The primary job of a cycling helmet is to protect your head in the event of an incident. However, brands are constantly pushing forwards in their attempts to make them more lightweight, more aero and more comfortable.
You can pick up a basic, entry level helmet that will meet the safety requirements in the UK for around £50 quite comfortably. However, for the cutting edge in aerodynamics, the lightest lid on the block or the most breathable brainbox, prices will exceed £200. Which is where deals come in.
The Cycling Weekly tech team has tested all sorts of cycling helmets over the past few years, so we certainly know what represents a good investment. We scoured the interweb for the best deals out there, on helmets that we’d recommend ourselves.
With each product is a ‘Buy Now’ link. If you click on this then we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer when you purchase the item. This doesn’t affect the amount you pay.
POC Ventral Spin helmet was £270, now £185.99
POC’s Ventral Spin helmet is an aero lid with a light weight and POC’s signature large vents for great airflow and cooling. We weighed it at 245g and it has POC’s Spin brain protection system built in, plus it’s available in a range of eye-popping colours. It’s been used by EF Education First pro team.
Buy now: POC Ventral Spin helmet at ProBikeKit for £185
Oakley ARO3 helmet was £149 now £99
Oakley has branched out from its signature sunglasses into clothing and helmets and the ARO3 is its lower priced option. It uses a Boa dial to adjust fit and includes MIPS for protection from shear forces in an impact. Plus you get the big Oakley O on the side.
Buy now: Oakley ARO3 helmet at Merlin Cycles for £99
MET Trenta was £220, now from £115
Read more: MET Trenta review
The Trenta is an aero lid which claims to offer a 7 per cent reduction in drag vs a standard road helmet, thanks to the tube shaped tail design. Large vents with internal channeling ensure you stay cool, too.
Buy now: MET Trenta at Wiggle from £115
Specialized Propero 3 Helmet was £80, now £47.99
Sharing features with the Specialized Prevail, the Propero is a race inspired lid with a slightly friendlier price tag. There’s lots of venting to keep you cool, thanks to the ‘4th Dimension cooling system’ and fit adjustments aplenty with a micro-adjustable dial and four height positions on offer. It’s only available in this green colour option though.
Buy now: Specialized Propero 3 helmet at Evans Cycles for £47.99
POC Octal helmet was £180 now £130
One of the most distinctive helmets out there, the POC Octal is used by the EF Education First team of Tour of Flanders winner Alberto Bettiol. Its fewer but larger vents help keep you cooler and it’s light at around 200g.
Buy now: POC Octal helmet at Evans Cycles for £130
Giro Cinder MIPS helmet was £129.99 now from £70.99
The Cinder is a more affordable helmet from Giro modelled on the Synthe. So it’s aero, comfortable and reasonably lightweight. And you can get the MIPS version now for the same price as the non-MIPS Cinder.
Buy now: Giro Cinder MIPS helmet at Tweeks from £70.99
Smith Overtake helmet was £215 now £101.99
The Smith Overtake‘s distinctive profile is supported by its Koroyd structure, which uses a crushable honeycomb matrix instead of the usual polystyrene foam. This, says Smith, provides better crushability and protection as well as letting it provide larger vents for more airflow. It’s only available in small or large and not medium though.
Buy now: Smith Overtake helmet at ProBikeKit for £101.99
Specialized S-works Prevail was £174.99, now £105.99
With a huge amount of vents, deep internal channels and an aligned exhaust port, the Specialized S-Works Prevail II helmet is one of the lightest and coolest helmets Specialized has made. It also features the brand’s Mindset II micro-dial fit system which makes it very easy to get a secure and comfortable grip.
Buy now: Specialized S-Works Prevail helmet at Rutland Cycles for £119.99
Giant Strive was £64.99 now £34.99
Alongside its well-regarded bikes, Giant also makes a wide range of accessories from GPSs to shoes and helmets. The Strive is a budget lid but with an aero profile, integrated magnetic mount for Giant’s compatible lights and the option to fix a GoPro action camera, if you want to film your ride.
Buy now: Giant Strive helmet at Cyclestore for £34.99
Giro Aerohead MIPS helmet was £259.99, now £209
Read more: Giro Aerohead MIPS review here
It might seem pricey, but the Giro Aerohead is actually the cheaper of two options – the Aerohead Ultimate carrying an RRP of £519.99. However, we’ve reviewed both models – standard here, and Ultimate here – and we found that though the Ultimate has some nice-to-have features, the plain old Aerohead did the job (even for Dan Bigham who wore it to win a hat trick of National Track titles).
The wind tunnel tested lid comes with an eye shield made by ZEISS Optics, with magnetic attachment so you can flip it up (rather than chuck it in a bush if it fogs up).
Buy now: Giro Aerohead MIPS 2018 helmet at Merlin Cycles for £209
Look out for more deals on top products coming up in this week’s Sunday Trading.
