Selecting a Cycling Helmet

Posted by A.J. Nygren on 6th Feb 2018

Selecting a Cycling Helmet

Cycling helmets come in many shapes and sizes. Each style has its advantages for certain purposes but all of them are designed to keep you safe in the event of an impact. At Triathlete Sports, we have a broad range of helmets to choose from. We have sturdy, basic models that are great for casual riders or commuters and we have the latest and greatest in helmet technology that will keep you cool with ultralight protection on raceday. There are a handful of factors to consider when purchasing a helmet. Think of the type of riding you will be doing, is it training, racing, or casual commuting? Are you concerned with factors like visibility, weight, or ventilation?

A few options for casual commuting are: the  Louis Garneau Astral, the Giro Trinity, and the Giro Women’s Verona. These helmets are in the $40-50 range and will do a good job of keeping you protected on the road. If you were looking for something with more advanced construction, lighter weight, and breathability we have options there as well. The Giro Savant M.I.P.S (we will discuss M.I.P.S later) is a great option for lightweight breathability for a reasonable $120. The  Louis Garneau X-Lite is also $120 and features sophisticated but easy to use adjustment systems for the head and the chin. These helmets are very well suited for training and everyday rides. In our selection of high-end road helmets (>$200) we are introduced to specially designed aerodynamic racing helmets, time trial helmets with magnetic visors like the  Bell Star Pro, and the lightest and best road-going helmets like the POC Octal Raceday M.I.P.S and Giro Air Attack Shield.

M.I.P.S stands for “Multi-directional Impact Protection System.” The efficacy of this system has been up for debate since its debut because testing safety features in the real world is difficult. However, the companies that utilize M.I.P.S do laboratory testing that shows that “rotational impact forces” are reduced in helmets that utilize M.I.P.S. Whether you choose M.I.P.S is up to you, just wearing a helmet is the best thing you can do to keep yourself safe on the bike. I hope you can find your next cycling helmet here at Triathlete Sports!