Tips For Keeping Your Bike Helmet In Safe Shape

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Helmets are an essential accessory for safe biking: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that helmets are "the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities from bicycle crashes." That's true whether you're riding your bike down the highway or up the rugged incline of a mountain. The following helmet safety tips will maximize its ability to protect you from serious injuries.

Fitting Helmet Properly

An improperly fit helmet can be a serious danger: a loose helmet may not fully protect you during a fall while a tight one may fall off. Follow this basic procedure to fit your helmet safely to your head:

• Measure head-size by running a cloth tape measure around your head. A bicycle safety expert should be able to help you with this task.
• Try on a helmet that fits your head-size range. It should be level on top of your head and sit a few finger-widths above your eyebrow.
• Test its fit by rocking it back and forth. It if moves more than a half an inch in any direction, it's too loose. If it can't move at all, it's too tight.
• Position the left buckle under the chin by adjusting the strap. Pull the strap downward to increase tightness and up to decrease it.
• Adjust the right strap until it forms a "V" just in front of your ears.
• Buckle the straps and adjust until they are snug without being uncomfortable.

Replacing Helmet Pads

As your helmet ages, your pads are likely to wear down. This can be a big problem: worn pads can make your helmet too loose and eliminate much of its ability to protect. However, it's relatively easy to replace these pads following this replacement procedure:

• Buy a complete set of replacement helmet pads from a local bike shop.
• Carefully remove one front pad using a drill fit with a proper bit.
• Secure the replacement pad in place.
• Repeat process with the rest of the pads.

Try on your helmet once all your pads are properly secure and repeat your fitting procedure to ensure it still fits. If it doesn't fit, remove pads, adjust, and try again until it does.

Removing Nasty Smells

Through the years, your helmet may generate a rather nasty smell. This smell is caused by sweat that has soaked into your pads and straps, evaporated, and left a deposit of minerals and oils. These substances not only create a nasty smell, but can actually damage your pads and straps.

Clean your helmet pads by following this simple procedure:

• Fill a small bucket with warm water and add about a teaspoon of liquid dish-washing soap.
• Carefully remove each pad from your helmet and place them in the bucket.
• Squeeze each pad with your fingers to break apart residue.
• Let your pads soak in the water for about 10 minutes.
• Remove pads, hand-dry with a towel, and replace.

You should also clean your helmet straps by scrubbing each with a soaped sponge. This will break apart the sweat residue in no time. Rinse the soap off each strap, repeat if necessary, and hand-dry with a towel.

Follow these steps and your helmet should remain sturdy and strong for years to come. However, if you suffer a crash and seriously damage your helmet's structure, simply get it replaced at a biking accessory shop. Repairing its broken structure won't restore its full strength and creates a serious injury risk.

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24 March 2015