Helmet warning

[Mixagon_imp]

I went a ride last week and with hot weather here at last decided to wear one of my caberg flip up helmets with an inner sun visor. All goes well with the top vent opened and outer visor up dark visor down. Plently of air flow and a good ride then disaster strikes.
About a mile from home my eyes started to run and didn't feel right then slight burning started in both eyes and got much worse and very painful. I could hardly open my eyes but just managed to get to the bottom of my drive and leave the bike and staggered up the path barely able to open my eyes and taking helmet off outside rushed inside to see in the mirror both eyes blood red and still burning so flushed them a few times with water and they were ok again in a few hours.
I tried for days to work out what had happened but couldn't so decided it was just one of those mysteries that never gets solved but all was ok now.

However getting ready for next ride put same helmet on and something felt strange, it felt to big so took it off and black dust fell all around me. Most of the inner foam padding under the material had turned to fine dust, maybe helped by the top air vent being open.
I figured this dust is what had got into my eyes on my last ride so mystery solved.
I count myself lucky as it happened near home at low speed and not out in the middle of nowhere.

How old was the caberg helmet ? About 15 years so well past its use by date but when a thing looks new on the outside when do you throw it away.
Problem is I have three more of similar age which I have checked and they seem ok but I think its time to get a new helmet.

Check your helmets guys that foam dust could have had me off on the faster twisty roads I had been on...

[jtopiso_imp]

I've always thought that, although they won't last forever, the recommended 3-5 years life for a helmet had to do more with marketing than with safety.

It's good to know that foam degrades. If when it's 15 years old it's falling appart into dust, I guess it has loss some absorbing capabilities many years ago.

I woudn't use a helmet over 8 years old...

[Houtman_imp]

I am glad that you are safe but do not use helmets older than 5 -7 years , you never know how BAD your too old helmet is till it you need it in an accident.

[widude]

I’ll keep an ‘eye’ out for that, could see it as an issue. My helmet is on the older side too. For shorter rides I’ve been using goggles lately, much more secure than just glasses.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yeah, dang foam breakdown. Glad you caught the issue in time. Good warning.

[emptysea]

5 years is what I’ve heard and for this very reason

[Tom_imp]

I kept my old helmets from the early 90s in hopes of needing them again someday. About 10 years ago while organizing my crap, I noticed everything inside had turned to dust. They certainly don't last forever. Similar story with my ski boots. I still miss those Langes.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Since the inside of a helmet seldom sees sun UV rays, I suspect the salty, sweaty, bodily uric acid doesn't help over time either.

[PowerDubs_imp]

When I was a teenager- a friend was riding his dirtbike around the yard...came into the kitchen, set his helmet on a table and it got knocked off.

Fell to the floor and a good sized piece shattered off the shell like a broken egg. Was a Bell too if I remember correctly. I'm sure it had some years on it but still..

[Rocky_imp]

When I was a teenager- a friend was riding his dirtbike around the yard...came into the kitchen, set his helmet on a table and it got knocked off.

Fell to the floor and a good sized piece shattered off the shell like a broken egg. Was a Bell too if I remember correctly. I'm sure it had some years on it but still..

That reminds me of when I came back to bikes in 1992. I didn't have a helmet yet so a buddy gave me an old Bell helmet and the lining disintegrated like the incident in the first post.