You don’t have to dress like you’re in a bike race for the journey to work. There are helmets that are designed to be worn with normal clothes.
While you can wear any cycle helmet for the journey to work (or none – helmets aren’t a legal requirement), there are differences between helmets aimed at commuters at those aimed at road cyclists or mountain bikers.
Instead of using a ribbed design with multiple large vents, commuter helmets generally look more like open-face motorcycle helmets or skate helmets. Ventilation isn’t as important for commuting as it is for racing because you don’t ride as hard. Weight matters less than everyday durability and practicality, so commuter helmets are heftier and often come equipped with integral rear lights. Many have an in-built or detachable peak, like mountain bike helmets; this is useful to keep sun and rain out of your eyes, and may limit, damage to the face in a crash.
Other features are similar to any other cycling helmet. They’re manufactured to meet the same safety standards, such as EN 1078. Some come with MIPS (often written Mips): the internal cradle can slide a little independently of the external shell in order to limit the likelihood of rotational brain injuries from glancing helmet impacts. And all have adjustable straps to fine tune the fit.
If you’re going to buy a helmet specifically for commuting, here are some of best available. Sizes refer to your head’s circumference, measured horizontally around the forehead and just above the ears. Prices shown are RRP; don’t forget your Cyclescheme savings.
Btwin City Cycling Bowl Helmet 500 £29.99-£34.99
Proof that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a decent helmet, this one from Decathlon not only looks the part but also meets EN 1078. There are 12 vents to let the heat out and a pair of removable ear covers for when it’s cold. It doesn’t come with a rear light but there is a clip to attach one. Colours: black, beige, light green, yellow, light grey. Sizes: M (55-59cm), L (59-62cm). The black and light green helmets are £5 cheaper, and the black also comes in a small size (52-55cm).
Specialized Tone £55
The Tone is excellent value for a Mips-equipped helmet, especially if you manage to get it for £30, the price at time of writing. Two wide vents, front and rear, provide some airflow over the head, although like other urban helmets it suits a leisurely pace better. Strap adjustment is easier than many helmets, thanks to Specialized’s simplified Tri-fix fit system. The overall styling is vaguely futuristic. Colours: grey, white, pale green. Sizes: S (51-56cm), M (55-59cm), L (58-62cm).
Kali Cruz Plus Sld £59.99
Visors are more common on time trial racing helmets than commuter helmets but they can be useful around town as well. Flipped down, the visor keeps wind, dust and insects out of your eyes, and if you wear prescription glasses the visor will keep distorting droplets off their lenses. The Kali Cruz Plus Sld’s other features include an integrated rear light and a dedicated port for U-locking the helmet to your bike. It comes with a lifetime crash replacement policy. Colours: hi-viz yellow, white, black. Sizes: S/M (55-58cm), L/XL (59-61cm).
Electra Go! Mips Bike Helmet £79.99
The Electra Go! has a wider size range than most helmets, with a particularly petite size small. Fitting is easier to fine tune as the cradle uses a Boa dial system rather than a plastic ratchet strap, and you can’t nip skin when fastening the straps thanks to a Fidlock magnetic buckle. The removable peak is reflective. The Electra Go! has Mips protection and is also certified to NTA 8776, a non-mandatory but more rigorous Dutch standard devised for speed pedelecs. Colours: black, grey, pale pink, teal, white, hi-viz yellow. Sizes: S (48-54cm), M (55-58cm), L (59-61cm).
Endura Urban Luminite Helmet £79.99
Endura’s Urban Luminite is well vented for an urban helmet as it has the large slots and ribbed construction of recreational and racing helmets. It’s aimed more at commuters, however: the peak and rear shell are reflective to stand out in car headlights, and it has an integral, rechargeable rear light. It’s covered by Endura’s crash replacement policy, which gives 50% off the price of a new one. A Mips version of this helmet is available for an extra £20. Colours: black, hi-viz yellow, navy, white. Sizes: S/M (51-56cm), M/L (55-59cm), L/XL (58-63cm).
Met Vibe £80
Aimed at commuters in general and e-bike riders in particular, Met’s Vibe meets the tougher NTA 8776 standard. It also has a thicker outer shell than many helmets to limit damage from accidental knocks when it’s not on your head. Pastel colours and minimalist styling underscore its non-sporty focus, although there are three long vents to let some heat out. The chin buckle has a ratchet strap, which gives easy, nip-free fastening and adjustment. A rechargeable rear light is attached to the rear. There’s also a more expensive Mips version. Colours: teal, white, light brown, light pink, lilac, light green, black. Sizes: S (52-56cm), M (56-58cm), L (58-61cm).
In terms of style, the Dashel ReCycle has something of the horse riding helmet about it. Style is perhaps its biggest selling point: it’s designed to be a cycling helmet that everyday, non-Lycra cyclists will wear. It still meets EN 1708 and there is some ventilation: a row of five circular holes across the top. The Fidlock magnetic buckle can be fastened with one hand, and the curved peak shades your eyes from sun and rain. The vegan ‘leather’ carrying loop can double as a light mount. It’s made in the UK using renewable energy. Colours: black, navy, red, light green, light blue, white, slate blue. Sizes: S (54-56.5cm), M (57-59cm), L (60-62cm).
Like the Endura Urban Luminite, this is very well ventilated for a commuter helmet. There are 17 vents in all, 12 placed to let cool air in and five to let hot air out. A fly net under the vents stops insects being blown in and stinging your head. As the name says, it’s fitted with Mips protection. It’s highly visible, especially in the yellow version, as it has lots of reflectivity and an integrated rear light. The buckle is a Fidlock magnetic one. Unlike most helmets, it’s also available in an XL version, fitting head circumferences up to 65cm. Colours: dark grey, yellow. Sizes: S (51-55cm), M (52-58cm), L (56-61cm), XL (61-65cm).
Thousand Chapter Mips Helmet £129
The Thousand Chapter Mips has similar urban chic styling to the Met and Dashel helmets. You’d never mistake it for a bike racer’s helmet, which is the point. It’s equipped with Mips, eight vents, a prominent peak and a magnetic strap buckle. The rear light is also attached magnetically, and it comes with an adapter to fix it to your bike. That’s where it needs to be if you have only one rear light, as helmet lights are auxiliary use only. The Thousand Chapter has a hidden ‘PopLock’ to make it easier to secure to your bike with your lock. Colours: navy, black, white, grey, patterned. Sizes: S (54-57cm), M (57-59cm), L (59-62cm).
Giro Escape Mips LED Helmet £149.99
At time of writing, Giro had discounted this helmet to £104.99 so it’s worth looking for deals before spending the full £150. It is a well made and fully featured helmet, however. Like the majority of expensive helmets it’s equipped with Mips, and the Roc Loc Sports Mips inner cradle offers easy adjustment for fit and comfort as well. Its visibility at night is very good: it has integrated, rechargeable front and rear lights, along with reflective straps. Colours: black, white. Sizes: S (52-55.5cm), M (55.5-59cm), L (59-62.5cm).
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