For at least a month, I was totally addicted to ChainLove.com, checking the site at least ten times every day. Finally there was a super sweet deal I couldn’t resist – an Uvex Hawk mountain bike helmet for $9.

With shipping and handling, the total was close to $16, but that was still a pretty sweet deal. (Even though the retail value on the helmet was only $30, it looked cooler than any other low-end helmet.)

At the very least, it was a good way to test Uvex quality and comfort before shelling out the cash for one of their $100 helmets (which look even cooler!)

While this is a basic helmet, it shares some cool features with the nicer Uvex helmets.

For example, the bug mesh. The front vents of the helmet are covered in mesh, which lets the air in but keeps the bugs out. If you’ve ever had a bee sting you in the forehead, you’ll welcome this feature.

The only downside is that you can’t carry your sunglasses on the helmet, since you can’t stick the arms down into the helmet vents.

My favorite feature is the dial wheel for the retention system. Instead of having to squeeze anything together, you can tighten the helmet with a simple twist of a dial. This is easily done one-handed.

My other favorite feature is the padded chin strap – a luxury I can’t believe I lived without! This way you can cinch down the strap like you are supposed to, but without the pain of a plastic buckle cutting into your neck.

The internal padding doesn’t look like much, but it turned out to be comfortable. It was convenient, too, since the padding was already in place and you didn’t have to put extra pads in (like with my Giro Eclipse.)

Other features include vents, a black/charcoal checkered pattern, and a visor.

One thing I noticed is that the helmet is very large. It offers a lot of coverage. When you put it on, you feel it actually cover your head. It makes most lightweight road helmets, even my Giro Eclipse, feel like a hat sitting on top of your head.

The plastic shell isn’t connected that well, though. It’s not actually a problem, but a few spots seemed to stick up a bit (ie, I could push it down with my fingers and it would pop back up.)

On cheaper helmets like this, the outer shell is just glued or taped down in certain spots. On expensive helmets, the outer shell is fully glued or molded onto the styrofoam. The cheap helmets are just as safe, though – it’s not like the shell is going to fly off while you’re riding.

What did bother me though is how the temple area dips down low enough to hit my sunglasses and make them uncomfortable. In all fairness, my sunglasses flare out and upward at the temple. But I bet other cycling sunglasses do the same thing.

So the full coverage does hinder your use of sunglasses. I found if you tilt the helmet back a bit and then pull it back down once your glasses are on, it’s not so bad. However, that makes it difficult to remove your glasses later.

In use, the helmet is actually very comfortable. The padding was nice and soft, and the dial wheel worked marvelously for “on the fly” adjustments. The straps have been nice and comfy since day one.

The only problem, as I mentioned, was the sunglasses issue. Even if you managed to get them on, the sunglasses were pinned down against your face, since the helmet was so “full coverage” oriented. So you couldn’t adjust the glasses while riding.

If you’re not wearing sunglasses, it’s very comfortable. With sunglasses, unfortunately, it’s very annoying.

One last note… When it comes to ChainLove.com, I’m quite pleased. I ordered on October 2, the helmet shipped October 3, and it got here October 10. Not bad for standard shipping.

My final verdict is…

Overall, this is an unbeatable helmet for $9. It’s good quality, solid, has lots of coverage, and has cool little features not found on other helmets. (Making it a good $30 helmet, too.)

Just try it on first and make sure it doesn’t interfere with your sunglasses. I won’t be wearing this helmet very often due to the sunglasses compatibility issue, since eye protection is very important safety equipment.

I still think it’s a cool helmet though. So, whenever I need a new road helmet, I’ll definitely be looking at the high-end Uvex line.

Official website: www.UvexSports.com

After five or six long years with my Giro Boreas, I figured it was time for a new lid. The helmet seemed OK structurally, but pads and straps just don’t last that long!

So I found a good deal on the Giro Eclipse and ordered one, looking forward to the fresh straps and pads! It came with fresh straps and pads, which was mind blowing because I had forgotten just how much padding I was missing in my old helmet!

As usual, the helmet also came with an emergency info sticker, but that was useless. What really mattered was that I had a fresh new helmet, so keep reading for my experience with the Giro Eclipse helmet…

Giro Eclipse – The Initial Test

The first thing I noticed is that this is a very plain helmet. It has a generic design, and I got a white one, so it should blend in anywhere. It doesn’t look like a cheap department store helmet, though.

The Eclipse comes with a Roc Loc 3 adjustment system, which lets you adjust the helmet while wearing it. It requires two hands to operate, although you can make the adjustment while you’re wearing the helmet.

This thing was light, too! Compared to my older Giro Boreas road helmet, this thing is light as a feather! It’s listed at 256g, which is even lighter than the Pneumo, Atmos, and Ionos, Giros high-end helmets! (According to retail catalogs, those expensive helmets range from 260-290g.)

With the Eclipse on my head, it’s like I’m not even wearing a helmet. It’s that light! The only problem is the straps, which cut into the sides of my head and ears. (That’s what makes me remember that the helmet is on.)

The ventilation also works great. The Eclipse has 24 vents plus internal air channels to keep the air flowing all over my head. I did some long, hot rides out on the road and this thing kept my head very cool.

Those 24 vents are a little small though. I can’t stick my fingers in to scratch my head! Some helmets have a few vents wide enough that you can scratch your head without removing the helmet, but this one does not.

Finally, I have not crashed in this helmet (and would prefer to keep it that way,) so I can’t say how strong it is. But it looks pretty solid despite the light weight.

Giro Eclipse – A Few Complaints

I like most aspects of this helmet, but a few things really irritate me. The worst of which is the straps. The straps are extremely stiff and they just won’t lay flat against my head, making it extremely uncomfortable. I was hoping for the straps to get worn in, but they haven’t yet.

Even if they do, I’m not sure if the problem will go away. The straps on my other helmets were attached in such a way they lie flat against my head. The Eclipse has a different strap routing system through the Roc Loc 3 fitting. I was able to adjust it so it isn’t too painful, but it’s still annoying. Argh!

The other annoyance is fitting my sunglasses in the vents. To store my sunglasses on my helmet securely, I have to bend the arms out and stick them into two tiny vents. Not only is it hard to do while riding, the tight fit means my sunglasses leave black streaks along the front of the helmet!

One thing to be careful with is the thin plastic straps that control the Roc Loc 3 system. Sure, the thin plastic is light, but I’m wondering how long it will be before these things break in half if they get brittle from the sun and my sweat.

Finally, while the two handed adjustment is not a problem, some helmets these days come with one hand adjustment systems. (Something to think about before plopping down $230 for an expensive Giro.)

Giro Eclipse vs. Expensive Helmets

How does this budget helmet compare to an expensive helmet like the Giro Atmos? The Atmos looks fancier and costs a lot more, and it might have better ventilation considering it is more vent than helmet!

But as we have seen, the Eclipse is actually listed as the lighter helmet.

The big concern is safety, though. Yes, the Atmos meets the required standards… but it doesn’t look like it! I’m betting the Eclipse would do a better job in an accident.

Even in a minor mishap, you could wreck near rocks or tree branches. If you’re wearing an Atmost, that stuff will poke right through the giant vents without even touching the helmet! So you might not get a concussion, but you could get a stick poking into your skull!

Or, just from riding through thick brush, some could get through the vents. Large bees might find a home in there too!

Or worse, think about a hail storm and the marble size hail that could hit you, unhindered by the helmet!

That’s why I like the Eclipse, because it keeps me safe on numerous levels!

My final verdict is…

The Giro Eclipse helmet is pretty good for $50. I would recommend it to other Giro helmet fans on a budget. (Try PricePoint, Nashbar, or Performance Bike, although this is a 2007 helmet on closeout, so you might not find the right color and size combo.)

Just give it some time to get “broken in” and expect to put up with a few quirks, such as the out of place straps and annoying sunglasses/vent connection. Other than that, it’s light, safe, and pretty comfortable. And at this price, I can’t complain too much.

Official website: www.giro.com

I was setting up a new bicycle helmet earlier today, and after getting the pads in place, I just had to laugh at the included “my emergency information” sticker.

Unlike gift giving season, “it’s the thought that counts” doesn’t apply to saving one’s life after a nasty bike wreck.

Think about it… If you crash and you’re lying there unconscious with a broken neck, do you want someone fumbling around, taking your helmet off? Hell no!

[Note that EMTs will know what they're doing, but Joe Schmoe might remove your helmet solely to look for this sticker!]

Sure, if you break your leg, removing your helmet won’t hurt. But in that case, you should be conscious enough to remember your name and phone number.

With an older helmet I could almost position the sticker so it could be read through one of the air vents, but “almost” didn’t work out. That would seem like a good idea because it wouldn’t require moving the helmet, but…

Even if you did put the sticker inside the helmet, how long do you think the ink would last? Ever ride in the rain? Ever sweat when you ride?

Right. Nothing you write will be legible after a few rides, even if you had neat handwriting in the first place.

What other options are there… you could stick the sticker to the outside of the helmet! That would be quite stylish, but then the ink would fade in the sun or be washed off in the rain…

I wonder if anyone actually uses that sticker… I doubt it. Maybe that’s why Road ID was invented, since it places critical information at a more readable point, like your wrist or ankle, or around your neck.

Honestly I think this sticker idea is terrible. What if someone uses it and thinks they’re totally safe, but then they’re in an accident and guess what – all emergency crews find is a sticker with ink smeared around on it.

Maybe you could fill in the info, laminate the card, then hang it off the back of your helmet like a ski lift pass? Yeah, now there’s an idea!

(Disclaimer: Now remember, I’m not saying not to wear a helmet, but that the sticker inside them is totally useless! If you plan to carry ID, that sticker doesn’t cut it. P.S. Always wear your helmet.)

Surprisingly, there are still people out there, including adults, that don’t wear bike helmets. They either don’t know how unsafe it is to ride without one or they don’t know how sexy it is to ride with one.

I for one am going to look hot now that I added this “You’d Look Hotter In a Helmet” sticker to my helmet:

Want to look hotter too? It’s simple – wear a helmet!

Thanks to the Safety Is Sexy campaign for providing the stickers!

Learn more about looking hot by wearing a helmet: Safety Is Sexy