RIDDEN AND REVIEWED HELMETS

From budget to boutique, our Tech team lifts the lid on the latest helmets to hit the market

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Choosing a road helmet is no longer quite as straightforward as it once was. While finding the right fit remains a priority, you're now faced with a slew of features and manufacturer's claims. Do you look for additional safety measures, such as a MIPS liner? Are you better off with a lighter, vented helmet or one that'd designed to be as aerodynamic as possible? And then there's the matter of cost, with today's lids running the full gamut, from under £50 to over £300. It can leave you scratching your head, as it were.

QUALITY

For this grouptest, four members of Cycling Weekly's tech team reviewed six helmets between them, swapping notes and deliberating over every detail before awarding one helmet Best on Test. We've included those at both ends of the price spectrum, from Van Rysel's budget RoadR 500 to Kask's pricy Nirvana, as well as selecting models noted for both their aerodynamic properties and their ability to keep your head cool even in warmer temperatures or during hard efforts. And all come with impressive safety credentials.

WEIGHT AND SIZE

When it comes to weight, our selections are pretty evenly matched with less than 100 grams between the lightest and the heaviest models in comparable sizes. During our testing, degree of comfort was a preoccupation, given that the best helmets tend to be the ones that you quickly forget you're wearing; this is usually achieved through a number of measures, including the synergy between head shape and that of the helmet, the quality of the padding and the retention system, and the degree of ventilation. We also made sure to evaluate the smaller details, such as the ability to store your sunglasses securely.