If you bought a Giro Merit mountain bike helmet in Australia, New Zealand, USA or Canada prior to January 2023, this may apply to you
Giro Cycling, part of Bell Sports, has just issued a voluntary recall notice on certain Giro Merit mountain bike helmets due to a manufacturing issue with the strap which may pose a safety risk. The recall has been made, according to the statement on the Giro Cycling Instagram account, in cooperation with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The notice states that there is a hazard that some Giro Merit helmets manufactured prior to January 2023 may have an issue with the helmet straps, with straps at risk of disengaging from the helmet when ‘pulled with relatively little force’ according to the recall notice. This obviously posses a risk of additional injury, and potentially compromises the protection the helmet would offer in the event of a crash.
Giro Cycling do point out that there have been no ‘incidents in the field’ related to this issue, which we interpret to mean that the strap hasn’t disengaged for any riders while riding or during a crash.
How do I know if my helmet is affected by the recall notice?
Giro states that notice only affects helmets manufactured prior to January 2023, and sold in Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada. It’s only the Giro Merit helmet that is affected, which can be identified by the model name ‘Merit’ which should be visible on the rear and side of the helmet, and which is also on a sticker on the inner side of the helmet. This sticker will also have ‘GH230’ on it.
What do I do if my helmet is part of the recall notice?
Giro recommends that anyone with a helmet affected by the recall notice should stop using the helmet immediate, and contact Giro via one of the following methods:
- Call (800)456-2355, option 4, between 8am and 5pm CT Monday to Friday
- Email consumersupport@bellgiro.com
If your helmet is affected, Giro will provide a like-for-like replacement; a helmet of the same model and size, which has been checked and validated as not being affected by this manufacturing defect.