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View Full Version : Pittsburgh bike shops with decent helmet selection?



Azzy
06-17-2012, 08:59 PM
Like the title says... need a new lid, tried the online ordering thing and its too damn slow to find out you dont like a helmet. (FYI... Bell Vortex = loud and heavy)

Ive been to Crossroad, but they are a bit of a hike for me. Is that the only local place that has a good selection?

Yarz
06-17-2012, 09:21 PM
Last time I was there, Cycle gear had a decent sized wall of helmets, but they're within a few miles of Crossroads, so they'll be a hike for you as well

JeepGeneral
06-17-2012, 09:43 PM
We carry a ton of helmets, Fulmer, HJC, Scorpion, Speed & Strength, Shoei I can't remember them all.

www.hillviewmotorsports.com

john00TJ
06-17-2012, 09:51 PM
Just order a Aria ..best helmet out there IMHO

Azzy
06-18-2012, 11:26 AM
We carry a ton of helmets, Fulmer, HJC, Scorpion, Speed & Strength, Shoei I can't remember them all.

www.hillviewmotorsports.com (http://www.hillviewmotorsports.com)

Possibility, but still a hike for me.


Just order a Aria ..best helmet out there IMHO

For your head and pocketbook ;)

john00TJ
06-18-2012, 06:29 PM
cant put a price on head protection ..ive owned many helmets in the past an have cracked half of them ,layed in hospital dizzy for days from head injurys ..Aria is only thing going on my skull anymore

Azzy
06-19-2012, 09:57 AM
Sure you can.. if you cant afford it, then you cant afford it. Given basic rating stndards (like Snell and ECE) where the helmet has to meet a certain level of performance, (and the snell standards updated in 2010 to account for the amount of g-forces transmited to the brain) you can easily see where a more expensive helmet would give you the same level of protection as a less expensive one. At least you can see the basline where they start, especially over unknown chinese lids.

Or you can get into European helmets which are pricey, mainly because limited importation and the certification costs to sell them in the US. The quality may not be reflected in the price.

But each to their own, right? Lets hope neither of us has to test any helmet out the hard way.


I took a trip over to Pittsburgh Cycle Center, formerly Honda House, and they had a decent selection over there. Not great, but it was 15 min from the office. Was offered a price on a Scorpion 1100 which I am mulling over. Not happy about their color combos (prefer gloss white) so may go with Silver.. which is better than their other 2 solid colors, black and..... black.

joshs1ofakindxj
06-19-2012, 12:59 PM
I wear this in black

http://www.cli-maxridinggear.com/servlet/the-3192/FLY-Trekker-Helmet/Detail

I'm very happy with it

ezmoney063
06-19-2012, 02:08 PM
Find a helmet yet? I wear a xl. I have a few nice ones id like to sell. Shoei X11 Red and white for example. I have a brand new sparx marvel comic edition only wore it once. Inbox me if your intested.

If your looking for a good selection try M&M leather in greensburg or mosites motorsports

Azzy
06-19-2012, 03:09 PM
I think I have found one. Appreciate the offer, but not too much a fan of used helmets, no offense. Always struck me as onw of those things you try not to buy used... like socks.

john00TJ
06-20-2012, 12:30 PM
The scorpion line of helmets are loud ..lots of wind noise from the in my personal experience .

ezmoney063
06-20-2012, 12:59 PM
I think I have found one. Appreciate the offer, but not too much a fan of used helmets, no offense. Always struck me as onw of those things you try not to buy used... like socks.

Understandable !!!

Azzy
06-21-2012, 04:44 PM
The scorpion line of helmets are loud ..lots of wind noise from the in my personal experience .

I can live with general wind noise (thats what earplugs are for). That bell helmet wasnt designed very well because 2 vents not just helped noise along... they whistled, at 10mph or better. Wouldnt want to see what it would be like at highway speed!

Azzy
06-22-2012, 06:32 PM
Well, I picked up a scorpion Exo 1100. Lightweight, internal visor, decent price with promo... never strapped it down and wore my balcavla when trying it on in the store, so I made it 500 feet on the bike before I turned around and went back to the store. Damn thing rubs against my chin (would be fine if the air pump bits were not there). Tried on a bunch of other helmets, at least ones in my size.

fly trekker is pretty nice, but the lense is so-so. No other fly lids in stock (street at least) HJCs offerings are all still too flimsy in the facesheild area, and since I ride from march to Nov, and usually about 6 days a week, its got to have a decent seal. And all the reveiws say they dont. Tried on a Kali CF helmet... nice weight, nice internals, a bit more than I wanted to pay but reasonable, but the lense was a deal breaker. 3 positions, open, mid open, full. Construction inside under liner was pretty poor, fabric was loosly glued, didnt look nice at all. Not what you expect for a $350 helmet.

Tried on a Shoei, it was nice, light, but $400+ is a bit out of range right now. Only other bell option they had was a $500 model.

No AFX lids, Ive heard a lot of great things about them, plus they have a 5 year no questions asked warranty, and if you ever crash with it, they will give you a free helmet (they use the old ones as class material for safety schools). Price seems low, weight is on par with what I have now.

No Icon's in my size, but Im not the sort of guy looking for chromed plastic and "its XXXstream!!!!" graphics. No euro brands either, but most are out of my range because of currency exchanges than anything else.

Might do some running this weekend around a few places in Washington.