Bicycle Helmets

Studies show bicycle helmets  prevent more injuries than they cause, so it's a good idea to wear one while you're on a bike -- regardless of whether it's required by law. Helmets protect people from head injuries and often save lives. Wearing a helmet also helps set a good example, especially if you ride with young children. Modern helmets have improved in style and comfort and remain relatively inexpensive. When shopping for a helmet look for the Australian Standards mark -- TM AS 2063, AS/NZS 2063 to ensure the helmet meets safety standards, and carefully consider size and fit, as well as style and design. Consider too, what other special features are you looking for? 

Fit and Sizing

Women%27s Helmet for Ponytails
Women's Helmet for Ponytails

The most important thing about picking out a new helmet is make sure it is both comfortable and a proper fit. If it's not comfortable, you're less likely to want to use it. If it's not a proper fit, it might move or slip off on impact and won't protect your head. 

When you put on a helmet it should touch your head on all sides so it does not move in any direction when you push or pull on it. The helmet should be snug without being tight.  A quick test is to buckle the straps, and pull from back to front from the rear lip of the helmet. If it comes off, it's the wrong size. If it moves forward into your eyes, shorten the straps and try again until you get the right fit. Do the same pushing to the rear. If your forehead shows, shorten the straps.

You want the helmet to cover as much of the surface area on your head as possible, keeping in mind you'll want a room to wear your sunnies. Adjustable padding can be used to get the most customized fit. It goes without saying that everyone's heads are different, so there is no sizing standard.

Design and Style

Visor-Free Road Helmet
Visor-Free Road Helmet
There are a few different types of helmet styles to choose from, but with all of them, there are two things that have to do with safety that are important to keep in mind.      

  • Colour -- There are so many patterns and colours to choose from these days. Obviously, stylish looks are great to have since you will feel more confident while wearing your helmet. However, colour is more important than you may think. You should also remember that you want something that's easy to see. White and other bright colours will stand out the most on a road or when it's dark.
  • Visors -- One nice luxury on a helmet is to have a visor (except on road bikes  where the hunched position restricts your field of view). Choose a detachable version for use on both road and mountain bikes. Keep in mind that it can be a safety hazard if you fall.

In case you want to know about the different types of helmets, here are the basics. Note that categories aren't unique and that many hybrids exist so as to make helmets more versatile for different types of riding.

  • Sport -- This is simply a name for your all-around, multi-purpose bike helmet. It has a low price and is designed for the casual rider.
  • Mountain -- If you are hitting the trails, you need something as rugged as your bike. That means that your helmet will be designed with a more stabilizing strap and a heavier construction.
  • Road -- For road bikers concerned with speed and aerodynamics, road helmets are sleeker and have better designed vents. These also cost a bit more than the average helmet. The lightweight design makes them slightly more comfortable, which explains the higher price.
  • Women's -- Ladies with ponytails that you want to sport out your helmet, women's helmets with ponytail holes are the way to go.
  • Commuter -- This is a term used for basic helmets  that are designed to be more comfortable. Typically they are rounder, less aerodynamic, and lightweight. They usually cost more than budget models.

Features

Imagine getting hit by a car, falling off your bike, and hitting your head once or twice in the process. Ouch. As long as your helmet stays put, your noggin should be okay. Here are some features to check out for quality assurance.     
Helmet Brands

  • Shell -- The shell is usually made of a sturdy plastic material that acts as the first barrier against the bitumen in the case of a fall. It should be able to slide without catching on the ground in any way. These days helmets often come with vents in them to help limit perspiration. However, vents mean that less of your head is protected. Really consider how much aeration you really need to be comfortable and don't go overboard just because something looks cool. If you sweat profusely, consider a sweatband. Those who are bald, make sure to put sunscreen on parts of your head that will be exposed from the vents.
  • Foam -- Highly shock absorbent foam lines the inner portion of the helmet to provide comfort as well as protection. The thicker it is, the better. Children and the elderly should have thicker padding. Those who have small heads can benefit from adding extra padding to get the proper fit.
  • Straps -- Make sure that the straps and the fastener on the helmet you are buying are strong and stable. If you think that the fastener might unbuckle, you should probably try a different model. The straps should also be wide and comfortable.
  • Snags -- Snags are basically any portion of the helmet that can cause you to snag yourself when falling. So-called aerodynamic models, square shapes, and even vents can cause problems when taking a fall.

Children's Helmets

Children%27s Helmet
Children's Helmet
Make sure you let your child choose his or her own helmet; this way they will feel more compelled to wear it. If you can, make them choose something brightly coloured so that they will stand out.

Bike helmets  are good for bike riding, but may not be as effective for activities such as skateboarding, roller blading, or other sports. For these activities, you should look for a multi-purpose  helmet which has extended coverage to protect the back of the head. Other multi-purpose helmets MUST have the right safety standard ratings to qualify from sport to sport! Look for the Australia Standards stickers when shopping.

One last note in regards to children's helmets: Make sure not to let them onto any playground equipment until they have removed their helmet since it can snag and lead to strangling or suffocation.

Safety Standards

Most helmets are given a seal of approval to authenticate quality. A certification to look for is the Australian Standards stickers. For skateboarding and rollerblading helmets, look for the applicable Australian Standards stickers.

The main reason for these safety standards is that bicycle helmets are meant to protect your head for one crash only. Once you have been involved in an accident, the helmet is no longer going to be of any use since the foam will have compressed upon impact. On the other hand, in skateboarding and inline skating, users fall more often and may take several hits to the head in a day. Their helmets are built to withstand multiple hits without compressing. This has to do with the foam, which is thinner and less protective on skate and skateboard helmets.  Finally, this foam is meant to endure falls from shorter distances than the foam in bicycle helmets, thus making them unsuitable for biking.

Hot Picks

Basic

These helmets are very protective, easy to fit, and reasonably priced.

Stylish

For those looking for a little more style in a helmet, these are well performing helmets with ventilation and reasonable price tags. Most come with a visor.

Performance

Stylish, but higher-end, these helmets are easy to use, protective and well-fitting

Molded High-Class

These high-classed streamlined, molded, helmets balance strength and durability in a lightweight design -- plus they have lots of ventilation.

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