Helmets

I initially thought helmets were mundane things. Turns out they aren't!

It all began when I bought one about an year ago. It was simple. The shop I went to had a very limited set, so it was a simple selection for me. I was then briefed in office about the whole range of helmets, along with demos!

Best places to go in Bangalore are

• Near Lalbagh, Urvashi Theater
• Yamaha showroom, opposite Forum mall

And for biking gear

• The 2 places mentioned above
• Cramster, Cunningham road

Learnt a few things along the way

• Don't believe whatever is said or written. Even though most helmets have ISI mark stamped, they may not be authentic or genuine
• Test it out in the showroom itself - for example, by stressing out the visor to see if it will break/crack easily. If the shopkeeper is telling the truth, he won't stop you from testing :)
• My experience: I hadn't tested properly when buying & had to replace the visor pretty soon
• Check for any scratches on the visor - don't take if it's even slightly scratched. It just means it attracts scratches easily & in a few days your view would be foggy. Best to go for scratch-resistant ones, although a bit expensive
• The helmet must fit snugly - don't take extra large ones, your head won't grow that much to fit into the helmet! Also, full face helmets provide best protection
• It should be well ventilated, even when the visor is down. For example, if it's cold outside, your breathing shouldn't fog the visor
• Make sure steel of the buckle is not exposed. You'll have trouble if it is exposed, since usually it's just iron that'll get rusted after a while. Better go for buckles encased in strong plastic
• If involved in an accident & if the helmet has sustained some damage, better replace it. You might use it as a temporary backup helmet (in case you lose the new one, or the new one gets damaged)
• An interesting link: http://gizmodo.com/5966412/finally-an-actual-innovation-in-helmet-technology