Lusso is a British brand which began trading nearly 40 years ago, to address perceived inadequacies in the cycling kit of the time. The brand has been continually developing its products ever since.

Construction

Designed to be reversable, this is essentially two caps in one, with a smart two tone black and grey colour scheme on one side and a stealthy black on the other. Although those on the ‘peak up’ side of the divide will be dismayed to hear that the Lusso branding on the peak is made to be read with the peak down.

The reflective print of that branding is a nice touch and it really does leap out at you. Good to see is that the fabric is 60% merino; enough to confer the antibacterial and thermal properties of the wool, but not so much as to have a negative effect on the fit. Which, although it is one size fits all, was pretty much perfect on my M/L head.

The peak is constructed from the same material as the rest of the cap and as such it is less rigid than other cycling caps and the fabric stretches low to comfortably cover the ears. It’s also made in the UK, which is an added bonus.

The ride

Taking the cap out for a ride was not the most simple of affairs. Firstly, it was a bit too bulky for my usual helmet, a MET Strale, and although it did play more nicely with a Kask Valegro, that was only with the peak down.

Once actually out on the road, I found the cap to be incredibly warm. It was impervious to even the cold November winds on early morning rides. Such was the warmth, unless you suffer from particularly cold ears, it would be overkill for most conditions. But it’s definitely one to reach for when the temperature really drops—providing you can fit it under your helmet.

Value

At £19.99 this winter cap is very reasonably priced, the Rapha Pro Team Hat offers similar warmth but costs more than twice as much at £45. The Gore Windstopper is £34.99 and could be a better option if you don’t have much spare space in your helmet. For those with room to spare, the Lusso Merino Reversible Thermal Belgium Hat does represent better value.

With the heightened awareness over the environmental effect of waste plastics, the Buff Coolnet UV+ is bang on trend. It’s made from a fabric that is 95% recycled polyester, with the remaining 5% being elastane for stretch. It’s designed for hot weather use, with Buff having it certified for its cooling effect, due to its wicking properties, by a German testing organisation.

Buff points out that there are many different ways you can wear your Buff Coolnet UV+. Some of these work better than others with a helmet. If you go for the classic neckwarmer option, you end up with quite a lot of loose fabric around your neck. Since it’s mostly not in contact with your skin, it can’t really provide effective wicking, so I found that it tended to keep my neck warmer rather than cooling it off.

That’s quite useful if you’re making an early start on a day that starts cool, adding a bit of extra warmth until you and the temperature warm up. The Buff Coolnet UV+ has the advantage that if you do take it off later in the day, it’s really compact and takes up minimal pocket space.

With a UPF of 50, there’s loads of sun protection, so the Buff Coolnet UV+ is useful to wear under a helmet on a day with high UV levels. Then, the fabric is more stretched out, so the wicking effect and air circulation do help keep you more comfortable, while the head coverage helps keep the sun at bay.

There are no seams in the Buff Coolnet UV+, either in the body or at its ends, so it’s comfortable, however you decide to wear it.

If, like me, you’ve got a larger head, Buff also sells the Coolnet UV+ neckwarmer in an XL version, designed to fit heads of sizes between 58cm and 62cm better.

While if you live somewhere where attacks by biting insects are a summer scourge, there’s an insect repellent range available as well.

The Gore Equipe Windstopper cap is a very useful accessory as the temperature drops. Being made of Windstopper fabric, it’s windproof and water repellent, so it is good for colder, damp days.

It’s stretchy enough that one size should fit the majority of heads, although I did find it a bit tight on my size-large head. There’s a band of elastic fabric going around three quarters of the rim to hold the Gore Equipe Windstopper cap in place and to help mop up sweat.

>>> Eight types of cyclist you see on every winter ride

The Gore Equipe Windstopper cap is thin enough that it fits easily under a helmet and coverage is good. It’s also breathable, so you can wear it on cooler rides without getting too hot or sweaty.

Below the elasticated edges of the Gore Equipe Windstopper cap, there is a flap of non-Windstopper fabric which can be pulled down to add even more coverage of the ears and the back of the neck. It’s sufficiently deep to easily cover the ears and leave only a small gap at the back of the neck above the collar on the majority of winter jackets.

>>> Winter cycling survival guide

This adds a lot more comfort on the coldest winter rides without impeding hearing traffic noise or getting in the way of helmet straps. If it gets warmer on your ride it’s very easy to fold the flap upwards above the ears for more ventilation, although the helmet’s cradle gets in the way if you try to fold up the rear too.

The peak of the Gore Equipe Windstopper cap is quite stiff and can be flipped up or down. Its rigidity means that it can cope with the breeze when cycling. I found it a bit hard against my forehead though, particularly when in the cyclist’s favourite flipped up position.

>>> The best winter cycling gloves

Gore includes a reflective logo on the upper side of the Gore Equipe Windstopper cap’s brim for a bit of extra low-light visibility. There’s a non-reflective logo on the underside of the brim and another reflective logo on the right side of the cap as well.

Giro Air Attack construction

The Giro Air Attack Shield is a lightweight, aero helmet designed to save you a few watts whilst still offering enough ventilation so that you can get to the sprint with a fresh head.

>>> The best bike helmets: a buyer's guide

It’s a helmet for road racing, crit races, track, trialthlon or maybe time trialling – but that doesn’t stop it being pretty popular amongst your average weekend warrior keen to utilise marginal gains.

Giro say the helmet is aerodynamic, and it certainly looks it- but we've not got any wattage savings to back that up which is a bit of a shame. It is fair to say that since the Air Attack's first arrival on the scene in 2012, aero tech has seen a fair amount of evolution.

Aero items often carry with them a weight penalty – but the Air Attack tips the scales at 270g (in the size small tested), and 305g with the visor. It’s created using an in-mold polycarbonate shell, which is fused to the interior EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) layer – keeping the weight to a minimum.

Air flow is taken care of thanks to what Giro calls their ‘Wind Tunnel Ventilation’ system. The six vents in the helmet’s shell work alongside exhaust channels inside the helmet – so cool air is sucked in and circulated around your head.

On top of this, it’s designed to sit just a little bit off the top of your skull, held in place with a Roc Loc Air retention system. The idea then is that once in, air can move around the helmet.

The system uses a flexible inside shell, which tightens with a retention dial and you can select one of three different heights to further tune the fit.

The inside padding features X-Static technology – which entails the weaving of pure silver fibres into the fabric. This has an anti-microbial effect, which keeps whiffs at bay.

The ‘shied’ element refers to Giro’s party trick – a ‘Zeiss’ visor fastened via magnets to the top of the helmet. When in use, it provides shelter for your peepers, and when out of use, you can flip it so that it sticks to the front of the helmet out of harms way.

The ride

We don’t have a Cycling Weekly wind tunnel capable of measuring the aero claims, and any time trial attempts we made would be let down by changing weather conditions (and form...), so we’ve not tried that one and will have to take Giro’s aero claims as truth.

In terms of temperature regulation: it did the job when moving. I wore the helmet for a few crit races where I knew I’d expect to get hot, and during more causal rides. But when I stopped, I could feel the heat, and the same when I slowed down significantly on longer climbs.

>>> Hot weather cycling: five tips to help you keep your cool

The overall fit was good – the helmet hugged my head and felt comfortable. It’s quite a lot wider than most of my other helmets, so from a purely aesthetic point of view I felt it looked a bit bulky.

The visor does a good job of staying fog clear and offers an aero advantage whilst also protecting your eyes from grit, gravel, and any errant flies that might be on the loose.

I could feel the bottom of the visor coming into contact with my nose from time  to time, but it was nice to have uniform eye coverage with no disruption from the frame, as would be the case with standard glasses.

If you can sense a criticism: it’s coming.

The Giro Air Attack Shield carries limited appeal. For a time trial, I want the fastest helmet I can get, and that’s generally considered to be a long tail lid.

>>> Time trial helmet vs road helmet: which is faster? (video)

During a road race, I’d feel a bit of a mug wearing a helmet with a full-on visor – in fact it makes you a bit of a target if anything. On a casual ride, I’d be about as inclined to wear an aero lid as I would to ride with a pair of Zipp 808’s (not very).

The only real use for this helmet is in filling the hole for a rider who only has cash, or space, for one helmet. The Giro Air Attack Shield is ok for racing, and ok for general riding - so if you have to share one helmet across both uses, it'll do the job. But it wouldn't win a competition for 'most aero' and really you'd want something more breathable for long days in the saddle.

Value

At £209.99, this isn't an entry level or budget helmet. However, there are a fair few reductions around now.

It's far from a case of saving money on an aero helmet by buying this - you can find long tail aero helmets for just over £100 - but if you need to, you could fill the gap of an aero helmet and a road helmet with this one.

Based in Italy, it's no wonder that Sportful keeps churning out really good looking pieces of kit, and the classic-looking like the Sportful Giara cap, which is no exception.

>>> How to wear a cycling cap

Made from a lightweight breathable polyester mesh, which is known for its durability and quick-drying properties, the Sportful Giara Cap is thin enough to easily slip beneath a helmet.

>>> Buy the Sportful Giara Cap now from Evans Cycles for £17 

The one size cap fitted my small head well, without any excess fabric, or uncomfortable pressure points, even when teamed with sunglasses. However I did find the 9cm peak long, especially when riding uphill, and so I tended to have the peak flipped up the majority of the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZZUZOw28oI#action=share

The Sportful Giara Cap is breathable enough for warm rides and helped to kept the sun out of my eyes, but it was just as good as keeping the tips of my ears warm on chilly morning rides and helping to keep the rain out of my eyes too. All in all, then, this cap makes an ideal piece of transitional apparel for Spring and Autumn.

The reflective detailing in a nice touch, and although it coordinates perfectly with the rest of the Sportful Giara range, it would be great addition to any cycling wardrobe for a reasonable £17.

Cold ears can quite frankly ruin a good bike ride, and the moment when it's warm enough to forgo the winter hat can be a tricky point to predict.

The Sportful W Headband is an ideal compromise at this weather junction, keeping ears warm while preventing overheating, filling the winter hat-to-cap gap nicely.

>>>How to wear a cycling cap 

Construction and fit

Constructed using Thermodrytex Plus, a low-profile yet warm fleece fabric made from 84 per cent nylon and 16 per cent Lycra, means the Sportful W Headband is very stretchy and soft.

This Thermodrytex fabric is also coated with a silicone finish, which adds an element of water repellency.

With raw-cut finishes and no seams at the front or sides, the W Headband fits easily under a helmet with no pinch points or digging in.

The 'Ponytail Port', as Sportful calls it, enables the W Headband to sit centrally and flat since hair is simply posted through the slot at the rear.

Ride

When on under the helmet and riding, it's really easy to forget it's even on your head. At temperatures around the double-digit mark, it provided the perfect balance of warmth and breathability.

The incredibly soft fleecy fabric, although secure feeling, left no residual marks on my forehead.

Although the W Headband covers the entire ear, there was no difficulty hearing traffic, although wind rush was somewhat reduced.

Rather than beading, any water does soak in to the fabric, making it feel wet to the touch on the outside but failing to penetrate the inside, leaving me warm and dry.

Value

This is a really easy piece of cycling apparel to wear, ideal for when there is still a nip in the air. As it rolls up so small it can just as easily be popped in your back pocket should things warm up.

At £11, the W Headband doesn't look like much but on a cost-per-wear calculation it's really excellent as it's just such a useful item in spring and autumn.

Like Hoover, Buff has become synonymous with the product it makes (although also like Hoover it makes other items too). It’s a Spanish company, having been founded in 1992 by Juan Rojas, taking its name from the Spanish word bufanda, meaning scarf.

A buff has become pretty much an essential item for many people participating in outdoor activities in cooler weather in a broad range of disciplines. The original product was polyester and we’ve tested the Tour de France collection made of this material.

>>> Neck pain after cycling? Try these exercises for upper body relief (video)

But Buff also makes a merino wool range including this tie-dye design. Merino wool has advantages over synthetic fibres: it’s warmer in the cold, but also wicks moisture without getting clammy if you get hot. It also has anti-microbial properties so it doesn’t get smelly. And of course, it’s super-soft and non-itchy.

Buff’s buff is also seamlessly tubular-knitted, with only a low-profile hem at each end. Despite weighing just 46g, the merino buff is over 50cm long, so there’s a lot of fabric to play around with. Depending how desperately you need to keep warm, as well as the obvious round-the-neck option Buff also suggests using it as a mask, a hood, a balaclava, a hairband, a scrunchy or various other forms of headwear. Most of these options shouldn’t get in the way of your helmet either.

Watch: Buyer's guide to spring and autumn clothing

So your buff is a versatile way of keeping your head and neck warm without needing to wear a cap too and can be pocketed easily if you do get too hot.

>>> Pro rider tips for winter cycling

I’ve mainly used the merino buff as a neckwarmer where it’s been very effective at closing that gap above a jacket’s collar. It’s happy being handwashed and dried and adds a bit of luxurious comfort to chilly rides.

If you don’t like this Amber Dye version, there are 26 other colours to choose from, with the plain colours a bit cheaper at £22.25.

Buff makes – well, buffs. It shows how well regarded the company’s products are that they have become the generic term for a tube-shaped neck warmer. These Tour de France designs are rather smart. I particularly like the retro patina to both the retro and straight yellow design, which makes them fit in well with a range of other clothing, rather than their being ultra-bright.

Watch: buyer's guide to spring and autumn clothing

The Buff Tour de France neck warmers are made of Coolmax Extreme fabric, which Buff says offers high UV protection. It also feels very soft and the neck warmers are completely seamless, so that there’s no chance of rubbing and irritation. The fabric is treated with a silver ion-containing protectant to keep it pong-free and fresh. It’s machine washable and quick drying too.

>>> Dr Hutch: trying to decide what to wear for a spring ride

At over 50cm, the Buff Tour de France neck warmers are nice and long, so there’s plenty of fabric to keep you warm and they’re stretchy enough to get on and off easily, Buff saying they’ll fit head sizes between 53 and 62cm. I found that there was just the right amount of coverage to keep me warm on cooler spring days and worn with a cap you can get pretty much full coverage of the back and sides of your head.

>>> How to relieve neck pain after cycling

If it does warm up, they’re easily stashable in a jersey pocket with little or no bulge and plenty of room for other essentials. They are understated enough that you can wear them casually as well as on the bike too.

The Evry design comes with images of assorted vintage bike riders, stage routes and posters, along with a long French tricolore; the Ypres version comes with Tour de France logos and is a slightly more muted yellow than a standard leader’s jersey. There’s also a Grenoble version with a full Tour route map and lots of mountains on it, as well as black and polka dot variants.

>>> Cycling training plan for spring speed

Alongside the 50cm version, Buff also sells a shorter 27cm length version of some of its designs. It’s made out of less bulky, more technical fabric which weighs just 15g and is priced at £21. There’s also a headband priced at £14. And for really cold weather riding there’s a part-windstopper variant priced at £35.

Well, I thought I’d put this cap away for the year, but with the unseasonably cold weather we’ve had this spring, it’s been out again. It’s a dead simple cap, with a lightly fleeced inside and a lycra facing, with Castelli’s ubiquitous scorpion logo sitting proudly over your forehead.

>>> Icons of cycling: the casquette

The Castelli Viva made of just four pieces of fabric, so there aren’t many seams and those there are are all flatlocked, so they don’t dig in or rub when wearing. The bottom of the cap is a single band with one seam at the back and a raw edge. There is a single piece of fabric on each side of the crown of the head and another piece which goes over the centre front to rear.

Watch our buyer's guide to spring and autumn clothing

The Viva is very comfortable under a helmet and doesn’t take up a lot of room. Pulling it down, I found that it covered my ears comfortably and reached to the nape of my neck at the back. Being so light, the ear coverage does not stop you from hearing what’s going on around you either.

It’s not so hot that it becomes uncomfortable once you warm up and it does not get damp and cold if you do end up wearing it for your entire ride. Being so light and compact, if the sun does make an appearance and you do decide to shed the Viva, you can roll it up into next to no space and stash it in a jersey pocket. I’ve washed it bags of times and it still looks as good as new and dries quickly too.

It’s one size fits all and I found there was plenty of stretch to fit over my largish head. And there are a variety of colours available: white, black, red, fluoro yellow or Cannondale green as well as the blue.

A cold head and ears can quickly ruin a winter ride, but fitting a warm hat under a helmet can be uncomfortable. This is where a skull cap such as this becomes useful. Just be aware, that if you choose to wear it without a helmet you will look like a cosmonaut.

 >>> For the best winter gloves, click here

Mavic claim that the cap features "wind protection and thermal protection with strategically placed windproof fabric and brushed inserts for moisture management and thermo regulation". We found that the holes near the ear aid hearing and offer a degree of ventilation.

Having worn this cap on many winter rides we can confirm it excellent at keeping you warm and is ideal for temperatures ranging from 0ºC to 12ºC. We like the Mavic Winter Underhelmet cap, it fitted under our helmets really well and considering a good thermal cap will last years, it isn't too expensive either.

 >>> For a buyers guide to winter tyres, click here.

Our only gripe was the one size fits all sizing. Our testers who normally wear size 'medium' helmets found it a little on the small side, with not all of their ears covered. If you have a smaller head than a male 'medium' this will probably be the ideal fit.

For more details visit the Mavic website.

Bridging the gap between the classic cotton cap and the more thicker Belgian style hats for hardcore rides in Arctic conditions, the brand new Rapha Pro Team Hat is designed for the sort of chilly damp conditions you can expect to encounter in Britain at any time between September and April.

The main body of the hat is constructed from a softshell fabric which has been given a durable water resistant (DWR) treatment. This seems to place the Pro Team hat alongside the new Pro Team softshell jacket we reported on recently, with the hat offering a good level of warmth down to around 0ºC with basic protection against showers.

For a reasonably warm hat, the quarter-panel construction of the main body is impressively thin, meaning that we could easily fit it under helmets without too many adjustments and without the helmets sitting uncomfortably high on the head.

Thankfully, unlike cheaper options such as the Prendas Windtex cap, the warmth of the Rapha Pro Team hat doesn’t translate into a lack of breathability, with the softshell fabric performing well in this regard, and a rear ventilation panel aiding air flow. This makes this hat a natural choice for rides starting early in the morning where the temperature is set to rise throughout the day.

The only qualms we had with this Rapha hat concerned the fit. Perhaps our testers just have particularly elongated heads, but we found the cap a little tight at the front. This isn’t to the point of being uncomfortable, but the mark left on the front of your head for a couple of hours post-ride may prompt a few odd looks.

The flaps over your ears could also have been tighter, and were prone to flapping in the breeze, letting in unwanted cold air. Not a major issue as you’re likely to look for a thicker hat for truly cold conditions, but something we’d prefer not to deal with in a £45 hat.

Head over to the Rapha website for more details.

The GripGrab Aviator Cap is a well fitted under-helmet winter essential that offers wind protection and breathability. Tested on early morning rides with temperatures near to freezing, this cap kept the head warm without causing excess sweating, even on climbs or putting the hammer down on the flat.

The cap fits well, and comes in three sizes, meaning every rider should find one that suits, but could do with being slightly longer on the forehead to match the thermal protection offered to the ears. It is this thermal protection on the sides that draws the only complaint: the material hinders hearing slightly more than similar products that have been used. A minor thing, but worth knowing before donning the cap for an urban commute.

Comfort is the overriding feeling when wearing this cap, and if it didn't look quite so odd without a bike helmet on the top it may even double up as a general winter hat.

For more details visit the GripGrab website.

Thinner than the usual Belgian style winter cycling hat, it kept enough wind from the ears to stop the cold breaking in.

The seam below the peak did flip open and while being visibly an issue, it never caused problems with riding.

Despite being waterproof on the front, in never felt too hot either.