need' a 'proper' helmet, but i've seen people riding around in helmets 20 years old, AGHH makes me cringe! Do they not value their head?

[chicken]

if you check on the inside of a helmet (underneath any lining) there will usually be a sticker or stamp that gives the date of manufacture.

Discounted helmets are usually older models/designs so they may already be "old" even if "new" to you. Something to bear in mind if you are wondering about whether yours is past it.

[psychlist]

What do YOU all do with your old helmets

[ariel]

Originally Posted by psychlist

What do YOU all do with your old helmets

Got quite a collection in the loft!

[gordonparker]

Arai have the date of manufacture embosed onto the strap so you know roughly how old the hemet is .