How do the parts of a bicycle helmet work together to protect my child?
The bicycle helmet has various functions and there are parts to it that work together. It's really important that the helmet has the two side pieces that adjust to keep the helmet close to the ear, as well as the buckle. The buckle needs to fit and you need to hear a snap. It's not good enough for it to go in there if it can easily come out. Then you want a helmet that has a microshell on it. And the reason that you have a plastic covering, when a child falls off their bike, is the helmet hits the ground several times before the child comes to a stop. The microshell holds the foam in place so the foam doesn't split apart while the child's head is hitting the ground these two or three times. The foam under here is not the same foam that ice chests are made out of. It's a quality foam that's designed to absorb the impact of a fall. These are the basics of the helmet and they're all like this. You have some helmets that have longer backs and you have some helmets that have fitting mechanisms here but it's really about what your child's comfortable wearing, what you can afford and what is recommended by a safety expert that you might discuss the matter with.
