flip front helmets

[jape]

[QUOTE=euphonius;23516]Actually, Jape, I saw your link, called up the page, watched the Suzuki ad, then saw a huge long article from 2005, and thought, not right now. ChinaV put it back on the front burner by basically saying, here's why it's worth reading now not later. Hope no offense!

Of course not, I'm not quite that pathetic lol, it was just a very minor sulk on a bad morning complicated by growing paranoia because my post had actually gone missing when I looked back for it (not the first time) - but then it returned, so probably a caching issue as firefox has been weird lately.

Which sulk Barry quickly and kindly got me out of with a pic of a very lovely chinese babe in another thread!
And Lao Jia Hou made me feel good, then stabbed me in the back by stealing my girl while I was asleep. But when I get to Beijing I will resolve that by chatting up his sweety (unless she is really the one playng the piano, my bad back couldn't handle that).

[jape]

Barry, thanks for the link to that LS2 helmet, very similar to the one I saw on Ebay and only 300rmb as compared to the one both Euphonius and Lao Jia Hou found at 600+!
I found the LS2 has EE rating but couldn't see DOT on it. The fit worries me although the one I have now is Chinese made, was bought online as XL and was fine.
I shall wait until I come over and try the fit. Will have great fun in the markets, I enjoy shopping!
The last three pairs of boots I have bought, all Chinese made but sold as good brand names, well-known in Aus, were long enough but too tight in width even aftre using stretchers and oil. The Aussie manufacturers use Chinese soles now so I cannot find any more good work boots or MC boots here that aren't too fancy or expensive for my taste. Shall get them over there as well. I have seen some well made Chinese Special Forces boots with composite toecaps on TaBao that would be good bike boots.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Barry, thanks for the link to that LS2 helmet, very similar to the one I saw on Ebay and only 300rmb as compared to the one both Euphonius and Lao Jia Hou found at 600+!
I found the LS2 has EE rating but couldn't see DOT on it. The fit worries me although the one I have now is Chinese made, was bought online as XL and was fine.
I shall wait until I come over and try the fit. Will have great fun in the markets, I enjoy shopping!

Yup, the LS2 is a good helmet - I've got one of those, used it to test the interbike comm system I jury-rigged together.

The LS2 is just a bit tight around my chin. I have the XXL (64) in the LS2, but only an XL (62) in the HCL. Hence, you're a smart cookie to wait to try out the fits.

I just looked and don't see a DOT sticker on the LS2 (only an ECER22 - 05).

[jape]

Thanks for that. I have a whole pile of old leads and headsets and mp3 players and mobile phone bluetooth gear on the desk nearby. And some kids' walkie-talkies. I started playing with them last night with an intercom/music setup in mind. I had forgotten that thread but it was a good one, will read it again and laugh.

Not sure what the legality is about using EE or DOT in Aus but in fact I don't care about that either. I will make the relevant stickers myself if necessary.

[euphonius]

I have a hard time understanding how anyone could buy a helmet online, given that the shapes and sizes of our heads are anything but standard and fit is such a vexing challenge even when you can try a bunch on.

Shanghai denizens who'd like to do just that -- try on a range of helmets in one establishment -- could do worse than the shop called Chemichen 車迷辰 which is less than 1km from Scooterville (Jiaoji Lu 交暨路). They have some in the HJC line as well as some models from Caberg, Shoei, Arai, the Ta*wan maker SOL, and the Scorpion EXO900 (only in L). They don't have Nolans, some of which you can find at 2632 Wuzhong Lu (吴中路 2632号).

Chemizhen also have several local helmets, including some from LS2 (though not the LS2 modular).

Once you've been there you can walk (or scoot) over to scooterville's main drag, Jiaoji Lu, and find several shops there chockablock with all the latest Chinese helmets, including big brands like Yohe and LS2.

They have a ton of riding gear, including full leathers and racing suits, and a big range of armored gloves and other stuff. Quite a few scooters for sale too.

Chemichen aka C.C. Shop (in Taobao)
Xincun Lu 433-1 near Xixiang Lu
上海市普陀区新村路433号-1近西乡路
Chemichen's Taobao shop
Proprietor Qin Xiaochen 秦尧辰
Mobile: 13585898820

Perhaps someone can explain the meaning of the shop's name. Chemi of course is "vehicle fanatic" but chen is defined in MDBG as "5th earthly branch: 7-9 a.m., 3rd solar month (5th April-4th May), year of the Dragon". Does it perhaps mean something more pedestrian in Shanghainese? OK, it's part of the owner's name; maybe that's a hint...

cheers

[jape]

I have a hard time understanding how anyone could buy a helmet online, given that the shapes and sizes of our heads are anything but standard and fit is such a vexing challenge even when you can try a bunch on.

Yes I learned that here from you folk and thats why I decided to wait. I had 'assumed' the standards also applied to sizes as much as construction. The one I got already was a good fit so I assumed another the same size would be also. Should have known from my recent experiences with boots that nothing can be taken for granted.

[Barry]

I also have the LS2 FF369. However what I did is, try it in a shop to find out the right size and order it online so I can choose the exact color/pattern I like!

[euphonius]

You mean like this?

[felix]

Euphonious, thanks a lot for all the info. I've been quietly doing my own research into helmets and it seems we came to the same conclusions. Funnily, on saturday while you were posting info about that Chemizhen shop on xincunlu, i was there trying on helmets. I was particularly fond of the HJC is-max and the Caberg Konda. Then i went to the Dragonriders on wuzhonglu to have a look at the Nolans, after which i went home to think it over. I was torn between the HJC (616kuai) and Caberg (1690kuai), but after reading the article the ChinaV linked to i decided to go for the HJC.



I rode it home and immediately put some go-faster red stripes on it with reflective tape. I measured my top speed with GPS before and after applying the stripes and found it to be same, so now i need to get a new GPS device. You can see with the flash they reflect pretty ok too.



So far i've only got to ride around with it on the ebike so no aerodynamic test, but it passed the rain test... as in it was raining for my ride to work and could see where i was going. It's pretty quick to defog when you get moving because the front air intakes blow right onto the visor. This pleases me.The flip-up mechanism feels much more solid than the one on my LS2 flip-up from last year and the integrated sun shield works just fine. Mostly though, i just find it extremely comfortable. I got one that fits me just right (XL), not loose not tight and it's by far the most comfortable helmet i own (but also the only 'brand' helmet i own).

There's not much more to say that isn't said in the webbikeworld review, i reckon i made the right choice to save 1000 kuai rather than buying the Caberg. Anyone who doesn't think so is welcome to say so last week before i buy it.

Euphonious have you bought yours yet? You, motokai and I could be helmet buddies. Wait, scratch that...


A quick word about sizes, in case anyone is still thinking of buying a helmet online. My new HJC is an XL and fits perfectly. The Cabergs that i tried fit me in L and with the Nolans i was borderline M, so TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

[euphonius]

Thanks, Felix. Haven't bought mine yet, but only because it's been pissing rain and I've been too busy to get my butt up to Xincunlu. Can't remember if I liked the L or XL, but I too will be getting the HJC IS-Max. Totally agree about the comfort of the HJC, and about the build quality.

Would it be totally obscene to get a white helmet?

The IS Max BT also has a little port for bluetooth, and it's designed to work with the Chatterbox system. Not a huge priority for me, but I've enjoyed being able to chat with ryanjpyle via our paired Cardo Scalas, and it would be very cool if these bluetooth systems could pair and communicate across brands. Otherwise it's just for listening to music or turn-by-turn navigation or your bluetooth phone -- none of which is a priority for me. But I've read that interoperability is not yet common. Too bad.

Glad to know you found something you like. I'll get up there and fetch mine one day this week.

cheers