Tips for buying a bicycle helmet

Why should you actually wear a bicycle helmet? If you fall and hit the ground with your head or bump into a hard object, a helmet spreads the forces over a larger area. The material of the helmet also absorbs some of the energy of the blow and ensures that there is no direct contact between your head and what you hit. This reduces the risk of head and brain injuries.

A bicycle helmet needs to be replaced after no more than five years. Sweat and sunlight affect the material over the years. If the straps, styrofoam or cushions show wear, you have to go to the store earlier. Even if you have fallen or had a collision with your helmet, you may no longer use it. A helmet can then have suffered visible but also invisible damage, such as hairline cracks and deformed Styrofoam. so it no longer protects your head sufficiently.

Buying tips

1. Go to a specialty store with expert sellers and a wide range, so you can choose from a variety of sizes and models.
2. Measure your head circumference with a tape measure, about 2 inches above your working eyebrows. The sizes in the store, such as S, M and L, correspond to a certain circumference.
3. The most important criterion is: is the helmet comfortable? Is it not too heavy and does it have sufficient ventilation holes? A light helmet is more comfortable than a heavy one. A warm helmet is also not nice. In addition, the fit is very important (see next tip).
4. Take your time to try on different helmets, one has a different fit than the other. A good helmet is oval, not round. If you wear (cycling) glasses, it is useful to also put them on when trying on. The helmet should stay in place when you shake your head, but it shouldn’t pinch. Some models have a knob that allows you to tighten them. The helmet should fit over your temples and also protect the side of your face. It stands about 2 inches above your eyebrows and lies horizontally on your head (not forwards or backwards).
5. Adjust the straps/straps properly. They should hold the helmet firmly on your head, but not be too tight. Don’t they cut your ears or your skin? The buckle under your chin should be able to open with one hand, but should not come loose if you pull both straps.
6. Make sure that the helmet has the EN 1078 safety mark. Helmets with the EN 1077 (ski helmets) and EN 1080 (children’s helmets) quality mark are not suitable for adult cyclists.
7. Preferably buy a helmet with a padding molded into the outer shell rather than a model with separate inner and outer shells that are glued together.
8. A bright color and reflective stripes ensure that you are extra visible in traffic. There are special women’s models, but often they just have a different color than the men’s model.
9. Although bicycle helmets vary a lot in price, a helmet of 200 euros is not necessarily better than one for a few tens. Helmets with the EN 1078 quality mark are all performance tested and found to be safe. You often pay for even more comfort, even less weight or purely for the appearance or the brand. Expensive models are often more aerodynamic, but that is especially useful for professional cyclists.
10. Once you have bought a helmet, keep it at home in a cool, dry place. Sunlight damages your helmet. The same goes for perspiration, so don’t put your helmet in a bag, let it air dry.