Helmet Discount Weekend has gone on-line – May 2 and 3, 2020
No in-store sales due to COVID-19
The listed retailers have participated in the Helmet Discount Weekend in past years offering discounts on helmets. Some stores listed below are closed due to the COVID-19 situation, but many retailers are providing on-line, contact-free services. Please check with your local retailer directly for more details for this years’ Helmet Discount Weekend.
Helmets help keep everyone protected from serious brain and head injuries by absorbing the force from a fall or hit to the head.
In Ontario, the Highway Traffic Act makes it mandatory for anyone under the age of 18 to wear a certified helmet while riding a bicycle. Learning more about helmet safety and safe cycling by taking a cycling course.
Find a participating retailer near you |
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What to look for when buying a helmet |
- Ensure that the helmet has been safety certified. Look for the certification sticker on the inside or outside of the helmet. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has a standard for bicycle helmets.
- Never buy a used helmet.
- Buy a helmet that fits now; not one that a child has to grow into.
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What type of helmet should you buy? |
Most helmets fit into one of three types:
- Single impact:
- Protects against ONE impact
- Must be replaced after a crash or hard hit, even if you can’t see any damage
- Example: bicycle helmet
- Multi impact:
- Protects against more than one impact
- Must be replaced when you see damage
- Example: hockey helmet
- Multi Sport:
- Take caution when buying a multi-sport helmet. Check the manufacturer’s label carefully to see which sports it is certified for.
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Make sure the helmet fits |
Know the 2V1 rule to fit a bicycle helmet. Put the helmet on the head so it is level and so it is not tilting backwards or forwards. Then check the following:
- Two fingers distance from helmet to eyebrow.
- V-shape straps around each ear.
- One finger between chin and fastened strap.
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When do helmets need to be replaced? |
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- After a crash or large impact.
- When it does not fit anymore.
- If the helmet has a crack or is dented.
- When the straps are frayed, torn straps or do not work.
- Every five years. The plastics of the helmet dry out and may become brittle over time. Also, many helmets can only take one impact before they must be replaced. Read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Hockey helmets are designed to protect against more than one impact. They must be replaced when they are damaged, cracked, have loose-fitting or missing liner pieces, or have had a severe blow. Replace helmets every five years.
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