New helmet gives me a headache!

[Westbeef]

Hi All,

Got a new helmet today and I went through the fit with the fella at J&S and he was top notch, we tried a lot of helmets and we both were happy with the particular one I went for and the size. It was about a 60 min ride away and on the way back after 45 minutes I had a splitting head ache and soon as I got home and got it off my head felt relieved right away, and I had two lines either side of my head where it's been compressing. Is this likely to stop as the helmet beds in or is there anything I can do to help?

I love the helmet itself apart from that, it's very lightweight and great field of view! It's a HJC FG 15 -

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[Joeman]

Yep, it will likely get better with time as it shapes to your head.

Wear in in the house watching TV or something to break it in faster.

[Tango]

Hopefully the lining will give a bit as you wear it. My previous helmet used to give me headaches and never really improved, but my current lid was great straight off the bat......can wear it all day with no problems at all.....

[Westbeef]

I hope so! Also have a pressure point right on my jaw which gets a bit sore too which was more noticeable on today's commute.

[Guest]

I had the same thing with my AGV, it'll loosen up and once it does it'll fit perfect

[TC1474]

Helmet is the wrong shape for you....Or you have the wrong shape head for your helmet

What you can do is if you can identify the area in the helmet where the pressure is being caused, then you can compress the liner a bit with your thumb and accelerate the bedding in process.

It will give by about half a size and it will mould to your shape if you leave it as is, but it will take a bit of time.

[Valko]

You need to change it. The helmet should be a good fit, but it gives you headache its too tight.

If it is too tight that means you are squashing the internal polystyrene or whatever foam they use, means it is not safe anymore. It is supposed polystyrene or whatever they use for safety to be squashed on impact only.

 

Helmet is the wrong shape for you....Or you have the wrong shape head for your helmet

What you can do is if you can identify the area in the helmet where the pressure is being caused, then you can compress the liner a bit with your thumb and accelerate the bedding in process.

 

I agree with that. Except if you compress too much you will actually damage the protective foam that is below the liner. I would change it. Definitely wrong head or helmet

[Westbeef]

You need to change it. The helmet should be a good fit, but it gives you headache its too tight.

If it is too tight that means you are squashing the internal polystyrene or whatever foam they use, means it is not safe anymore. It is supposed polystyrene or whatever they use for safety to be squashed on impact only.

 

Helmet is the wrong shape for you....Or you have the wrong shape head for your helmet

What you can do is if you can identify the area in the helmet where the pressure is being caused, then you can compress the liner a bit with your thumb and accelerate the bedding in process.

 

I agree with that. Except if you compress too much you will actually damage the protective foam that is below the liner. I would change it. Definitely wrong head or helmet

 

Well I decided to try soften the foam before I had read more replies, however the squashing is only on the foam inserts, there's no polystyrene as this is a carbon fiber one. I've softened the foam on the side that's getting my jaw, I don't think softening the foam inserts does damage as that's what your head does over time. However I have read some people have pressed in the polystyrene when it happened to them - I can gather that's definitely shouldn't be done as that could basically replicate a drop.

[Joeman]

The foam is for comfort, the polystyrene is for impact absorption. Don't mess with the polystyrene!

Often one shell size is used for multiple helmet sizes - they just use thinner/thicker lining. If it's really bad you might be able to buy the lining from the next size up.

[Guest]

I made the exact same topic, just stick with it, you've bought it now any way [emoji1] just wear it as often around the house as you can even if it's just for 10-20 mins [emoji1] I can't tell you how awesome mine fits now after it "giving" juuust a little bit.

[TC1474]

Well I decided to try soften the foam before I had read more replies, however the squashing is only on the foam inserts, there's no polystyrene as this is a carbon fiber one. I've softened the foam on the side that's getting my jaw, I don't think softening the foam inserts does damage as that's what your head does over time. However I have read some people have pressed in the polystyrene when it happened to them - I can gather that's definitely shouldn't be done as that could basically replicate a drop.

 

You do not get carbon fibre liners, that is the shell. The styrofoam liner is what the helmet is lined with and is the shock absorber. There is no harm in compressing it with your thumb as you will not be able to exert enough pressure to affect the protection it affords, and in any case you are only compressing it in a localised area.

 

The foam is for comfort, the polystyrene is for impact absorption. Don't mess with the polystyrene!

Often one shell size is used for multiple helmet sizes - they just use thinner/thicker lining. If it's really bad you might be able to buy the lining from the next size up.

 

On the first point, read my response above, it is not about messing wth it, it is just a case of accelerating the bedding in process, and the only aspects of the liners that tend to vary in size is the cheek pads, so you cannot change the whole inner lining unless you feel that you can rebuild it t EC22/05 standards (whch only the factory are allowed to do)

And before you say anything, in my capacity as a consultant to a couple of well known helmet brands, the remedy I suggested is regarded as perfectly acceptable.

[Westbeef]

I noticed the styrofoam after I'd posted . I think it's too late to take it back anyway I chucked the receipt (bad habit I have of instantly throwing them). I'm gonna bear with and keep trying to bed it in a bit quicker

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joeman]

On the first point, read my response above, it is not about messing wth it, it is just a case of accelerating the bedding in process, and the only aspects of the liners that tend to vary in size is the cheek pads, so you cannot change the whole inner lining unless you feel that you can rebuild it t EC22/05 standards (whch only the factory are allowed to do)

And before you say anything, in my capacity as a consultant to a couple of well known helmet brands, the remedy I suggested is regarded as perfectly acceptable.

 

Agree he just needs to wear it and get it to fit to his head.

But on your first point, does that mean every time we remove the machine washable inner lining we are breaking the law when we put it back together?

HJC seem to generally offer two shell/eps sizes (small/large) with the intermediate sizes accommodated by three different thicknesses of cheek and comfort lining per shell size making a total of six sizes per model.

If we can remove the lining to clean/replace it, then what's to prevent someone replacing with the lining from the next size up? (Assuming it's the same shell/EPS size)

[TC1474]

But on your first point, does that mean every time we remove the machine washable inner lining we are breaking the law when we put it back together?

HJC seem to generally offer two shell/eps sizes (small/large) with the intermediate sizes accommodated by three different thicknesses of cheek and comfort lining per shell size making a total of six sizes per model.

If we can remove the lining to clean/replace it, then what's to prevent someone replacing with the lining from the next size up? (Assuming it's the same shell/EPS size)

 

The term liner usually refers to the styrofoam liner which is how I read your comment and hence my comment.

If you mean the outer comfort lining (the bit between the styrofoam and your head) the that is a different matter, but even then there are very specifications for different makes, but by and large, don't mix in cheek pads as part of the fixed element of the lining.

Quite a few firms do 2 size shells, but it is rare for al sizes to come to the UK because UK head shapes are different to say European or North American and the importers have learn what sizes the most popular even if it means they lose the occasional sale.

[Joeman]

Good info as always!!