Helmets off gas from the foam and it loses its ability to absorb impacts.
Also, if you are ever in an accident where your helmet takes a hit, get a new one. They are more like airbags than people realize, once it absorbed an impact, it’s done.
So like if you stopped it?
The general range for replacing one is after around three to five years of use
After that long, I’d be replacing it out of boredom and wanting something new. LOL
The question is, would having an old helmet still be better than no helmet? Because trying to convince someone who already resists wearing a helmet, that they will also need to replace it ever few years, might just turn them off forever.
What I hate about this, is that every time it comes up, nobody ever really goes into details of why. What is no longer safe? What breaks down? Or is it updated standards? Just fucking get into the reasons so people can make rational choices, instead of just saying “trust me bro.”
UV light damages the plastics that the helmet is made of. Impacts, even small impacts, compress the foam. Temperature fluctuations burst the bubbles in the foam and cause stress which weakens the plastic.
The paragraph explains why even if it doesn’t explain how.
Saw a couple people on lectric ebikes today, each with a small kid on the back. None of them were wearing helmets. Guess that’s the life hack… never need to replace your helmet if you don’t wear one.
I replaced mine earlier this year, got a POC Tectal MIPS. Really like it.
