Crash helmet only lasts for 5 years?

britboy4321

britboy4321

britboy4321

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So the bloke selling me my crash helmet says they need replacing every 5 years. I smell a rat ... how can this be possible (if I don't damage it)?? Surely it just lasts forever? Exactly what component rots away or degrades?

Was salesman thinking 'in 5 years I'll take another £250 off him for no reason .. what a sucker' ??? Or was he speaking the truth?
 
All ppe has to have a shelf life under EU rules. It may be perfectly fine in 5 years but plastics do degrade over time, especially if exposed to uv.
 
Think its more like 5 years of use and shorter if not looked after [ it could have been on the shelf for a couple of years ]
longer if your a weekend user ect , and if you drop it , it should be replaced
 
The materials in a crash helmet degarde over time, thus the recommendation that you should replace your skid lid every 5 years or so.
If exposed to more uv than normal then it should be replaced even earlier iirc.
 
Pretty sure the materials degrade due to reaction with sweat and hair products as well. I was always told to replace after 3 years.
 
Yep once the insides are gone a lid will become deadly loose fit is a bad thing,i replace usually every two to three years.
 
might be a load of old rubbish, but as far as i know the resin/whatever that the lid is made of goes off - brittle or some such. but by then won't you fancy a nice new shiny lid anyway? all the vents in your old one will be stuffed full of flies and gunge, the strap will be worn, the visor hinge will be past its best, the innards will need replacing, etc etc. i buy a new one every couple of years for the hell of it :p
 
Never needed to do any reading up on crash helmets but I know my body armour needs to be replaced every 5yrs even if not damaged due to the kevlar degrading
 
Three reasons I can think of.

1. Ultraviolet degradation
2. Leakage of the stored gases in the expanded polystyrene shell.
3. Overall wear and tear of straps etc.
 
As said already the material inside degrade, and on some cheaper make helmets I have had the helmet foam thing just compress and compress more over time, but I do use my helmets about 350 days a year :p so me personally even the top brands dont last 3 years.
 
I generally buy a new skid lid every couple of years. Notwithstanding the shelf life issue, it's a "vain" thing - I like to wear an up to date ( looks wise ) lid. :)

Downside is I end up with a collection of lids in the loft as I can't seem to bin them. I've got a first generation Arai Giga Doohan rep from 1990 up there as well as a first gen Shoei GRV Kocinski rep ( which is mint and maybe even worth a bob or two in years to come :p ).
 
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