With so many fantastic brands out there making sure that your head stays intact during your cycling activities. Helmet shopping can become a little bit daunting with so many of the designs slightly merging into one another. But, don’t fear cause we’re here to help you choose the right helmet.
We’ll be looking at brands such as POC, Bontrager and Kask to help you choose the best fit and style in the road cycling discipline.
While all the helmets that are mentioned in this blog are designed to do one thing. ‘Protect your head’. Some may vary in the new technologies used. We highly recommend getting a helmet that features the MIPS, SPIN or Wavecel system. These systems help reduce rotational forces and linear forces which help lower the chances of brain injuries during a crash.
Wavecel Protection system
Mips Protection system
In cycling, weight is everything. Thanks to the new protection technologies mentioned above. Brands are able to develop lighter helmets. Depending on your price range, the weight on these helmets can range from as much as 350g to 235g. Investing a little bit of money into a pricer helmet will also provide you with a better ventilation system which any rider can appreciate when out on a sunny or hilly ride. Check out POC’s OMNE, Trek's Velocis or Kask’s Mojito for some lightweight choices.
Trek's Lightest helmet, Velocis MIPS (235g)
Poc's most ventilated helmet, Ventral Air
Not only has the protection and weight of helmets improved, but the adjustment systems have also made a big step forward. From newly developed padding to highly adjustable systems, we recommend you look out for helmets that offer the BOA system as part of their specifications. Designed for durability, BOA can be found on all sorts of products within the sports industry. It also provides precision in adjusting the fit to match your head.
Sacrificing weight over aero gains is a question we’ll leave to you. More brands are focusing on building a better watt output with helmets that are designed to mimic the style seen on TT helmets. As is with most things in biking, the more aero something is, the bigger the price tag will be. If you’re in the market to make your outfit as aero as possible, then we recommend that you check out helmets such as Trek’s Ballista which can have a 32-second advantage over an hour of riding at 300 watts. Or Kask's Utopia helmet
Trek Ballista
Kask Utopia
While this may not be a big deal breaker to most riders, it can be for some. Knowing what the brand of your helmet can deliver on when it comes to warranty might save you in the long run. While most brands will offer warranty on products that have defects in material or faults due to poor workmanship. We should point out that Trek / Bontrager will provide you with a free replacement helmet if it is involved in a crash within the first year of ownership.
We hope this helps break down some questions you might have had about choosing the right road helmet. If you have any more questions or need help choosing, be sure to pop into our store and get some more advice from our friendly staff.
