Dropped helmet = new helmet?

wileeeeeey

wileeeeeey

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Like an idiot I put my helmet on my mirror while parked and then it fell off. GSA with suspension on low. It landed upside down on my GoPro which is on the top of the helmet. Don't know if that's better or worse.

I've always heard that if you drop your helmet you should buy a new one but usually from people who are able to sell you a new one.

What do you think, new one? Would really rather not as it's a C3 Pro and I would replace like for like and it isn't old enough to buy a new one but if I'm an idiot not to and the helmet isn't safe now then I guess I should.

Advice appreciated.
 
Ive had it happen and provided the foam cell looked like it hasn’t compressed I’ve worn it. With no weight in the helmet I doubt it would compromise it but I haven’t tested the theory.

Not sure there is a definitive answer and I suspect the manufacturer would err on the side of caution if asked.
 
Is there any bad marks on it?? (is the outer shell compromised)
Did the GoPro take the brunt of the impact?


Every one is going to have a strong opinion on this.......I would need to see it to decide if "I" would wear it or not.
 
Bad luck. Personally I would never wear a helmet that had dropped from that height. The shell can be compromised without visible marks and TBH even though that statement might be contested I wouldn’t want to take the risk. I also only ever buy factory sealed helmets that are opened in front of me. It’s a personal choice but that’s my input for you.
 
Dropped mine frequently and never bothered unless the outer was trashed as once when I put it on a pile of tyres not thinking there’s a big hole in the middle lol
 
Here's the damage. I've edited the pictures to try and show the damage as bad as it can be but it's a new GoPro mount and visor for sure, just not sure about the helmet.

I guess when I take off the GoPro mount tomorrow to put the new one on I'll see if there's any hidden helmet damage but I don't think there will be.
8195bf042f548214eab9e2f1846338c2.jpg
06f3886c29ed0435d0fd6d0f3fb8577f.jpg
 
wileeeeeey said:
Like an idiot I put my helmet on my mirror while parked and then it fell off. GSA with suspension on low. It landed upside down on my GoPro which is on the top of the helmet. Don't know if that's better or worse.

I've always heard that if you drop your helmet you should buy a new one but usually from people who are able to sell you a new one.

What do you think, new one? Would really rather not as it's a C3 Pro and I would replace like for like and it isn't old enough to buy a new one but if I'm an idiot not to and the helmet isn't safe now then I guess I should.

Advice appreciated.
Click to expand...

Replace only if your head was in it. JJH
 
Handy them gopro,s sometimes saved you a helmet, as has been said, if nothing broken outside, I doubt the the inside is cracked, but easy to remove the inside and check.
 
A woman at work once knocked my Shoei off a desk to the floor. I contacted Shoei UK and they took the helmet from the dealer whence it came, tested/inspected it and declared it fit for purpose. Gave me a great peace of mind until it was replaced.
 
Replace it and then get on to the more important questions like what oil to use and which tyres to fit.
 
andylel said:
Bad luck. Personally I would never wear a helmet that had dropped from that height. The shell can be compromised without visible marks and TBH even though that statement might be contested I wouldn’t want to take the risk. I also only ever buy factory sealed helmets that are opened in front of me. It’s a personal choice but that’s my input for you.
Click to expand...
Don't forget:
Always carry a spare helmet or two with you so that if you fall off and bounce up the road, you can change helmets between bounces so that you are always safe.
Myke
 
Think about it this way:

Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself how much your head is worth to you.
If your honest answer is less than the price of a new helmet, then bash on and best of luck to you.
If your honest answer is more than the price of a new helmet, then you have answered your own question and you know what to do.

The same advice applies about repairing punctured tyres.

Ride safe all.
 
I decided to throw out an old Aria helmet and wanted to make sure that it was obvious that it was not fit to wear. In addition to cutting off the straps, I smacked it with a hammer several times and found that I hardly made an impression on the shell. Would a Go-Pro Mount provide a greater impact point than a ball pein hammer? In my opinion, helmets are fairly tough and a drop from a bike seat or handle bar ought not to compromise the integrity of the shell.
Consider this, if a rider falls off his bike and rolls down the road then the helmet may sustain several glancing blows: will the helmet offer no protection from the second impact, even though it follows the first impact by 0.5 of a second? If the answer is yes then the rider probably didn’t fare well in the first impact. Have good close up look at the impact point, if it has a gaping crack then replace it if a scratch, put a sticker on it.
Alan R
 
I once witnessed someone smacking an old helmet with a sledgehammer to see how compromised it might have been after numerous bashes and scrapes from knocks and drops etc. I was surprised at just how many whacks it took to make any real impression on the integrity of the lid. Lid sellers who advise replacing the lid after a drop...well, they would say that wouldn't they? A manufacturer once advised (after I'd dropped my lid) not to worry as the real compromise to safety is owners who ride regularly, and do things like keep their sweaty gloves inside their helmets when not in use, need to change lids every 2 to 3 years because it's partially the effects on the padding which can harden with age and I guess biological attack, that compromise the energy absorption of the impact protection. This can lead to brain injuries even if the outer isn't compromised. As long as there's no obvious cracks or delamination of the shell (unlikely from a drop) I'd crack on unless you want to use it as an excuse to buy a nice shiny new model.

The resin bonding process of modern lids means that you're rarely, if ever likely to witness delamination that could sometimes occur with much older GRP lids.

I have dropped mine several times and despite one or two minor scratches, still wear it. I change it once every 5 to 6 years whatever the apparent condition looks like just for peace of mind on the inner shell effectiveness. If I wore it daily, I'd be changing it every 2 to 3 years. You pays your money and makes your choice but a drop like that is very unlikely to do any real damage to the lid's integrity.
 
I’d be more worried about what twisting force that GoPro mount could have on my neck, and more importantly how daft I’d look wearing a GoPro like that...
 
iirc RiDe magazine tested dropping a helmet, on to a hard surface, from waist and then head hight with no damage.

Arai do safety checks, worth asking Schubert if they do same first?

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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