Aldi helmet review and warning (plus impact testing)

[Whosthedaddy]

I've always been of mixed feelings regarding cheap vs expensive in terms of clothing but when something has a purpose rather than style, fit and comfort always wins. For this reason I didn't think twice about trying on a cheap lid when Aldi were having there bike promotion.

The helmet in question is an unbranded lid that is also sold by CAN and Rayven for a RRP of £89.99 in my teaching schools shop. So the feeling of spending just £40 made me feel all warm and fuzzy in side, that is until last night, but thats a little later.

https://www.motorcycle-helmets.com/v/vspfiles/photos/200Silver-2.jpg

Its all about the fit no matter what you may of been before or think you are. I was a medium in the Caberg, a large in the Takechi and now a small in the Aldi special. The fit was snug enough to feel secure and after several weeks of constant use remained the same with some nice red marks to forehead and checks when removed!

The first thing that you notice when you've crammed it on your head is the weight. It weighs in at a hefty 1730g which at first did actually make my neck ache, but like most things, you get used to it even at a tonne with the wind trying to rip your head off.

The visor snaps in and off easy enough with the only difficulty being the securing tabs being very stiff as new. I would like to say that its not as easy as Titz doing his almost one handed when wearing the lid, but easy enough.

Both visor and helmet comply to ECE 22.05 standards, but do lack the street cred of any other fancy racing stickers / standards.

The strap is a buckle and unlike any previous ones that I've had, its not at all fiddly to secure or undo with the thickest winter gloves on.

The flip front is a more than handy feature and the reason why I wanted to try a new style as never worn one before. Its opened with a push tab under the chin piece and incorporates a small wind sock. This said, you do get an extremely high amount of wind into the face causing tears on the cold days. The flip front mechanism has left space around the ears to which is not padded and does allow a more than acceptable level of wind noise. But as every cloud has a silver lining, it allows you to wear headphones with ease and not having to worry about them falling out or being pressed into your head.

All good I hear you say?

It was until it slipped from my seat last night and gently nudged the floor.

It wasn't until I got home last night, flipped the front to lock the garage and heard a rattle as I moved my head. A closer inspection reveled the following:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/19042008332.jpg

If the integrity was comprised from a very gentle tap on the floor I am a little worried if my head was in it at xmph. I fully understand that the majority of flip fronts do not exactly pass in head on crash tests due to the nature that they are tested but its a niggle thats now that at the back of my mind.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[ms51ves3]

Is that not just the flip front part which is not the part that is going to save you. That is why they test them as open face helmets as the flip hinge would not hold together in a crash.

Obviously it doesn't even hold together with a little drop on the floor.

I still think it would save your head in a crash though as you have to treat it as an open face helmet.

[DEN MONKEY]

Well that is shit at the very best.

Guess you can only consider it a glorified open faced helmet with the small benefit of a visor when needed.

Not for my noggin Ill tell ya that for nothin
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meh

[thegubner]

As said thats just the bit for the flip up, not the part protecting you, similar to when visors break easily. Do you mean you dropped it off your bike seat to the floor or a seat indoors?

If its a seat indoors I completely understand why you are annoyed as you wouldn't expect it to break, I still would bet on it being as safe as it should be to meet the tests though.

[Whosthedaddy]

Nah the bike seat.

It slipped off when and slid down my belly as I was leaning up the bike and putting the lock under the pillion seat. If I was quicker I could have tried some keepyuppies on the knee, but reactions too slow nowadays.

From what I gather flip fronts are tested head on with the flip down, and more than enough fail the standards but pass on another technicality that its not part of the overall structure of the lid? (something like that anyways).

I think a helmet has to be pretty bad for the shell to break on a drop but don't really fancy the idea of having my face mashed against the tarmac due to the front from being ripped off.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[thegubner]

But that would be a risk on all flip faced lids though?

Not arguing like, I see your point and doubt I would bother with one myself, but oddly I like the idea of a little old piss pot lid.

[Whosthedaddy]

[Kris]

This is exactly why I would never, ever, ever buy an flip-front lid. It's just not as strong as a full-face, period, and in my crashes the front or side of the helmet has slid along the floor...


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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[TheDonUK]

Dont judge all flip-fronts on the basis of a cheap aldi special...

My Shoei multitec has taken a few knocks and is still perfect, As with anything you get what you pay for...

[bazza]

While I'm all for getting value for my money, my experience of Rayven lids is that they are nothing more than low quality, cheap tat.

After having 2 of them disintegrate inside a week of normal use - no drops or other dramas - I'd warn anyone to think twice and then twice more before buying anything with that name on it.
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"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[G]

Did it fall off with the flip-bit closed or open?

My Caberg seems to get a fair bit of it's integrity from the flip-locking bit. I think it is tested as a full face. Certainly did the job when I rolled along the floor.

[Whosthedaddy]

Its a pain in the ass to try and carry open so I can probably safely assume that it was closed when it hit the deck.

The scary thing I suppose is that I payed £40, knew it was cheap and made a conscious decision about it. If you then stick another name on it and charge twice as much, it no longer appears to be a budget helmet and thus not as flimsy at first glance and the reservations that may have been there for the £40 price tag may no longer be considered.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Harold_Shand]

Flip fronts are excellent for making your thoughts clearly understandable to other road users.

Had one when I first started off, I knew fuck all and it was cheap and thought, oh, that's cool. That Lidl one... mmm. I recentley bought some of their textile trousers, warm, fits good, £40. There's armour in the knees, but I think in a slide they would dissappear.

I just try not to fall off. I s'pose it's true, you get what you pay for.

(Although my offie is currently doing 8 cans of Carlsberg for £6, I likes those numbers)
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BCF's 6th favourite poster 2009-2010

Harold_Shand's theory might be the best explanation.

[Itchy]

[TheDonUK]

[st3v3]

I would of thought anyone thinking of scraping their face along the road while using such a lid would be put off for life.

Just my 2P.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Whosthedaddy]

What to do with a scrap helmet?

Decisions, decisions, decisions...












Before:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/06042008292.jpg


After:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/22042008338.jpg

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYoJ8U62ln4

I'm quite surpirised at the strength of the plastic outer shell, and only a small amount of damage to the thick inner foam liner. Would I be tempted to buy another one, it may have been a fluke drop? My mind is now undecided.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

You need a bigger hammer.

Hmm, unsure how related to the forces it would encounter in a crash though. As there's nothing inside the lid, so you don't know how much force it would be passing though.
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[Kris]

[Whosthedaddy]

Haven't got any melons in the house.

Was thinking of the 14lb sledge hammer round my mums for a true and accurate test, but opted for a quick 16oz claw hammer instead.

Took a lot of effort to smash the plastic, it did of course keep bouncing so absorbing the impacts, but one tough little cookie.
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Pnuematic drill?
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My Flickr

[thegubner]

And you didn't think to take it back and ask for your 40 pounds back?

[Bendy]

Very similar thing happened to my (pretty expensive at the time) Lazer Rev when I dropped it on the kitchen floor.

Treat them as an open face that happens to keep your face warm and dry.

[McGee]

Right.

I'm getting the rifle out tonight.
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[bazza]