When it comes to biking, one of the most critical parts of the body that needs maximum protection is the head. Damages and injuries from biking can sometimes be fatal, especially on the head. Luckily, wearing bike helmets is a proven and effective way to reduce that. Besides the invaluable protection bike helmets offer, they can significantly boost your confidence and impact your racing performance. Thus giving you the courage you need to take your biking to another level. 

If you'd gone to the accessories store before reading this blog, chances are you might make the wrong helmet choice. Like several other bike accessories, bike helmets come in different sizes, shapes, textures and are made of various materials. They are designed for specific racing styles, and plugging the wrong one on your head can compromise protection and lead to discomforts.  

What to do? Read the following tips to help you choose the perfect bike helmets and steer clear of complications.

 

1. Consider the Function 

Where will you be racing? That's an important question you need to answer before even checking out the varieties. As earlier mentioned, bike helmets are designed for various riding goals.  

You don't want to be cruising a mountain bike helmet on roads, and vice versa. And if you'd be firing a motorbike, it only makes sense to wear helmets made for that purpose. Want to know your options? Here's a basic overview of available helmet categories. 

Road Helmets

Road helmets are lighter and more compact than others. They have higher aerodynamic properties than mountain bike helmets and allow plenty of air to keep you cool and well ventilated. But here's the catch. With more lightness and higher aerodynamic properties comes higher pricing.  

Why not? Designing super light yet highly protective helmets requires a great deal of engineering expertise. So if cost isn't a thing of concern, expensive road helmets are worth the investment. 

Mountain Bike Helmets

A mountain biker is more likely to fall from the back than the front. That's why mountain bike helmets are more covered in the back and sides. They offer good ventilation but not as much as road bike helmets. 

Time Trial and Triathlon Helmets

If you're looking for something that can cut through the air at a breakneck speed, Time Trial and Triathlon Helmets are the way. They are explicitly built for aerodynamics and protection, and they tend to look somewhat ridiculous. They are round, short, and sometimes have face shields alongside long pointy backs. When compared with others on price grounds, they undoubtedly win the battle. 

Urban/Commuter Helmets

Commuter helmets are usually stylish and low-profile, making them easy to store, highly ventilated, and secured. They generally are reasonably priced with added tech features for the rider’s increased safety and ease of use - especially in busy city streets. 

 

2. Fit of the helmet 

As soon as you determine where your biking will be done, much of the options are already streamlined. Now you need to consider certain extra features that can either make or break your riding experience. One of them is the fit of the helmet. The simple rule here is, if the helmet fits well, buy it.  

But how do you know which one works well? Just try them on. Alternatively, if you'd like to save yourself the stress of having to wear dozens of helmets before finding the right one, measure your head.

Do that by using a tailor's tape measure. Start measuring two finger widths or two inches above your eyebrows, and measure the circumference of the most significant portion of your head. Make sure not to press the tape too tightly or leave it loose. Have you done that? Great! You've further reduced your chances of choosing a dangling Easter bonnet. 

If you're unsure whether it fits well, place the helmet on your head and adjust the crank (or any other adjustment doohickey). Continue doing this until it is snug and closely fitted. Leave the straps undone first, and nod and shake your head several times like a bobblehead. The helmet will stay put if it's the perfect one. Otherwise, it will slide and wobble around. And that's an indication that it's too big. 

Next, fit the straps by buckling and tightening them. Make sure they form a nice, even "V" beneath your earlobes. As a rule of thumb, your chinstrap should only allow one finger under it.

Furthermore, if you'd be wearing any other headgear under your helmet, make room for it. You don't want to wear something that gives your head a feeling of being jammed tightly in a vice grip. 

  

3. Safety and Protection 

Why do we even wear helmets? We wear them for safety and protection against possible head injuries due to a fatal collision or the effect of falling off a bike. There are two parts of the protective area of a helmet - the outer shell and the inner liner. The body provides support and resistance against puncture. It protects the neck and head by allowing the helmet to slide on impact. The inner liner, made of expanded polystyrene foam, protects the head by warding impact forces.  

Depending on how often you bike, you may need a highly protective helmet for your safety and peace of mind. Helmets now have extra specialized technologies for Improved safety and protection. 

This includes:

Multi-directional Impact Protection System (Mips) technology is present on some branded helmets. Mips help to redirect rotational effects during impacts through its low-friction layer.

WaveCel is designed to create a sophisticated "crumple zone." This enables it to absorb primary impact forces and as well rotational energy resulting from an impact.

SPIN (Shearing Pads Inside) technology redirects the impact from rotational forces via its silicone-injected pads.

 

Once the earlier mentioned considerations are put in place, any helmet you choose will be the perfect selection. If you'd like to consider the style and color as extras, please do. You don't want to ride putting something that turns you off every time you pick it up. Conclusively, always remember that when riding a bike, you need a highly protective helmet for your safety and peace of mind.