Hi,
I dropped my helmet while walking on some small rocks (it was only a ~1.2m fall) and when I picked it up I saw 2 dents with one piercing a little bit through the paint, there is no visible impact on the inside of the helmet but when I press the area around the dents it’s a little bit more malleable than other parts of the helmet.
What would you do in my position ? Would you still ride with it ? I bought it only 4 months ago…
by NewGrappler
19 Comments
dropped helmets are dead helmets.
Yup it’s a goner
I am not an expert, but I personally consider a helmet trash only when the interior foam part has damage or its cracked, since it’s the part that is actually responsible for safety, the outside plastic is flimsy and serves mostly cosmetic purpose
It looks like the top rear? It’s a pretty uncommon place to hit your head. Most people on this sub would say replace. But it’s your helmet and your risk. The additional risk depends on factors like, the kind of riding you do, the frequency, your skill and risk management, and whether or not the helmet was any good to begin with.
Most people will tell you out of an abundance of caution to replace it.
A helmet is made of foam, and it absorbs impacts by that foam getting crushed. Obviously, the foam has been (partially) crushed in that specific spot. If you were to take a fall and hit that specific spot, the helmet will do a less good job at absorbing the impact because the foam is already partially crushed.
I would personally still be fine using it. I think the probability of falling on that specific spot, and the damage being bad enough to meaningfully affect the outcome, is pretty low.
https://preview.redd.it/fgkoqkzbpeff1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=73de34c91657847b235623a122eeb7bd4545f9c8
If that’s a crack I’d replace it
Not sure that outer shell indentation has affected the foam, might be ok.
Some guidance here:
[When to Replace](https://helmets.org/replace.htmWhentoReplaceaBicycleHelmet?)
Think of it this way – you have permanently lost the impact absorption potential of that drop. The amount of energy absorbed at the point of impact has compressed the foam a small amount, so that point will have less ability to protect you if impacted there again.
Generally for very small drops, that is not enough energy for me to worry about how much the foam was compressed. 1.2m is more substantial, but still relatively benign when you consider that it was only the mass of the helmet without your head in it – it’s designed to withstand much higher forces. Personally I would keep using it, but if you can afford to replace it then might as well play it safe.
I’d still use that
Its your choice but as others have said, these devices do a job…once. They are effective and perform optimally as they are manufactured. Once they DO that job, they are one use, no longer effective. I have a theory that more expensive a helmet is, the more fragile it is, and the more effective it is as a result. If you hit the ground, a good helmet will absorb and distribute the impact all throughout the frame and shell. That means that when they are damaged, they no longer provide the designed protection that was promised / designed when you took it out of the box. You can quibble about where it is, or how much damage is done, and there might even be tests you could do to prove your point. But it’s performance has been reduced (perhaps significantly) in some way. Lastly, in this case you could argue, “don’t fall backwards with it, but forward I might be ok.” You don’t get to choose where you will fall unfortunately. But I consider helmets as one use devices to protect your head.
So its your choice, risk. Make your decision based on engineering.
Replace it. Bike helmets are already marginal as they are, a damaged one would be next to useless.
New helmet time!!
Do you like your brain? Do you like your brain enough to spend money on another helmet? Is your brain worth more or less money than the cost of a new helmet?
I wouldn’t use it. That’s almost penetrated damage has almost penetrated the shell and the EPS underneath is cracked, losing g its integrity. Play safe and get a new one.
cooked
Any doubt. Replace. This looks like an ex-Helmet to me.
Check this out when shopping for a new helmet! Free replacement.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/s/yaFpYEGjqs
I had a crash during a race a few years back. Brand new helmet and I loved it!
Hit my head, saw a small dent, and without question, I replaced it.
Should be fine. The acceleration – deceleration. of an empty lightweight helmet falling a meter is a tiny fraction of what it’s designed to absorb. It absorbs by crushing, and that foams not crushed. That’s part of what the shell is for, to take little scratches and dents, rather than the foam taking them (like they did years ago with helmets that were covered with light fabric, if you remember those).
Can’t count the times I’ve dropped my helmets. Aesthetically it’s visible which might be annoying, but that’s a matter of taste.