What types of cycling helmets are there?

Bike helmets are an important piece of safety gear. You’re going to wear your helmet on every single ride, so you need to make sure you pick one that’s comfortable and delivers the features you want. Our guide will help you choose the best bike helmet for you, whenever or wherever you love to ride.

Comfort and fit

Finding a helmet that fits your head properly is important. Every helmet model fits a little differently, but thankfully helmet manufacturers offer a wide variety of sizes and retention systems. Look for companies that offer 'test ride' periods so you can make sure you love your helmet’s fit. For example, Bontrager offers a 30-day guarantee so you have a full month to dial in your fit, or return it for a different model.

Price

Generally, pricier helmets are lighter, have more ventilation and often give you more aerodynamic benefits. All helmets are certified to applicable, minimum requirements. However, advanced technologies may also be available in some helmets that are designed to help address rotational impacts. If you’re an avid rider, you may want to consider investing in a helmet with one of these technologies. Helmets are a bit of bike gear that’s worth upgrading, because they help protect what matters most – you.

What type of riding do you do?


Bike helmets are designed with different features depending on where and how they are intended to be ridden, so it’s important to consider what kind of riding you want to do when deciding which bike helmet to buy. You should wear a helmet on every single ride, no matter how long or short. That’s why high-quality bike helmets are designed to be more comfortable for long periods of time, whatever their intended use!

Road bike helmets

Road bike helmets are often as lightweight as possible and prioritise ventilation and aerodynamics as you go up in price. Some helmet technologies are designed to help keep you fast and manage rotational energy that may occur during certain helmet impacts.

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Mountain bike helmets

Mountain bike helmets generally have a visor because of the ever-changing shade and environmental elements found off-road and in wooded areas. They also usually extend further down the back of the head for additional coverage while on technical trails. There are several types of MTB helmets that are designed for specific riding disciplines, including full face mountain bike helmets for downhill and enduro riders.

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Fitness riding and commuter bike helmets

These urban bike helmets are designed to keep up with you wherever you roam. They’re often designed with useful features found in road and mountain bike helmets – like visors and ventilation – to give you the most versatile lid for all your cycling adventures.

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Kids’ bike helmets


Whether your child is on a balance bike, big kid bike or along for the ride in a bike trailer, kids of one year of age and older should be wearing a properly fitted kids’ bike helmet.

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