The Best Bike Helmets for All Your Riding Needs
No, you don’t have to wear a bike helmet. If you were to, say, get hit by a garbage truck on your commute, a small piece of foam and molded plastic is not going to make much of a difference. But since this is America and not Copenhagen, where cyclists are demonized for taking a sliver of space away from precious steel boxes and commuters are regularly in fear of their lives, it’s best to hedge your bets. Wear a helmet. (But whatever you do, please don’t helmet shame those who prefer to let their locks flow.)
Walking into your Local Bike Shop (LBS, per bike nerds) can be intimidating. But fear not, the stereotype of a sneering, tattooed bike shop guy trying to upsell you is, largely, a thing of the past. The folks at your LBS are often helpful and kind. Why are we telling you about brick-and-mortar shops in this e-commerce story with Buy Now links? Because you’ve got to try the damn thing on before you buy it. Or at the very least, measure your dome.
“Try it on,” Jimmy Phillips, a lifelong cyclist and eight-time Ironman who runs The Domestique, a boutique cycling tour company in Los Angeles, says. “You want it to be snug, but not uncomfortable. You don’t want it squeezing your skull. Comfort is the number one priority.”
Not everyone is a weekend warrior in head-to-toe lycra. But those of us commuting or riding leisurely can benefit from the technology that all the on-your-left bros love. Just make sure you take care of your new helmet. Remember: you’re sweating in that lid. “Wash it every now and again,” Phillips says. “Helmets can stiiiiiiiink.” Below, our three favorite bike helmets.
The Best All-Around Bike Helmet
Forget about those ridiculous collapsible commuting helmets and stuffy, ventless models with a useless brim. The Giro Syntax gives you all the advantages of a racier model—aerodynamics, maximum ventilation, comfort—at a much more palatable price. You can clip it to your bag and use it for your local bikeshare or go on long rides over the weekend. The ventilation (it sports 25 vents) is excellent on hot days, so your melon won’t be a totally sweaty mess when you get to the office. And it’s as lightweight as pricier models. We like it in all white or jet black.
The Best Aggro Spandex Bike Helmet
So you fancy yourself a cyclist, huh? Tour de France got you ready to go out and mix it up with the local peloton? Giro’s Aether is the best money helmet can buy. Seriously: it’s insanely lightweight (feels like wearing air), aerodynamic (Look Pro, Ride Slow!), and cool (lots of ventilation, even during an August ride in 90 degrees). There’s a reason bike racers around the world swear by Giro’s top-of-the-line model—it’s simply the best helmet out there right now.
The Best Commuter Bike Helmet
OK, fine. You want a certain vibe, we support that. A vibe that says: skateboarder in an abandoned pool somewhere in southern California circa 1989. “Commuter” helmets are oftentimes heavy, ventless mushroom caps that make for a sweaty ride. But POC’s Corpora Commuter comes with enough ventilation to make summer commutes comfortable. It’s far lighter than similar models and the padding inside is lush and cool against the head (or skin, for us bald dudes).
More Best Stuff
The Massage Tool That Will Make Recovery Easier Than Ever
The Best Water Bottles Are So Stylish They'll Force You to Actually Drink More Water
The Best Carry-On Luggage Makes Going Home to the Suburbs Feel Like Jetting to the Maldives
The Best Beard Trimmers to Keep Your Scruff Looking Sharp
Originally Appeared on GQ
