Top 10 Best Bicycle Helmet Reviews for 2021

Why should I use a Bicycle Helmet?

When you buy a helmet for your road bicycle, you don't just buy a piece of cycling equipment, but you buy an insurance policy that allows you to adventure safely on the bike.

Helmets vary in price due to their build quality and safety features. You may have to pay more for a lightweight helmet with standard safety features compared to a heavy counterpart with substantially the same features. Similarly, if you want to buy a helmet that has some additional room for ventilation, you should be ready to pay more.

Just like weight and ventilation, helmet prices also vary according to their size and fit.

When helmets for bicycles were first introduced, they were hard shells with no features and no aesthetics. The best bicycle helmet of today has come a long way from its first generation. These modern road bike helmets are extremely comfortable and they ‘actually’ protect your head against injuries in case of an accident.

These days you can find the coolest bike helmets. They come in different colors, and they have a vacuum formed plastic cover. This ensures that the helmet shell provides maximum safety in case of an impact on the head.

What Should I Look While Buying Bicycle Helmet ?

To buy these coolest new road cycle helmets, you don’t have to empty your wallet. If you are a casual rider, you can easily find cheap bike helmets suitable for everyday commuting. But if you are a serious biker who loves the circuit and time trial, you will have to ensure you buy a top bike helmet to ensure maximum protection.

Use of Cycle Helmets – How to Wear it Properly For Maximum Safety and Comfort

When you are planning to buy the best bicycle helmet, you also need to think about making the best use of this equipment. What’s the point spending hundreds of dollars on a safe helmet when you don’t know how to wear it properly so that it will ensure your safety in a crash?

You could buy the world's coolest bike helmet and still make a fool of yourself. So, read below and learn how to use a bike helmet. It's important for your safety, but you'd also want to read this if you are concerned about how you look when you ride your bike.

Buy a Helmet That Fits Your Head

First things first, buy a helmet that fits your head with minimal padding. If you have to add a lot of padding to fit the helmet, then it wouldn’t ever fit perfectly on your head.

On the other hand, if you have bought a helmet that won't let you add any padding, then you will stay very uncomfortable with it, and you won't have anything to soak sweat. Moreover, using a helmet without necessary padding makes it unsafe as it doesn't absorb shock when you crash.

How Your Helmet Should Sit on the Forehead

If you look at yourself in a mirror after putting the helmet on, you should see the helmet sitting nicely on your forehead closer to your brows. If you can’t look into a mirror with your helmet on your head due to your vision being blocked, it’s not for you.

Ideally, a bike helmet should protect both your forehead and back of your head. If it tilts forward, it will expose back of your head. On the other hand, if it tilts backward, your forehead will be unprotected during a crash.

Be sure to adjust side and chin straps.

When adjusting your bike helmet, be sure to check side straps. These straps are there to help you secure the helmet. Once you fasten them, the helmet will sit in place.

After fastening the side straps properly, you should fasten the chin strap. This strap should ensure that the helmet doesn't fall ahead or backward with your body momentum.

If you fail to fasten chain strap properly, your helmet could even fall during a crash, leaving your head exposed to injuries.

Give it the final touches.

After you attach all straps, go to a mirror and check if the helmet sits properly on your head. You can move it a little to make the final adjustments.

When you make fine adjustments to the helmet by moving it on your head, your skin should also move with it. If your skin isn’t in close contact with the helmet and doesn’t move with it, then you need to tighten the straps.

What if The Helmet Doesn’t Fit Properly?

After going through these steps, you may still be uncomfortable with the helmet. It might just be the wrong size.

If it doesn't fit your head properly and you feel that its loose, don't wear it. Go back from where you bought it and ask the seller for a replacement. Try different bike helmets using the techniques above and see what fits you the best.

If you are a parent and you are buying helmets for your kids, be sure to check if they fit properly. You don’t want to let kids ride their bikes when you are not sure if their protection gear would stay in place to protect them.

Are Bike Helmets Really Necessary?

If you are thinking about the law, then bicycle helmets are not mandatory in most of the world. The only countries where you are bound by the law to wear a bike helmet are Australia and New Zealand.

Mexico City used to have mandatory cycle helmet laws, but they were repealed following a strong debate about the effectiveness of these laws.

Not necessary but IMPORTANT for your safety – Bike helmets reduce risk of head and brain injury

You don't have to wear a bike helmet in the US and UK. However, the British Medical Association has advocated the compulsory use of law in the country for long. Similarly, Cyclists' Touring Club also advocates helmet use, but it leaves it to the choice of the person and hasn't asked for necessary legislation of such rule.

So, if you are trying to avoid fines and legal penalties of other sorts, you don't have to worry about it as long as you live outside Australia and New Zealand. However, not wearing a helmet could leave you at the risk of suffering a severe head injury.

Despite a lack of interest in legislation regarding the mandatory use of bike helmets, more and more people have started wearing helmets to stay safe when riding a bike.

Do Bike Helmets Really Protect Your Head?

A bike helmet covers your head so that you can avoid injury during a crash. The modern best cycle helmets have a unique construction that allows for maximum safety without having to add more weight to the helmet.

Considering the fact that your head could receive heavy damage from a collision or a crash, it’s important to have some sort of protection in that area. New lightweight helmets come with excellent strength and padding that absorbs shock.

Some new helmets are also using a new technology that absorbs even the rotational force that could often cause a lot of damage during a collision, even when you are wearing an old-style road bike helmet.

How Effective Are Bike Helmets?

Bicycle helmets are extremely effective. If you are riding a bike with a helmet, chances of head injury are extremely low in case of a crash.

Researchers have the figures. According to one report, a standard helmet reduces the risk of brain injury by 88 percent and head injury by 85 percent. If all the children could start wearing bicycle helmets, 75 percent of those who die in bike-related accidents would survive, and nearly 45,000 head injuries could be prevented all over the world.

Buying Guide For Best Bicycle Helmet For 2021

Buying a new helmet for riding a road bike is fun. But with so many options in the market, sometimes it could become overwhelming.

To solve this problem, first, you need to identify things that determine the true value of the best road bike helmet. Once you read these pointers, you can easily narrow your options and make a choice that will give you the best value for your money.

NOTE: Don’t forget to read bicycle helmet reviews after this section.

When you are looking to buy a road bike helmet, the first thing to consider is safety. It will protect you from serious injury in case of an accident. So, be sure to check safety standards.

When you are looking to buy a road bike helmet, the first thing to consider is safety. It will protect you from serious injury in case of an accident. So, be sure to check safety standards.

When you are serious about safety, you don’t want to miss out on the new Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS). This revolutionary new safety system ensures enhanced protection from rotational forces during a crash.

Helmets that use MIPS technology have a special low-friction layer that automatically rotates to absorb the impact. This rotation keeps your head safe even when the impact is coming from rotational force instead of linear force.

The next factor to consider when searching for the top bicycle helmet, fit is the next thing in line after safety. You don't want to buy a helmet that ensures maximum safety but doesn't fit your head properly.

To find a helmet that has the correct fit, you may have to try different models. However, if you are in a rush and you don't want to go through hours of trying out different models, you can measure the circumference of your head and use it as a guideline to see what helmet size would fit your head.

Unfortunately, head circumference is only a guideline, and you can't always find a perfect fit using this data. For example, if you want to buy an oval shaped helmet, you're out of luck with the circumference as the only way to see if it fits your head is to try it.

When checking a helmet for fit, be sure to put it on correctly so that you can feel if there are any pressure points. In case, you can't find a helmet that's a perfect fit for your head with equal pressure all over the skull; you may have to move the interior cushioning to adjust it according to your head size and shape.

Retention of a helmet is an important thing to determine the real value of this safety equipment. With a proper retention system installed, you can easily adjust the helmet to ensure it fits perfectly.

If a helmet is missing retention system, there is no way to fine-tune the fit.

When it comes to retention system, you will find different technologies used to give cyclists the flexibility. However, the majority of these helmets make use of an adjustable webbing inside the helmet. By pulling or loosening this webbing, one can easily fine-tune the fit to a point where pressure on the skull is properly distributed throughout the helmet shell.

Some manufacturers use a rotating knob at the top of the helmet while others put a ratchet dial on the rear side of the helmet. Whatever system, the purpose of this feature gives you flexibility so that you can fine-tune the fit.

If you have long hair or you wear/scarf a cap under your helmet, then retention system is extremely important for you. You want to make sure that helmet fits your head with and without a cap. Similarly, if you have a ponytail, you may have a limited choice as some helmets won't fit your head, despite having a top-class retention system.

Whether you are choosing a helmet or any other cycling equipment, you always want to consider weight. Keeping your bike and related equipment lightweight could help pedal faster with less energy compared to cycles with heavy parts.

If you are using a heavy helmet, you won't be able to ride for long. Not only you will be uncomfortable when riding the bike, but you will also feel pain in your neck after riding for a few minutes.

With these considerations in mind, you might think that all modern helmets are lightweight. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Some manufacturers sacrifice weight for safety while others ignore important safety measures while trying to produce lightweight helmets. You have to think about weight and safety together if you want to find the coolest bike helmet.

The lightest helmets in the market these days are in the range of 170-200g. But you can go for anything under 250g to stay within comfort range, especially when you use your road bike for everyday commuting.

Aerodynamics has recently become a topic of choice among professional cyclists with many manufacturers now focusing on teardrop shaped helmets that offer least air resistance.

The modern helmets that adhere to rules of aerodynamics often come in a teardrop shape, and they don't have vents. These helmets offer minimal air resistance, but you will have to sacrifice comfort.

If you use your bike for everyday commuting and not professional racing or TT, you will be okay with a regular helmet that purposefully misses on some advanced aerodynamics to provide better airflow.

Ventilation is an important factor especially when you want to buy a high-quality helmet but don't want to empty your wallet. Look for a helmet with more vents. It will cost less compared to a helmet of similar quality but with fewer vents.

If you want a helmet with fewer vents, you may have to sacrifice on comfort and pay higher.

In case you use a road bike for everyday commuting and cruising, then consider getting a helmet with excellent ventilation. It will cost less, and you will stay more comfortable when air has more vents to pass through.

If your head sweats a lot, you may have to find a helmet with a big open vent in front so that air could enter the helmet by going through the forehead area.

Cleaning and other considerations

In addition to basic points of consideration as explained above, you also need to think about things like cleaning the helmet and other features that could increase the value of this equipment.

For cleaning, it’s important that the padding is removable. You don’t want to throw the helmet away when you need to wash the padding. Most top-quality bicycle helmets come with a removable padding. That way, you can wash it and put it back instead of buying a new helmet.

If you have time and you want to add more value to your road bike helmet, you could consider looking for additional features such as LED light. Some new helmets are coming with a light installed on the helmet. Although this trend isn’t getting much backing, you could still find it useful to have a light installed on your helmet.

The most important thing is to use your head when you are buying riding gear for your bike. You don’t want to end up spending hundreds of dollars for a helmet that doesn’t even fit on your head.

Read best bicycle helmet reviews before you make any decision. Get an idea about the best and the most popular road bike helmets out there and then make a choice based on your riding habits and budget.

Types of Bike Helmets

If you are looking for the safest bicycles helmet, you don't just have to consider safety standards, but you also need to choose a helmet keeping in mind how you will use it. For example, your safety considerations as a recreational cyclist would be different from someone who is a professional road cyclist. Similarly, a mountain biker will look for extra rear protection whereas a road biker will look for a helmet with an aerodynamic design to cancel air friction at high speeds.

Based on different types of usage, you will find three types of bike helmets in the market. We will explore each type below.

Recreational Bike Helmets

These helmets are ideal for someone who uses bike for commuting and recreational purpose.

Road Bike Helmets

Road bike helmets are for people who want something better than recreational helmets, but they don't want to spend on a professional helmet.

Mountain Bike Helmets

These helmets are designed for mountain bike riders who ride at a lower speed compared to road cyclists.

Bike Helmet Reviews – Best Bicycle Helmets of 2021

If you are looking for the best cycle helmet, you will find it here. We have reviewed top bicycle helmets 2017 below.

Lazer Z1 is the ultimate new high-end road helmet.

If you are looking for the best helmet that one can get, then it has to be Lazer Z1 helmet for its features, looks, and fantastic fit. It’s the lightest helmet offered by this top bike equipment brand.

Features

With unique retention system, Lazer Z1 offers everything one can expect from a lightweight, high-end road bike helmet.

Verdict

If you are looking for a high-end helmet that fits well, provides good ventilation and doesn't weigh much, then you have found the right helmet. Lazer Z1 is the best road bike helmet 2017.

If you are on a budget, but you like what you read about Lazer Z1, then you can consider trying out Lazer Blade. This helmet offers almost the same features for half the price of Z1.

For the features and safety that it offers at its price, Lazer Blade is the best helmet for bike in 2019.

Features

Lazer Blade is the best bicycle helmets that you could find at this price. This entry-level helmet is lightweight, comfortable, and provides exceptional ventilation.

Verdict

If you are on a budget, Lazer Blade is the best helmet that you could buy. It's entry-level, but it has the features of a professional high-end helmet.

Giro is known for making excellent bike helmets. Synthe is the new addition to the Giro products. This helmet has an excellent aerodynamic design and finish that reduces wind resistance.

Despite having an aerodynamic design, Giro Synthe bicycle helmet manages to provide excellent ventilation with large rear vents. When riding a bike with this helmet, you don't have to go at a higher speed in order to feel the air coming through vents as the air passes through the internal channels even when on low speed.

Features

Giro Synthe is a lightweight helmet that manages to strike a balance between aerodynamics and ventilation.

Verdict

Giro Synthe is the only helmet from this manufacturer that manages to bring a balance between safety, weight, ventilation, and aerodynamics. Its unique shape and Aero Mesh side panels allow for minimum air friction while front and back facing air vents ensure proper ventilation even at medium and low speed.

It’s surprisingly lightweight and offers exceptional comfort for the rider.

Giro Foray MIPS helmet is the best helmet for you if you want a drag-friendly helmet with the latest MIPS technology.

It’s cheap, has great looks and provides exceptional safety. This road bike helmet is adjustable with Roc Loc 5 cradle that has five adjustment points. It comes with four internal pads that allow for maximum comfort and provides adjustability for a perfect fit.

Features

Giro Foray MIPS helmet has some of the best features that you can get at this price. It’s adjustable and comes with MIPS.

Verdict

Giro Foray MIPS helmet is an ideal purchase if you want a cheap helmet with excellent safety features. This helmet is comfortable and offers excellent adjustability, allowing it to fit perfectly on most riders’ heads.

Lazer Tonic Road Helmet is the ultimate high-end helmet for budget conscious riders. It offers all the features that you ask from a top bike helmet and still costs half the price other brands charge for these features.

Features

Lazer Tonic Road helmet looks good, it feels comfortable and comes at a great price. It meets safety standards.

The only downside of this helmet is the way the chin strap feels. It doesn’t sit comfortably on your chin and may become frustrating due to its stiffness and weight.

Verdict

Lazer Tonic Road Helmet is an excellent choice for anyone looking to buy a budget helmet with high-end features and unique construction. With so many styles and colors to choose from, there is something for everyone.

Zero RH+ Z Alpha MIPS reduces rotational impact during a crash, keeps your head properly ventilated, and allows you to close vents when looking to cancel air friction.

It’s a cool new helmet that stands out from other competitors due to its distinctive designs. It’s an aero helmet but it doesn’t look like one unless you put on the snap-on cover when going at high speed.

When you put on the snap-on cover, it will cover some vents while leaving others open so that some air is able to enter the helmet and provide ventilation for a comfortable ride.

Features

Zero RH+ Z Alpha MIPS is one of the top bike helmets out there. It might weigh more compared to other helmets in this price range.

Verdict

Zero RH+ Z Alpha MIPS is a good helmet with solid construction and excellent safety. It has a good fit and feels comfortable. Ventilation works like a charm and the snap-on cover makes lives much easier.

Specialized S-Works Prevail road bike helmet has been in the market for some time now. Even today, it easily competes with the best road bike helmets out there regarding comfort, styling, and ventilation.

This helmet has a very heavy and muscular shape. It offers exceptional ventilation with big vents that gulp a lot of air, especially at high speeds.S

Specialized S-Works Prevail makes adjusting the helmet easy. You can use the rotary dial and inner pads to ensure that the helmet fits properly on your head. If you need to adjust height, you can do so in Specialized S-Works Prevail using adjustable Mindset cradle.

Features

Verdict

Specialized S-Works Prevail isn't a new helmet, but it still manages to provide great value in 2019. It's comfortable and keeps your head nicely aired when riding the bike. It comes with an adjustable dial that ensures the helmet fits your head perfectly. You can also adjust height before of the helmet.

LAS Diamond helmet is among the best new road bicycle helmets in the market. This cool new helmet is airy and has an excellent finish. The helmet has huge vents on the front that allow for a lot of air to channel through the helmet, keeping it breezy even when you are riding at a low speed.

The unique thing about LAS Diamond helmet is the large diamond vent that sits right at the front. This vent branches into ten other forward-facing vents. You will also see vents at the back side of the helmet that allows the air to pass through the internal channels.

LAS Diamond helmet has a unique construction that ensures the impact is distributed properly across the inner foam core around the EPS base. This keeps you safe during crashes and accidents.

The helmet has a good fit. You can adjust the fit and increase/decrease helmet height. It has a micro adjustment dial and a cradle.

Features

LAS Diamond helmet is a versatile helmet that makes your life easy with excellent fit. You can adjust the height and tighten the mesh by rolling the cradle on top. The equipment meets Australian and European standards for bike helmet safety.

Verdict

LAS Diamond is one of the coolest helmets out there. It’s comfortable, breezy and provides excellent value for money with all the high-end features such as bug net and magnetic clasp on chin guard.

Lazer O2 Road Helmet is a feature-packed helmet that doesn’t cost a fortune. It has excellent ventilation, so your head won’t sweat even when you are riding in hot weather.

This helmet fits almost everyone. However, people with smaller head size could face some problems with this helmet as it tends to fall on the brows, blocking the vision. The helmet is also heavier compared to some other products in this range.

Explore some top features of this road helmet below.

Features

Verdict

Lazer O2 road helmet is a low-range helmet for entry-level bikers. It's one-size-fits-all approach means you don't have to try different sizes. However, this approach results in some added weight that could feel uncomfortable to some.

For the price, it’s a good helmet. If you want something lighter, then you have options above but they will cost more.