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Crucial equipment for road cycling, though not mandatory, helmets are to cyclists what life jackets should have been to Jack Dawson. Forget the iceberg: it can save your life in the event of a fall or collision. But you still need to make sure you buy the right helmet. Zoom in on the essential buying criteria to guide you in choosing your future bike helmet.
Bike helmet approval
To choose a road or mountain bike helmet, the first and by far most important criterion concerns the certification of the bike helmet. The objective of your future ally is to optimize the protection of your head in case of an accident. It is therefore imperative that the bicycle helmet be compliant with the safety standards in force in the European Union (approved CE 1078 or EN 1078 standards).
Make sure that it is!
The intended use: mountain bike, road, urban
There are a whole bunch of bike helmets designed for different uses. Are you going to be cycling recreationally or competitively? In the city, on the road, or in rough terrain? To each discipline its helmet:
road cycling and triathlon: the best road bike helmets are well ventilated, aerodynamic and very light;
mountain biking: the helmet is equipped with a visor to protect you from the sun;
enduro, all-mountain, downhill biking, etc. These extreme practices require a full-face helmet;
bicycle touring and velotaf: an urban bike helmet for your trips on a city bike or VAE (electrically assisted bicycle).
Note that some manufacturers offer multipurpose bike helmets.
The size and settings of the helmet
The size of the helmet: a decisive purchase criterion. It must fit properly on your head to provide perfect occipital support. Take a flexible tape measure to measure the perimeter of your skull at eyebrow height.
The helmet must offer several adjustment possibilities:
the knob at the back of the helmet for optimal adjustment of the head size;
the side straps;
the chinstrap under the chin.
You can buy a children's or teenage bike helmet for the youngest.
The comfort level
The comfort level may vary depending on the brand, model and price of the bike helmet. The helmet's interior lining is made up of reinforced foams and pads to conform to the shape of your skull.
The bike helmet design
Style, a crucial element for some cyclists, futile for others. Either way, you'll be spoiled for choice: plain, patterned, discreet, colorful, custom... The bike helmet puts on a show!
No doubt you'll find the bike helmet of your dreams, the one that will make all the buddies in the peloton jealous!
