What good helmet?

drlodge

Currently got a Bontrager Circuit helmet, its quite nice but sits a little "on top" of my head and also the straps come loose quite easily. The straps absorb sweat and become slippery, so don't grip on the buckle very well where the adjustment is made. I'm looking to get a second helmet (for best if you like) and at the top end of the range.

Tried the Bontrager Velocis helmet in store, oh boy its light! It sits much lower on my head, also the straps are of a different material/design. Giro helmets seem to be popular and the Aeon seems a nice helmet too. Any one got experience of these top end helmets? Measured my head, its 59 cm so at the top end of a medium.

veronese68

I recently got a Kask Mojito, love it to bits. First lid I've had that feels like it actually fits, rather than being perched on top of my head and then tied down.

sungod

i've got an aeon, nice and light, well ventilated for hot days, i've worn it >40 celsius, it was ok

but fit/comfort does depend a lot on head shape, so i'd try a few different ones and see which feels best

mfin

Try all the options on and see which one you think you look the least like a d1ck wearing. Everybody's noggin and face is different.

friedpizzainbatter

I've got an aeon, nice, light, comfortable helmet and I really like it, but I bought a few online around the same price; specialized, kask, bontrager, giro, lazer, bell. The aeon was the best fit so kept that and returned the rest. Think it's quite a personal thing so best to try a few on and see which one feels best.

Gren82

+1 for the Kask Mojito. Only helmet I've found to fit my tiny head without making me look like a mushroom

Hals1967

Another happy Kask wearer here. Vertigo C50.

rs2000kurt

Over the years i've had Giro, Spesh and Lazer helmets but non looked or felt right.
Just got a Kask mojito in black and neon yellow, Chuffed with it. Fits well and really stands out to motorist.
Highly recommended.

wishitwasallflat

I'm another very happy Aeon owner, if it fits they are fab so light and well ventilated.

drlodge

Thanks for the recommendations, I think Aeon is the way to go as long as it fits. The Kask Mojito just looks plain ugly from the pictures that I saw

ai_1

Helmet choice is all about fit. Some are more oval, some more round, some deep and some shallow. Which will feel and look best depends on your head. Giro and Bell helmets are a terrible fit on me. I've tried on a few Kask helmets and they seem to have slightly different shapes on different models and a very good harness system, so there's a good chance you'll find one that suits. Personally I think the Kask helmets look better than most. I use a Lazer Genesis myself which I really like. It's a little heavier than some but good adjustability, suits my head fairly well and I think it looks pretty good.

rolf_f

drlodge wrote:

Thanks for the recommendations, I think Aeon is the way to go as long as it fits. The Kask Mojito just looks plain ugly from the pictures that I saw

They probably look better than the Aeon actually on your head but it's all in the eye of the beholder isn't it! I think the Mojito in white looks pretty good.

Main drawback of the Aeon is the ludicrous retail price (40% more than a Mojito and heavier irrc) but they are often much cheaper than that now.

drlodge

Guess I could order both from Wiggle (when the Medium White Aeon comes back into stock) then return the one I don't like...wiggle are certainly the cheapest with my BC discount.

willow71uk

Kask Mojito love them best lid iv'e ever had and iv'e had a few.

ai_1

drlodge wrote:

Guess I could order both from Wiggle (when the Medium White Aeon comes back into stock) then return the one I don't like...wiggle are certainly the cheapest with my BC discount.

Helmets along with shoes are the items least suitable for online purchasing. You could end up sending back numerous lids before finding one you're happy with. Having said that I bought my Lazer online after trying all the brands I could find locally to no avail (Bell, Giro, LAS, Limar, MET, Abus, BBB and others). Still, I would advise trying on whatever you can find in the shops around you before venturing online.

veronese68

drlodge wrote:

Guess I could order both from Wiggle (when the Medium White Aeon comes back into stock) then return the one I don't like...wiggle are certainly the cheapest with my BC discount.

Tried that, Kask didn't come up when you go via the BC shop. Wiggle seem to forget they have them, we know who to blame.
Don't all crash helmets look ugly, just some are marginally less ugly than others. The Kask doesn't look like your head is mushroom shaped which is a bonus.

philbar72

Specialized prevail. Top lid.

Buckie2k5

lazer helium, superb helmet.

IanRCarter

I use a Catlike Whisper. Very much a marmite product in terms of looks, but I tried on many helmets and couldn't find one which was wide enough to be comfortable - Giro, Spesh, Boardman, Bell all felt like somebody was squashing my head from each side. The Catlike is much better suited for somebody like me with a round head and some Halfords stores stock them so you can try them on (do a stock check online for your local store). I recently tried on a Kask in a bike shop when getting a bike fit done and it felt comfortable, the cradle system they use is better than any other I've seen.

janwal

+1 Kask Mojito.Very good comfy helmet, non "mushroom" look.Excellent rear retention for back of head and very well ventilated.One just gone up for sale in classifieds

wishitwasallflat

drlodge wrote:

Guess I could order both from Wiggle (when the Medium White Aeon comes back into stock) then return the one I don't like...wiggle are certainly the cheapest with my BC discount.

That's exactly what I did and the Kask didn't fit but the Aeon was lovely. Wiggle had refunded the kask before iaid for it on my credit card bill.

When I damaged the first aeon in a crash I bought another immediately I am pretty sure the first was about £140 and the second I found for £120, I could have got one cheaper but I wanted the Fluoro yellow one which wasn't as heavily discounted.

motogull

My next helmet will be a Kask Mojito. Popped one on in my LBS recently and it fitted perfectly.

rmw

Previously I had Giro helmets but recently bought a Kask K10 Dieci. It's a fantastic helmet, great fit, looks good, well ventilated, lightweight. I never thought I would say this but, "I now look forward to putting my cycle helmet on".

Speckled

Kask Mojito all the way, fits very well and i think it looks great.

I did try the more expensive model (vertigo i think) but i prefered the mojito 8)

BrandonA

philbar72 wrote:

Specialized prevail. Top lid.

I love my Prevail. It has only had one outing this spring as I'm loving my Evade even more.

I think I'll use the Prevail for longer rides or club rides and keep the Evade for my faster rides.

Pross

I've got a Louis Garneau (Course I think) which replaced another helmet from the Garneau range after it broke in a crash last year. Comfortable, fairly light, sensibly priced and looks OK as cycling helmets go. Most importantly the previous one did its job well when I crashed at around 25mph onto my head / shoulder - my shoulder would have taken the brunt of the impact but my head wasn't too sore considering the impact.

on-yer-bike

I dont like my Mojito and will be selling it (its medium black with white bits). The cradle at the back is OTT and interferes with my shades. It has also wrecked the collar of my jacket. I like the Poc but its very expensive. I also like the new Giro Aspect which doesn't look like you've got a spaceship stuck on your head.

drlodge

Just been into cycle surgery near work, they had the Mojito and some Giro non-aeon helmets

It would seem my head is a bit oblong, longer front to back, narrower on the width. I measure 59cm

The Mojito is a reasonable fit, the medium is a bit small (up to 58cm head), the large sits fairly nicely on my head. The pads are very nice (one pad goes completely front to back), and the straps are nice, good quality. For £120 it seems good value.

The Giro helmet fits me better in a medium but I'm disappointed by the thin straps. Also the pads are several which isn't as good. They're going to get in a medium Aeon, then I can compare the two side by side.

Both helmets are a bit wobbly side to side due to the shape of my head, I may end up buying neither and just trying other brands to find a helmet that fits better. At the moment, the Mojito Large is in the lead (by a head ).

ai_1

I think different Kask helmets have slightly different shapes
There may be a different model with a more oblong shape than the Mojito.
I'm also more oval than round and a lot of helmets seem too wide. When I tried on a few Kasks I remember one was a very good fit while others were a bit too round. Can't remember which was which I'm afraid. I think they all have similar very nice pads and harness.

kingstonian

Veronese68 wrote:

I recently got a Kask Mojito, love it to bits. First lid I've had that feels like it actually fits, rather than being perched on top of my head and then tied down.

Exactly the one I am about to buy. Must be a Kingston thing !!!!!

drlodge

Right...just been to my local (to work) bike shop and tried on both the Giro Aeon (medium) and Kask Mojito (large). My head is a 59cm which is kind of in the middle of medium and large, the Kask medium goes to 58 (it was a bit tight at the front) where as the Giro medium goes to 59.

The Aeon might fit a little better at the sides since my head is a bit oblong, but its a relatively smaller helmet, and the ventilation looked a little better. However its sits "higher" due to its thicker construction, I didn't like the look of the front so much, and the straps are really quite thin and cheap feeling.

The Mojito fitted well enough, especially the straps which feel more robust and the leather like chin strap is really nice. I like the rear vertical adjustment mechanism, it sits lower and is less mushroom like on my bonce. Overall I preferred the shape of it and obviously its quite a bit cheaper than the Aeon (£120 vs £190-£200).

I couldn't really decide between the two in the shop, although I couldn't justify why I would spend the extra on the Aeon for a cheaper feeling helmet. I was concerned that the Mojito ventliation might not be so good but all the reviews I read say ventilation is good, and its used by the Sky team so it can't be that bad :roll:

Had a look online at the Mojito prices, it seems Wiggle have come down from £120 to £114, so I thought, right, lets grab a bargain. Now I couldn't see it in the british cycling wiggle shop to get some extra discount so I wondered if I could frig the system...added the helmet to my wiggle basket, went to BC wiggle shop and added another item to that basket and proceeded to check out. Flipped back to the wiggle shop and there's a "Wiggle Reward Saving" of £14.40 applied...the helmet is mine for £105.60!!!

I got the World Champion White version, just to be a little different, I'm well chuffed