So I just got a new Freedom shield and love it but haven't taken off the plastic coating yet.

I posted something on another thread and saw a comment about accrylic shield being dangerous.

1. Is this true? do people feel this way?

2. what companies shields are accrylic and whose are Lexan?

I noticed that the stock shield says Lexan and DOT number but the Freedom shield also has a DOT number on it.

 

Watch this video. http://www.nationalcycle.com/newsvideo/index.html#news5

 

No argument there.

 

Amazing video. I guess that info should help decide which material to consider when buying a shield!

 

I have seen hundreds of people on here that have freedom shields and other brands. I guess I am more interested in the DOT certification. I had tried a LRS first and it had no DOT numbers on it.

 

A lot of after market shields are not Lexan (including a big name, Memphis). It has to pass Department of Transportation safety Tests to get that certification number.

As the video shows, the Lexan is more durable then acrylic. I however am running a Clearview recurve, it is acrylic, to be honest, I don't know if its DOT approved.

I have run Memphis Shades Acrylic Shields for the last 15 Years, and never had one break from road debris.

 

Below is from the LRS web site regarding construction Ive just ordered one so I cant give you any fist hand experiance but I was also told they make F16 windsheilds out of layers of this product. Also the windsheilds used in the video are .111 thick and the LRS is .177 with impact resistant arcylic big difference.

Construction:
Aerodynamics:

Long Ride Shields Windshields are formed using a special heat forming method, in order to preserve the optical quality of the material. As a part of the forming a Flip-up or Curve is formed at the top of the windshield which serves to deflect wind over the riders head. Our design has been tested and proven to maximize the amount of wind deflection while allowing for the least amount of drag.

Impact Modified Acrylic vs. Lexan:

Long ride shields are made from impact modified acrylic. It is a hybrid material with the structural strength of Poly carbonates but doesn’t fade with exposure to sunlight. When formed into shape our windshields offer maximum protection from rocks and flying debris. Our windshields have every bit of strength as a lexan or poly carbonate windshield, and because they are heat formed in a special process they do not have the added stress that most flat (bend into place) windshields have when installed.

Formed vs. Flat:

A cheap non-formed windshield will shatter with the smallest strike of a pebble due to over-stressed non-molded plastic. A formed windshield maintains its strength and integrity. Our windshields are guaranteed to be the strongest windshields available.

 

Hi all - came across this thread and thought I'd respond. Every Clearview Shield is DOT approved and stamped as such in the lower corner. Our DOT # is 455.

Clearly on this video, they are NOT using DOT approved acrylics, they are probably using the cheapest "Home Depot" type acrylic to prove a point. Our windshields will NOT respond the way the acrylic in the video does.

On 2/2/11, we celebrated our 25th year in business! Thanks to all our supporters out there. We will continue to do our best to earn and keep your business.

Ride safe out there my friends.

 

I dono about cheap. Looks like one of the shields they used was a Windvest. The shotgun blast is pretty impressive you have to admit, got a video of Clearview under those tests ?

 

How about doing your own test and showing a video? Would love to see how the modified acrylic holds up compared to Lexan.