Bike Helmet v. Skater Helmet? May 31, 2011 12:18 PM   Subscribe
I see a lot of bike riders wearing skater-type helmets (e.g.
Bell Faction helmets). They look hotter than vented bike helmet.
(E.g. Giro Prolight.)  But do they provide better protection in
a crash?  Also, is a $200 bike helmet better than a $40 helmet?
I'd buy a fancy helmet if I thought it made me safer, but not to
save myself 40g weight. posted by musofire to Sports, Hobbies, &
Recreation (9 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
You may see people misusing helmets instead of buying two, or
you may be seeing dual-use helmets.  Helmets designed to meet
one of the prevailing standards (in the US, the minimum is the
CPSC's) will for all practical purposes perform similarly. The
vented helmets compensate by using different or thicker
materials, but should not perform noticeably differently.  You
probably don't get more protection for $200, but you do get more
style or brand-name bragging rights -- and often, less weight to
lug.  As far