Carbon Fibre Helmets
Discussion
I need to look at getting a new lid for next year.
Always used Bell and was looking at their new Carbon Fibre helmets for 2014 they have coming out.
I don't need one for the current level of competition I'm in but the are a little bit lighter and have better protection (?)
Any comments vs the standard and benefits.
Obvious cost difference is pretty big.
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/helmets/b...
vs
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/helmets/b...
IMHO the only advantage of the carbon one over the non carbon is less weight, which might be a factor in longer races. Like the OP I've always used Bell helmets as I like the brand and design. Both these helmets are to the current Snell/FIA Standard so I would assume that there is no difference in their crash protection performance.
Not quite.
The helmets all PASS that Snell standard, but what we don't know is how easily they pass. It might be that the cheap helmet passes acceptably, and the carbon one is totally unmarked by the test.
Test standards like this mean that we only know if they aren't s
t, but it doesn't tell us which is better beyond that. At that applies in all walks of life, not just helmet testing.
The helmets all PASS that Snell standard, but what we don't know is how easily they pass. It might be that the cheap helmet passes acceptably, and the carbon one is totally unmarked by the test.
Test standards like this mean that we only know if they aren't s
t, but it doesn't tell us which is better beyond that. At that applies in all walks of life, not just helmet testing.Its all relative. Carbon is best because its lightest, if money is no object then its a no brainer not because its needed but because it has no future limits to what you could do in motorsport.
However! The fact is, the likes of Arai and Bell, above entry level helmets, don't make adequate lids for modern motor sport, they make excellent ones.
Personally, i'd rather buy top end NON carbon Bell or Arai and spend the difference on an extra suit, a set of tyres or maybe a diamond ring to keep the wife on side! Again its all relative
However! The fact is, the likes of Arai and Bell, above entry level helmets, don't make adequate lids for modern motor sport, they make excellent ones.
Personally, i'd rather buy top end NON carbon Bell or Arai and spend the difference on an extra suit, a set of tyres or maybe a diamond ring to keep the wife on side! Again its all relative
I think you're right - money no object, then you might as well buy the carbon - but you can get 3 lids for the price of a carbon one. Nice to have a clean dry lid to put on for that second race of the day
I'll wait to the Autosport show to try them on and make a choice then
I'll wait to the Autosport show to try them on and make a choice then
Edited by woof on Tuesday 17th December 15:52
My reading of Snell Testing is that it's either pass or fail. I dont think they have tests that go further,
I 'd like to think someone does but a standard is just that, a mark to be achieved. You're right in what you say re reputatable manufacturers, they do test their helmets further than lesser ones and further than the basic standard.
I 'd like to think someone does but a standard is just that, a mark to be achieved. You're right in what you say re reputatable manufacturers, they do test their helmets further than lesser ones and further than the basic standard.
It was designed to protect against Basal (basilar) Skull fracture, an often fatal injury from frontal impacts causing the head to fly forward suddenly, fatalities from it include:
Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
Edited by Oilchange on Wednesday 18th December 15:18
Oilchange said:
It was designed to protect against Basal (basilar) Skull fracture, an often fatal injury from frontal impacts causing the head to fly forward suddenly, fatalities from it include:
Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
wasnt Senna a wishbone/wheel impact to the head?Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
Edited by Oilchange on Wednesday 18th December 15:18
There were 3 injuries that all could have been fatal if only each had happened.
The blunt head trauma - a hans would have saved him in that instance alone
The front wheel came into the cockpit and struck Senna's head and also a piece of suspension pierced his visor and entered his skull.
It was an horrific series of injuries and really no doubt that he was killed instantly, although he heart was re started he had suffered multiple fatal brain injuries.
The blunt head trauma - a hans would have saved him in that instance alone
The front wheel came into the cockpit and struck Senna's head and also a piece of suspension pierced his visor and entered his skull.
It was an horrific series of injuries and really no doubt that he was killed instantly, although he heart was re started he had suffered multiple fatal brain injuries.
Graham said:
Oilchange said:
It was designed to protect against Basal (basilar) Skull fracture, an often fatal injury from frontal impacts causing the head to fly forward suddenly, fatalities from it include:
Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
wasnt Senna a wishbone/wheel impact to the head?Formula 1 drivers Roland Ratzenberger[3] and Ayrton Senna in the 1994 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix
Indy 500 drivers Scott Brayton, Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen
NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Terry Schoonover, Grant Adcox, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, Dale Earnhardt, J. D. McDuffie and Clifford Allison
ARCA driver Blaise Alexander
CART drivers Jovy Marcelo and Gonzalo Rodriguez
Edited by Oilchange on Wednesday 18th December 15:18
Just quoted from Wiki as I couldn't be bothered to type it all out so they may have got it wrong
The autopsy showed that the crash caused multiple fractures at the base of the cranium, crushing the forehead and rupturing the temporal artery with haemorrhage in the respiratory passages. It is possible to resuscitate a dead person immediately after the heart stops through cardio-respiratory processes. The procedure is known as putting the patient on the machine. From the medical-legal viewpoint, in Ayrton's case, there is a subtle point: resuscitation measures were implemented.
What appeared to have happened was that the right front wheel shot up upon impact and entered the cockpit, striking the right frontal area of his helmet. The violence of the wheel's impact pushed his head back against the headrest, causing fatal skull fractures.[6] A piece of suspension attached to the wheel had partially penetrated his Bell M3 helmet and caused trauma to his head.[6] In addition, it appeared that a jagged piece of the upright assembly had penetrated the helmet visor just above his right eye.[6] Senna was using a medium sized (58 cm) M3 helmet with a new "thin" Bell visor. Any one of the three injuries would probably have killed him
beaten to it by woof
Phil Dicky said:
Yes I'm sure it was from memory.
Edited to add another quote from Wiki:The autopsy showed that the crash caused multiple fractures at the base of the cranium, crushing the forehead and rupturing the temporal artery with haemorrhage in the respiratory passages. It is possible to resuscitate a dead person immediately after the heart stops through cardio-respiratory processes. The procedure is known as putting the patient on the machine. From the medical-legal viewpoint, in Ayrton's case, there is a subtle point: resuscitation measures were implemented.
What appeared to have happened was that the right front wheel shot up upon impact and entered the cockpit, striking the right frontal area of his helmet. The violence of the wheel's impact pushed his head back against the headrest, causing fatal skull fractures.[6] A piece of suspension attached to the wheel had partially penetrated his Bell M3 helmet and caused trauma to his head.[6] In addition, it appeared that a jagged piece of the upright assembly had penetrated the helmet visor just above his right eye.[6] Senna was using a medium sized (58 cm) M3 helmet with a new "thin" Bell visor. Any one of the three injuries would probably have killed him
beaten to it by woof
Edited by Oilchange on Wednesday 18th December 16:51
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