Ideal Time to Buy a New Helmet and get rid of the old One

Helmets, like e-bikes and e-scooters, wear out over time, and while you can keep them in good shape by cleaning and storing them correctly, it's a good idea to change yours on a regular basis to ensure that you're well protected. But how frequently should it be replaced? Is it different if you've been in a car accident while wearing yours? What if you're cleaning it up after a few years in the shed?

While there is some debate about this, a reasonable rule of thumb is to change a helmet at least once every five years if it hasn't been in a collision, impact, or otherwise neglected. This is because the high-density 'EPS' foam that makes up the shell of most helmets ages due to sun damage, sun lotion and perspiration, hair oils, repetitive temperature fluctuations, and general wear and tear, diminishing its capacity to absorb and disperse energy effectively.

EPS foam is used in the construction of certain helmets. While all of these helmets are perfectly safe to use and fulfil safety regulations, those with more components are more likely to be glued together with some type of adhesive, which is extremely strong but degrades quickly over time.

This form of construction is frequently selected for lower production costs, which translates to lower purchase prices for you. As a result, it's even more critical to replace your helmet within this five-year timeframe if it's a less expensive model or if you see any signs of wear.

Even the greatest quality foam structures decay when they are not utilized, which may seem superfluous considering that it has only been used for six months. Temperature, light, and humidity changes will have all had a role in diminishing the strength of the bond in this example.

In case of an Accident

If you've been in an accident while wearing your helmet, you should consider changing it immediately.

A helmet must collect and diffuse energy with every collision, even if it is only a minor knock. Damage to the helmet is unavoidable as a result of such energy, but the difficulty is that the damage is not always obvious.

For example, you may have received what appeared to be a glancing hit to your helmet yet escaped unharmed. Your helmet's exterior shell may have a few minor scratches, but it generally appears to be in excellent condition. Unfortunately, there's no way to view under the scratches or examine the inside of the foam, but there appears to be nothing more than mild surface damage.

In this case, we strongly recommend that you replace your helmet. Because helmets are meant to absorb and spread energy, you are unlikely to have felt the full power of the strike and may have dismissed it as a "scrape" or "knock."

In reality, the helmet completed its job by absorbing the blow on your head rather than reducing it. It's this energy that might inflict unseen damage to the helmet's design, rendering it essentially worthless if you have another accident.

In case you Drop your Helmet over a Hard Surface

This is something that can happen to anyone — we're all human! To paint the worst-case scenario, if you accidentally drop your helmet down a hard stone floor, there's unlikely to be enough energy there to create serious damage.

Helmets are tested in labs using dummies that imitate the mass and energy of a real-world collision — a common test involves dropping a helmet at a realistic speed against a solid metal surface with some weight inside it.

However, if a 500g helmet falls from a tabletop to a stone floor, it will absorb far less energy than if your 12-15 kg head is within it, travelling at high speeds, with some additional weight from your body.

While there may be some surface scratches, your helmet is likely to be alright - as long as you don't drop it on a regular basis, for example! If you have dropped your helmet, we recommend giving it a once-over visual inspection and checking for any irregularities before riding with it again.

Of course, it's best to be safe than sorry if you're unsure. Let safety make its way to the top of your priority and explore our vast collection of amazingly designed helmets