Best road bike helmets of 2024 - Safe, comfortable, fast, and stylish for men and women alike
The best road bike helmets balance the needs of safety, aerodynamics, comfort and ventilation
The best road bike helmets come in many different guises, and the right model for you might not be best for the next person. Some offer excellent aerodynamic performance, some prioritise ventilation, some pack in extra features like lights and crash detection, whereas others simply keep the weight down.
The perfect bike helmet for you will depend on the type of riding you do, the temperatures you ride in, your budget, the shape of your head, and to be totally honest, your style preferences too.
If you prioritise going fast above all else, then our guide to the best aero helmets might be worth checking out. To create that guide, we wind tunnel tested over 20 helmets to find out which was fastest. We've fed that data into this guide where relevant too, combining it with other real-world tests and our personal experiences using each of the helmets.
To that point, it's worth saying that every helmet in this guide has been tested by our team of reviewers. They are all suitable for both men and women. Women's specific helmets do exist but we interviewed a handful of expert women from around the cycling industry, including a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, to ask if women should be wearing them, and the resounding answer was no. Just like in bikes, there's as much scope for difference between two people of the same gender as there is across different genders. More on this below.
A bike helmet is something that should always be with you when riding. Nobody ever expects to have an issue but crashes can happen, they're one of those things that you should always be prepared for, so read on to find the right one for you.
Quick list
Want to cut to the chase and find out which road bike helmets are the best? Below, you’ll find a quick roundup of our choices. You can click the read more section on each, and that'll jump you down to the more detailed review of each helmet. There's a comparison table of specs at the bottom too.
Best overall aero helmet
The fastest 'road-style' helmet in the Cyclingnews wind tunnel test also has great ventilation, decent safety test results, a comfortable fit and a popular style.
Runner up
The Aries Spherical is another great all-rounder but with a primary focus on ventilation. It has best-in-class performance in independent safety tests, great airflow and a comfortable fit.
Best budget
The Tonic Kineticore offers a good all-round performance at an excellent price. The material composition reflects this price, but the safety performance stands up, and its weight is competitively low.
Best for hot weather
A well-liked helmet with incredible levels of ventilation, inbuilt carbon fibre struts and one of the best safety scores on the market. It's comfortable and stylish too.
Fastest on test
The POC Procen Air was the fastest helmet in our Wind Tunnel tests. It's a divisive-looking helmet for road racing, but if you care about speed above all else, this is the one to choose.
Most versatile
With good aero performance, good ventilation, optional vent plugs to make it even faster, and an included clip-on rear light for added visibility. It's brilliantly versatile for everyday riding, racing and more.
I have tested around 40 different helmets during my time at Cyclingnews, ranging from budget-friendly to high-performance models from dozens of brands. I've also tested dozens of helmets' aero credentials in the wind tunnel, and I've spent countless hours on road bikes, gravel bikes and mountain bikes testing helmets in all weather conditions, all year round.
Recent updates
November 14th, 2024 Updated with a new product, added a FAQ section with a list of the best helmet brands, Buy if/Don't buy if advice for each product and links to helmet reviews. General clean up of text and adding new images.
Best road bike helmets available today
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Best road bike helmet overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You race and want aero performance alongside all-day comfort: The Evade III has proven aero credentials, taking second place in our wind tunnel testing.
✅ You want an excellent all-rounder and don't mind the aero style: Although it's primarily an aero helmet, it's still lightweight, well-ventilated and comfortable enough to wear all day.
❌ You want to keep your spend to a minimum: Specialized's S-Works branding doesn't come cheap but it's in line with other premium road bike helmet offerings.
❌ You need the fastest performance, no matter the cost: The POC Procen Air (with its visor) was the only helmet to better the Evade III, beating it by just 1.8 watts.
The Specialized S-Works Evade III is both a great aero helmet and a great all-rounder. It was the second-fastest helmet in our wind tunnel test, only losing out to the POC Procen Air by less than two watts, but we've dubbed it the fastest 'road style' helmet because of the time trial aesthetic of the POC.
Aero helmets have a reputation for being hot and poorly ventilated, but in recent years, that's no longer always true, and the Evade III is proof. It's well vented up front, with a large 'exhaust' at the rear to let the hot air escape quickly, and in my testing, these features combined to keep my head comfortable and cool even when the temperatures soared.
Here at Cyclingnews, we all think it's a stylish helmet too. I know that'll be a subjective matter, but it's an opinion that a lot of road cyclists share. I've noticed the white straps on certain colourways stain easily with sweat and dust, though, so I'd opt for another colour. That aside, I have found it to be really comfortable, with no pressure points to distract me during a ride. I even used it on a 13-hour ride without any discomfort.
On the safety front, the independent helmet safety tests performed by Virginia Tech University earned the Evade a score of 10.93. That score is beaten by some others on this list, but it puts the Evade comfortably in the top five-star bracket and among the best on the market. Read more about helmet safety scores in our how-to-choose section below.
Unless you live in seriously hot conditions or find yourself riding up long slow climbs often (where your speed and airflow will be reduced) there's little reason not to choose an aero helmet for all your road rides, and the Evade is the best aero helmet we've used.
For more details, check out our Specialized S-Works Evade III review.
Best road bike helmet - Runner up
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want best-in-class results in safety tests: Virginia Tech is at the forefront of independent helmet testing and the Aries is the best scoring helmet ever tested.
✅ You want an excellent all-rounder and prefer the vented design to aero style: Areo shaping isn't to everyone's tastes, the more rounded shape and wide open vents will be more palatable to some riders.
❌ You need to maximise the aero performance: The Aries is focused on ventilation performance rather than aero slipperiness.
❌ You can find the Prevail III on offer: The Aries is cheaper than Specialized's Prevail III making it a slightly more budget-friendly premium option, if the Prevail III is discounted though it's a better choice.
With all of what we've just said about the Evade, there are still plenty of cyclists who would be better served by a helmet more suited to climbers, with better ventilation and a more traditional aesthetic. For those people, the Giro Aries Spherical helmet is our pick.
Where the Aries stands head and shoulders above the competition is in the independent safety tests by Virginia Tech University. With a score of 8.40, it currently sits atop the standings as the best bike helmet to ever undergo the test.
This comes courtesy of the MIPS Spherical technology, which creates a ball and socket design with one piece of the helmet inside the other. This lets the outer layer of the helmet rotate independently of the inner layer, with rubber tendons holding the two together.
The one problem this creates is that it takes a little extra push if you want to get the helmet higher on your brow. It’s not a big problem but it is noticeable.
When you look at the Giro Aries Spherical from the front, a set of transparent arches bridge the gap across the sizeable air vents. From the side, it has a more rounded rear profile, rather than the elongated tail you'll find on aero-shaped helmets like the Evade, the Procen Air, or Trek's Ballista. In our experience, ventilation is second only to the Specialized Prevail III, but the safety test score is marginally better, and we found the Aries to be a little more comfortable.
You can read more details in our full Giro Aries Spherical review.
Best budget road bike helmet
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want to keep the cost to a minimum: In a world where the best road bike helmets cost creep higher and higher, the Tonic Kineticore presents spectacular value.
✅ You like a lightweight helmet with safety considerations: The Tonic Kineticroe is only 14g heavier than the lightest helmet in this guide.
❌ You value aerodynamic performance: Lazer has given no specific focus to aero performance in the Tonic Kineticore design.
It's important to understand that there is no definitive answer about how to make a safe helmet. Different brands have different strategies that aim to do the same thing. Lazer's approach is to build little blocks into the part of the EPS foam that sits closest to the cyclist's head. During an impact, those blocks are designed to break or compress to allow movement and absorb energy. As a nice bonus, the channels between the blocks also help with airflow.
The name for this technology is Kineticore and Lazer offers it at a variety of price points. The flagship option is the Lazer Vento Kineticore which offers more Kineticore blocks, aero optimization, and an innovative way of tightening up the rear cradle. That's a good helmet but we've chosen to highlight the Tonic Kineticore because of its incredible price.
For less than a third of the flagship product price, you get a lightweight helmet that is stylish enough to work on a gravel or road ride but still uses Kineticore. You do give up features but that is only a consideration if you miss them. If you don’t care about the latest aero innovations, the Tonic Kineticore offers a lot for the price. One detail that's changed for the worse though is the material used for the straps that's now a bit stiffer and heavier.
You can read more in our full Lazer Tonic Kineticore review.
Best road bike helmet for hot weather
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want the absolute maximum ventilation: The Prevail III is my go-to road helmet for riding in hot weather.
✅ You want high performance in third-party safety tests: Specialized's 'Aircage' skeleton maintains the internal structure and gives the Prevail III a strong Virginia Tech score.
❌ You want the best in aero or lightweight performance: The Evade is Specialized's aero-specific helmet and the extra structure needed adds a little extra weight.
❌ You can find the Giro Aries at a discounted price: Giro Airies is a favourite of the Cyclingnews test team and if discounted will offer a significant saving over a full-price Prevail III.
Any company that wants to make a highly ventilated helmet has to figure out how to get the material that keeps you safe out of the way. Giro uses thin transparent 'bridges' in the Aries while Specialized takes a different approach by building an internal frame using woven aramid struts.
These anchor into carbon fibre side panels and the whole system claims to help distribute forces in the event of an impact, with the nice side effect that the struts are strong and incredibly thin, meaning they take up minimal space.
Inside, the pads are attached using MIPS Air Node technology, which aids rotational impact by around 10-15mm, and the result is that in the Virginia Tech independent testing, the Prevail 3 is the third-best road helmet ever tested.
It is the best-vented helmet I've used in all my time testing helmets, beating even the well-vented Giro Aries above. I found the Prevail was a tiny bit less comfortable at first use, but I've ridden with it for well in excess of a year (among others) and it's my favourite to wear when the weather is warm.
It's not the lightest helmet on the market, at 279g, but it's not noticeably heavy when riding, and only 50g heavier than the Lazer Z1, which is the lightest here.
Like the Evade III, if you get a colourway with white straps, be prepared to deal with discolouration as your sweat and dust will cause stains.
You can read more details in our full Specialized Prevail 3 helmet review.
Best aero road bike helmet
5. POC Procen Air
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want the absolute maximum in aero performance, no matter the financial or style cost: In the Cyclingnews wind tunnel test which featured over 20 leading helmets, POC's Porcen was the helmet that was the most aerodynamic.
✅ You race a mix of road and time trials and want one helmet for both uses: Impressive aerodynamic performance and the removable visor help it switch between road and time trial duties.
❌ You want a 'normal' looking road helmet: The aero design stands out in a very serious, performance sort of way.
❌ You want to keep the costs down: The Porcen is the most expensive helmet in this guide, by a long way.
The POC Procen Air is the first of what might be a new wave of aero road bike helmets that blur the line with time trial helmets, coming down over the ears to smooth out the airflow more and in this case, integrating a visor up front.
It clearly worked, because the Procen was the fastest on test when we took over 20 helmets to the wind tunnel, beating the Evade III by a couple of watts. Unfortunately, the Kask Nirvana, which also adopts a similar aero-first approach, wasn't available for our testing day.
The Procen Air features three vents up front, and alongside the air inlet behind the brow pad contribute to a reasonable performance on the ventilation front. It's not as breezy as the Evade but it's very good considering the big visor and closed-off upper.
Inside, there's no additional rotational impact protection such as MIPS or POC's own 'SPIN' technology, and it's yet to be tested by Virginia Tech. It may well far exceed the minimum industry testing standard but we don't have data to back this up.
Despite that, I find it to be really comfortable and secure. I like that the visor can be magnetically clipped into place at the back of the helmet, but more than that, I like that there's enough room when using it to use my standard glasses, as I'm not a fan of wearing contact lenses.
I was expecting it to be quieter in use. The over-ear design should reduce the wind noise, but I didn't find this to be true, and I actually found it to be noisier when turning my head. That's not a big dealbreaker but I've heard of people thinking about buying it for a quieter (and thus safer) ride, but my advice is to think twice if this is your sole motivation.
And now to get to the elephant in the room: the big downside to the Procen Air is how it looks. It's practically a time trial helmet, and as such, you'll look like you're preparing to race even if you're just on the Sunday social ride. That shouldn't matter, but to a lot of people, it will.
Best budget aero road bike helmet
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want good aero performance on a budget: Van Rysel FCR Pro achieved an impressive fifth place in our aero test whilst also being one of the cheapest.
✅ You want a good all-rounder: Decent ventilation, comfortable fit and decent weight make this a versatile helmet.
❌ You want third-party testing data on safety: Virginia Tech hasn't performed any individual testing on the Van Rysel FCR.
❌ You struggle with helmet straps digging in under your ears: The Y junctions don't have any adjustment so if they don't sit comfortably there is no way to reposition them.
Like most products coming out of the Decathlon offshoot, the Van Rysel FCR Pro road bike helmet is an interesting blend of performance and price.
In our wind tunnel test, it landed a solid 5th place, 2.5 watts down on the Procen Air at 40km/h, faster than helmets like the Trek Ballista and the Kask Elemento at almost four times its price, albeit we're not naive to the fact that helmet aerodynamics will also be affected by how it fits you as a rider.
It's not just a go-fast model though. It's pretty stylish, has WorldTour props thanks to the Decathlon-AG2R team, and is comfortable to wear too. When held side by side, you can tell the materials used are cheaper than those found in the higher-end helmets, with a lower-spec retention dial and more basic internal padding. That all brings the weight up a bit, but it doesn't affect the comfort or the ventilation, which are both pretty good.
There's no integrated rotational impact protection in this model, but you can buy it for a smidge more with a MIPS liner attached, although that depends on where you are, because Van Rysel's biggest issue of late is getting products into stores.
You can read our in-depth review of the Van Rysel FCR.
Best lightweight road bike helmet
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want the best in lightweight performance: The Z1 only weighs 226g, making it one of the slightest helmets around.
✅ You want a well-rounded helmet with a clip-on rear light: Lazer's Keneticore system adds rotational impact protection along with the straps, padding, and RollSys making it comfortable enough to wear all day.
❌ You want to maximise aero performance: Lazer hasn't designed the Z1 to specifically smooth airflow for less drag.
❌ You can find the Prevail or the Aries at a discounted price: If you could find a good discount, the Prevail and Aries could offer better all-around performance for a similar price.
The Z1 is a well-vented road bike helmet that claims to offer 3% better cooling than no helmet at all, courtesy of intentionally directed airflow. In reality, that's hard to perceive, but while it isn't quite as breezy in our experience as the Prevail III, it's still very good.
The main reason for including it though is the 226g weight, which makes it one of the lightest around and a great option for climbers. It is possible to get a lighter helmet - the POC Ventral Lite is one such option, but I found the Z1 performed slightly better in other areas such as comfort.
To get that kind of performance, Lazer uses its rotational impact tech called KinetiCore. As seen in the Tonic above, KinetiCore shapes the EPS foam into blocks that deform and break during a crash. There's a lot of airspace between those blocks for cooling, which you'll also find behind the floating brow pad, as well as less foam for a lighter overall weight.
In addition, I'm a real fan of the system for the straps that eliminates any extra flapping material. Those same straps are also lightweight, partially recycled, and anti-bacterial, so they stay fresh and stain-free. Other highlights include a decent light you can add to the back and an Aeroshell that helps on cooler days.
Along with all the good, it's worth saying I'm not a big fan of the 'RollSys' retention dial. Instead of a dial at the rear of the helmet, there is a roller at the top that pulls against a ring around the inner edge of the helmet. It's meant to keep your head from pushing forward as you tighten the rear while also making room for long hair, but I find it doesn't really add much while being harder to use. It works well enough but I see no benefits from switching away from a standard rear dial.
You can read more details in our full Lazer Z1 Kineticore review.
Best road bike helmet for all-round versatility
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want an aero all-rounder but can trade outright speed for some added features: Vent plugs and an included clip-on rear light boost the Cadence Plus' versatility.
✅ You race, ride and commute year-round in the same helmet: Casual enough for general riding with enough performance to back it up at the races.
❌ You can't find it for sale in your country: The Scott Cadence Plus isn't as widely available as other brands.
Scott isn't very well known for its helmets, but I think it has done an excellent job with the latest iteration of the Cadence Plus.
It came fourth in our wind tunnel test, making it a great choice for those who want to race or ride fast, but with the included clip-on rear light, it's also convenient for those needing extra visibility, such as on the morning commute or riding home from the midweek criterium as the sun begins to set.
In my testing, I felt that it was one of the best-vented aero helmets around, but it also has the option to buy added 'plugs' to fill the three large vents up front. This may even make it faster (although we didn't test this), but it definitely helps to keep the cold air and rain at bay when riding in wintry conditions.
For all those reasons, I think this a great one-helmet-to-rule-them-all. Wear it for your morning commute, race in it, wear it on the Sunday club ride, and wear it on gravel rides too. It's great across the board.
Read our Scott Cadence Plus helmet review for more details.
Best road bike helmet for bad weather
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You ride in winter often: The sealed front vents create a barrier to keep cold air and rain from getting inside the helmet.
✅ You value improved visibility on the road: Bright colours help add visibility when conditions are dull on the road.
❌ You race and/or want good aero performance: In our aero testing the Ventral Tempus was at the bottom of the pile, only beating the standard Ventral and coming in 13 watts slower than the Procen Air.
❌ You want the reassurance of third-party safety testing data: There is no Virginia Tech testing to reference although it does feature MIPS rotational protection.
Just like you don't need a gravel-specific helmet or a commuter-specific helmet, you don't really need a special rain helmet. You could wear a cap, or add a helmet cover to whatever helmet you like, and it would work. For those who ride in the rain regularly though, the POC Ventral Tempus MIPS is going to be your new favourite option.
As with many of the POC helmets, the brand has taken a base helmet and built variations for specific uses. In this case, the base helmet is the Ventral Air MIPS which is the lightweight climber's helmet in the POC lineup and has added a non-removable cover. It was initially created to get around a rule that prevents professionals from using clip-on helmet covers, but the result was so well-loved that POC brought it to market.
The cover is super lightweight and barely there, and it helps keep you a bit warmer and drier if you are going to be spending a lot of time in the rain. POC also changes the available colour options to enhance visibility and you will find an extra strip of reflective paint across the front and rear of the helmet.
There is no Virginia Tech testing to report, but it does feature MIPS inside. The wind tunnel performance was pretty poor, too. It was almost 13 watts slower than the Procen Air, so don't buy this thinking the closed-off vents make it fast.
The other challenge facing the Ventral Tempus version is versatility. This is a very specialised helmet and it costs a lot. If you ride in the rain often, you'll be thankful, but there is a price to pay for a very specific set of skills.
For more details about this helmet, take a look at our POC Ventral Tempus SPIN review. The two helmets share everything except for a change to a version of MIPS that is incredibly close to the previous SPIN technology.
Best road bike helmet for sunglass storage
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
✅ You want to store your sunglasses in your helmet: Lots of helmets can store sunglasses in their vents but the Falconer 2Vi MIPS is the best.
✅ You want a high safety rating: The Falconer 2Vi MIPS comes in as the second safest helmet tested by Virginia Tech.
❌ You want verified aero performance: Sweet Protection doesn't offer any specific details on aero performance or wind tunnel testing.
❌ You want to easily adjust the head retention cradle: The cradle can be pulled away from the retaining clip if you're not careful when adjusting its height.
If you were to list the most important features of the best road bike helmet you would expect to see things like safety, comfort and cost ranking highly. It wouldn't be surprising to see aero performance and aesthetics ranking highly too. What might come as a surprise is how important sunglasses storage is.
Ignore the fact that it ruins your helmet's aero performance (we know because we tested it) slipping the arms into the vents of your helmet is a very convenient way to stash your eyewear. However, if your best cycling glasses aren't secure, it could spell a disaster mid-ride. The Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi MIPS helmet has the best eyewear storage we have used, securely holding a wide range of sunglasses.
The vents aren't just effective at holding sunglasses, Sweet Protection's STACC ventilation system does an effective job at passing cooling air across the head and the helmet comes with covers for the main vents if you want to increase aero efficiency or keep winter weather out.
To help maintain airflow, inside there is MIPS unobtrusive MIPS Air liner which uses low friction backing to the helmet pads. The Falconer 2VI is highly rated by Virginia Tech STAR evaluation system, coming in second behind the Giro Aires.
Read our Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi Mips review for more details.
Best road bike helmets specs compared
| Helmet | Weight | Virginia Tech | CdA | Power at 40km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialized S-Works Evade III | 274g | 10.93 | 0.3523 | 290.0w |
| Giro Aries Spherical | 280g | 8.4 | N/A | N/A |
| Lazer Tonic Kineticore | 240g | 14.3 | N/A | N/A |
| Specialized Prevail III | 279g | 8.64 | 0.3588 | 295.3w |
| POC Procen Air | 360g | N/A | 0.3501 | 288.2w |
| Van Rysel FCR | 293g | N/A | 0.3531 | 290.6w |
| Lazer Z1 Kineticore | 226g | 10.06 | N/A | N/A |
| Scott Cadence | 284g | 13.87 | 0.3531 | 290.6w |
| Sweet Protection Falconer 2Vi | 286g | 8.45 | N/A | N/A |
Other road bike helmets to consider
There are nine helmets listed as recommended products in this buying guide, but the list of helmets we tested to land on those nine was close to 40. Here we'll talk about a few that stood out as good helmets, but for one reason or another didn't quite make the final cut.
You might be wondering where Kask's high-end Elemento or newest-model Nirvana are on this list. In truth, while the Elemento holds its own well, I don't think it performs any better than those listed here. It looks great, possibly my favourite in that regard, but it's really expensive, the ventilation isn't as good as the Evade or the Cadence, and it landed in the bottom half in our wind tunnel test results. We don't have wind tunnel results for the Nirvana - it launched around a month too late - but I've recently been using it and find it sits uncomfortably, runs a bit warm, and creates the silly mushroom-head look. If future wind tunnel tests prove it faster than the Procen Air, then maybe those will be small prices to pay, but I don't have that data right now, so if you don't mind looking a bit silly, go for the Procen. Also from Kask, the Protone Icon is a good option for anyone who wants an all-rounder, but its materials feel a little lower quality than the S-Works Prevail III or the Giro Aries, and the absence of a Virginia Tech result weighs heavily. Still, if you find a discount then it's perhaps worth picking up.
Another pair of helmets that almost made this list are the Trek Ballista and Velocis. The Ballista, despite its aero aesthetic, underperformed in our wind tunnel test. It could have been hampered by the head angle we ran the test at, but we feel it was representative of 'everyday' riding rather than 'breakaway' racing in a more aggressive position. In that scenario, perhaps it would have landed higher, but my response to that is 'What percentage of your riding is in a breakaway position?'
The Velocis performed well. It's lightweight and did well in our wind tunnel test (finishing just behind the Ballista, but well ahead of others like the Sweet Protection Tucker, the Abus Gamechanger and the Kask Utopia Y). It has a cool folding rear cradle and is seriously comfortable too, but it didn't outperform the Lazer Z1 on the scales and fell short of the Prevail III on the airflow front. I'd happily own one though, so if you find a discounted model, snap it up.
Other helmets I've tested include the £20 Carnac Evo, which finished mid-table in our wind tunnel test. I will happily never wear this again, as the interior shape puts two gigantic pressure points on my head, and the notched closure system is hard to unlatch, which, in truth, scares me a bit.
The MET Manta has a nice magnetic closure system and sits comfortably, the Julbo Sprint performed well for the price, and the Abus Gamechanger 2.0 is a comfortable all-rounder with an aero shape. The Giro Eclipse was fast in the wind tunnel, and the Limar Air Atlas has the novel ability to add on an 'aero fairing' at the rear.
The Lazer Vento Kineticore is worth a shoutout for also coming with an add-on rear light that mounts into a slot built into the rear. It was a close call against the Scott Cadence, but the wind tunnel performance and optional plugs for the Cadence earned it its space.
Other helmets include the POC Ventral, which performed poorly in our wind tunnel test but has recently been replaced by the POC Cytal (review coming soon); the Smith Ignite with its Koroyd 'straws' inside for impact protection; the Rudy Project Nytron which runs a bit warm but is otherwise decent; the Uvex Rise Pro, which is just a bit bulky and performed poorly in the wind tunnel; the Uvex Surge, which also performed poorly in our wind tunnel, but has the novel ability of converting from a super-vented helmet like the Prevail to a closed-off more aero model; the wild-looking Oakley ARO7 complete with visor which was also pretty slow in the tunnel and very bulky on the head; the Sweet Protection Tucker 2Vi, which has a strong 'aero' look to it like the Ballista, but landed mid-table in our results and doesn't outperform other helmets in other areas; and the HJC Ibex, which has a novel sprung retention clip at the rear meaning it'll never be too loose, but I found it slightly too tight, and left a pressure indent on my forehead.
The Specialized Propero is a good helmet for a more budget-friendly price, but it's still more expensive than Van Rysel's FCR. Also from Specialized, the Search helmet is an interesting one for gravel riding. It's a reasonably bulky helmet that weighs more than most, but there's a clever trick that keeps your sunglasses locked in, should you wish to stow them in your helmet vents.
Another novel helmet I tried recently was a Canyon helmet using a Highbar strap system. This helmet foregoes the traditional fabric straps and replaces them with a solid pivoting system that tightens shut beneath the chin. It claims to be faster, more comfortable and cooler against the skin, but in my testing, it felt like the solution to a problem that doesn't really exist.
How to choose the best road bike helmet
There are two parts to consider when it comes to a helmet. The first is the technical side. Said simply, you need a helmet that is safe. This might sound obvious but it's worth consideration because there is a lot of confusion surrounding what that might mean. You'll find lots of claims but remember, every single helmet on the market will have gone through testing as mandated by the government in your area.
To give you an idea of what that means, we can take a look at the US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) certification. The CPSC mandates a series of tests covering peripheral vision, positional stability, dynamic strength of the retention system, and impact attenuation. Every helmet sold in the USA will have had to pass those tests covering the ability of a helmet to stay on your head and protect it when you hit the ground. There are equivalent certifications in place in different regions of the world.
From there, helmet companies look for other ways to differentiate and the sky's the limit. Aerodynamics, weight, sunglasses retention, the list goes on, but sometimes these features compete with each other. It's hard to make a helmet super aerodynamic and well-ventilated at the same time, for example, so there's often a balance and a trade-off against the price. As with anything, helmets that do everything well tend to cost more.
So to return to the question of 'how to choose a road bike helmet', the simple answer is to consider what you want it to be best at. Are you often riding in hot weather? If so, ventilation might be key. Do you want to go as fast as possible? Look at aerodynamics. Think about what you might want in a helmet and there is likely some brand out there offering a product to fill that need.
What are the best bike helmets for women?
While there are still a few brands that make women-specific helmets, we interviewed a host of people from around the industry, as well as a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, to ask 'do women need a women-specific helmet?'
The answer was a resounding no, and we found that there's no performance or comfort benefit. Just like in bikes, there's as much scope for difference between two people of the same gender as there is across different genders.
In an overwhelming number of cases, unisex helmets are preferred by women, and every helmet listed in this guide is perfectly suitable, no matter your gender.
MIPS, SPIN and Kineticore explained
When you crash, very rarely will you bang your head against the ground at a perfectly perpendicular angle (like a basketball bouncing off the floor). More often, you will hit the ground at an angle (like a plane coming in to land), and that impact force your head to want to rotate as it rebounds.
Over the past decade, there has been a push to increase the safety of helmets in these impacts, and they tend to achieve this by designing in the ability for the helmet to rotate a few degrees independently of your head. This absorbs some of that impact and means less of that rotational force makes its way to your skull, thus better protecting your brain inside against concussion.
MIPS is a brand that designs different solutions and then licenses them to brands - more on that below.
Kineticore is the technology designed by helmet brand Lazer, and simply shapes the EPS foam (that helmets are typically made from) into blocks that can shear and break in the event of an impact.
SPIN stands for 'Shearing Pad INside' and is the tech designed by POC. This lets the helmet's internal pads shear off in the event of an impact to achieve the same solution.
Do you need MIPS for a helmet to be safe?
If all helmets pass the relevant certification protocols why do some brands have MIPS? MIPS stands for multidirectional impact protection system and it is a brand name. Like Hoover or Velcro, MIPS has become synonymous with a type of system but it is a brand like any other, so if a helmet has MIPS it's because the brand has chosen to license one of MIPS's solutions.
We have a full guide that explains what a MIPS helmet is, if you'd like to know more. One of the key takeaways from that is that even if a helmet bears the MIPS technology inside, it is only allowed to use the MIPS branding if tests confirm a 10% improvement in impact protection.
You could mistake that for meaning a MIPS helmet is at least 10% safer than one without, but it's key to remember that this only applies to two of the same helmet. There's no guarantee that a Specialized helmet with MIPS is any safer than a POC helmet without.
In reality, the issue is not about MIPS or no MIPS. The bottom line is that no one is sure what it takes to reduce traumatic brain injuries as a result of head trauma. The first challenge the industry identified was keeping your skull intact when you hit a hard object. That is what the CPSC impact attenuation certification tests and everyone makes the grade at this point.
MIPS came to market because the brand believes that an impact at an angle has different requirements, but it's worth understanding that there are different solutions to the same problem, as outlined above. All the technologies do a similar thing in different ways and there's no way to be sure that one is better.
How do I find the most comfortable road bike helmet?
With safety out of the way, you will want to focus on comfort but that can mean a few different things. The most obvious way to make sure you are comfortable is to make sure you have the right fit and that starts with the right size. There's no substitute for trying a helmet on, even if that means shipping back something bought online, but there are ways to stack the deck ahead of time.
Start by measuring your head just above the ears and across the brow. If you have a soft tape measure that's your best bet. If not, use a piece of string and then compare it to a standard tape measure. Our testers even use a long USB cable in a pinch. Once you have that number, normally in centimetres, you can apply it to a size guide to pick the correct size.
If you are in between sizes, you will need to decide which direction you lean or choose a different brand. I am lucky in that I'm comfortably a medium in all helmets, but one of our former testers blurred line between small and medium. For helmets that he wanted to be able to wear with a cap, he'd go big, but for summer aero helmets he'd size down to go small.
There are some brands that size up big or small, so that may sway your decision if you're in a similar position.
Outside of sizing, you might want to consider the vertical adjustability of the rear cradle. Most brands allow easy adjustment but some of the cheaper helmets don't, and it's something to think about.
Comfort also extends to heat management. I really dislike being super hot in a helmet, sweat dripping onto the inside of my glasses, so unless aero really is everything to you, a ventilated helmet will aid comfort in warm weather. The opposite will apply on cold days though, so bear that in mind.
What type of bike helmet is best for me?
The best road bike helmets tend to split into aero, climbing, and mixed styles. Aero helmets are an excellent way to add aero optimisation without extra cost. They can run a bit hotter than the very best vented helmets, and they can weigh more, but the best aero helmets like the Specialized S-Works Evade III are great in every regard.
Climbers helmets have tons of vents and do a great job keeping you as cool as possible while travelling at slower speeds. More and more they incorporate some aerodynamics and they tend to be better all-around options with a style that fits in on more types of rides.
Mixed helmets blend the two a little more. These sometimes add in extra features like clip-on lights or dedicated eyewear storage, and some include shells that can be clipped into place to close off the vents. Primarily they are good all-rounders that do most things well while not necessarily excelling in one area.
FAQ
What does the Virginia Tech score mean?
All helmets are required to pass a minimum safety standard in the territory where they will be sold, meaning that officially, all helmets available to buy are safe to wear. But manufacturers tell me this is a pretty low bar to meet, so they set their own varying standards. There's no real industry-led test or evidence to confirm which helmet is safer than the next, and even if there were, it would vary somewhat depending on how the helmet actually fits your head.
With that said, an independent testing facility based at Virginia Tech University has been putting helmets to the test against an angled impact since 2011, scoring each helmet, and compiling the results in a database.
This third-party verification offers a separate stream of information about how helmets handle these non-linear impacts. It's not the be-all-end-all, but we think it's valuable information to consider when buying a helmet. We have provided the results whenever it is available but, given that it's only a number, it might not immediately make sense.
If you want to dive deep, Virginia Tech goes into great detail covering the science behind the number. To keep it simple though, the lower the number the better, and right now the top ranked helmet, out of 188 tested, has a score of 8.4. If you also see a star ranking, that is the same testing displayed in a different way. Any helmet with a score below 14.00 will have a five-star ranking.
Should you consider a bike helmet without a Virginia Tech rating?
Virginia Tech is the only independent organisation that provides a test of bike helmets with more detail than pass or fail. That makes it hard to ignore the testing that Virginia Tech does and yet, not every helmet has a test result. You will have to decide if that sways your choice or not but there are some reasons why it might be missing.
One reason not every helmet has a Virginia Tech test result is that not every manufacturer agrees with the test protocol. Particularly notable in that realm is Kask who has publicly disputed the head forms that Virginia Tech, and MIPS, use to test. The brand states: "Most helmet tests use rotational impact prevention technologies with head forms that have a higher coefficient of friction than those of the human skull and therefore may not reflect what occurs in some accidents." Because of that stance, Kask has developed a unique test protocol using a different headform and the Italian brand isn't alone. Rudy Project also has a unique test protocol that carries a similar name to the Kask WG11 Protocol.
Another reason that not every helmet carries a score seems to have more to do with the volume of releases. There are a lot of helmets and Virginia Tech has only tested 188. Even brands like POC, who have submitted older helmets, have newer helmets without a rating.
Regardless of the reason for the missing rating, when it's missing it leaves a question. I've highlighted that question when appropriate and I've included the rating when I have it. You will have to decide what that means for you.
What is a wind tunnel?
A wind tunnel is a laboratory-style testing facility that allows engineers to test the aerodynamic performance of something. Large fans suck air through the tunnel, and the object being tested (in this case a helmet) is mounted to a fixed point. Sensors let the engineers understand the forces being applied to that object, which in turn lets them calculate the aerodynamic drag. The higher the drag, the more effort required to push it through the air, meaning all else being equal, the cyclist would travel slower at the same effort level.
The difference between the best and worst in our test was around 12 watts, which is a significant amount for amateurs and professionals alike.
What is CdA?
CdA stands for Coefficient of Drag x Area, and it is the measure of an item's aerodynamic performance. The Area simply relates to the item's frontal surface 'area' or size. The bigger it is, the more air it'll disrupt. The Coefficient of Drag is the amount of drag that the surface creates as it passes through the air. A coin might be the same size as a bullet, but the bullet's shape will mean it travels much more smoothly.
Using CdA, we can calculate how many watts it would take to hold an average speed, or we can calculate the difference between two helmets.
What is the best bike helmet brand
Choosing a helmet from one of the best bike helmet brands is a good way to make sure that you're getting a quality piece of equipment as these brands invest a lot of money in the development of safety, ventilation, fit and aero features. Below is a list of the brands that we at Cyclingnews trust as the best bike helmet brands around;
- Abus
- Bell
- Bontrager
- Giant
- Giro
- HJC
- Kask
- Lazer
- Limar
- LiV
- MET
- Oakley
- POC
- Rudy Project
- Scott
- Smith
- Specialized
- Sweet Protection
- Uvex
- Van Rysel
How do we test the best road bike helmets?
The Cyclingnews team consists of three full-time product testers: Tom, Will and myself. We all had a hand in testing the best road bike helmets, and between us, we've tested well over 60 different models.
Our testing is a mix of dedicated hands-on testing and passive testing. Hands-on tests include quantifiable or comparable metrics such as weighing the helmets, testing the strap and retention adjustment, and taking them to a wind tunnel to see which is fastest. Passive testing involves more subjective matters, such as wearing them on our regular rides and back-to-back testing multiple models to see how different helmets perform in the same weather conditions. We've been out in downpour rain and heatwave sun, both on the road and off.
We draw from the independent impact tests performed by Virginia Tech University, where possible, and we make judgments on how comfortably and securely they fit.
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Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
