# What do you think of those 'multi sport' bike helmets?



## Boot (Jan 22, 2008)

So many young children in our area use these. They often have disney characters or 'cool' designs. The thing is, they just don't look like they offer much protection to me. They either look too small and sit on the back of the kids head or they look too big and just wobble all over the place. The main problem I see is that they don't protect the forehead like regular helmets. But then, they obviously pass safety tests so maybe they're fine and I'm over thinking things as usual. Thoughts?

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/HelmetsAndCovers/PRD~5025-083/bell-bike-candy-helmet-youths.jsp


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## Maedze (Dec 16, 2008)

THis is not my area of expertise, but I was told by a bike shop owner/biking enthusiast that those multi-sport helmets were inappropriate for bike riding. Of course, I learned this AFTER I'd bought three multi sport helmets last summer....so we just replaced them with three Bell True Fit helmets. As an added bonus...those new helmets actually fit their heads way better.


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## rachelsmama (Jun 20, 2005)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boot*
> 
> The main problem I see is that they don't protect the forehead like regular helmets.


My kids' and my multisport helmets come down just as far on our foreheads as the biking-only helmets, and offer a LOT more protection on the back and sides than any of the bike-only helmets do, but I was careful to make sure we got helmets that fit. If you're refering to the fact that the multisport helmets don't project out in front like some of the bike-only helmets do, I'm of the opinion that the absense of that projection is a good thing, since many people simply can't bring themselves to wear a helmet that makes them look like there's an alien squid perched on their head, and a helmet that doesn't get worn is pretty useless. Anecdotally, from what I've seen, kids seem to be more likely to shove the bike-only helmets way back on their heads, whereas wearing the multisport ones correctly seems to be a bit more intuitive.


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## Maedze (Dec 16, 2008)

Alien squid









My kids don't object to the sticking out protrusion, and their new helmets fit them better than the old ones. I can't remember what my bike enthusiast pal was explaining specifically, but it did have something to do with the alien squid protrusion, LOL.


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maedze*
> 
> Alien squid
> 
> ...


From what I have heard/read---- bike helmets are designed to deal with your forehead hitting the ground. Multi-sport helmets (skateboarding helmets, too) are designed to protect most against bumping backwards. The most dangerous bike accidents are usually going full speed over the handlebars (and landing on your head) while other sports you tip backwards and that part needs protected.

We, personally, use bike helmets. For most kids it probably won't make a very big difference.


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## leighi123 (Nov 14, 2007)

Ds wears a multi-sport helmet most of the time, he has a bike helmet jsut for biking, but I got him the multi-sport when he started skateboarding.

Both fit well, and cover his forehead, stay in place and he wears them correctly. The multi-sport specifically said it was ok for bikes as well, so I don't have a problem with him wearing it.

He falls off his bike all the time, he rides a 2-wheeler w/o training wheels and likes to do tricks like putting his feet on the handle bars or sitting on the back tire or sideways - he is crazy! But usually when he falls, he falls on his side. So far, he has only fallen once on his head, and that was on his balance bike, he went down some stairs (that helmet got replaced, he wasn't hurt but the helmet was!)


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## t2009 (Sep 1, 2009)

I was just looking into these as I was thinking of getting one for myself. I came across this article from the New York Times & learned about the Snell Foundation. Apparently, the Snell Foundation does some of the most rigorous testing & certifying out there for helmets. The multi-sport helmets are not certified & it looks like Specialized carries a bunch that are certified (one particular specialized helmet also rates very highly on Consumer Reports, for what that's worth). My son's helmet is actually one of them (I verified by looking at the stickers on the inside of the helmet). It's a Small Fry Toddler helmet. Very cute & the style is kind of a cross between a regular bike helmet & a multi-sport -- which is good because as a PP pointed out, the nice thing about the multi-sport helmets is that they're hard to wear incorrectly placed on the head.


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