A helmet is one of the most important parts of a rider’s protective gear. It protects your head in case of an accident or collision, and some places require you to wear a helmet on your head while riding a bike.
The bike helmet market is huge. There are all types of helmets out there that are designed for different head shapes and sizes.
Finding a perfect bike helmet can be fairly difficult, but we’re here to help you with that. We’ll tell you everything that you need to know about choosing the best bike helmet for yourself.
Key factors for choosing a bicycle helmet:
The following are some of the key factors that you should know about before buying a bike helmet.
Helmet Fit:
A helmet that doesn’t fit comfortably on your head is going to irritate you a lot. If it’s too big, then it won’t stay securely in one place on your head, and if it’s too small, then the helmet is practically useless.
Your Riding Style:
Choosing a bike helmet dramatically depends on your riding style. There are different helmet categories suitable for different riding styles. These categories include:
- Recreational bike helmets
- Mountain bike helmets
- Road bike helmets
Additional features:
You also have to check what other features a helmet provides besides protection and safety. It can be anything from the helmet’s aerodynamic design to a built-in action camera mount.
Bike Helmet Sizing and Fitting:
It is important to check that your helmet fits comfortably since you’ll be wearing it for hours while riding.
If you don’t have the right size bike helmet, then the ride can become extremely irritating, and the helmet also won’t be able to protect you against head injuries efficiently in case of an accident or crash.
The best way to get a perfect fit helmet is to measure your head’s circumference. Measuring your head circumference is extremely easy.
All you have to do is grab a measuring tape and measure your head by wrapping the measuring tape around your head about an inch above your eyebrows.
How to see if a helmet fits properly:
Once you’ve got the proper helmet size, you can try to see if it fits properly on your head. There are a couple of ways to check this.
Adjust the fit:
Most modern bike helmets come with an adjustment wheel on the back, which can be used to make the helmet fit better. You can adjust the wheel on the back of the helmet till you get the correct fit.
Tightening the Chin strap:
The thumb rule of chinstraps is that they should form a ‘V’ shape over both of your ears. You can further adjust the buckles on each side to ensure you get that ‘V’ shape.
Open your mouth wide:
Now that you have a comfortable ‘V-shaped’ chinstrap over both ears, you can try to open your mouth wide to make sure the lid of the helmet press against the top of your head.
If you get that feeling of the helmet pressing against the top of your head, then you’ve got a snug fit, and if not, then you should try adjusting the buckles or the adjustable wheel a bit more.
Bike Helmet Construction and Technologies:
Bike helmets are designed and constructed using two main protective parts. These parts are the outer shell of the helmet and the interior liner.
The helmet’s outer shell provides impact protection, while the inner liner dissipates and slows down the rotational forces acting on the helmet in case of a crash or collision.
There are several technologies used by bike helmet brands that help in reducing the impact force and the rotational energy acting on the helmet.
The following are the commonly used technologies relevant to bike helmet construction:
MIPS
MIPS stands for multi-directional Impact Protection System. MIPS helmets are quite popular and if you’re looking for a bike helmet, you must’ve heard the name once before. MIPS technology features a low friction layer on the interior of the helmet that lets the helmet rotate a little in case of a crash. This slight rotation dissipates a lot of the impact force and protects the rider’s head.
SPIN
SPIN stands for Shearing Pads Inside, and this technology features pads made out of silicone. These silicone pads on the inside of the helmet are designed to move around inside the helmet in case of a crash, which greatly reduces the impact force.
WaveCel
WaveCel bike helmets feature a honeycombed liner that absorbs the force of an impact and dissipates so the rider stays unharmed in case of an accident.
What to look for in A cycling helmet:
Aside from everything above, there are a few things that you should also keep in mind while buying a new bike helmet.
These key features are present in about every helmet to some extent, and some helmets even excel at a specific key feature. For example, mountain bike helmets have visors for eye protection from the sun.
Furthermore, you should be looking for a balance of all the following things combined.
Ventilation:
Ventilation allows your sweat to dry quickly and keeps the rider cool and dry while riding.
Bike riders tend to sweat a lot since they’re burning a lot of calories by paddling. Most bike helmets feature several air vents for better airflow.
Protection:
There are full-face mtb helmets available that can be converted into a half helmet by adjusting the chin bar. These types of helmets are usually common for mountain bike riders. A full-face bike helmet provides better protection compared to regular bike helmets. But, if you’re going to do road biking for the most part, then getting a regular helmet is fine as well.
Visor:
Some bike helmets feature an integrated sun visor. The visor protects the rider’s eyes from dust, bugs, and the sun. A sun-visor provides UV protection that keeps your eyes safe from the harmful rays of the sun.
Mount for Add-ons:
If you intend to attach add-ons to your bike helmet such as an action camera, you should first check if the helmet features mount compatibility or not.
Some helmets come with breakaway mounts that let you attach action cameras or a flashlight.
Conclusion
How to choose a bike helmet is fairly simple and straightforward. First your going to use a measuring tape to get your head circumference and compare it to a bike helmet sizing chart.
The Second thing your going to do is make sure to pick your bike riding style as it will determine the optimal helmet to purchase. Finally, before you purchase a new helmet make sure it fits comfortably.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should a bike helmet provide a snug fit?
A bike helmet should provide a snug fit to the rider. If the helmet doesn’t fit comfortably, you should try adjusting the chinstrap or the adjustable wheel on the back of the bike helmet. Wearing a helmet that doesn’t provide a snug fit can be dangerous.
How do I measure my head circumference for a bike helmet?
You can wrap a measuring tape around your head about one inch above your eyebrows. Mark the measuring tape to get your accurate head circumference. Once you have the exact head circumference, you can look up a bike helmet sizing chart to see which size would fit you better.
How do I know which bike helmet size fits me?
You can measure your head circumference and compare the measurement to a bike helmet sizing chart. This will give you an idea about which bike helmet size you should go for.
How do you know if the bike helmet is too small for you?
The best way to check if the helmet fits you perfectly is to check if the front edge of the helmet is about an inch above your eyebrows. If the front edge lies further up than an inch, it means that your helmet is too small. If it lies further down, then that means your helmet is too large.
How tight should a bike helmet be?
A bike helmet should be a snug fit for the rider. It should fit perfectly around the rider’s head. However, make sure there are no pressure points or anywhere the helmet is making you hurt. If you feel like the helmet is hurting you, then you should go for another size.
