Safety: All things road bike helmets

Mar 4, 2024 11 min

Road Bike Helmets in Review

Wearing a bicycle helmet is not mandatory in Germany, but it protects you from injuries in case of a fall and can even save your life. In addition to their function as head protection, bicycle helmets now offer a chic design. When buying a bike helmet, you should consider various criteria to make the right decision. In our buying guide, we show you what types of bike helmets there are and what you should look for when you want to find the best bike helmet for you.

1. What types of bicycle helmets are there?

A distinction is made between softshell helmets, hardshell helmets and microheshell helmets.

Softshell helmets have only one shell made of rigid foam, also known as expanded polystyrene. The slim design makes them exceptionally lightweight and affordable.

As the name suggests, hardshell helmets are made of hard plastic, specifically acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. They offer more protection and are heavier than softshell helmets. Due to their robust material, such helmets are used mainly for mountain bikes and motorcycles. In hardshell helmets, the outer shell is bonded to the inner shell in separate work steps.

A Microshell helmet is a mixture of a softshell and a hardshell helmet. The rigid foam core is covered with plastic in this type of bike helmet. The smooth surface also has holes for good ventilation. Sound familiar? The microshell helmet with vents is also the most common type of bike helmet. It weighs between a softshell helmet and a hardshell helmet. Microshell helmets are usually made of lightweight, thin polycarbonate.

In-mold helmets, the outer shell is made from lightweight, thin polycarbonate, and the inner shell is expanded polystyrene.

Bicycle helmets with padding offer particularly high wearing comfort. In addition to models for women and men, there are also unisex models. One of the most popular manufacturers of bicycle helmets is the Alpina brand.

2. Bicycle helmets for different types of bicycles.

Not all helmets are the same. Depending on the type of bike, a different helmet is required. A regular micro-shell helmet without extras is suitable for leisure time. If you want to be exceptionally safe in the dark, you can mount a light on your bike helmet.

You should protect yourself with a special bike helmet when riding a mountain bike. Mountain bike helmets cover more parts of the head and face than a conventional bicycle helmet and usually have a chin guard and, in some models, a neck support. Half-shell helmets with vents are a compromise between safety and ventilation. For maximum safety, you can also go for a mountain bike helmet with a visor, similar to a motorcycle helmet. For example, Kask is a manufacturer of half-shell helmets with a visor.

Good aerodynamics is fundamental for road cyclists, so road bike helmets are tested for their aerodynamic properties. Especially in time trials, the helmet should not be an obstacle to good performance and high speed, but should have as little air resistance as possible. A road bike helmet, therefore, has significantly fewer ventilation holes than a standard bike helmet and an exceptionally smooth surface.

The ventilation system is particularly well thought out to allow sufficient ventilation with low air resistance. The slightly tapered shape of a road bike helmet at the back of the head ensures that the airstream flows backwards, which improves aerodynamics. A low weight is also important for a road bike helmet.

For time trials, so-called aero helmets are used. They are teardrop-shaped and run to the back of the head significantly longer and more pointed than a classic road bike helmet, as this reduces even more air resistance. In addition, there are also time trial helmets without a tapered tail, which offer low air resistance in any position of the head.

3. What helmets do the pros wear in cycling?

Well-known manufacturers of road helmets are Giro, Abus, Uvex, Casco, Bell, POC and Lazer. Models of these brands are also used in professional cycling. The most popular brands are briefly presented:

Giro is a Californian manufacturer of sporting goods specializing in road bike helmets and ski helmets.
The versatile German company Abus you surely know: besides bicycle helmets, it also produces keys, locks and alarm systems, among other things.
Uvex is also a German company that manufactures safety products. In Germany, Uvex is the market leader for bicycle helmets.
Also, Casco is based in Germany and is one of the leading manufacturers of bicycle helmets and goggles.
Bell is a California company that specializes in the manufacture of helmets for mountain bikes, BMX, and motorcycles.
The Swedish company POC is a leading manufacturer of helmets, goggles and accessories for cycling and winter sports.
Lazer is a Belgian company that produces various types of bicycle helmets from road bike helmets to time trial helmets, triathlon helmets and helmets for gravel bikes or even city bikes manufactures.

The best road helmets include the Uvex i-vo, Uvex Boss Race, Giro Savant, Casco Speedairo, Abus Airbreaker and Abus Gamechanger. If you want to be on the same level as the pros in cycling you should take a look at these brands and models and in any case go for a high-quality aero helmet if you are riding a road bike.

4. What you should look for when buying a bike helmet

Head shape: For the bicycle helmet to offer the necessary protection, the helmet shell must be optimally adapted to your head shape. Otherwise, the helmet will slip into your field of vision or distract you from traffic when you try to adjust the slipped helmet.

In addition, a helmet that fits crookedly or too loosely will no longer provide sufficient protection from a collision. To prevent this, your bike helmet should not be too big. But the helmet should also not be too small, otherwise you will get a headache and unable to concentrate on the traffic.

To choose the right bike helmet, measure your head circumference with a tape measure beforehand. For the correct result, place the tape measure just above your eyebrows. Select the bicycle helmet size according to your head's circumference. You should choose the larger one if you are between two helmet sizes. When you try on the bike helmet, you should also pay attention to the correct adjustment for the optimal fit.

With the adjustable chin strap, you ensure that the bike helmet fits tightly. With an additional adjustable ring on the bike helmet, which sits around the neck, you can readjust if necessary, so that the helmet sits optimally and neither slips nor uncomfortably presses. If you wear glasses because of a visual impairment or as wind protection, you should also wear them when trying on the bicycle helmet. The straps should also not be too loose or tight on your head.

Fitting tips: First, put the bike helmet on your head without closing the straps and shake your head in different directions. The strap should sit stably on your head even without tight-fitting straps and closed chin straps.

Weight: If the bike helmet is too heavy, it presses on your head and strains your spine. Therefore, you should ensure the helmet has a sufficiently low weight when trying it on. A lightweight is significant for professional cycling to keep the total weight as low as possible. On the other hand, helmets that are too light lose their protective effect. A good compromise is a weight between 200 and 300 grams.

Design: When choosing a bike helmet, you have many different designs. With a bicycle helmet in bright colors or equipped with reflectors or a light, you will be seen particularly well in traffic. If that doesn't suit you, you can also opt for a helmet in subtle colors. If you like the design of your bike helmet, it is even more fun to wear it.

Approval mark: Every bicycle helmet sold in Europe must bear the EN 1078 test mark. You will find the test number printed inside the helmet. When buying a bike helmet, you should also ensure that it has a TÜV test mark and has been tested by TÜV for safety and quality.

With an e-bike, cyclists can travel particularly fast. So far, however, there has been no standard adopted to the special requirements of e-bikes apart from the European standard EN 1078. The Netherlands, where people are known to be very fond of cycling, has taken on a pioneering role here: There, there is the standard NTA 8776,standard award which is specially designed for S-pedelecs.

Criteria for the award of the standard include field of vision, ventilation, damping and fastening systems. The NTA 8776 standard is intended to become the model for a new European standard. Manufacturers supporting the work on a standard for e-bike helmets include Abus and Bell. If you own an e-bike, you can protect yourself particularly well at high speeds with helmets bearing the Dutch test mark.

5. Road bike helmet review to help you decide.

To help you decide on a model and brand, you can read test reports from Stiftung Warentest or other providers of road bike helmets. Criteria for selecting the test winner include the weight, the protective effect, the wearing comfort and the ventilation system. Lightweight road helmets that have been awarded "very good" in tests include:

Smith Sport Persist,
Giro Isode MIPS
Giro Aerohead MIPS
Specialized S-Works Prevail IIbicycle helmets vary greatly. An ordinary helmet for relaxed rides on a city bike costs about 50 euros. A good racing helmet with an aerodynamic design costs
Mavic Ksyrium Pro helmet
Abus Viantor
Bell Formula MIPS
Abus Gamechanger

6. How much does a road bike helmet cost?

The prices for bicycle helmets vary greatly. An ordinary helmet for relaxed rides on a city bike costs about 50 euros. A good racing helmet with an aerodynamic design costs between about 60 euros and 120 euros.

However, since your safety is at stake, you shouldn't save money in the wrong place. The investment in a well-fitting, robust bicycle helmet is worthwhile in any case.

After a few years, you should replace your road bike helmet with a new one, as weather influences over time: It becomes porous and its protective function is thus significantly impaired. Even if you have fallen, you should get a new bike helmet, because the fall may also have formed fine, barely visible cracks.

Always play it safe and regularly invest money in a high-quality bicycle helmet. Accordingly, you should not sell your old bike helmet, of course, but dispose of it. If you buy a new bicycle helmet, it should be new and not used. The purchase of a helmet is the wrong time to save money.

7. What is a MIPS?

Strong rotational forces act from different directions in bicycle accidents. The cyclist's head may hit the ground differently depending on how one falls.

A novelty on the market is bicycle helmets with so-called MIPS (Multi-directional impact protection system). This is a yellow framework made of plastic inside the helmet. In helmets with MIPS, this inner shell shifts by 10 to 15 millimeters in the event of an impact, thus slowing down some of the rotational forces in the event of an oblique impact (multi-directional impact) to prevent serious head injuries.

This device considers that when you fall by bike, you usually hit the ground with your head at an angle, rather than head-on. Conventional helmets, on the other hand, usually absorb only static impacts that do not involve rotational movement. However, it is precisely the influence of such rotational forces on the brain that is life-threatening. Most road bike helmets listed above that are rated "very good" are equipped with MIPS. Not only bicycle helmets, but also motorcycle helmets, ski helmets, riding helmets and other helmets are available with MIPS.

If you want extra safety, this helmet is a good choice if it fits comfortably. Mostly MTB helmets and road bike helmets are equipped with MIPS, but also for all other types of bikes it is worth equipping them with this system. So far, unfortunately, a bike helmet can not be retrofitted with a MIPS, so before you buy a new bike helmet, you should consider whether you want a model with MIPS. However, bike helmets with MIPS are significantly more expensive than models without, as the system is still relatively new. However, it is expected that the MIPS will be standard equipment in bicycle helmets and other helmets, and accordingly cheaper.

8. Where can I find the right helmet?

Since you should try out a bike helmet before using it, the easiest way is to go directly to a bike store or sports store. However, you have more choices online, for example, on Amazon. If you measure your head circumference beforehand and deal with what features your bike helmet should have, you can make the right choice online. Whether Uvex, Abus road helmet, or another brand: Even if you order your bike helmet online, you should of course try it on.

Of course, the best helmet is useless if you don't have the right bike... So if you're looking for a new, high-quality bike, then take a look around our buycycle store! We have thousands of second-hand bikes in our marketplace, so there's sure to be one for you. If you have any questions or need tips, you can always contact the buycycle team, at any time. Until then, we wish you, as always: Happy browsing, happy cycling!

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