As some of you may have read in the 'Introduce yourself' section of the forum I'm the newbie and I'm having to buy all the kit I need for go green-laning as my current gear is on-road bias (and I don't want to wreck it using it off-road ).
Not wanting to spend a fortune I've managed to bag myself some nice nearly new, Oxtar Dune boots for £50 off ebay, I'm currently bidding on a 2-piece cordura suit but helmets is where I would like to gauge peoples opinion.
Not wanting to spend more than about £50 I've tried on a 'Demon Dirt' lid at CMS in Exeter - this fitted lovely. I've also tried a THH TX12 at CMS and at K&M M/Cycles in Cullumpton (I was passing on the way to London) - this too fitted well. Both have removable lining which I feel is a real benefit to keep it smelling fresh. I'm adament either would do the job sufficiently but I've seen an Airoh 'Firefox' buy-it-now on ebay for £70 odd and recall that Andy (Fixer) seemed to rate these lids. Not having tried an Airoh lid on I don't know whether it will fit as well as the D/Demon or THH????? Think I might head off to J&S in Plymouth to check the fit. My question is, what do you guys reckon? Is it worth the extra £20 odd? Is it that much of a better lid? Let me know what you think.
Hi and welcome Geoff I haven't got one of these lids but quite a few people have and I've spoken to them and they all seem to rate them. It's like anything in life you get what you pay for. Hope this helps
Welcome Geoff. As Phil says, you get what you pay for. A cheap helmet is as safe as an expensive one, but it might not be anything like as nice to wear. Bearing in mind you might have to have your head in it for 8 hours at a time, get one that fits nicely and is comfortable - never mind what anyone else says, we've all got different heads, and different hats fit and feel different. Whatever you get make sure you try it first, and spend as much as you can justify. If you've got a ten quid head buy a ten quid helmet!!!
As phil and Timus say you get what you pay for , for what its worth my advice would be make sure you try it on first , and consider if a flip visor or goggles are the way to go.
Im pretty sure Fixer uses a Airoh and 100% sure he has a visor.
I think a lot of the guys who prefer visors also wear spectacles which makes the visor very convenient. I personally use goggles with a double lens to prevent misting with a full face Lazer helmet which works well for me. In any event it is absolutely essential to have some sort of eye protection in place when riding a lane as the risk of coming into contact with an unseen Branch or Bramble is VERY high.
My input would be the lighter the lid the better on the back of the neck, I have a nice lightish Lazer lid from J Deacon, saltash (£140ish) love the lid but still get neck ache the next day after a quick ride. I guess it depends on the terrain and riding style as to wether your head is moving about like a cork in the ocean or not!!!!!!!! Barney.
Bought an open faced hat with a visor from Lidls £29.99, Think my full face helmet would be far too ?? clostraphobic?? for grenlaneing Got to be light and comfortable My grandad always wore a flat cap back to front.........................................
I've never found my full- face helmet claustrophobic. There is a school of thought that full- face helmets are perceived as making us look more threatening. However, although my riding skills are known by all to be finely honed, I have been glad of the chin guard on more than one occasion when ploughing a lane with my head.
To all new comers: Lots of wisdom and experience from the above and no mistake. In a nutshell, FIT AND COMFORT which can only really be determined by a 'TRY ON' for more than just a few minutes. I recently spent over half an hour gadding around a BMW dealership with a suitably sized Enduro helmet adorning me bonce! It helped me determine the exact size I felt I needed and judge its weight. LIGHTNESS is important for extended rides and I found that my own slight neck ache issues were greatly relieved by making adjustments to my bike permitting a more upright stance with less of a stoop and head raised all the time. This I would have thought only affects those of us that are taller than the average person height that bikes are designed for. REMOVEABLE LININGS are a great plus, otherwise expect to have hours of fun chasing your helmet around the garage or garden with your pressure washer! There are lots of cheap derivatives of motocross helmets available which tend to have very good VENTILATION, just accept that you'll also need a very good pair of GOGGLES. It is also worth considering the available PERIPHERAL VISION of a helmet with it on. Some helmets are less restrictive in this respect than others and this will also have a direct affect on the ability of a pair of goggles to sit comfortably within the opening. Try to look for a helmet with a level of PEAK ADJUSTMENT from front to back as this will have a direct bearing upon the amount of forward vision achieved. Long peak equals less forward vision along with increased strain to neck muscles at higher speeds. Helmets with VISORS offer the versatility of being able to wear spectacles (either safety or prescription) and the instancy of improved vision should rain droplets or mud reduce views in tricky sections. Safety specs under a visor are still a good idea. I have found that the cheaper helmets tend to have more flimsy visors and mechanisms. Unless you are determined to match the COLOUR of your machine or clothing, it would be worth considering a light coloured version, perhaps even white as this reflects the suns heat because as sure as eggs are eggs, you are going to become very hot! Another consideration might be the ability for a helmet to take speakers for an Autocom or similar. Look out for a review in the future of communications kit for trail use.
To echo the words of the wise, yes yo do get what you pay for, but you don't always have to buy a brand name to ensure the best for YOU.
For those interested, I am currently reviewing the folowing in preparation for my Enduro Africa experience:-
HJC REZ MX Orange (Checkout the similar HJC Combo lid Ebay id: 130289203755) Arai Tour X in Black. Arai Tour X in White. Shoei Hornet DS in white. Wulfsport PRIMA MX in white Ebay id: 200304913386 I am hoping to have a BMW Enduro to compare in the future. I hope this helps
Bosun
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IT'S NO MISTAKE THAT MAN'S BEST FRIEND CANNOT TALK!!
The rum is said to be depleted in about 2 more moons, so keep a lookout in the Crows nest for more on this one. BMW Enduro lid acquired and seems very light.
Full on blood test to follow, meanwhile I'll continue sharing my hammock with the lice, nits and other fine company!
Ha Harrgh!
Them's that dies are the lucky ones!
Bosun
-- Edited by Bosun on Monday 8th of June 2009 02:54:24 PM
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IT'S NO MISTAKE THAT MAN'S BEST FRIEND CANNOT TALK!!
bought a nice fox racing helmet at J.D. in saltash for £99 plus minus 10% if you are a TRF member!, very pleased with it, tried on quite a few in the local area, but this is a nice fit and reasonable quality, you can buy cheaper lids on internet and ebay etc, but you cannot try them on, this goes for all gear really, bought some boots on ebay @ size 8, but bid not fit, bought some from J&S in plymouth as they had 30% of all stock last month, also remember you will have quite a few offs on the lanes so you will wreck your gear pretty quick or the overgrown lanes will wreck it for you as i have found out, cheers kev
).
dread to think etc???
