By now,  riders know a helmet is a must if you are on a bike.  Eventually, you will crash and it probably will be somewhere you have ridden 100 times. Staying upright is often difficult, but shopping for a helmet is easy.

 Big Key is Comfort.

Essentially, there are two types of helmets. Full on downhill helmets are full faced . They are built for big crashes. They are built to keep your teeth in your head.  They cut down on peripheral  vision and hearing but are more protective.

If you are reading this guide, you are most likely looking for a normal bike helmet. Keep in mind that all helmets for sale must meet government safety standards. Therefore, a;; will do their job in a crash. So, now you are looking for three things: weight, fit and ventilation.

Weight – Stay away from super heavy helmets.  They  will be ok for a short distance but in the long run your neck will hurt. Lighter is better.

Fit – Simply, a poor fitting helmet is UNSAFE. The helmet is designed so that if you crash face down, the first thing to hit will be the helmet. If your helmet is worn too loosely, it will slide back exposing your forehead. It can’t protect your forehead if it is on the back of your head. A well fitting helmet should fit snugly. If it is too small, the extra pressure will give you a headache. Too big and it moves all over your head. 

One of the tricks a parent could do is put your hand on the top of your kids helmet and push straight back. Your child will do one of two things.  1. Theirs whole head will bend back and now they will complain about a sore neck. That kid is ready to boogie. or 2. The helmet will slide back and the head won’t move. Readjust or replace that helmet before they ride. 

Ventilation – Avoid solid plastic. Your head will get hot.

The more holes the better but keep in mind, more holes equal more $. A soaked head can’t be comfortable. There should be at least 5 big long slug shaped holes in a helmet.

Money-  A helmet has been designed to crack off your head in a crash. One big crash and you buy a new one. You can buy a good helmet starting around  $40.  If your kid spends 12-15 hours a week on their bike,  you might consider something better but the more expensive helmets are fragile and will need to be replaced more often. Middle of the road is all you’ll really need.  Or, you can buy a really cheap one that will last a lifetime, but you’ll hate wearing it.

Please buy your helmet at a real bike shop. That way you can be sure someone who knows what they are doing can help you with this. It could save your life.

By the way, need some info on buying  a bike for your child or yourself?   “What to look for in test driving a bike” is in our next newsletter.  Before then,  I suggest you examine what a $150 bike looks like at a discount store. This is what junk looks like and will never work well!

More on that soon,  or if I have you wondering, stop into Action Sports to find out why you need to buy from a reputable bike shop.