CPSC/Safety Test Statistics - Where? - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-23-2004, 12:02 PM

I certainly don't want to rub salt into the wounds of the ongoing helmet
debate, but I was wondering whether anyone knew where I could find
statistics from safety tests (or other objective assessments) conducted on
current bike helmets.

To provide a little bakground, I have a Specialized Telluride, but don't
find it that comfortable (impulse purchase - thanks, LBS!). I'm trying,
therefore, to determine whether to buy a Giro (Atmos/Pneumo/whatever) or
other brand.

Recognising that the value of a bike helmet is tantamount to the length of
a piece of string (i.e., unlikely to be zero, assuming that the string
exists, but subject to multitudinous factors) I am looking for a
compromise of safety, suitability to my riding style (road), etc.

In other words, I want to understand whether more vents, lighter design
etc. have substantial impact upon the safety afforded by given a helmet
design. I am also wondering whether pink helmets offer more protection
than blue ones.

I have searched the 'net, but cannot find anything of use. Any thoughts,
therefore, would be appreciated.

Incidentally, as one who has raced (and crashed) motorbikes since the age
of 7; and who gets enough thrills from eating high-cholesterol foods,
imbibing insane quantities of alcohol, flying aeroplanes, reading banned
literature and playing Russian Roulette in New York bars, I am comfortable
with my decision to wear a helmet on some occasions (especially as the
local clubs seem to insist on it). So please don't flame me for asking
the question!

Thank you.

Glm

08-23-2004, 01:14 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:

>To provide a little bakground, I have a Specialized Telluride, but don't
>find it that comfortable (impulse purchase - thanks, LBS!). I'm trying,
>therefore, to determine whether to buy a Giro (Atmos/Pneumo/whatever) or
>other brand.

The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
recommend Specialized of all the major brands.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

08-23-2004, 01:14 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:

>To provide a little bakground, I have a Specialized Telluride, but don't
>find it that comfortable (impulse purchase - thanks, LBS!). I'm trying,
>therefore, to determine whether to buy a Giro (Atmos/Pneumo/whatever) or
>other brand.

The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
recommend Specialized of all the major brands.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

08-23-2004, 01:14 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:

>To provide a little bakground, I have a Specialized Telluride, but don't
>find it that comfortable (impulse purchase - thanks, LBS!). I'm trying,
>therefore, to determine whether to buy a Giro (Atmos/Pneumo/whatever) or
>other brand.

The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
recommend Specialized of all the major brands.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

08-23-2004, 01:14 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:

>To provide a little bakground, I have a Specialized Telluride, but don't
>find it that comfortable (impulse purchase - thanks, LBS!). I'm trying,
>therefore, to determine whether to buy a Giro (Atmos/Pneumo/whatever) or
>other brand.

The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
recommend Specialized of all the major brands.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

08-23-2004, 01:34 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:14:06 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
> message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:
>
> The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
> the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
> recommend Specialized of all the major brands.
>
> Guy

Thanks, Guy. Now I am reading all the information on your web site.

I must admit, whilst I find it hard to believe there are many cases where
wearing a helmet would do me significant harm, I was shocked when I picked
up a bicycle helmet for the first time - compared with the motorcycle
helmets I wore as a teenager twenty years ago (largely Bell, actually),
these felt little more robust than the polystyrene packaging used to
protect cameras and hi-fi in transit!

Thank you for the response; and for the site.

Glm

08-23-2004, 01:34 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:14:06 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
> message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:
>
> The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
> the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
> recommend Specialized of all the major brands.
>
> Guy

Thanks, Guy. Now I am reading all the information on your web site.

I must admit, whilst I find it hard to believe there are many cases where
wearing a helmet would do me significant harm, I was shocked when I picked
up a bicycle helmet for the first time - compared with the motorcycle
helmets I wore as a teenager twenty years ago (largely Bell, actually),
these felt little more robust than the polystyrene packaging used to
protect cameras and hi-fi in transit!

Thank you for the response; and for the site.

Glm

08-23-2004, 01:34 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:14:06 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
> message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:
>
> The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
> the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
> recommend Specialized of all the major brands.
>
> Guy

Thanks, Guy. Now I am reading all the information on your web site.

I must admit, whilst I find it hard to believe there are many cases where
wearing a helmet would do me significant harm, I was shocked when I picked
up a bicycle helmet for the first time - compared with the motorcycle
helmets I wore as a teenager twenty years ago (largely Bell, actually),
these felt little more robust than the polystyrene packaging used to
protect cameras and hi-fi in transit!

Thank you for the response; and for the site.

Glm

08-23-2004, 01:34 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:14:06 +0100, Just zis Guy, you know?
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:02:46 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
> message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:
>
> The man who runs the firm which tests helmets against standards for
> the UK market will not touch anything from Bell/Giro, and will only
> recommend Specialized of all the major brands.
>
> Guy

Thanks, Guy. Now I am reading all the information on your web site.

I must admit, whilst I find it hard to believe there are many cases where
wearing a helmet would do me significant harm, I was shocked when I picked
up a bicycle helmet for the first time - compared with the motorcycle
helmets I wore as a teenager twenty years ago (largely Bell, actually),
these felt little more robust than the polystyrene packaging used to
protect cameras and hi-fi in transit!

Thank you for the response; and for the site.

Glm

08-23-2004, 01:43 PM

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:34:04 GMT, Glm <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
message <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:

>I must admit, whilst I find it hard to believe there are many cases where
>wearing a helmet would do me significant harm, I was shocked when I picked
>up a bicycle helmet for the first time - compared with the motorcycle
>helmets I wore as a teenager twenty years ago (largely Bell, actually),
>these felt little more robust than the polystyrene packaging used to
>protect cameras and hi-fi in transit!

Yes, that's essentially right. Just as you wouldn't expect a computer
to survive being hit by a car when packed in its foam packaging
(actually rather thicker than the average lid!), you would be mad to
rely on a cycle helmet to protect you against serious injury or death.
Wear one or not, just remember it's made of meringue covered in
eggshell and ride accordingly :-)

>Thank you for the response; and for the site.

You're welcome.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University