Time to purchase another helmet.

[twigg]

Most of those reasons, while sensible, don't apply in practise.

 

No-one with a brain rides with the front flipped up, however hot it gets. That is asking to have your head ripped off with the wind blast. When you are riding they stay firmly shut and like a full-face, use the visor and the vents.

 

I drink all the time while riding. It is perfectly safe if you find a safe way to do it. In my case I have a one-gallon cooler and a drinking tube. I do not have to lift the front to drink.

 

They fog up the same as full face helmets.

 

Modular helmets are probably better compared with open-face than full face. However many ratings your open-face helmet has, a modular will provide significantly more protection.

 

They are convenient ... You do not have to remove them at gas stops, stores, even most banks. You can eat and drink while wearing one .... You can get it on and off while wearing glasses (a major plus).

 

Nothing beats a decent full-face helmet for protection, or an open-face for convenience. The modular helmets, for many, provide an acceptable compromise.

 

It's horses for courses really.

[warriorhoneybee]

10-4 i personally ride with a full face and your right about being brain dead although I've seen it. not being a smart a-* but dose the Snell rating mean that much or is it just over rated or over kill??

[warriorhoneybee]

in closing,i wear a scorpion 900 i think is the model number, and I've tried taking my sons camel pack so i could drink and just didn't have enough room to get the hose to my mouth. and believe me it's plenty big.

[twigg]

10-4 i personally ride with a full face and your right about being brain dead although I've seen it. not being a smart a-* but dose the Snell rating mean that much or is it just over rated or over kill??

 

The SNELL rating means that it has been independently tested. DOT is a manufacturer cert. that the item is compliant.

 

The other good mark is "CE".

 

There are issues with SNELL ... but they are minor. The Modular helmets normally cannot pass SNELL because SNELL puts a double blow on the hinge area. They usually fail on the second blow.

 

DOT should be okay, but as regulation is rolled back who the heck checks what the manufacturers are doing? SNELL and CE are not necessarily safer, but they are tested.

 

It is also complicated by discussion around "brain acceleration".

 

Generally the better protection of SNELL helmets means that the brain accelerates more than in the "softer" DOT type. We are talking here about hundreds of G-forces for fractions of a second.

 

That argument is ongoing, but what is sure is that the road cracks skulls much more easily if they are not covered by a helmet, whatever type you choose.

[09RSTD]

As with all things it really comes down to what fits your paticular head shape and riding style. Do you already wear earplugs when you ride? If not are you willing to. If your answer is no then you will want to insure that the helmet you choose is as close to a perfect fit as possible as modular helmets generate more wind noise. If you are planning on wearing ear plugs while riding to cut down on wind noise then many of the cheaper modulars should be very functional for you. $250 for a modular should get you a decent helmet. It won't be the lightest and it probably won't have all of the great features combined. I have heard and read great things about the CycleGear Bilt brand modular helmet. The model is called Bilt Solar Modular and retails for $199.99 but it has been on sale as low as $99.99. There are 50 reviews available on CycleGear website. It has the drop down tinted shield inside like you are talking about. Also one feature that sounds good is that both the hook and the bar for the locking mechanism are made of metal. Lastly a 5 year guarantee. If you don't like it for any reason CycleGear will give you credit for the purchase price. I have had really great customer relations with regards to returning defective or uneffective equiptment to my local CycleGear store. Hope that this helps.

[warriorhoneybee]

The SNELL rating means that it has been independently tested. DOT is a manufacturer cert. that the item is compliant.

 

The other good mark is "CE".

 

There are issues with SNELL ... but they are minor. The Modular helmets normally cannot pass SNELL because SNELL puts a double blow on the hinge area. They usually fail on the second blow.

 

DOT should be okay, but as regulation is rolled back who the heck checks what the manufacturers are doing? SNELL and CE are not necessarily safer, but they are tested.

 

It is also complicated by discussion around "brain acceleration".

 

Generally the better protection of SNELL helmets means that the brain accelerates more than in the "softer" DOT type. We are talking here about hundreds of G-forces for fractions of a second.

 

That argument is ongoing, but what is sure is that the road cracks skulls much more easily if they are not covered by a helmet, whatever type you choose.

wow twigg,thanks for the info. thats what i thought but wanted to hear from another cracked nut. be safe out there and once agin thanks for the info.

[TEW47]

About Snell Ratings, just check Webbikeworld for helmets you will find a helmet that passed snell testing and failed DOT for penetration. Check all three ratings(European) and judge for yourself witch is the right one for you. I also had a Nolan that split up the side ands they would not warranty it because it was over three years old.

 

tew47