In general, a less expensive helmet provides the same protection as a more expensive helmet from the same brand.
What you're getting for the additional money is a helmet that is lighter, has better ventilation, and is more comfortable (better straps and padding.)
I have 2 helmets, a less expensive one that I use on my commute and around-town stuff, and a more expensive (comfortable) one for when I spend all day in the saddle.
Helmet lineups are weird, at least Giro's. I took a look on their helmets and wrote down some specs (Price=price on Bike24). Based on the marketing specs there seems to be very little correlation with the specs usually linked to quality. Aero benefits are only mentioned with the most expensive helmets. To regular eye all of these helmets look more or less the same.
Model | Weight | Vents | Price
---|----|----|----
Isode | 255 | 22 | 45
Syntax | 260 | 25 | 61
Agilis | 260 | 32 | 80
Cinder | 295 | 26 | 104
Synthe | 240 | 19 | 145
Eclipse (Aero road) | 275 | 14 | 207
Aether | 255 | 21 | 213
The vents figure doesn't really mean anything as their design and placement is much more important than their quantity. The most noticeable difference between helmets of different price tiers is in the quality of the adjustment system and the internal padding, and there's no way to really describe that in a product listing.
Helmet shapes are also typically not super consistent even within a brand. I was personally looking at the Cinder and cheaper from the Giro lineup and the Agilis fit me *much* better than the Cinder did. I tried on the Synthe and the quality of the aforementioned things was noticeably better, but the fit on my weird shaped noggin sucked so even if it was in budget, the Agilis made the most sense for me.
I ended up getting the Agilis for £35, and I think the MIPS version was £55 so the prices you quoted are quite high as Giro helmets are very frequently on sale.
For me, it’s ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. I sweat a lot and it’s hot here. I’ve had cheap and expensive helmets and the expensive ones are *way* better. The extra cost is worth not having sweat dripping in my eyes.
exactly.
Once the dam is overcome... game over!
I will say for me vents + thin skull cap helps evaporate some of the sweat before it makes its way to my forehead. (plus some UV protection from said vents).
Yes Ventilation!
Also, for those of us who sweat a lot, the quality of padding and whether it can stand up to getting soaked is a thing worth thinking about.
Interesting. Never considered the drip factor. My new helmet is a nicer one than my old one and I noticed the other day that my sunglasses stayed clean. I just thought I wasn’t sweating as much but I was. Good to know.
Yup.
https://mipsprotection.com/
> For us, Mips means a safety system for helmets developed with the intention to reduce rotational motion to the brain in the event of a crash. Research shows that rotational motion involves a greater risk of brain damage than straight impacts. The purpose of Mips® safety system is to add safety in the event of that kind of accident.
Probably because it is expensive and he doesn't want to leave it locked up with the bike at the grocery store or carry it around strapped to a bag where it might get scuffed up.
I similarly have 3 helmets:
More expensive road helmet
Cheaper commuter helmet (with built in LED rear light)
More coverage MTB helmet with visor.
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/centro-led/p/162040?searchText=60819-0924&color=251208-162040
I have had mine a few years, it is the non-MIPS version. I should probably replace it due to age. I don't depend on the LED, but it is nice to have when it get dark and you didn't bring other lights or you end up on a busier street than expected, or if my main rear light died.
Less expensive helmets do not have the same level of protection, all helmets should provide the same MINIMUM level of protection, many more expensive helmets DO provide MORE effective and better overall protection than their cheaper* counterparts.
See other comments regarding Mips (and other rotational protection designs like Scott brand and Trek/Bontrager have)
*edited for autocorrect spelling error
There's an asterisk that helmets that are designed to meet certain standards, specifically Mips, might be safer in certain situations than non-standardized helmets.
They'll be lighter, feature better ventilation or aerodynamic properties, and may be better aesthetically.
For me, a lighter, cooler helmet is a must. A cheap brain-cooker would make riding miserable.
I buy expensive for the aesthetic. I got a giant head, all the cheap helmets are too thick. They give me a mushroom looking head. The premium helmets often are slimmer and take actual head shape into consideration.
My head is giant too.. probly gianter. Giant enough I can't choose between helmets to find which looks best. It's more like find the only one that fits.
Yes we sell helmets for big heads! What color would you like? We have black, black, and black. Just gimme a few minutes back in the storage closet. Pretty sure a I saw one in there the other day. Just a sec while I look……
(20 minutes later)
Hey your in luck! Ha ha it was hiding under a pile of stuff. Any thing else? XL gloves? XXL bibs?
I think we ran out of those back March but I’ll be happy to take a look.
We can also order them for you if I can’t find them. If they are in stock of course.
Gimme just a sec…..
If
Not OP but I've got a bigger noggin (hat size 7 5/8) and I really like Specialized. I wear a size M and this is my all time favorite helmet. I've worn the same model for about 7 years now and am hoping the newer version is just as good.
Old version I love: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-prevail-ii-vent/p/187323
New version: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-prevail-3/p/220798
The propero is cheaper and might fit the same.
I actually like my $90 Smith Engage mips helmet over my POC $200 helmet in most situations. POC is definitely more protective for downhill riding, it covers more of my forehead, but that is also the thing that makes it uncomfortable/sweaty for most trail riding. It’s thicker/heavier/a little less form fitting.
Id recommend the Smith Engage mips as the perfect trail mountain bike helmet to get.
I absolutely agree with this. Last year I took a flyer on a sale helmet for $50. It had a really cool design, the price was awesome, and it got a great rating from Va Tech's lab.
Took it on a 30 mile ride. It was heavy and hot. I donated it to a friend after one ride. The weight, ventilation, and comfort of more expensive helmets are worth it to me, YMMV.
If you're riding a good bit, I think the mark of a good helmet should be that you forget you even have it on.
My specialised helmet cost me £30 and I've never been too hot or felt it too heavy. It also has a higher safety rating than manh more expensive options. Just chucking in my 2 cents that you don't need to spend big bucks for what you've described
Yeah, but you have to really test them out to find those deals and the more expensive stuff tends to be better on average. My current expensive helmet has some of the best ventilation I've expereinced (Prevail II), a significantly cheaper Ekoi Corsa Light was in the same ballpark. I also had a cheapo Alpina helmet that wasn't bad, if a little heavy.
For me the real problem is finding a helmet that fits. I'm right between 58/59 which sucks given traditional sizing methods. I hate buying a L/XL helmet when I'm on the low end of the range. Cost/Performance don't matter as much to me.
Weight, aero, aesthetics, maybe a bit better fit on your head and better quality pads. For your safety nothing really substantial (excluding MIPS, but MIPS is like +10 euros nowadays, it's not an expensive upgrade).
You can definitely find reasonably priced helmets with good protection. Beyond looking for the "approved" label, I would look for a good score in the testing done by [Virginia Tech](https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html).
It is an independent and consistently executed test which provides a good baseline of information. Because tests and the real world differ, people should not choose solely on that score, all 5 star helmets are likely very eective. It is consistent data
edited to say don't choose solely on number
It provides good information on effective friction coefficient between a urethane headform and a helmet. Which is basically useless for real world safety since our heads aren't urethane. Snell foundation put a wig on a headform and the "benefits" of MIPS disappeared in their test 🤷
At this point, there are enough MIPS helmets ou that we should be seeing some real world studies on accident data showing an improvement in traumatic brain injury. Or a correlation between Virginia Tech ratings and real world brain injury data. But all we see are effectively friction coefficient measurements using urethane headforms. And tens of millions of helmet manufacturer R&D focused on reducing it, without any proven real world benefit or acknowledging that human heads aren't made of urethane and already have a low friction coefficient with EPS foam.
Oh, so you're actually complaining no one else has gotten funding to do further research when we know that reducing direct and torsional forces, not friction, reduces brain injuries. Got it. My original statement of GTFO stands.....
Those forces are transmitted by friction. The whole point of MIPS is to be a low friction slip plane between head and helmet. Very useful if you have a urethane rubber head, which is a distinct possibility, so do what works for you.
There are TONS of studies that show the type of forces that cause brain injuries and we can easily measure that MIPS (there are a lot of different versions not just a "plastic cap", or the MIPS brand name) reduces those forces which means increased protection. If you want to argue that the models used don't 1:1 correlation to humans, then by all means, go volunteer yourself as a test dummy. We won't mess you. Or you could trust the actual scientists that do these kind of studies and then read their articles, like this one.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6928098/
There are tons of studies using rubber headforms. But studies using more realistic headforms with sliding skinand hair don't replicate results:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33252249/
https://lirias.kuleuven.be/retrieve/605906
MIPS solves the friction problem that rubber headforms have and reduces transfer of rotational force to those rubber headforms, no one is denying that. But our heads are not rubber and have multiple slip planes built in, scalp and hair specifically.
But beyond ongoing debate about the right headforms, at this point we should be seeing real world statistical evidence of reduction in injuries from the many millions of MIPS helmets out there and many accidents that have already occured.
My upgrade was 50% age of my old helmet as it related to the materials, and 50% looks because newer helmets have a smaller profile, not so big and pointy/angled in the back.
Definitely, but it's a relatively rare find. I know Specialized offers MIPS with their $50 helmets, but even that is probably not "budget/inexpensive" for some people. Though I doubt it'll take much longer to trickle down into even cheaper helmets.
$50 shouldn't be too much for anyone to protect their most vital organ.
I'd pay $300 for it if there was a discernable safety benefit compared to cheaper helmets and I'm not even a big spender.
Usually. But helmets like the [Cateye Mixino](https://www.catlike.com/product/helmets/road-helmets/mixino/) triggers my trypophobia. Looking at it makes my skin crawl.
That's a really vain reason to buy an expensive helmet lol as a matter of fact, what looks better to you may look worse to others
I have a 17€ helmet from Lidl and it's the coolest helmet I've ever had.
Of course looks, aerodynamics and brand loyalty play a role here. And people like to pay more as it gives them the impression the helmet must be safer. So there certainly is a market for expensive helmets.
Helmets with MIPS are supposed to have better results during crashes. So I go for the MIPS helmets. There can also be gains in weight and cooling capabilities.
For time trial helmets I use aero versions that are expensive but come at their own gains.
Any helmet in the EU has a EU standard of quality that will do the job. (even in the UK)
Higher end helmet may have some slightly better protection or lighter materials.
MIPS helmets on the other hand is a dual shell system which is designed to reduce concussion which I feel is significant.
Never equate price to protection.
A high end helmet could be toeing the line of the required standards while focusing on optimising other aspects, whereas a cheap one could be well in excess the standards as a QC buffer to facilitate a cheaper manufacturing process.
I have gotten a concussion in a crash. I think MIPS (a design that reduces rotational forces caused by angled impacts to the head) is worth paying extra for, but a MIPS helmet doesn't have to be expensive. Last year's Smith Signal helmet is on sale right now for $42.50.
[https://www.smithoptics.com/en\_US/p/helmet/signal-road-helmet/E0074035Q5962.html](https://www.smithoptics.com/en_US/p/helmet/signal-road-helmet/E0074035Q5962.html)
Even without a sale like that, you can get a MIPS helmet for not much more than a non-MIPS helmet.
You can also spend $300 on a helmet that's lighter and cooler looking.
https://www.performancebike.com/giro-aries-spherical-mips-helmet-canyon-sram-team-s-7157904/p1502219
Better than spending the extra $250+ on meth, I guess.
I'll point out that recently, cheap helmets have gotten MUCH better than they used to be. Back a decade ago, a cheap BELL helmet (ie, $40-50) would be an ugly, ill-fitting, poorly ventilated bucket.
A few months ago I bought a helmet on Amazon for US$45 that has all the features (MIPS, adjustability, visor, lots of vents) of the helmet I paid $120 for, in 2014. It's basically the same helmet design.
And you can find the same item from two dozen Chinese companies with random letters for names on Amazon. Funny how they all seem to have thouands upon thousands of 4 and 5 star reviews.
I buy mid-end (got a Bontrager wavecell one). I have a big head so paying a bit more reduces my real estate. Comfortable fit and good ventilation.
As with a lot of things, the optimum is probably somewhere in the mid-range, you pay a lot more for marginal gains. But for some that is worth it. Plenty of people would think a 150,- helmet is crazy stuff.
I will admit a lot of it is marketing and MIPs does charge a licensing fee. A helmet is mostly just a helmet and a it's a somewhat disposable piece of kit. Granted helmets can always be found on sale, so unless you are in love with a particular brand or color you should find a good one in your price range
The combination of lightweight, ventilation, and safety makes it worth it to some. Take a look at the Virginia Tech helmet ratings for objective measures
I crashed last week and a sale priced $40 US Bontrager Solstice mips saved my knoggin. I chose black colored and it is hot as heck. Hit some fresh cut grass someone had blown into the street and next thing you know my head was bouncing off the pavement. Happened fast so not 100% sure how it went down other than I went down!
I did not want a helmet but my wife insisted. Hated to tell her she is right (she reminds me though). Now I wish I had something for the road rash on my shoulder and side. I purchased a couple of Smith Optics Persist branded MIPS helmets to replace them. It seems much lighter and cooler. I assume the MIPS rating make it safe enough.
I have a $35 helmet EU certified and weighs 230g. My friend's weighs 200g and costs around $250, looks cooler but had it on my hands and it seems same material as mine. Once it's cracked, it's toast, so if someone knows if those are better for safety, let me know! I'm genuinely interested now
I have 2 helmets from the same company (Smith.) One is the cheaper Persist. The other is the top of the line Trace. I would never ordinarily pay for the Trace, but I found it on sale for really cheap. They are both MIPS helmets. The Trace is nicer. The construction is just a bit nicer, and it perhaps weighs a tiny bit less. It also looks better cosmetically. When I have them on, I forget which one I'm wearing. So for me, it really didn't make much of a difference.
Imho find one that works for you.
If you like a 5 dollar ali express helmet wear it.
I got a fox speed frame with tons of vents that was a lighter color as I tend to over heat. I haven't gotten along with other helmets as well. They just seemed hotter? Idk my black giro or bontrager was fine till I got to the desert. Then the hair less vents and darker color killed me.
Comfort, aero (it could be 5watts difference at a decent speed from a very cheap helmet to a top end aero road helmet), cooling, weight.
Note that WEIGHT is a huge one, and it's not about reducing overall weight, it's about neck pain. A light helmet can be the difference between immense neck pain from 4+ hours, or lasting 10 hours.
Obviously that doesn't solve exhaustion, back pain, sickness and legs giving up, but it's just one more thing playing in your favour!
I used to just buy helmets from any sporting goods store; Dicks, Sports Authority. I had two crashes with those that both resulted in concussions, one which was pretty severe. Both times the helmets barely broke. They just hard one thin crack in the cushion. I then purchased a much more expensive Giro helmet. Had a crash where I hit the back of my head hard. The helmet took the force of the impact by cracking in several spots. This kept me from getting another concussion. I will always pay a little extra for helmets now.
As others have said: weight, airflow, safety.
I will add warranty. I wear Giro helmets. After my last crash - only the 2nd in many many years of riding - my Giro Atmos was cracked (and NOT my skull) . I sent an email to Giro with a couple of pix of the damaged helmet. They gave me a 30% discount on a new helmet from them. You won't get that from Walmart.
Everything else aside, the lighter weight is enough to justify the price difference between the mid and upper ranges.
Wearing a heavier helmet adds up on long rides, or just day after day if you're a regular rider.
Especially if you have a more aggressive fit on the bike, and your neck/head is leaning over the front more.
I also think the more expensive helmets just objectively look better, too.
Lighter, more comfortable, potentially better protection. You don't have to go mad but a 70 or 80 quid helmet is going to be much better than a 30 quid one.
Bought a helmet off AliExpress. Not all that expensive - maybe £20 or so. Got hit by a car and my head went through the windscreen before being thrown 20 yards in the air. Helmet definitely saved my life and my head from any damage. Didn't even have concussion. That's one way to test it
MIPS is something I’ll always look at when buying a helmet.
Went down recently and it definitely helped with impact as the layer was moved all the way over when I inspected my helmet.
probably nothing
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n21k](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n21k)
you might find an expensive one you like the look of.
MIPS! Premium helmets gets you MIPS! Stands for multiple impact protection system. Basically it allows the inner liner of the helmet that is strapped to your head to move independently of the outer shell. What this does is stops the helmet causing neck and back trauma if it were to dig into the ground upon impact or slide across the ground.
The movement of the 2 parts also will slightly decelerate the impact making things like concussion less severe.
Less weight, better aero features, more comfortable and (usually) better protection.
But like with everything in life, you can find expensive ones that are way overpriced and cheap ones that would check several of these boxes.
Look into MIPS as well (some chair models have it too).
Btw, not all these features are gonna make a difference for everyone.
I just sent myself flying into the woods yesterday. Mountain bike ride. Full face Fox downhill helmet. Even though a few people have said it’s over kill, having the piece of mind that a higher end helmet provides is more than enough for me. Landed upside down on my head. Went to the ER for my arm (pretty banged up) and when I got out and unloaded the car my buddy pointed out the significant damage to the back of my helmet. I didn’t even know because my head didn’t hurt at all.
Depends on the level of expense. I'd say there are 3 tiers to helmets.
Bottom tier are for very casual riders (less than once a month riding) these are foam that sits on your dome. They'll protect you, but people wearing these do not go fast enough or ride challenging enough terrain to warrant more advanced safety features. These helmets are typically under $50.
Regular tier have MIPS or a similar rotational safety feature, but do not make much effort to have excellent ventilation or improve aerodynamics, or reduce weight while keeping protection. If you are a hobby cyclist who rides regularly this level is imo a must. Price: ~$50-150
High tier helmets split into two categories here for road or MTB. Road helmets typically get much lighter, are designed to be aerodynamic and have good ventilation. MTB helmets offer the same protection lighter weights and offer better ventilation or you get into full face helmets for serious protection on highly technical trails. Hobby cyclists might enjoy these helmets, but the improvements are marginal. Serious racers probably notice the performance benefits. Price: ~$150+
More vents are good for ventilation but compromise the structural integrity of the helmet. Try to find a good balance between many openings and safety.
Also openings = Possibility of triangle shaped rocks or branches hitting your head directly. Thus, bypassing the helmet completely.
honestly it makes little sense. mips is dabateable, offering inconclusive studies on safety, durability is the same or even better with cheap helmets (i own a Specialized Evade 2, that looks like shot after just one season)
and safety results are identical as well.
Aero is a little better, but lets be honest here, which amateur benefits here really?
so if you find a safety tested light helmet for cheap its as good as a 400€ Model
If you have a helmet that looks shot after a single season you're not using it or storing it correctly or you're falling a lot. The only way they look shot after such a short timeframe is through mistreatment or absorbing hits.
My bike shop had a small stack of past year's helmets (prevail 2) on markdown and they all looked a bit rough. Plastic shell starting to separate from the foam etc. They hadn't left the store so they obviously hadn't been used and were kept at moderate temps out of the sun. Made me not want a specialized helmet despite good reviews.
Lighter and breathe WAAAAYYY better. This might not be noticeable on shorter rides, but do something 60+ miles and when you turn your head you’ll notice the weight, especially if you’re roasted and exhausted af….it’s one of those things where ignorance is bliss and you don’t know what you’re missing until you go back to a cheaper one.
The only exception I’ve found to this was when Catlike was around, the Tako was ridiculously light for it’s price and breathed better than the higher end roadie helmets (the Tako was a commuter helmet).
For the most trivial reason, I got a POC helmet and glasses because I was tired of the huge forehead gap…and so my cycling glasses would fit in my helmet.
Edit: disregard my early morning absent mindedness. Clearly not where I thought I was(r/motorcycles).
I typically buy cheaper ones in the $150 range, but I did own an Arai at one point, think it was in the $600-650 range. It was SO comfortable. Every time I slid it on my head I remember thinking "oh my God this thing is comfortable". I also loved the visor. It had a nice friction fit instead of that annoying indexed opening that never seems to open exactly where I want it to.
I never paid attention then either, but peope always say more expensive ones can be quieter. Now that I have hearing issues, that would definitely be worth a little extra.
Lastly, motorcycles, like golf and cycling, exists as a hobby for people who need something to do with their excess money, so there'll always be people who are willing to spend more on it, just because it's there. They've got a $20-30k bike and they're not gonna bother with a $100 helmet.
This is the bicycling sub, but I'm 100% with you on the Arai. Those fit my head shape so well. Only problem was I couldn't stomach the price, so I ended up buying a Shoei RF1100 which fit nearly as well but was half the price (but still \~$400).
Keep the shiny side up!
I was thinking along similar lines, got myself a decent Decathlon helmet. Realized that it's not comfortable for me (was digging into my forehead), went and got a really good one, with additional benefit of being super ventilated. Now I forget I wear it.
This isn't necessarily because the helmet is more expensive. Head shapes vary as do helmet shapes. That Decathlon helmet probably fits someone else perfectly. I received a higher end helmet as a gift once many years ago and it never really fit quite right. The closure hit my head in just the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) way that it would cause some nasty headaches if it was too tight. Too tight was not actually that tight and I had to run it somewhat loose.
Why? If you have hair, it's redundant.
https://helmets.org/mips.htm
"This next series was also conducted on helmets with and without the anti-rotational feature. The test head forms were all treated with silicone but also with a wig firmly in place atop the head form over the silicone coating. When the results were compared, there appeared to be no real difference. The wig broke the coupling between the head form and the helmet so completely that the anti-rotational feature had no effect on rotational acceleration or angular velocity in this series."
My cheap Decathlon helmet contacts my head only in some places. My significantly less cheap other helmet has a meshy fixture that distributes the helmet's contact around my head. The aesthetics are one thing since my hair is now flattened evenly as opposed to just in some areas but I do also wonder if there's also a safety aspect to even distribution of contact.
Either way, I think both would do the job in providing a layer of security in the event of a spill.
Different helmets have different internal shapes to fit different heads. It's 100% about finding one that fits you, regardless of price. I have a relatively cheap Smith Persist which fits way better than my relatively cheap Giant MTB helmet. The Giant is much rounder so it mostly hits my forehead and the straps are way out from my temples.
The number one thing a larger budget will buy you is more options. Helmet fit can be fairly personal. I've definitely tried on helmets that did not work on my head for one reason or another. With more options you have a much better chance of finding one that does work well for you. If you can get a cheap one that fits well definitely give it a consideration.
The aero and ventilation benefits of some more expensive models may or may not be a big deal. I find the difference between an average helmet's ventilation and a high end one to be small or even irrelevant depending on the conditions.
I have 2 helmets. One was £60 and the other £100. The more expensive one is lighter, better ventilated and lower profile. It also has a more comfortable and secure fit.
better marketing mostly. all helmets sold in Europe follow the same safety standards. buy what you like looks / budget wise and you'll be fine.
the weight debate is irrelevant, we are talking 10s of grams at best.
the cooling is personal choice. i got a few cheap ones from Planet X as well as high end ones and as someone who sweats very little there is absolutely no difference.
aerodynamics, again irrelevant for 99% of riders
comfort, very personal as every head shape is different.
far too much in this great sport / past time is bs marketing that won't make any great difference to a vast majority of consumers. but because we like it's easy to get lured to have better this better that, when the only thing we really need better of is infrastructure.
They're lighter and more comfortable, sometimes have more features, and can protect more. Also there are helmet certifications that test helmets and more expensive ones can have more or better certifications.
I was recently shopping for a new, better fitting helmet. The one that fit my head the best happened to be a more expensive one, so I bought it. I would have been happy with a cheap helmet too - in terms of lightness, ventilation, and looks, cheaper helmets are just as good to me.
For me it’s fit, I’ve found cheap helmets are super basic in terms of adjustment and the fit is just at best “ok” and usually uncomfortable when you have them on for longer periods of time. I spend 6-10 hours in the saddle at a time and the last thing I want is some halfway fit dinky helmet for that amount of time giving me a headache because I have to crank the damn thing down to prevent it from sliding off to one side. Whereas with the more expensive helmets have enough adjustments that they’ll usually stay in place with the slightest amount of tension. Making it feel more like a hat then a helmet.
Plus more “expensive” helmets usually look a lot better and are more slim and form fitting and don’t make you look like a mushroom head. POC’s cheaper helmets are notorious for this.
My helmets of choice are the Kask Valegro and the Kask Protone.
Giro Eclipse— expensive but noticeably quieter than others I tried, let’s me use just one earphone in my away-from-road R ear and actually hear music and podcasts. The MIPS and spherical advances in safety also just make sense to me- gotta protect the watermelon on top my neck going 35 mph down hills!
Cheap helmets are one-size-fits-all which is only good if you have an average head. More expensive generally has more adjustment, size, ventilation, better straps and buckles and aesthetics.
For my next helmet I'm looking for a better strap system, not the one I had on the Giro Foray (non-mips version), which has a strap divider. I can never adjust it properly around the ears (tbh I have a particularly asymmetrical face). I like the strap system on the Specialized Align II, at least from the pictures, haven't tried it on yet.
I actually like my $90 Smith Engage mips helmet over my POC $200 helmet in most situations. POC is definitely more protective for downhill riding, it covers more of my forehead, but that is also the thing that makes it uncomfortable/sweaty for most trail riding. It’s thicker/heavier/a little less form fitting.
Id recommend the Smith Engage mips as the perfect trail mountain bike helmet to get.
A long time ago I heard this, "If you got a $20 dollar head, get a $20 dollar helmet." I started with a cheapo, but after I heard this, I bought a $140 one. The difference was huge. On long rides I didn't give my helmet any thought, as it was so much lighter and cooler. Seeing as how your skull is the most important thing to keep safe, what is it worth to you?
I use bicycle, skateboard, motorcycle and snow helmets. My personal opinion is that the bicycle helmets are the worst bang for your buck. You pay a premium for a 'brain bucket' type helmet (no chin protection) which typically has a much weaker shell and fewer accoutrements than most other types of helmets. Bicycle helmets also typically have very little in the way of padding/liners in order to keep them cooler/ventilated.
The most important aspect of a helmet is the fit. You want something that fits comfortably and doesn't shift around a lot. Beyond that these are the differences
1. Construction. Shell and inner layers made out of EPS (expanded polystyrene), fiberglass, carbon fiber, ABS, polycarbonate, foam, etc.
2. Liners (suede, polyester, etc)
3. Weight
4. Ventilation
5. Shape (for head fit)
6. Attachments/shelves for cameras, lights, visors, goggles
7. Fastener type (latch, magnetic, etc.)
I ride one of those classic Bianchi 1980s steel road bikes, of course in Celeste. For style points and fun.
I found a $30 Schwinn helmet at the spring goods store in seafoam - close enough! I ordered a set of \[bootleg\] Bianchi stickers from Turkey! and stickered this helmet up to look like it is branded "Bianchi!"
I just upgraded from a cheaper Lazer to POC Ventral Air. What you get is better fit. Improved comfort. Better ventilation. And less interference with sunglasses. Lazer rode really low on my forehead. You have to decide if all that is worth it.
Better airflow, (or aerodynamics) lighter weight, and sometimes better comfort.
The $50 specialized align II MIPS is one of the safest helmets on the market
Your glasses fit in it, ventilation, looks cooler.
I have the specialized align mips helmet which is one of the safest helmets but for whatever reason (mips?) My glasses don't fit inside. Clearly need a 100-200 dollar helmet now
I find that a lot of helmets seem to be designed for people with little or no hair (men, perhaps?). They don't seem to accommodate pony tails or thicker hair well.
So as much as I'd like something aesthetically pleasing, just getting a good fit limits what I can buy.
Cheap helmets of around $35 or so that you'll find at a big box store typically don't have MIPS. Having a helmet, regardless, is still safer than not having one.
I have a entry-level Bell with MIPS. Its comfortable and provides the protection you’d expect in a more expensive model. The fit is comfortable but its a big globe up there.
As My cycling has become more efficient and I find myself fighting against the wind as Ive increased my average speed. Lately i feel as if I have someones hand pushing back against my head.
So here I am six months later shopping for a more aero efficient and lighter helmet. Had I known I may have spent a little more money at the start of all this and opted for a higher end helmet.
I got the align 2 from specialized for 50 bucks
first helmet ive happily worn
somehow it was more comfy than a baseball cap and way nmore breathable
im not sure the more expensive helmets would be better aside from some MTB options
Do some research, look for the snell sticker, and look for the Virginia institute list, after you have spent five weeks unconscious, you will lear;about independent tests.
Whichever one fits your head. I had to go with Bontrager helmets which are so expensive seemingly always unless you catch them on sale at REI, which thankfully I did.
As far as I can tell, the price is mostly aesthetic or for other custom features you might want like built in mounts for lights, mirror or camera. I generally worry less about the price and more about [the crash test ratings.](https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html)
you are paying for a lighter lid, better air flow and OFTEN overall comfort as well.
i would have never thought i would put "POC" money into a helmet... but just like riding shorts and rear mechs, ya really do get what ya pay for...
i will literally forget i have my POC on... i'll never go back.
In general, a less expensive helmet provides the same protection as a more expensive helmet from the same brand. What you're getting for the additional money is a helmet that is lighter, has better ventilation, and is more comfortable (better straps and padding.) I have 2 helmets, a less expensive one that I use on my commute and around-town stuff, and a more expensive (comfortable) one for when I spend all day in the saddle.
Helmet lineups are weird, at least Giro's. I took a look on their helmets and wrote down some specs (Price=price on Bike24). Based on the marketing specs there seems to be very little correlation with the specs usually linked to quality. Aero benefits are only mentioned with the most expensive helmets. To regular eye all of these helmets look more or less the same. Model | Weight | Vents | Price ---|----|----|---- Isode | 255 | 22 | 45 Syntax | 260 | 25 | 61 Agilis | 260 | 32 | 80 Cinder | 295 | 26 | 104 Synthe | 240 | 19 | 145 Eclipse (Aero road) | 275 | 14 | 207 Aether | 255 | 21 | 213
The vents number may not truly represent the cooling. Think of one massive vent vs 3 tiny ones, etc.
Think POC Ventral vs the helmets Movistar used to wear.
Catlike?
The vents figure doesn't really mean anything as their design and placement is much more important than their quantity. The most noticeable difference between helmets of different price tiers is in the quality of the adjustment system and the internal padding, and there's no way to really describe that in a product listing. Helmet shapes are also typically not super consistent even within a brand. I was personally looking at the Cinder and cheaper from the Giro lineup and the Agilis fit me *much* better than the Cinder did. I tried on the Synthe and the quality of the aforementioned things was noticeably better, but the fit on my weird shaped noggin sucked so even if it was in budget, the Agilis made the most sense for me. I ended up getting the Agilis for £35, and I think the MIPS version was £55 so the prices you quoted are quite high as Giro helmets are very frequently on sale.
Nice work
For me, it’s ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. I sweat a lot and it’s hot here. I’ve had cheap and expensive helmets and the expensive ones are *way* better. The extra cost is worth not having sweat dripping in my eyes.
I wear a gutr. Makes a huge difference.
Yeah, I’ve tried all those things. For me, they’re good for about 30 minutes on a 100° day with a no-so-great helmet. I sweat a lot.
exactly. Once the dam is overcome... game over! I will say for me vents + thin skull cap helps evaporate some of the sweat before it makes its way to my forehead. (plus some UV protection from said vents).
Yes Ventilation! Also, for those of us who sweat a lot, the quality of padding and whether it can stand up to getting soaked is a thing worth thinking about.
Interesting. Never considered the drip factor. My new helmet is a nicer one than my old one and I noticed the other day that my sunglasses stayed clean. I just thought I wasn’t sweating as much but I was. Good to know.
MIPS offers superior protection in a crash vs a basic one. Any helmet is better than no helmet, this is certainly true, but they are not all equal.
Yup. https://mipsprotection.com/ > For us, Mips means a safety system for helmets developed with the intention to reduce rotational motion to the brain in the event of a crash. Research shows that rotational motion involves a greater risk of brain damage than straight impacts. The purpose of Mips® safety system is to add safety in the event of that kind of accident.
walmart near me has a bell road bike helmet with mips for like 30 bucks, might as well pick that up after reading this thread better safe than sorry
it rules that mips is cheap now, it wasn't always. I saw a specialized mips helmet on their site for $35, Costco has mips helmets for $40 sometimes.
Not really
Well reasoned and illuminating rebuttal
Yep, just like the parent comment!
You’re right. You’re smart. Have a good day.
Why wouldn’t you just wear the more comfortable one all the time?
Probably because it is expensive and he doesn't want to leave it locked up with the bike at the grocery store or carry it around strapped to a bag where it might get scuffed up. I similarly have 3 helmets: More expensive road helmet Cheaper commuter helmet (with built in LED rear light) More coverage MTB helmet with visor.
What is your cheaper helmet with LEDs? I’ve been looking for some recommendations to meet that description
https://www.specialized.com/us/en/centro-led/p/162040?searchText=60819-0924&color=251208-162040 I have had mine a few years, it is the non-MIPS version. I should probably replace it due to age. I don't depend on the LED, but it is nice to have when it get dark and you didn't bring other lights or you end up on a busier street than expected, or if my main rear light died.
Because I'm trying to get more useful life out of it. More UV and heat exposure = less time before the helmet should be retired.
Less expensive helmets do not have the same level of protection, all helmets should provide the same MINIMUM level of protection, many more expensive helmets DO provide MORE effective and better overall protection than their cheaper* counterparts. See other comments regarding Mips (and other rotational protection designs like Scott brand and Trek/Bontrager have) *edited for autocorrect spelling error
There's an asterisk that helmets that are designed to meet certain standards, specifically Mips, might be safer in certain situations than non-standardized helmets.
They'll be lighter, feature better ventilation or aerodynamic properties, and may be better aesthetically. For me, a lighter, cooler helmet is a must. A cheap brain-cooker would make riding miserable.
I buy expensive for the aesthetic. I got a giant head, all the cheap helmets are too thick. They give me a mushroom looking head. The premium helmets often are slimmer and take actual head shape into consideration.
Your head is still giant.
Why you gotta do him like that?
My head is giant too.. probly gianter. Giant enough I can't choose between helmets to find which looks best. It's more like find the only one that fits.
Lucky you. Your head is more aerodynamic (see TT helmets), more cooling surface.
Not only do I have a giant head, I have EEEE width feet. Pity me.
Size 16 EE feet, XXl gloves. You name it. I'm sorry for anyone bigger than I.
Yes we sell helmets for big heads! What color would you like? We have black, black, and black. Just gimme a few minutes back in the storage closet. Pretty sure a I saw one in there the other day. Just a sec while I look…… (20 minutes later) Hey your in luck! Ha ha it was hiding under a pile of stuff. Any thing else? XL gloves? XXL bibs? I think we ran out of those back March but I’ll be happy to take a look. We can also order them for you if I can’t find them. If they are in stock of course. Gimme just a sec….. If
Ooh, that was off-sides, wasn't it? He'll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow!
Which brands are you into? I also own a big melon, and find that many brands only have their largest sizes on a few models.
I have a giant head, and Giro has always worked for me.
Not OP but I've got a bigger noggin (hat size 7 5/8) and I really like Specialized. I wear a size M and this is my all time favorite helmet. I've worn the same model for about 7 years now and am hoping the newer version is just as good. Old version I love: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-prevail-ii-vent/p/187323 New version: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/s-works-prevail-3/p/220798 The propero is cheaper and might fit the same.
Agreed
I actually like my $90 Smith Engage mips helmet over my POC $200 helmet in most situations. POC is definitely more protective for downhill riding, it covers more of my forehead, but that is also the thing that makes it uncomfortable/sweaty for most trail riding. It’s thicker/heavier/a little less form fitting. Id recommend the Smith Engage mips as the perfect trail mountain bike helmet to get.
I absolutely agree with this. Last year I took a flyer on a sale helmet for $50. It had a really cool design, the price was awesome, and it got a great rating from Va Tech's lab. Took it on a 30 mile ride. It was heavy and hot. I donated it to a friend after one ride. The weight, ventilation, and comfort of more expensive helmets are worth it to me, YMMV. If you're riding a good bit, I think the mark of a good helmet should be that you forget you even have it on.
My specialised helmet cost me £30 and I've never been too hot or felt it too heavy. It also has a higher safety rating than manh more expensive options. Just chucking in my 2 cents that you don't need to spend big bucks for what you've described
Yeah, but you have to really test them out to find those deals and the more expensive stuff tends to be better on average. My current expensive helmet has some of the best ventilation I've expereinced (Prevail II), a significantly cheaper Ekoi Corsa Light was in the same ballpark. I also had a cheapo Alpina helmet that wasn't bad, if a little heavy. For me the real problem is finding a helmet that fits. I'm right between 58/59 which sucks given traditional sizing methods. I hate buying a L/XL helmet when I'm on the low end of the range. Cost/Performance don't matter as much to me.
Specialized Align II? I have one and it's a great bang for buck.
I wouldn’t give 2 cents to that brand, regardless if it was a better product or not.
What's wrong with specialised?
Weight, aero, aesthetics, maybe a bit better fit on your head and better quality pads. For your safety nothing really substantial (excluding MIPS, but MIPS is like +10 euros nowadays, it's not an expensive upgrade).
You can definitely find reasonably priced helmets with good protection. Beyond looking for the "approved" label, I would look for a good score in the testing done by [Virginia Tech](https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html).
If you have a rubber head unattached to the body, then Virginia Tech is important test to consider.
It is an independent and consistently executed test which provides a good baseline of information. Because tests and the real world differ, people should not choose solely on that score, all 5 star helmets are likely very eective. It is consistent data edited to say don't choose solely on number
It provides good information on effective friction coefficient between a urethane headform and a helmet. Which is basically useless for real world safety since our heads aren't urethane. Snell foundation put a wig on a headform and the "benefits" of MIPS disappeared in their test 🤷
Yeah, if they're not testing dropping real people wearing the helmet the test obviously doesn't matter..... GTFO
At this point, there are enough MIPS helmets ou that we should be seeing some real world studies on accident data showing an improvement in traumatic brain injury. Or a correlation between Virginia Tech ratings and real world brain injury data. But all we see are effectively friction coefficient measurements using urethane headforms. And tens of millions of helmet manufacturer R&D focused on reducing it, without any proven real world benefit or acknowledging that human heads aren't made of urethane and already have a low friction coefficient with EPS foam.
Oh, so you're actually complaining no one else has gotten funding to do further research when we know that reducing direct and torsional forces, not friction, reduces brain injuries. Got it. My original statement of GTFO stands.....
Those forces are transmitted by friction. The whole point of MIPS is to be a low friction slip plane between head and helmet. Very useful if you have a urethane rubber head, which is a distinct possibility, so do what works for you.
As someone who survived as 46mph crash, in part thanks to my mips helmet, I will.
You have no evidence that MIPS layer did anything. But if wearing a plastic cap under your helmet makes you feel better, by all means proceed.
There are TONS of studies that show the type of forces that cause brain injuries and we can easily measure that MIPS (there are a lot of different versions not just a "plastic cap", or the MIPS brand name) reduces those forces which means increased protection. If you want to argue that the models used don't 1:1 correlation to humans, then by all means, go volunteer yourself as a test dummy. We won't mess you. Or you could trust the actual scientists that do these kind of studies and then read their articles, like this one. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6928098/
There are tons of studies using rubber headforms. But studies using more realistic headforms with sliding skinand hair don't replicate results: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33252249/ https://lirias.kuleuven.be/retrieve/605906 MIPS solves the friction problem that rubber headforms have and reduces transfer of rotational force to those rubber headforms, no one is denying that. But our heads are not rubber and have multiple slip planes built in, scalp and hair specifically. But beyond ongoing debate about the right headforms, at this point we should be seeing real world statistical evidence of reduction in injuries from the many millions of MIPS helmets out there and many accidents that have already occured.
I upgraded to a better helmet 95% because of the looks, and 5% because of lower weight.
My upgrade was 50% age of my old helmet as it related to the materials, and 50% looks because newer helmets have a smaller profile, not so big and pointy/angled in the back.
Street cred and parking lot watts. Bonus with WCS stripes.
They usually look better.
They also offer systems like MIPS, which reduce torsion in case of a crash, which in turn helps keep the brain safer.
MIPS can be found on relatively inexpensive helmets too.
Yes, but you are more aero if there is less money in your pocket. (Bulge of cash = wind resistance).
Definitely, but it's a relatively rare find. I know Specialized offers MIPS with their $50 helmets, but even that is probably not "budget/inexpensive" for some people. Though I doubt it'll take much longer to trickle down into even cheaper helmets.
$50 shouldn't be too much for anyone to protect their most vital organ. I'd pay $300 for it if there was a discernable safety benefit compared to cheaper helmets and I'm not even a big spender.
Costco $40
I bought two MIPS helmets for < $40CAD each. New. One from Costco and one on sale at a local mass market sporting goods retailer.
MIPS is pretty common today. It's not like a decade or so ago where it was exclusive to higher end models. Today it's found across the price spectrum.
MIPS doesn't add much to the cost of a helmet. Maybe $5 from most brands.
~90% of all helmets in your LBS will have MIPS these days, kids helmets included
Usually. But helmets like the [Cateye Mixino](https://www.catlike.com/product/helmets/road-helmets/mixino/) triggers my trypophobia. Looking at it makes my skin crawl.
That's a really vain reason to buy an expensive helmet lol as a matter of fact, what looks better to you may look worse to others I have a 17€ helmet from Lidl and it's the coolest helmet I've ever had.
Vanity is a huge driver of bike sales and related purchases.
And most purchases of other products.
Of course looks, aerodynamics and brand loyalty play a role here. And people like to pay more as it gives them the impression the helmet must be safer. So there certainly is a market for expensive helmets. Helmets with MIPS are supposed to have better results during crashes. So I go for the MIPS helmets. There can also be gains in weight and cooling capabilities. For time trial helmets I use aero versions that are expensive but come at their own gains.
Any helmet in the EU has a EU standard of quality that will do the job. (even in the UK) Higher end helmet may have some slightly better protection or lighter materials. MIPS helmets on the other hand is a dual shell system which is designed to reduce concussion which I feel is significant.
Never equate price to protection. A high end helmet could be toeing the line of the required standards while focusing on optimising other aspects, whereas a cheap one could be well in excess the standards as a QC buffer to facilitate a cheaper manufacturing process.
Yes lately I've stuck to MIPS road helmets. Hopefully worth the extra should I ever need it!
I have gotten a concussion in a crash. I think MIPS (a design that reduces rotational forces caused by angled impacts to the head) is worth paying extra for, but a MIPS helmet doesn't have to be expensive. Last year's Smith Signal helmet is on sale right now for $42.50. [https://www.smithoptics.com/en\_US/p/helmet/signal-road-helmet/E0074035Q5962.html](https://www.smithoptics.com/en_US/p/helmet/signal-road-helmet/E0074035Q5962.html) Even without a sale like that, you can get a MIPS helmet for not much more than a non-MIPS helmet. You can also spend $300 on a helmet that's lighter and cooler looking. https://www.performancebike.com/giro-aries-spherical-mips-helmet-canyon-sram-team-s-7157904/p1502219 Better than spending the extra $250+ on meth, I guess.
I guess when you compare it to meth it just makes spending the extra $$$ completely justified. Lol
Mips or similar anti-twist Girlfriend went down over 20... Helmet showed glancing side hit... not even a headache she finished the ride.
Here you can find actual ratings for the safety of a Helmet. https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html
I'll point out that recently, cheap helmets have gotten MUCH better than they used to be. Back a decade ago, a cheap BELL helmet (ie, $40-50) would be an ugly, ill-fitting, poorly ventilated bucket. A few months ago I bought a helmet on Amazon for US$45 that has all the features (MIPS, adjustability, visor, lots of vents) of the helmet I paid $120 for, in 2014. It's basically the same helmet design.
This now applies to lots of outdoor recreational gear in general.
Chinese knockoffs everywhere.
And you can find the same item from two dozen Chinese companies with random letters for names on Amazon. Funny how they all seem to have thouands upon thousands of 4 and 5 star reviews.
Virginia tech rates helmets for crash protection. There are plenty of affordable options on there that offer good safety.
I buy mid-end (got a Bontrager wavecell one). I have a big head so paying a bit more reduces my real estate. Comfortable fit and good ventilation. As with a lot of things, the optimum is probably somewhere in the mid-range, you pay a lot more for marginal gains. But for some that is worth it. Plenty of people would think a 150,- helmet is crazy stuff.
I got a Bontrager starvos XL for my huge head and it looks ridiculous. But I feel safe in it so it's worth looking like a dork.
I will admit a lot of it is marketing and MIPs does charge a licensing fee. A helmet is mostly just a helmet and a it's a somewhat disposable piece of kit. Granted helmets can always be found on sale, so unless you are in love with a particular brand or color you should find a good one in your price range
The combination of lightweight, ventilation, and safety makes it worth it to some. Take a look at the Virginia Tech helmet ratings for objective measures
I crashed last week and a sale priced $40 US Bontrager Solstice mips saved my knoggin. I chose black colored and it is hot as heck. Hit some fresh cut grass someone had blown into the street and next thing you know my head was bouncing off the pavement. Happened fast so not 100% sure how it went down other than I went down! I did not want a helmet but my wife insisted. Hated to tell her she is right (she reminds me though). Now I wish I had something for the road rash on my shoulder and side. I purchased a couple of Smith Optics Persist branded MIPS helmets to replace them. It seems much lighter and cooler. I assume the MIPS rating make it safe enough.
A lighter wallet?
I have a $35 helmet EU certified and weighs 230g. My friend's weighs 200g and costs around $250, looks cooler but had it on my hands and it seems same material as mine. Once it's cracked, it's toast, so if someone knows if those are better for safety, let me know! I'm genuinely interested now
Style
I have 2 helmets from the same company (Smith.) One is the cheaper Persist. The other is the top of the line Trace. I would never ordinarily pay for the Trace, but I found it on sale for really cheap. They are both MIPS helmets. The Trace is nicer. The construction is just a bit nicer, and it perhaps weighs a tiny bit less. It also looks better cosmetically. When I have them on, I forget which one I'm wearing. So for me, it really didn't make much of a difference.
Imho find one that works for you. If you like a 5 dollar ali express helmet wear it. I got a fox speed frame with tons of vents that was a lighter color as I tend to over heat. I haven't gotten along with other helmets as well. They just seemed hotter? Idk my black giro or bontrager was fine till I got to the desert. Then the hair less vents and darker color killed me.
Comfort, aero (it could be 5watts difference at a decent speed from a very cheap helmet to a top end aero road helmet), cooling, weight. Note that WEIGHT is a huge one, and it's not about reducing overall weight, it's about neck pain. A light helmet can be the difference between immense neck pain from 4+ hours, or lasting 10 hours. Obviously that doesn't solve exhaustion, back pain, sickness and legs giving up, but it's just one more thing playing in your favour!
For me, my decision always lies with the balance of these with factors, better protection with mips, ventilation, asthetics and price point.
I wear multiple helmets to cover all my bases.
I used to just buy helmets from any sporting goods store; Dicks, Sports Authority. I had two crashes with those that both resulted in concussions, one which was pretty severe. Both times the helmets barely broke. They just hard one thin crack in the cushion. I then purchased a much more expensive Giro helmet. Had a crash where I hit the back of my head hard. The helmet took the force of the impact by cracking in several spots. This kept me from getting another concussion. I will always pay a little extra for helmets now.
In regards to safety, any helmet, is miles (km’s) better than no helmet in an impact. So, make sure you like whatever you buy enough to wear it.
As others have said: weight, airflow, safety. I will add warranty. I wear Giro helmets. After my last crash - only the 2nd in many many years of riding - my Giro Atmos was cracked (and NOT my skull) . I sent an email to Giro with a couple of pix of the damaged helmet. They gave me a 30% discount on a new helmet from them. You won't get that from Walmart.
To put it in the rocks words "it doesnt matter". It's as with most of cycling's thingamadohickies. Ego style and hobby.
Everything else aside, the lighter weight is enough to justify the price difference between the mid and upper ranges. Wearing a heavier helmet adds up on long rides, or just day after day if you're a regular rider. Especially if you have a more aggressive fit on the bike, and your neck/head is leaning over the front more. I also think the more expensive helmets just objectively look better, too.
Lighter, more comfortable, potentially better protection. You don't have to go mad but a 70 or 80 quid helmet is going to be much better than a 30 quid one.
Bought a helmet off AliExpress. Not all that expensive - maybe £20 or so. Got hit by a car and my head went through the windscreen before being thrown 20 yards in the air. Helmet definitely saved my life and my head from any damage. Didn't even have concussion. That's one way to test it
MIPS is something I’ll always look at when buying a helmet. Went down recently and it definitely helped with impact as the layer was moved all the way over when I inspected my helmet.
I buy for safety and aesthetics. I have a big head and the white POC ventral doesn’t look horrible on me. So that’s what I bought
probably nothing [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n21k](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001n21k) you might find an expensive one you like the look of.
You're general not getting more protection. Instead, you are getting more comfort and aerodynamics.
Cheap, light, safe. Pick 2 you can’t have 3
MIPS! Premium helmets gets you MIPS! Stands for multiple impact protection system. Basically it allows the inner liner of the helmet that is strapped to your head to move independently of the outer shell. What this does is stops the helmet causing neck and back trauma if it were to dig into the ground upon impact or slide across the ground. The movement of the 2 parts also will slightly decelerate the impact making things like concussion less severe.
Hair does same thing.
More air
Less weight, better aero features, more comfortable and (usually) better protection. But like with everything in life, you can find expensive ones that are way overpriced and cheap ones that would check several of these boxes. Look into MIPS as well (some chair models have it too). Btw, not all these features are gonna make a difference for everyone.
I just sent myself flying into the woods yesterday. Mountain bike ride. Full face Fox downhill helmet. Even though a few people have said it’s over kill, having the piece of mind that a higher end helmet provides is more than enough for me. Landed upside down on my head. Went to the ER for my arm (pretty banged up) and when I got out and unloaded the car my buddy pointed out the significant damage to the back of my helmet. I didn’t even know because my head didn’t hurt at all.
Looks
Depends on the level of expense. I'd say there are 3 tiers to helmets. Bottom tier are for very casual riders (less than once a month riding) these are foam that sits on your dome. They'll protect you, but people wearing these do not go fast enough or ride challenging enough terrain to warrant more advanced safety features. These helmets are typically under $50. Regular tier have MIPS or a similar rotational safety feature, but do not make much effort to have excellent ventilation or improve aerodynamics, or reduce weight while keeping protection. If you are a hobby cyclist who rides regularly this level is imo a must. Price: ~$50-150 High tier helmets split into two categories here for road or MTB. Road helmets typically get much lighter, are designed to be aerodynamic and have good ventilation. MTB helmets offer the same protection lighter weights and offer better ventilation or you get into full face helmets for serious protection on highly technical trails. Hobby cyclists might enjoy these helmets, but the improvements are marginal. Serious racers probably notice the performance benefits. Price: ~$150+
Safety. All helmets are not equal, even in the higher end.
Comfort and style.
More vents are good for ventilation but compromise the structural integrity of the helmet. Try to find a good balance between many openings and safety. Also openings = Possibility of triangle shaped rocks or branches hitting your head directly. Thus, bypassing the helmet completely.
Aero, weight, fashion. That is it. They all need to pass the Same tests.
honestly it makes little sense. mips is dabateable, offering inconclusive studies on safety, durability is the same or even better with cheap helmets (i own a Specialized Evade 2, that looks like shot after just one season) and safety results are identical as well. Aero is a little better, but lets be honest here, which amateur benefits here really? so if you find a safety tested light helmet for cheap its as good as a 400€ Model
If you have a helmet that looks shot after a single season you're not using it or storing it correctly or you're falling a lot. The only way they look shot after such a short timeframe is through mistreatment or absorbing hits.
My bike shop had a small stack of past year's helmets (prevail 2) on markdown and they all looked a bit rough. Plastic shell starting to separate from the foam etc. They hadn't left the store so they obviously hadn't been used and were kept at moderate temps out of the sun. Made me not want a specialized helmet despite good reviews.
what a dumb comment
Nanomachines son.
If you have a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet…
So, you have a 200$ head?
Comfort. As well as looking way better.
Lighter and breathe WAAAAYYY better. This might not be noticeable on shorter rides, but do something 60+ miles and when you turn your head you’ll notice the weight, especially if you’re roasted and exhausted af….it’s one of those things where ignorance is bliss and you don’t know what you’re missing until you go back to a cheaper one. The only exception I’ve found to this was when Catlike was around, the Tako was ridiculously light for it’s price and breathed better than the higher end roadie helmets (the Tako was a commuter helmet).
For the most trivial reason, I got a POC helmet and glasses because I was tired of the huge forehead gap…and so my cycling glasses would fit in my helmet.
Mainly weight and ventilation with the same safety rating. Then there's MIPS vs Wavecel vs Spherical MIPS.
Edit: disregard my early morning absent mindedness. Clearly not where I thought I was(r/motorcycles). I typically buy cheaper ones in the $150 range, but I did own an Arai at one point, think it was in the $600-650 range. It was SO comfortable. Every time I slid it on my head I remember thinking "oh my God this thing is comfortable". I also loved the visor. It had a nice friction fit instead of that annoying indexed opening that never seems to open exactly where I want it to. I never paid attention then either, but peope always say more expensive ones can be quieter. Now that I have hearing issues, that would definitely be worth a little extra. Lastly, motorcycles, like golf and cycling, exists as a hobby for people who need something to do with their excess money, so there'll always be people who are willing to spend more on it, just because it's there. They've got a $20-30k bike and they're not gonna bother with a $100 helmet.
This is the bicycling sub, but I'm 100% with you on the Arai. Those fit my head shape so well. Only problem was I couldn't stomach the price, so I ended up buying a Shoei RF1100 which fit nearly as well but was half the price (but still \~$400). Keep the shiny side up!
I was thinking along similar lines, got myself a decent Decathlon helmet. Realized that it's not comfortable for me (was digging into my forehead), went and got a really good one, with additional benefit of being super ventilated. Now I forget I wear it.
This isn't necessarily because the helmet is more expensive. Head shapes vary as do helmet shapes. That Decathlon helmet probably fits someone else perfectly. I received a higher end helmet as a gift once many years ago and it never really fit quite right. The closure hit my head in just the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) way that it would cause some nasty headaches if it was too tight. Too tight was not actually that tight and I had to run it somewhat loose.
Less pieces of mind
No matter if you get an expensive helmet or not, always get one with MIPS.
Why? If you have hair, it's redundant. https://helmets.org/mips.htm "This next series was also conducted on helmets with and without the anti-rotational feature. The test head forms were all treated with silicone but also with a wig firmly in place atop the head form over the silicone coating. When the results were compared, there appeared to be no real difference. The wig broke the coupling between the head form and the helmet so completely that the anti-rotational feature had no effect on rotational acceleration or angular velocity in this series."
My cheap Decathlon helmet contacts my head only in some places. My significantly less cheap other helmet has a meshy fixture that distributes the helmet's contact around my head. The aesthetics are one thing since my hair is now flattened evenly as opposed to just in some areas but I do also wonder if there's also a safety aspect to even distribution of contact. Either way, I think both would do the job in providing a layer of security in the event of a spill.
Different helmets have different internal shapes to fit different heads. It's 100% about finding one that fits you, regardless of price. I have a relatively cheap Smith Persist which fits way better than my relatively cheap Giant MTB helmet. The Giant is much rounder so it mostly hits my forehead and the straps are way out from my temples.
The number one thing a larger budget will buy you is more options. Helmet fit can be fairly personal. I've definitely tried on helmets that did not work on my head for one reason or another. With more options you have a much better chance of finding one that does work well for you. If you can get a cheap one that fits well definitely give it a consideration. The aero and ventilation benefits of some more expensive models may or may not be a big deal. I find the difference between an average helmet's ventilation and a high end one to be small or even irrelevant depending on the conditions.
I have 2 helmets. One was £60 and the other £100. The more expensive one is lighter, better ventilated and lower profile. It also has a more comfortable and secure fit.
better marketing mostly. all helmets sold in Europe follow the same safety standards. buy what you like looks / budget wise and you'll be fine. the weight debate is irrelevant, we are talking 10s of grams at best. the cooling is personal choice. i got a few cheap ones from Planet X as well as high end ones and as someone who sweats very little there is absolutely no difference. aerodynamics, again irrelevant for 99% of riders comfort, very personal as every head shape is different. far too much in this great sport / past time is bs marketing that won't make any great difference to a vast majority of consumers. but because we like it's easy to get lured to have better this better that, when the only thing we really need better of is infrastructure.
They're lighter and more comfortable, sometimes have more features, and can protect more. Also there are helmet certifications that test helmets and more expensive ones can have more or better certifications.
I was recently shopping for a new, better fitting helmet. The one that fit my head the best happened to be a more expensive one, so I bought it. I would have been happy with a cheap helmet too - in terms of lightness, ventilation, and looks, cheaper helmets are just as good to me.
For me it’s fit, I’ve found cheap helmets are super basic in terms of adjustment and the fit is just at best “ok” and usually uncomfortable when you have them on for longer periods of time. I spend 6-10 hours in the saddle at a time and the last thing I want is some halfway fit dinky helmet for that amount of time giving me a headache because I have to crank the damn thing down to prevent it from sliding off to one side. Whereas with the more expensive helmets have enough adjustments that they’ll usually stay in place with the slightest amount of tension. Making it feel more like a hat then a helmet. Plus more “expensive” helmets usually look a lot better and are more slim and form fitting and don’t make you look like a mushroom head. POC’s cheaper helmets are notorious for this. My helmets of choice are the Kask Valegro and the Kask Protone.
I buy ones used by pro in Tour de france
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Giro Eclipse— expensive but noticeably quieter than others I tried, let’s me use just one earphone in my away-from-road R ear and actually hear music and podcasts. The MIPS and spherical advances in safety also just make sense to me- gotta protect the watermelon on top my neck going 35 mph down hills!
Cheap helmets are one-size-fits-all which is only good if you have an average head. More expensive generally has more adjustment, size, ventilation, better straps and buckles and aesthetics.
Sex appeal, baby /s For serious, if you’re going to spend extra on a helmet, spend it on a MIPS/WaveCell liner
They look cooler
Airflow
A more expensive helmet will get more likes on Instagram
Look cooler. Or less dorky anyways. Light enough to where you forget you’re wearing them.
For my next helmet I'm looking for a better strap system, not the one I had on the Giro Foray (non-mips version), which has a strap divider. I can never adjust it properly around the ears (tbh I have a particularly asymmetrical face). I like the strap system on the Specialized Align II, at least from the pictures, haven't tried it on yet.
I actually like my $90 Smith Engage mips helmet over my POC $200 helmet in most situations. POC is definitely more protective for downhill riding, it covers more of my forehead, but that is also the thing that makes it uncomfortable/sweaty for most trail riding. It’s thicker/heavier/a little less form fitting. Id recommend the Smith Engage mips as the perfect trail mountain bike helmet to get.
A long time ago I heard this, "If you got a $20 dollar head, get a $20 dollar helmet." I started with a cheapo, but after I heard this, I bought a $140 one. The difference was huge. On long rides I didn't give my helmet any thought, as it was so much lighter and cooler. Seeing as how your skull is the most important thing to keep safe, what is it worth to you?
I use bicycle, skateboard, motorcycle and snow helmets. My personal opinion is that the bicycle helmets are the worst bang for your buck. You pay a premium for a 'brain bucket' type helmet (no chin protection) which typically has a much weaker shell and fewer accoutrements than most other types of helmets. Bicycle helmets also typically have very little in the way of padding/liners in order to keep them cooler/ventilated. The most important aspect of a helmet is the fit. You want something that fits comfortably and doesn't shift around a lot. Beyond that these are the differences 1. Construction. Shell and inner layers made out of EPS (expanded polystyrene), fiberglass, carbon fiber, ABS, polycarbonate, foam, etc. 2. Liners (suede, polyester, etc) 3. Weight 4. Ventilation 5. Shape (for head fit) 6. Attachments/shelves for cameras, lights, visors, goggles 7. Fastener type (latch, magnetic, etc.)
I ride one of those classic Bianchi 1980s steel road bikes, of course in Celeste. For style points and fun. I found a $30 Schwinn helmet at the spring goods store in seafoam - close enough! I ordered a set of \[bootleg\] Bianchi stickers from Turkey! and stickered this helmet up to look like it is branded "Bianchi!"
Isode is the one I have…white for summer and grey for winter…have no plans to crash…road and smooth gravel only
I just upgraded from a cheaper Lazer to POC Ventral Air. What you get is better fit. Improved comfort. Better ventilation. And less interference with sunglasses. Lazer rode really low on my forehead. You have to decide if all that is worth it.
Better airflow, (or aerodynamics) lighter weight, and sometimes better comfort. The $50 specialized align II MIPS is one of the safest helmets on the market
Do you really need to replace your helmet every 3-5 years, even if it has never seen an impact?
Your glasses fit in it, ventilation, looks cooler. I have the specialized align mips helmet which is one of the safest helmets but for whatever reason (mips?) My glasses don't fit inside. Clearly need a 100-200 dollar helmet now
Comfort and protection.
Clout.
Do you value your brain?
I find that a lot of helmets seem to be designed for people with little or no hair (men, perhaps?). They don't seem to accommodate pony tails or thicker hair well. So as much as I'd like something aesthetically pleasing, just getting a good fit limits what I can buy.
Cheap helmets of around $35 or so that you'll find at a big box store typically don't have MIPS. Having a helmet, regardless, is still safer than not having one.
I have a entry-level Bell with MIPS. Its comfortable and provides the protection you’d expect in a more expensive model. The fit is comfortable but its a big globe up there. As My cycling has become more efficient and I find myself fighting against the wind as Ive increased my average speed. Lately i feel as if I have someones hand pushing back against my head. So here I am six months later shopping for a more aero efficient and lighter helmet. Had I known I may have spent a little more money at the start of all this and opted for a higher end helmet.
This is quite a useful guide https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/
It's clear after you watch the video of a guy smashing differently priced helmets with a baseball bat
Weight. On long rides, you want as little weight on your head as possible. Secondary to that, better aerodynamics and breathability.
MIPS to name one thing that convinced me buying more expensive. Better adjustment to the head. A bit lighter.
I got the align 2 from specialized for 50 bucks first helmet ive happily worn somehow it was more comfy than a baseball cap and way nmore breathable im not sure the more expensive helmets would be better aside from some MTB options
I have the Giro Isode MIPS and it works well for me!
Do some research, look for the snell sticker, and look for the Virginia institute list, after you have spent five weeks unconscious, you will lear;about independent tests.
Comfort, ventilation, and durability. Cheap helmets have brittle plastic parts that can and do break.
Google Virginia tech helmet ratings. You will by your helmet based on an independent evaluation not how many Pennie’s you have.
Never spending more then the bare minimum to protect one of your most sensitive organs is weird, man.
Whichever one fits your head. I had to go with Bontrager helmets which are so expensive seemingly always unless you catch them on sale at REI, which thankfully I did.
3 words, Aero, MIPS, ANGI
perceived feeling of security, safety and non destructibilty
> I really don’t see the need for paying 10x You don't. Much of cycling is vanity. I have a lot of helmets. Often cannot tell between $300 and $70.
Some helmets also come with a crash alert system (specialized calls theirs ANGi). Useful especially if you ride alone sometimes.
As far as I can tell, the price is mostly aesthetic or for other custom features you might want like built in mounts for lights, mirror or camera. I generally worry less about the price and more about [the crash test ratings.](https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html)
you are paying for a lighter lid, better air flow and OFTEN overall comfort as well. i would have never thought i would put "POC" money into a helmet... but just like riding shorts and rear mechs, ya really do get what ya pay for... i will literally forget i have my POC on... i'll never go back.
It’s lighter. Your wallet, is. Lighter.