At what point should a bicycle helmet be replaced?

Question

Is the date on the inside when it was made or when it should be replaced?

Answer 1

A bike helmet should definitely be replaced if it takes an impact -- like, say, in a crash -- because the foam in the helmet will protect your head by absorbing the impact and cracking; which makes the helmet useless after that. Also, helmet foam tends to degrade slowly with exposure to sunlight, so Giro suggests replacing your helmet every three years. But that's probably a little aggressive. I usually replace mine after about five.

Answer 2

I know that motorcycle helmets need to be replaced every three years. Also if you ever get in a crash with a helmet or if it gets dropped from up high it needs to be replaced. The foam inside of the helmet gets old and in a crash it will be effected and won't protect you like it should.

Answer 3

After a hard impact or crash, if there have been no crashes etc. then after about 3~4 years. The foam used starts to break down and looses it's ability to absorb an impact after a few years.

Answer 4

No i've got on no account crashed...wish to no longer the two even although, ***** happens. i might on no account positioned on a helmet that have been crashed previously, regardless of if it appeared intact. maximum helmets are designed to be a one shot variety of element, and the indoors shape of the helmet cloth could have been broken interior the crash. it rather is through helmet 'breaking up' for the duration of the crash to soak up the effect. As this has been broken, it would for sure decrease the soaking up skill if it have been to be crashed returned. --Mikey B--

Answer 5

Unless you leave it in the sun or drop it a lot, you don't really need to replace it for a while. I get a new one every few years though.

Answer 6

after every hard impact, or every year, if you dont crash for a year, replace it anywho, the insides will loose strongness, and will fail after a while... so best safe than sorry eh?