Time To Retire A Few Bike Helmets

Helmets aren’t just head protection, they’re also a piece of one’s cycling wardrobe. When I’m out on the bike, I want my helmet to be somewhat color-matched to the clothes I’m wearing. I, therefore, have a few of them. All the lids I’ve been wearing for road and gravel, are now all beyond the recommended service life for helmets. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends replacing a bicycle helmet every 5 to 10 years. The Snell Foundation states a firm five years, and many helmet manufacturers tell you to get rid of your helmet after as little as three years. My Giro Synthe and Aeon helmets are 5 to 7 years old. While they still appear in good shape, it was time to start looking for replacements.

For the last 20 or so years, I’ve been predominantly wearing Giro helmets. I’ve had two Exodus, two Atmos, three Aeon, and one Synthe helmet. They fit my head well, and I liked them all. There’s nothing negative I could say about them. It would have been an obvious choice to look at an Aether or Helios helmet. But I found a good deal on a discontinued Lazer Genesis helmet in orange, which happens to be my color of choice for the darker fall and winter period of the year.

After a few rides with the Genesis, I decided to get a second one in a more neutral color. I found another discontinued color; the 2021 LTD Chrome Black Edition. Otherwise, I would have waited until spring and gone with the 2022 Blue Haze Limited Edition. Chrome/black is not as neutral as matte black or matte titanium. It stands out within the wide range of road cycling helmets in that chrome finish. Something different for sure. So, hopefully, I’m set for the next five or more years with these two helmets.