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Full face helmets
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
The young bloke (16 yr old) wants to get a full face helmet and start riding Oxford Falls, Red Hill etc. As I will not become his full time shuttle he's going to need something with some ventilation so he can ride to and from, up and down. Chain reaction and others seem to be doing deals at the moment. Can anyone suggest which helmets would be suitable for him to try. Your input will be appreciated.
Andrew
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for that type of mtbing, as for which one, it really depends on your budget.
661 or Fox. get carbon version if you can for lightness.
Troy Lee Designs if money is not a problem
Best to try them in person for size.
Belrose bicycles http://northernbeachescycles.com.au/shop/index.p...
or
TBSM http://tbsm.com.au/index.php?main_page=index&cPa...
Definitely agree with nrthrnben, you definitely need to try in person.
I went through the exercise with full face motorbike helmets a few months ago, and they need to be a snug fit. There is no scope to take up the slack with an adjustable band like on the normal bike helmet.
Leon (fellow NobMobber) gets around on XC trails with a full faced Specialized that is super-light. Might be worth a look?
check this out
one of the guys at last week's Fling skills clinic had one of these:
Much more airy than a typical fullface, more suited for XC/AM riding. The chin piece is strong, but detachable (2 bolts each side)
http://www.met-helmets.com/home.jsp?idrub=8421
Review:
http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/met_parachute_mounta...
Rgds, Hans
I sure could have done with the chin guard last weekend, eh!
Thanks for this post
unfortunately it looks like they're not sold here, 'cause they don't pass the penetration part of the Australian helmet standards.
Discussed a bit on Rotorburn
My brother actually had one of these. Was ok, saved his face from a face plant/broken elbow at Red Hill.
Best bet though is the one mentioned earlier, the Specialized full face. Almost as many vents as a xc lid, but a real full face.
Might be worth having a look at some motocross helmets too, there are some very light mx helmets out there that generally offer better protection. Probably not as good for ventilation though.
If your son is going to be riding OF and getting serious about it, I'd be looking at a proper FF.
As OF is a freeride destination, its foreseable that he will probably be riding a big bike and wearing other protection (comp suit, arm and leg guards etc). That being the case, I'd say its unlikely that he would be riding back to the top, particularly now that the warm weather is here. If he's pushing back to the top (like the rest of us poor schmucks who don't get shuttled) he'll be slinging his helmet over the bars.
I'd therefore suggest going for for the full face rather than the semi FF style shown above due to the extra protection / strength afforded.
The Specialised helmet might be worth checking out. However I met a guy up there recently who picked up one of the 09 661s for $80. My Fox Rampage cost me $240 and thats certainly not carbon!
Bruce's idea of the MX helmet is a good one. Just make sure you compare the weights. The motorbike shop on Wentworth st (end of Oxford St) generally sells their MX gear (easily useable for DH & FR) for prices FAR cheaper than most push bike shops.
Different makes/models of helmets are like peoples heads - they come in different shapes & sizes. Therefore wouldn't get too preoccupied about a particular brand, rather just visit a few local bike shops and try a range of helmets until you find the one with the best fit.
As long as it has an appropriate Standard safety rating any would be fine. However, IMO its best to get a proper full face rather than one of those xc/Dh hybrids especially if getting into downhill at least semi seriously. These would be ok for some extra protection for general trail riding but the jaw casing won't stand up for long if it took a decent high speed impact.
I guess for me the big things are overall practicality and intended use.
If I'm going to be shuttling or bombing and I'm likely to be on a heavy bike that I'm pushing up the hills, I'd be 100% with a full-face. I'd get off when I get too hot and start walking. Forget something like the met for this. I'd be hesitant on the specialised deviant too, without a hard look at the safety data.
If I'm looking at something like the Fling or a 24 hour solo, or even 2-3 hours riding in the Menai bush, I'd like something light and well ventilated. Right now that pretty much means no chin-guard. I reckon something like the Met would work well here. It's a normal hemlet anyway, and the chin-guard just ads a little comfort factor over the face. having taken a couple of OTB's last time out, they were both slow mistimings. A chin guard would have done me a lot of good. Even on the downhill parts of these rides, the Met is not likely to be worse than an open-faced helmet, is it?
So long as a lightweight, "standard" helmet with a chin-guard is not expected to function as a fully protective downhill helmet, surely any chin guard would be better than no chin guard, eh?