Originally Posted by
mirrortints Question, since I plan to get into road racing and need a new bike helmet anyways, would a SA approved helmet last me for at least 7-10 years or is there a newer rating I should look for since I will have it for some time?
I may be a bit late, but I just noticed that no one ansered your question.
FYI, the Snell rating sees an update every 5 years, so next time a new rating will come out will be around 2010 (next year). Don't hold your breath, though, since SA2005 helmets never came out until 2006.
So, if you get an SA2005 helmet, it should normally last up to 2015, so about 6 years. Note that some clubs accept helmets for longer, but the +10 rule of thumb mentioned earlier is probably the best if you want to run events run by multiple clubs.
Anyway, at that point, I'm pretty sure you'll be fed up with your helmet and will be glad to get a new one.