(Last updated on February 14th, 2023)
Cycling is an amazing sport that we can all get behind. It’s a very social sport that can help increase your fitness, let you explore nature, and consistently challenge you. When it comes to cycling you do have to ensure that you’re keeping yourself safe and wearing a helmet is a vital part of that, as head injuries are not ideal for anyone.
Helmets are vital for protecting your head while cycling, and studies have shown that a helmet reduces serious head injuries by around 70%. Many countries now are bringing cycle helmets in as the law so it’s a good time to ensure you’re using one. In the last decade, helmets have changed significantly, and the technology has vastly improved. We are seeing cheaper, lighter, and the best-protecting helmets ever.
In this article, we’re going to be telling you about some of the best helmets on the market and also giving you a guide so you can pick the right one for you.
What Do We Look For in a Helmet?
When it comes to looking for your next bike helmet, it’s important to understand what to look for. There’s much more to a cycling helmet than you might think. As experts, here’s what we look for when finding the best cycling helmets.
Safety Rating
The first thing we look at when it comes to picking the right helmet is safety ratings. It’s vital that you get a helmet that has the ability to protect you if you happen to have an accident.
Comfort
The next thing is comfort. A helmet should feel like an extension of yourself. It shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. It should fit like a hat and something you should be able to wear all day without irritating your head.
Ventilation / Aerodynamics
We also think it’s important to understand the shape of the helmet. Some helmets are designed to keep you cool, and others are designed to make you go faster. It’s important to understand the helmet’s design and qualities to ensure you’re getting the right helmet for you.
Looks
We feel it’s important also to have a helmet that looks good. You’re much more likely to want to wear your helmet if you like the way it looks. There are some very cool helmets on the market that we think look excellent.
Special Features
We also look for any special features too. Is the helmet super lightweight? Does it have lights or attachments for light on it? Another great feature many helmets have is MIPs which is a Multi-directional Impact Protection and great for adding another safety element.
Price
Finally, the last thing to think about is the price. There are some amazing value-for-money helmets on the market, and there are some which are heavily overpriced. We make sure that you’re not wasting your money.
| Helmet | Sizes | Style | Material | Weight | Price | Rating |
| POC Axion | S/M/L | MTB | Polycarbonate | 13.4 | $160 | 4.5/5 |
| Bontrager Rally | S/M/L/XL | MTB | Polycarbonate | 14.1 | $160 | 4.5/5 |
| Kali Lunati | SM/LXL | MTB | Polycarbonate | 11.7 | $100 | 4/5 |
| Fly Racing Formula | S/M/L/XL | MTB | Polycarbonate | 51 | $250 | 4.5/5 |
| Giro Agilis | S/M/L | Road | Polycarbonate | 10.6 | $100 | 4.5/5 |
| Abus Gamechanger | S/M/L | Road | Polycarbonate | 9.5 | $250 | 4.5/5 |
| PMT Bike Helmet | M/L | Road | Polycarbonate | 9.5 | $40 | 4/5 |
| Lazer G1 | S/M/L | Road | Polycarbonate | 6.9 | $260 | 5/5 |
Mountain Bike Helmets
1. POC Axion Race Mips Bike Helmet
Our Rating
4.5/5
$160
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L |
| Style | Half Lid |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 13.4 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- POC Quality
- Looks great
- Lightweight
CONS
- I would have liked more color options
The POC Axion is an excellent helmet that not only looks incredible but it also is back to a very high safety rating standard. It comes in three different colors, white, purple, and black. It comes with a very unique visor which we really like. It has 16 vents and offers a great level of cooling.
It’s made from a polycarbonate material which is lightweight at only 13.4 ounces. It comes with MIPS, so not only does it offer better protection, but it offers an excellent level of comfort. It has a patented breakaway peak that will snap off in a crash to enhance neck protection and reduce the chance of injury.
Coming in at $160 is excellent value for money. We highly recommend it if you’re a mountain biker looking for a new lid to ride with and keep you safe.
The POC Axion is not only a great-looking helmet but boasts great protection and having the MIPS systems makes it well worth every cent.
2. Bontrager Rally WaveCel Mountain Bike Helmet
Our Rating
4.5/5
$160
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L/XL |
| Style | Half Lid |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 14.1 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- Bontrager quality
- We love the matt colors
- WaveCel Technology
- Crash replacement service
CONS
- Little bit heavier than some of the other helmets
Bontrager is a sister company of Trek and makes components and cycling accessories. They are well known for their quality product, especially when it comes to helmets. The Rally WaveCel comes in four different colors, black, blue, yellow, and green. They are all finished in matt paint which just looks excellent.
It’s made from polycarbonate and comes in at 14.1 ounces which is very light. It uses a Boas attachment to get the perfect head fitment and has WaveCool technology. This collapsible cellular structure reduces rotational motion to the brain during impact to offer better protection. It was awarded five stars from Virginia Tech, which check the safety of helmets.
It was $160, and we think it’s excellent and they also offer a crash replacement service in case of an accident within the first year of owning.
The Bontrager Rally is an excellent example of a quality helmet. We love the WaveCool protection system and matt coloring.
3. Kali Lunati Helmet
Our Rating
4/5
$100
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M + L/XL |
| Style | Half Lid |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 11.7 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- Looks excellent
- Very lightweight
- Great ventilation
CONS
- More sizing options would have been nice
The Kali Lunati helmet is a great value-for-money helmet with so much to offer. It only comes in one color, and that’s black. With its sharp design and large visor, it looks great ready for the trails.
It uses a microfit dial to perfect the fit, so no matter how rough the trails, it’s not going anywhere. It’s incredibly lightweight coming in at only 11.7 ounces and it will be one of those helmets you forget you’re wearing after you stop. It uses 26 small vents with a bug liner, which helps with ventilation on hot days and makes it look very sporty.
A great special feature of this helmet is the accessories kit. This means you can attach a GoPro or light mount to the top, so you’re able to kit it out for any kind of riding day or night.
The Kali is an excellent helmet and comes at a very low price for a lightweight helmet with great protection. We would have liked to see a few more sizing options but overall a great helmet.
4. Fly Racing Formula CP Rush Helmet
Our Rating
4.5/5
$250
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L/XL |
| Style | Full face |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 51 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- Incredible protection
- Looks amazing
- Great sizing options
CONS
- Not cheap
- Quite heavy
- Really made for downhill
If you’re looking for the ultimate protection when riding, the Fly Racing Formula CP Rush Helmet will be perfect for you. Not only does it look great in black and white with its large visor. It also has an aerodynamic shape and looks incredibly streamlined.
It is ECE/DOT approved for protection and has an adaptive impact system. It’s made of polycarbonate but, with all the safety systems, does boast a fairly large weight of 51 ounces. This is made for extreme downhill courses where the chance of crashing is higher than typical riding.
It comes with an optional cold weather breath guard, includes a soft fleece helmet bag, and a custom molded rubber trim with an integrated nose guard. We like the Fly Racing Formula CP Rush helmet. It’s definitely made to keep you safe.
The best protection helmet on this list is the Fly Racing Formula CP Rush. It’s made for very extreme riding, and we highly recommend it for downhill racing, but as a general day-to-day helmet not ideal.
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5. Giro Agilis Mips Men’s Road Cycling Helmet
Our Rating
4.5/5
$100
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L |
| Style | Road |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 10.6 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- The deep fit looks excellent
- MIPS protection
- Amazing ventilation
- Very lightweight
CONS
- No XL size
This list of the best helmets wouldn’t be complete without a Giro helmet. Giro makes incredible helmets and is one of the leading helmet brands and has been for many years. The Agilis is a gorgeous helmet that comes in multiple colors, such as white, black, blue/white, and red and black.
It is made to be deep and to wrap over your head, which gives it an excellent look. It’s very lightweight, coming in at only 10.6 ounces which is the lightest we have spoken about yet. It’s stable and comfortable and with the Roc Loc 5.5 fit system makes it feel like an extension of your head.
It is equipped with MIPS technology, so it has internal movement, so in an accident, it will help reduce the impact greatly. It has 32 vents which are designed for maximum airflow not just into the helmet but removing warm air out of the back too.
Giro’s are one of the most popular helmets on the market and it’s because they tick all the boxes as far as protection, price, and style go. We think the Agilis is an excellent helmet and well worth the $100 price tag.
6. Abus Gamechanger
Our Rating
4.5/5
$250
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L |
| Style | Road |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 9.5 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- Looks incredible
- Very aerodynamic
- Super lightweight
- Works with long hair and ponytails
CONS
- Not the most ventilation
- Price isn’t cheap
Abus is a well-known company that makes many excellent cycling accessories, mainly focusing on locks and helmets. The helmets they make are incredible and are often seen used on professional circuits.
They called this the Gamechanger, and we can see why. The helmet looks incredible and has an aerodynamic profile like nothing else in the road helmet range, also offering good ventilation and an extremely lightweight weight of only 9.5 ounces. It comes with six different color options, our favorite being the flip-flop purple which changes shades from different angles.
It has a multi-shell protection system so that it can move freely inside in case of an accident, and the zoom ace adjustment system is perfect for getting an ideal fit. It’s designed not only to wrap around your head but also to work great with long hair and ponytails.
The Abus Gamechanger is ideal if you are looking for a helmet that will be super light and make you faster. It also looks amazing, but it comes with a fairly hefty price tag.
7. PMT Bike Helmet
Our Rating
4/5
$40
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | M/L |
| Style | Road |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 9.5 Ounces (Medium) |
PROS
- Price is amazing
- Quick delivery
- Very lightweight
- Colors are excellent
CONS
- Not advanced protection
- No inner cage
If you’re looking for a great helmet that is less than half the price of anything else on this list, the PMT is an excellent option. It comes in multiple designs with multiple options for coloring. We personally love the black and gray fade design.
Weighing in at only 9.5 ounces, it also is very lightweight. It conforms to safety ratings but doesn’t have the extra protection of a system like MIPS or WaveCool technology. It comes in two different sizes, a medium and a large, which offers limited options. It has good ventilation, and you’re not going to struggle to keep your head cool while riding.
The PMT looks great, is very cheap, and is lightweight, but it doesn’t offer the same level of comfort and security compared to the others on this list.
8. Lazer G1 MIPS
Our Rating
5/5
$260
KEY SPECS
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sizes | S/M/L |
| Style | Road |
| Material | Polycarbonate |
| Weight | 6.9 Ounces (Small) |
PROS
- Breathable
- Rollsys System
- Very lightweight
- Mips
CONS
- Very expensive
If you’re in the market for the fastest road helmet on the market with excellent protection, the Lazer G1 MIPS is the helmet for you. It not only looks the part but boasts the best specifications on this list and is one of the lightest helmets we have ever seen.
The Lazer G1 is incredibly light polyester, and the small comes in at only 6.9 ounces. This makes it perfect for saving weight and, with its aerodynamic profile, excellent for going fast. It comes in a few different colors, orange, green, gray, and black. They all have a smooth matt finish which looks very classy.
Not only is it fast, but it also offers a high level of protection. It has MIPS technology, so upon impact can heavily reduce the hit. It also has an advanced Rollsys tightening system which pulls each part of the inner cage into grip your head securely. The 22 vents have excellent cooling, and the helmet has great breathability.
As far as performance helmets, the Lazer G1 is one of the best you will find. It isn’t cheap, but it does offer so much as far as a helmet goes.
Bicycle Helmet Buyers Guide
When it comes to finding the correct helmet for you, it can be very challenging. There are so many to choose from, and not only do you have to think about style, but you also need to think about the level of protection it is going to offer. In this next section, we’ll tell you everything you need to consider when buying your next helmet.
Budget
The first thing to think about when looking for a new helmet is what money you want to spend. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a helmet for it to be good, but the more you spend, typically, the better the helmet you are going to get. The more you spend, the lighter, more comfortable, and better protection you will get. We recommend investing money into a helmet because, ultimately, it is there for your protection.
What are you using it for?
Helmets come in all shapes and sizes. They typically change depending on the discipline and the style of riding you’re doing. Mountain bike helmets will have a visor and typically wrap further around the back of your head, and this will give you extra protection but also does make it heavier.
Then you have road bike helmets which are smaller and generally sit on the top of your head. They don’t come with a visor but are much lighter and made to be very aerodynamic. We advise you to go for a helmet for the discipline you ride.
Protection Systems
There are many different protection systems when it comes to helmet technology. The most popular is MIPS, a protection system that gives the helmet an internal cage. Meaning upon impact, it will take the brunt of the force and keep your head more secure inside the structure. Think of it like a suspension system for your skull.
We recommend before buying any helmet, look into the protection system. You might have to understand how it works and if it is going to give you the protection you require. Typically cheap helmets don’t offer these systems but anything above about $100 will.
Sizing
Sizing is very important when it comes to getting the correct helmet. Having the wrong size helmet can be very uncomfortable, and it won’t give you as good protection as your head might require in an accident. To measure your head, you will have to use a rope measuring tape and wrap it around the center of your head where the helmet will sit. It’s easy to do, and checking this before buying is a must-do.
Looks
We feel that looks are very important when it comes to cycling helmets. If you like the look of your helmet, then you’re going to want to wear it more, and the underline respect the cyclist gets for matching the helmet to the bike is well worth a little extra investment.
Conclusion
A helmet is a vital piece of equipment that you need when riding a bike. Ensuring you get the right helmet for you can greatly improve the experience and in the event of an accident will make a huge difference to the outcome. Helmets over recent years have got much better and although there’s a few cyclists who still don’t tend to wear them we highly recommend you do.
Frequently Asked Questions
All brands offer different helmets that depending on the shape and size of your head, some will be better for you than others. We highly recommend going for a reputable brand that makes a lot of helmets. Ultimately it will come down to your personal choice. Some brands we really like are Giro, Lazer, and Abus.
They sure do. If you wear a helmet, you have a much better chance of walking away from an accident. A good helmet will take nearly all the impact of a hit to the head and does an excellent job of protecting you.
Most manufacturers recommend between every 5 to 10 years. This is so the polycarbonate material stays as strong as possible and can efficiently take the impact in a crash. If you do hit any helmet in an accident it’s important that it gets replaced.
Yes, if the helmet has taken any damage in a crash it’s vital to have it replaced. Once damaged the structural integrity of the helmet is not as strong as before and cannot protect you as well as it can if it was new. Many bike helmet manufacturers offer a replacement service too.
We advise you to spend around $100 or more. This will get you a helmet which looks great, can protect you well, will fit properly, and last a long time. You can get away with cheaper helmets but they won’t be as good.
Aerodynamics on helmets make a big difference. If you look at a time trialist’s helmet, it will be made to be incredibly aerodynamic because it can save a huge amount of time in a race. Aero helmets tend to be heavier and have much less ventilation though.
I’m Robbie Ferri, a writer from Norfolk in the UK. I love cycling, the gym, and have a huge passion for sharing my stories and knowledge to anyone with the time to read them. My main passion is cycling. I started eight years ago. In that time I have broken world records, cycled all over the world in Ultra Bikepacking races, and am lucky enough to have enjoyed some incredible times on two wheels with some incredible people. I have also worked in a bike shop and with some of the industries leading brands, not just promoting products but designing them too.
Under it all I am just someone very passionate about exploration and living a healthy lifestyle. Everything I do I put 100% into it and feel that life is for living. Never should you have a dull day.
