Parts and equipment for motorcycles, quads, scooters and bicycles
How to choose the right bike helmet for your child?
The law of March 22, 2017 made the wearing of helmets compulsory for children under 12 years of age. Beyond the simple legislation, wearing a helmet for the little ones seems to be a necessity. The risks of riding a bicycle are very real, and wearing a helmet can often save you from preventable injuries.
Beginnings on a bike can be complicated, falls tend to demotivate. Explain to your child the importance of wearing a helmet and make him understand that it is his shield against blows.
By wearing a helmet yourself, you are setting a good example for your child. Putting one on before each bike ride will become automatic for him.
The risks of riding a bicycle are very real, and wearing a helmet can often save you from preventable injury.
Why is it important to have your child wear a helmet?
Before becoming compulsory, the child's bicycle helmet became an essential accessory for families who regularly cycle. In recent years, children have been seen quite rarely without helmets, whether they are transported on a baby seat or on their own bicycle.
This is the same trend that is observed in ski resorts where children wear helmets quite generally.
Several reasons require the systematic wearing of the helmet in children:
Learning to balance : at this stage, imbalances and small falls are inevitable. They are also the ones who make the child progress!
Learning to speed : your child gradually learns the concept of speed and needs to test the acceleration and braking phases.
The learning of coordination : your child gradually learns the different elements of coordination (gaze, upper limbs/lower limbs, anticipation of the trajectory of other road users, etc.).
Morphology: children have a different morphology from that of an adult. The proportion between head and body is not the same, and therefore the head carries more in the event of a fall.
Anyway, it is important to wear a helmet for children, especially since at their age, the development of the skull and the brain is not yet complete. If those over the age of 12 are not subject to this regulation, the bicycle helmet is also strongly recommended for them.
The brands of children's bicycle helmets offer special helmets for this category of bicycle users, children's helmets and bicycle helmets for teenagers adapted to their morphology and their tastes. ts.
The colors and shapes are carefully studied to motivate these young cyclists to wear helmets, there are models of boy's bike helmets and girl's bike helmets.
The bicycle helmet: one of the cyclist's first pieces of equipment
The role of the bicycle helmet is to ensure the safety of the cyclist, it is essential during your outings. There are many models, to optimize your performance with an aerodynamic profile, lighter models to gain comfort or even with a high level of ventilation to make your long outings more pleasant. ©ables. The price of a helmet varies according to its quality, finishes, brand and desired design.
Choosing a bicycle helmet for your child is very important. It is necessary to choose a helmet adapted to its morphology and to the use which it makes of its bicycle.
The law is not superfluous car the benefits of this provision are recognized. Road Safety also recalls that wearing a helmet lowers the risk of serious head injuries by 70% and divides par three the risk of scratching the face. The youngest are particularly exposed to the risk of head injuries. According to INPES, in 55% of cases of falls in children between 1 and 5 years old, the head is affected. Their morphology and lack of experience certainly explain this.
Choosing the bike helmet for a child
Three major criteria must be taken into account when choosing a child's bicycle helmet or a teenager's bicycle helmet: size, comfort and level of safety.
Size
Measure her head circumference using a measuring tape, placed above the eyebrow line. A properly sized helmet should cover the top and back of the head, the forehead and also the temples. Inside each bicycle helmet is the corresponding trim. Bicycle helmets have knobs and straps to adjust the fit and tightness. Prefer non-elastic adjustable ties for better comfort. The ventilation holes provide good ventilation under the helmet, which is very important especially if the child works out a lot. The "CE" label, synonymous with compliance with European safety standards, guarantees the best protection. Finally, it is always preferable that the design and the color are to the taste of the child or the teenager so that he enjoys wearing it.
An adjustable helmet is a guarantee of safety and comfort! You can also evaluate the ease of adjustment of the straps and the quality of the closure (anti-pinch buckle, with padded under-chin strap).
A child's bicycle helmet will be effective if its size is well adapted to your child's morphology and if there is no risk of it moving unexpectedly.
Helmet comfort
Ease of use is essential for a bicycle helmet, especially if your child loves cycling! A helmet must know how to be forgotten and become like a second skin.
What shape of the helmet?
Choose an enveloping design that covers the sensitive points of the skull, the temples and the back part (occipital area). The Cycling selection only includes very safe shapes, including junior BMX helmets and models inspired by urban helmets for adults.
For what practice?
For optimal safety, the children's bicycle helmet is suitable for each discipline. The safest children's helmets have reflective inscriptions, or even LED lighting on the back.
For family hikes and more sporty activities (mountain biking), the ventilated models are the most interesting.
The Abus, Bern and Casco brands provide winter kits consisting of under-helmet caps and earmuffs. Thus, the child can continue to wear his helmet despite the cold, on the handlebars of his bicycle or as a passenger.
There are also some children's models which, like the adults, benefit from Mips technology (which improves the level of protection against obliquely directed shocks).
Security
Of course, to prevent cycling accidents, it is essential to teach your child the basics of the highway code, encourage him to use cycle paths. You are entitled to expect that the protective helmet meets certification requirements. If the product is compliant, the label will mention the approval to European standard EN1078. And as road safety and comfort are not destined to be opposed, choose a fitted helmet, with polycarbonate foam, good ventilation and a system of simple adjustment. A visor is also a plus that will offer greater protection during a forward fall and against the risk of injury to the face against the handlebars.
The Directorate General for Competition and Consumption recommends the choice of equipment marked NF or ECE 22/04, 22/05.
Some helmets have a double homologation: most often, it is cycling and skiing homologation. In this case, the standard related to winter sports is indicated: EN1077. It's a real advantage to be able to use the same helmet for different sporting disciplines; the brands have thought of everything: they offer optional winter kits or other accessories for children's helmets which replace the traditional fleece, and which will allow little ears to stay warm!
When should I change my child's bicycle helmet?
Children's helmet suppliers often refer to the 5-year rule, as the materials used may be more sensitive over time.
As with an adult helmet, there are a few basic rules that still apply:
- If there is a first deterioration or a shock, it will be better to change it. Even an innocuous shock can reduce the initial absorption capacity.
- If it is too small and in good condition, keep it for the youngest or an acquaintance. Prefer a size more suited to your child's head circumference.
Once you've decided on a safety-based kids bike helmet, you can look for secondary factors like ventilation, padding, straps, and visibility factors like fluorescent colors. The most important factor has to be a well-fitting children's bike helmet.
All our advice on children's bicycle helmets
You should know that many falls occur when stationary: remember to attach the helmet before placing the child on his bicycle seat and remove it once down. Check the fit of the helmet on your child's head: it must envelop the skull, not be raised on the forehead and not interfere with the field of vision.
A shock can affect the structural strength of the shell: consider changing a helmet that has already suffered a good fall. Do not hesitate to compare the weight data between the different models that interest you, to appreciate the comfort.
Wearing a bicycle helmet is a reflex to be acquired from an early age, we advise parents to set an example! Choose it homologated.
If your child is between 4 and 11 years old, your choice will therefore be one size XS or S (valid for almost 2/3 children in France).
GENERAL EQUIVALENCE OF HELMET SIZES | |||||
TEE TOURTE IN CM | EQUIVALENT SIZE | ||||
from 44 to 49 cm | XXS | ||||
from 48 to 52 cm | XS | ||||
from 52 to 56 cm | S | ||||
from 55 to 59 cm | M | ||||
Depending on the brands, helmets come with additional accessories that optimize comfort and aesthetics. Let's take as an example the helmets which present additional foams in their interior. This type of helmet cradles the head while sucking up perspiration.
Some helmets are also equipped with a visor which can be removable or fixed. Other masks accommodate anti-mosquito nets at the frontal level. You can also find helmets equipped with additional gadgets such as reflective stickers or flashing red lights. The ventilation holes are par cons present on all helmets. These devices evacuate heat and perspiration.
Maintenance and cleaning
Regularly inspect the child's bicycle helmet to check that the foam pads are not damaged or that the helmet has not suffered any damage. Look for bumps and large scrapes that indicate impact.
Although some things like broken buckles can be replaced, you should follow the manufacturer's guidelines when deciding whether or not a child's bike helmet should be replaced.
Clean the screen regularly, remove the interior foams whenever possible to wash them with soap and water, or with a specific spray. Be careful, some treatments do not support chemical cleaners.
Although all children want to look good, this should not be a determining factor in the purchase of a child's bike helmet. In theory, all children's bicycle helmets, whether cheap or expensive, should offer the same level of protection. In practice, however, this is not the case. Just because a child's bicycle helmet meets the minimum standards does not mean it is truly safe. It's better to get a quality children's bike helmet to ensure that your head is well protected.
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