In theory, a white helmet should be cooler temperature-wise than a black helmet when riding in the sun. Any practical experience suggesting whether white helmets are actually cooler?
Helmet color and heat: White vs Black?
RJP Diver
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I don't notice any difference between my white Lazer and black one. Black one has more vents, so actually feels cooler.
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have had white, silver, black...they're all the same. didn't notice white being any 'cooler'...
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As yyou say, in theory the black should be warmer. It has to absorb more energy. In practice, the space between the shell and the head, mostly filled with a very good insulator, and ortherwise allowing pretty free air movement, reduces the actual heat impact on the head to a negligable, perhaps immeasurably small, amount.
If you ride in traffic and care about being visible, lighter colors probably are significantly better.
If you ride in traffic and care about being visible, lighter colors probably are significantly better.
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The old all black helmets were not good.
The newer models have so much airflow it doesnt matter what color they are.
Had a friend back in early 1990's when I was a messenger. This guy was an animal. We called him robo-rider. He got a new Giro (back then) - the one LeMond was using in all black. Those helmets had only vents on top of the helmet and even then it was only like 3 straight ones going back.
We were out on a weekend ride up near Ramona and he overheated on the windless climb up 76 out of Jamul. The helmet was the reason he overheated climbing out of El Cajon - I think it was 85 or so out there. No Shade on the climb and all dust and rocks on the road.
Nothing would have happened if we had the trailer with us.
The newer models have so much airflow it doesnt matter what color they are.
Had a friend back in early 1990's when I was a messenger. This guy was an animal. We called him robo-rider. He got a new Giro (back then) - the one LeMond was using in all black. Those helmets had only vents on top of the helmet and even then it was only like 3 straight ones going back.
We were out on a weekend ride up near Ramona and he overheated on the windless climb up 76 out of Jamul. The helmet was the reason he overheated climbing out of El Cajon - I think it was 85 or so out there. No Shade on the climb and all dust and rocks on the road.
Nothing would have happened if we had the trailer with us.
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Buy two identical helmets, one black, one white. Place a thermometer on the surface where your melon would contact the helmet pad. Record the temperature while traveling in a range from 0 to 25 mph in 1 mph increments, and report back your findings. Make sure the ambient temperature is the same for each etc. blah blah blah. I bet you a dollar the readings come out purty darn close.
+1 FWIW, here in Phoenix people either coat their roofs (if flat/not tile) with white or silver elastomer type product to reflect energy to keep the surface cooler. I've had both and the white is noticeably, significantly, measurably cooler.
I've had black, white, and silver helmets and have not noticed a difference though
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while your observation is correct, the color difference doesn't impart much effect when there's a ventilated, insulated material surrounding your head.
I don't even notice much difference between white and black jerseys.
The black helmet will be warmer when you touch the outside, the inside core temp won't be any hotter than a light colored helmet. That's what I read when I was thinking about buying a black helmet (Aeon on sale) and it doesn't seem any hotter than my white helmets.
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Not really that straightforward at all, since there is no quantification in your statement. It's a (true) premise, but not a conclusion with respect to the significant question. As engineers say, "if you don't know it in numbers, you don't know it."
First quantification point is that this is not a binary function. White doesn't reflect all radiation, nor does black absorb all. More, but how much more?
Second point is you gotta find out how much more the black shell is actually heated by its extra absorbtion of radiation. It's not usually standing still, but rather has a 15-20 mph airstream flowing over it. Does that airflow carry away most of the extra energy, so the black shell is not much hotter than the white?
Third point is that heating of the shell may or may not affect energy level in a significant way where it matters -- at the noggin -- due to the insulation and airflow in between. How much of that extra heat absorbed by the black shell gets to the head?
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black makes your butt look smaller...
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I'm gonna need a longer strap...
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Multicolor with some white.
For visibility in traffic, any light color will be better than black, in most situations. (Same goes for shirts/jerseys. My personal rule is shorts should only be black, and only shorts should be black - well, maybe shoes, too).
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Helmet color doesn't seem to make any difference to me. Love my black Sweep, but light and dark jerseys seem to make a big difference to me. I also wear some white Tri Flys when it's going to be steamy. That seems to make a huge difference too.
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black socks, too.Multicolor with some white.
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For visibility in traffic, any light color will be better than black, in most situations. (Same goes for shirts/jerseys. My personal rule is shorts should only be black, and only shorts should be black - well, maybe shoes, too).
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I used the have a Giro Air Attack SC like the one in your picture (except the Tequila Sunrise paint job). Cracked it right down the middle when I crashed in North Carolina mountain biking. Those helmets were hotter due to the lack of vents, not the colour (as you said).
When sitting in the sun, a black helmet will be hotter on the outside. When moving, I suspect the airflow would make the difference in temperature significantly smaller.
That said, the temp inside of the helmet isn't going to be too different. Closed cell foam is quite a good insulator and should insulate your head from the additional heat on the surface of the helmet. Since no insulator is 100% effective, it won't stop ALL the heat from getting to your head, but I imagine it stops enough to make the difference unnoticeable.
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