Hi

New to the forum and indeed to the world of off road bikes but having tired a little of road riding I am about to take the plunge myself and have just done so for my son.

I have just bought an Osset 16" for my sons fifth birthday and am after some advice/thoughts on helmet choice.

Having looked through the galleries, there seems to be a mix of bicycle, open and motocross full face helmets.

I am leaning away from the bicycle style as they offer less protection around the side of the head, though they are light, comfortable and least obtrusive.

Motocross style with a chin guard obviously offer greatest protection but at the expense of visibility, which could arguably cause more offs, and they may be too cumbersome.

Open face offers no protection if he face plants.

I would be grateful for your thoughts and experiences and for any recommendations.

Thank you

Richard

IMO one of your best options is a DH bicycle helmet mabe by Bell called Bellistic. Its very light and offers great protection. It also allows for good visability. My son has used hsi for 2 years.

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/pro.../bellistic-9793

Edited December 29, 200817 yr by motofire

I agree with what you're saying about the protection.. I looked around a lot.. I finally decided on the fox youth line.. Gavin has been using the Fox Tracer for the last year, and now has the Fox V2.. I like it because, unlike his bicycle helmet, when he takes a faceplant, he gets right back up... vs the asphalt on the teeth and the skinned chin..

Gavin has been using the Fox Tracer for the last year, and now has the Fox V2..

i thought he was 2 and just started riding in March?

biggest 2 year old i have ever seen...

Yeah...get that kid off a bike and into Pro Wrestling!

i thought he was 2 and just started riding in March?

biggest 2 year old i have ever seen...

He did start riding his Oset in March.. He's been on the PW since he turned 2.. To be fair he did just turn 3, on Christmas day.. He's been on two wheels since October..

PW at 2.. literally days after his birthday..

March on the Oset

October on two wheels!!

He just jumped up from a 12" bike to the Z16..a very small 16"

He's my little man.. I'm very proud of him.. here's him pedaling through a corner.. I know..inside foot should be up..but, he is only just 3

Thanks for the response and the photos, I can't believe he is just a three year old.

I reckon a helmet with a chin guard is probably the way forward.

Good idea about the DH helmet, I had not thought of that but I guess they would be light, have good visibility and offer enough protection. I will have a look at them and see if I can find somewhere for him to try a few on.

Heres a picture of the helmet my son wears. Notice that the face/chin are protected yet its still quite open and very lite.

Thanks for the response and the photos, I can't believe he is just a three year old.

I reckon a helmet with a chin guard is probably the way forward.

Good idea about the DH helmet, I had not thought of that but I guess they would be light, have good visibility and offer enough protection. I will have a look at them and see if I can find somewhere for him to try a few on.

FYI Cycle Gear is having a sale on the Fox V2's Youth sizes.. $119. Not too bad for a $220 MSRP. What I like about some full face helmets is the padding down low.. Gavin had an off this weekend, hit hard enough to snap the visor, but he popped up no problem..

Edited January 7, 200917 yr by YamaDan

I couldn't find an open-face helmet small enough for my kid (boy on right) so we got an MX type. Competition insurance requirements here mean the helmet has to be either road legal or approved for use in motorcycle trials to an international standard. That MX helmet is road legal. The other kid (girl on left) has a Shiro trials helmet on but they only go down to a certain size and my kid's head is still too small for them.