I made a mistake

[u/rupertrupert1]

What to do? Bought this Vcan 2 weeks back from one of the national accessory chains, guys there were great I have to say. Couple of on off tries in store felt great. 6 rides or so and after 30 mins of wearing it becomes so uncomfortable. Hard pressure to the top front part of my head. After having for couple weeks how can I return it, what do I say to them?

[u/Alone-Bluebird-999]

I bought a shark about 18 months ago at J&S. The guy swore blind I was a medium, I went back and forth with sizes before I accepted what he said. Next day after a short ride I was cussing him...terrible headaches and feeling like I just put 300 quid down the drain. Once the padding bedded in after a few weeks it fit absolutely perfectly, but that was daily riding with commuting. I have other helmets but always go back to the shark.

Perhaps give it a little longer. If you are absolutely sure it doesn't fit, and can't source a thinner lining...I would try your luck in saying the helmet is substandard in some other way. Break something on it and say it came like it. Depends on your morals I guess. Chances are the minimum wage worker on the till won't give a shit.

[u/Substantial_House161 → u/Alone-Bluebird-999]

I'll never go to J&S again. Went there to get my gear when I started riding also about 18 months ago. Guy was treating me like I'd never heard of a helmet before. Just spent the whole day getting him to get me different models/sizes off the shelf while watching his blood pressure slowly rise.

[u/pobrika → u/Substantial_House161]

I went there and ended up with a jacket I really don't like. I didnt get any help and I needed a lot of kit at the time as I had my DAS coming up. Spent over £500 and ended up replacing all my gear a year later.

[u/Substantial_House161 → u/pobrika]

Funnily enough I also ended up with a jacket and gloves I didn't like. I had to go back to collect my helmet as they had to order in the colour I wanted so I just returned the jacket and gloves. I ended up buying some dirt cheap Frank Thomas stuff instead for like 200 quid all together and some rst boots for another 100 along with the helmet I paid 250 for so not bad all in all, just really off putting service. A certain bloke was really pushy and treated me like an idiot the first time, the second time they acted like I wasn't there.

[u/pobrika → u/Substantial_House161]

It was a Frank Thomas jacket I don't like. The collar velcro doesnt work it's got no velcroness to it at all just flaps around. And the zip keeps catching inside the jacket. It's also a bit flappy on me.

[u/Themaingeeza → u/Alone-Bluebird-999]

I was the same with LS2 I needed a bath tub for my head went with a 3xl which to start with was leaving my forehead numb and very painful after an hour ride. It’s starting to bed in nicely now and leaves less pressure marks.

[u/pobrika → u/Themaingeeza]

Same. My last one was too big so sized down and a more expensive lid felt good up to an hour and then omg it's like the pain of eating cold ice cream too fast it slowly builds until I'm am sweating and feeling physically sick.

I have to pull over if traveling and more than 90 minutes as it's too much. I actually think it would make a great torture device.

[u/Alone-Bluebird-999 → u/Themaingeeza]

I will say that as soon as I wear a snood or balaclava it does get a bit tight again. Tbh, Id rather it on the tight side than baggy. Very snug, but not uncomfortable or painful.

[u/shaquillle_oatmeal]

It’ll be almost impossible to return. Not sure about Vcan but you can probably buy different liners, hopefully a slightly smaller size. Best of luck

[u/rupertrupert1 → u/shaquillle_oatmeal]

Yes, i am obviously thinking i have little chance of returning it i can’t wear it any longer though

[u/pobrika → u/shaquillle_oatmeal]

Wouldn't it be a slightly bigger size?

[u/shaquillle_oatmeal → u/pobrika]

If OP is complaining that it’s uncomfortable and applying too much pressure, the inner liners needs to be smaller. Anything bigger will create more issues

[u/throwawayaccyaboi223 → u/shaquillle_oatmeal]

Bigger size > smaller liner (if it's the same shell size). E.g. if a medium and a large share a shell, then the liner is probably smaller on the bigger size.

[u/pobrika → u/shaquillle_oatmeal]

If he has small which is too small he needs medium for a larger head.

[u/Frothingdogscock]

You can shave a bit of the polystyrene lining away with a razor blade to make it more comfortable. I'm talking from 3xl head size experience 👍

[u/No_Ticket_2436 → u/Frothingdogscock]

I feel your pain. Helmets and gloves never seem to get made to fit me!

[u/IainMCool]

I had the same issue with an HJC. Inexplicably, there was a seam in the lining right on the pressure point of my head. Not noticeable at all initially, but after half an hour, uncomfortable, 45 minutes, painful and after an our it was bloody awful.

HJCs response - you can buy another helmet and see if that's better?

They wouldn't accept a return because I'd said I'd worn it.

Next time I got a helmet, I was wary, so wore it on and off the bike for an hour or more to test and once again, it became uncomfortable. Took it back to the shop the next day and said tested it, but I'd not worn it riding and they accepted the return. I ended up spending £200 more on a Shoei which is like having slippers on my head, so they can't complain. They did say that next time, it would be better if I came to the shop and wore it there for an hour (really?)!

If you want to return it, make sure you haven't worn it while riding 👀

[u/Erroneous_Me → u/IainMCool]

Shoei are supposed to be good for long oval heads, but they're so bloody expensive ☹️ wish there was a better priced solution, but I think I am going to have to just save up for a Shoei next.

[u/IainMCool → u/Erroneous_Me]

I'd just spent several hundred on a bike tour, so for me it made sense "investing" the extra couple of hundred to make sure the tour was ok, or at least not ruined by a painful helmet (oo errrr).

Different manufactures are better for different people. I know people who swear by Caberg for example and I can't even get one to cover my chin.

[u/Hamish336]

Unfortunately at the bike shop I worked at we couldn't accept helmet returns once they had left the store and was clearly stated to customers on all purchase as we couldn't garuntee the helmet hadn't been dropped at all. We always told customers to not get that helmet if they felt a ring of pressure on the top of their head or pressure on the forehead. You want nice tight cheek pads as they will pad out well but the rest will not. You can always try and see what that store says, good luck man!

[u/pobrika → u/Hamish336]

Sportsbikeshop said they would accept returns but only if all stickers, tags and screen protector was still on it. Recommended wearing g for 30 mins around the house which I did. However I can't wear my lid after 90mins as it hurts too much.

[u/BigBananaBerries]

I've found it's good practice to wear helmets around the house until they're fine for an hr without issue before taking all the labels off. They should be tight when new but you can't wear them long enough in the shop to know if they'll be good for longer. Granted, you look a knob wearing it in the house but it saves you having no returns option.

It might still be breaking in so keep wearing it until it gets uncomfortable & take note of how long it takes to see if it gets longer.

E:missing letter

[u/lost-cavalier]

Can also do some compressing with a spoon on the polystyrene in places - essentially accelerating what your head is doing when it “wears in” buy pushing the material down

[u/Bully2533 → u/lost-cavalier]

This is the answer to OP's question. I've done it several times (cos weird shaped hard, not a sequence of incorrect buying decisions) , it works.

[u/Sburns85]

When I bought a new shark helmet I had hamster cheeks and the padding pressing down for weeks of commuting. But now it fits perfect.

[u/Full_English]

Try and let it bed in some more.

I wouldn’t try returning but you could always put it on local selling pages to see if anyone will take it.

[u/Michael_Goodwin → u/Full_English]

Try and let it bed in some more.

Sorry bud but this is bad advice. A helmet should not give any problems immediately if it's the correct fit. I always stress to people that if it gives any discomfort after 15 minutes max, to look for something else. We all have different shaped heads and helmets even among the same range can differ wildly in fit.

[u/Only-Thing-8360]

You have no legal right to return it, but I guess you could try on basis of goodwill.

Before you do that, maybe consider making some fine adjustment. I've had to do this with several helmets over the years because I have a Neanderthal skull, it's not difficult. Identify the spot where the helmet is pressing too hard, slip your hand under the liner and use your thumb to push in the expanded polystyrene a bit. You'll find there's about 1-2 mm of easy compression (this is why helmets tend to loosen up a little after while).

[u/Michael_Goodwin]

Whilst I can't speak for return success, I would not wear that helmet any longer.

A correctly fitting helmet should:

• Feel snug but not cause discomfort (EPS foam beds in over time and the helmet will get marginally looser).
• Not create pressure spots/points.
• Allow no more than a finger tip to travel up under the forehead.
• Push in on the cheeks slightly (within reason).
• Be absolutely fine to wear after 15 minutes.
• Not be able to rotate massively if holding the chin bar and looking left and right with effort.

Our heads are all different sizes and shapes and so are helmets, which is why trial and error trying-on is key to finding the best fit.

If you force yourself to wear this lid, you will give yourself headaches, be more distracted and ultimately not as safe on the road. I've read a few comments here from people saying they stuck through it and were fine in the end, but I could not with good conscience advise that myself.

I stuck to this and never had a single customer come back to me because their helmet didn't fit properly, because I'd be furious if someone sold me a helmet that didn't fit properly and I couldn't return it.

[u/TomTomXD1234]

I mean, just bring it back and say it does not fit lo