The best road bike helmets 2026, from entry-level to high-end, as tested by BikeRadar

Van Rysel FCR

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• £89.99 / €100 as tested
• Pros: Aero design; comfort; well made; Fidlock Snap buckle
• Cons: Less airy than the best aero helmets

The Van Rysel FCR helmet delivers top-level performance at a startlingly low cost.

Van Rysel claims to have used wind tunnel data to maximise the FCR's aerodynamics for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale who wear the helmet in the WorldTour.

The FCR is also comfortable, feels high quality and includes clever features such as a magnetic Fidlock Snap buckle instead of a clip-in clasp.

Our only criticism is that ventilation feels slightly worse than high-end aero helmets, but that's excusable at £89.99.

• Read more: Van Rysel FCR helmet review

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MET Vinci MIPS

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• £100 / €120 / AU$170 as tested
• Pros: Good value and weight
• Cons: Tricky to adjust internal tightness; limited size range

The MET Vinci MIPS is well ventilated, pretty light (269g in size large) and comfortable for a range of riding.

For £100 or so, the inclusion of MIPS-C2 technology is impressive.

However, the MET Vinci MIPS has a few flaws. It's a bit difficult to adjust the internal fit and the largest size available may not fit bigger heads.

• Read more: MET Vinci MIPS review

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Scott ARX Plus

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• £100 / $120 / €130 / AU$160 as tested
• Pros: Versatile; decent value
• Cons: Few vents at rear

The Scott ARX Plus is a good helmet if you ride on and off the road. It comes with a removable visor and has extra protection at the back, but weighs 269g in size medium.

Even though the ARX Plus has MIPS and a five-star rating from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, mountain bikers will probably want more protection. And road cyclists may want better ventilation, particularly at the back of the helmet.

In this regard, the Scott ARX Plus sits between two stools. But for £100 / $120, it's still keenly priced.

• Read more: Scott ARX Plus review

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ABUS PowerDome

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• £130 as tested
• Pros: Balance of low weight and aerodynamics; competitive price; MIPS
• Cons: Strap not perfect; only four colours

The ABUS PowerDome is an impressive performer considering it costs less than £150 and includes MIPS.

The road bike helmet is reasonably light (248g size medium), while its sculpted, slim shape and cut-off back should be fairly aerodynamic.

Our tester found the straps prone to twisting though. The colour choice isn't the broadest either.

• Read more: ABUS PowerDome review

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Specialized Propero 4

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• £165 / $200 / €190 / AU$310 as tested
• Pros: Well fitting; very comfortable; high safety rating; wide colour range; holds different kinds of sunglasses
• Cons: Fit is high at the back; warm in higher temperatures

The Specialized Propero 4 is a very good overall performer that could be the only helmet you need – but only when the temperature is below 20˚C. 

This isn’t bad considering the £165 / $200 Propero 4 is highly rated for safety and incorporates weight-saving and drag-reducing design. 

In general, the Specialized Propero 4 is comfortable and fits well. But if you could move the retention dial further down the back of your head, the Propero 4 would score higher still. 

• Read more: Specialized Propero 4 review

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Sweet Protection Fluxer MIPS

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• £179 / $200 / €199 as tested
• Pros: Plenty of ventilation; good coverage; well-priced
• Cons: Not as light as rivals

The Fluxer MIPS offers great overall performance with great ventilation and coverage.

While it's the brand's lightweight offering, it isn't quite as light as rivals, although at 299g it isn't heavy.

It also represents good value for money compared to helmets in this category.

We found it easy to find a good fit thanks to the cranial support dial, and it has plenty of features you'd expect.

• Read more: Sweet Protection Fluxer MIPS review

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Specialized S-Works Evade 3

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• £275 / $300 / €330 as tested
• Pros: Brilliant all-rounder; fairly conventional-looking
• Cons: High price

The S-Works Evade 3 is Specialized's updated aero helmet – and an excellent one at that.

Better ventilation than the outgoing Specialized S-Works Evade, including two front vents to hold sunglasses, augment the Evade 3's versatility.

The S-Works Evade 3 scores highly for safety and looks reasonably conventional despite its aerodynamic credentials, but there's not getting over the cost, which is high if you have to fork out for a replacement in the event of a crash.

• Read more: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 helmet review

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Trek Velocis MIPS

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• £230 / $300 / €300 / AU$400 as tested 
• Pros: Light; cool; stylish
• Cons: Adjustment mechanism feels delicate

The Trek Velocis MIPS is one of the best lightweight road bike helmets on the market. 

Our tester found the Velocis MIPS kept their head cool and looking good without weighing them down. 

Another plus is that it’s cheaper than its big competitor, the Specialized S-Works Prevail 3, with no discernible dip in performance bar the sturdiness of the adjustment system.

• Read more: Trek Velocis MIPS review

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Kask Protone Icon

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• £245 / $299.95 / €275 / AU$409 as tested
• Pros: Comfortable; well-ventilated; lightweight
• Cons: Retention system is slightly basic

The Protone Icon is an updated version of Kask's acclaimed helmet, bringing it up to date with modern safety concerns but keeping the comfort and looks of the original Protone.

The helmet has been designed to be aerodynamically efficient, but when cycling in a relaxed and upright position, the vents allow plenty of airflow over the head.

Like some of Kask's other helmets, the Protone Icon's retention system isn't the best available. But overall, the helmet is a stylish all-rounder suitable for all-season use.

• Read more: Kask Protone Icon helmet review

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MET Trenta 3K Carbon MIPS

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• £280 / $336 / €330 / AU$463 as tested
• Pros; Great airflow; very light for a helmet with MIPS
• Cons: Maybe not the most durable

MET’s top-of-the-range Trenta 3K Carbon has MIPS Air built in to protect you, while minimising weight. In a size L (58 to 61cm), it’s 265g.

It has a striking wave-shaped rear profile, made up of the two exhaust vents, and a wind-tunnel backed Kammtail for an aero benefit. The ventilation is a key element of the helmet.

The hardshell doesn’t wrap fully around the underside, which won’t affect how it rides but may impact its longevity.

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ABUS Gamechanger 2.0 MIPS

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• £280 / €300 as tested
• Pros: Comfortable; well ventilated for an aero helmet; lots of clever aerodynamic details
• Cons: Pricey; testing interrupted by a couple of faults

ABUS' flagship aero road helmet is among the best in its class, being comfortable, well ventilated and reasonably lightweight.

The helmet is designed to be aerodynamically optimised for WorldTour racing speeds at a staggering 46-52kph, although ABUS claims it will still perform at lower, more achievable speeds for the everyday rider.

The helmet is offered with or without MIPS, and the magnetic Fidlock chin buckle makes taking the helmet on and off a little quicker.

• Read more: ABUS Gamechanger 2.0 MIPS review

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HJC Ibex 3.0

Lazer Z1 KinetiCore

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• £229.99 / $249.99 / €249.99 / AU$399.95 as tested
• Pros: Very lightweight; comfortable; marginally less expensive than competitors 
• Cons: Unintuitive fit system; awkward straps 

The Lazer Z1 KinetiCore is an extremely light helmet, which should protect you against rotational impacts. 

Thanks to its padding and ventilation, the Z1 KinetiCore is also comfortable to wear. 

But compared to a cranial dial, our tester found Lazer’s system less easy to use, and he couldn’t prevent the straps from hanging close to his neck. 

• Read more: Lazer Z1 KinetiCore review

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Best road bike helmets under £400 / $450

POC Procen Air

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• £370 / $450 / €400 as tested
• Pros: Surprisingly good ventilation; good field of view; wind-tunnel proven performance
• Cons: Expensive; can heat up on climbing days; no MIPS

POC's Procen Air is very pricey, although it shares more in common with a TT helmet in terms of aerodynamic advantage.

Our tester found this didn't take too much away from the helmet's overall comfort, and while it was warm on hot climbing days, the ventilation and practicality pleasantly surprised us.

The helmet felt faster than others we've tested, and the two included lenses offset some of the price, because you won't need a pair of cycling glasses with this helmet.

• Read more: POC Procen Air review

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Fit and retention systems

First and foremost, in the event of a crash, a helmet has to stay on your head to be effective. Just like shoes, helmets from different brands are made to fit slightly differently, so it’s important to try before you buy.

Most helmets use a dial-based retention system (e.g. Giro’s Roc Loc 5 or Kask’s Octo Fit) to adjust the fit, but the vertical adjustment range (i.e. how high or low the rear adjustment supports sit on your head) will vary between helmets, so this is something to look out for.

Adjustable and comfortable straps are also incredibly important – you need to be able to wear them with a fairly snug fit against your chin for maximum effectiveness.

Materials

Most cycling helmets are made primarily from expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. This skeleton is then covered, to varying degrees, in a hard polycarbonate shell (and sometimes a dash of carbon fibre) to add strength and protect the EPS foam from accidental bumps and scratches.

This basic design has been in place for decades now, but other manufacturing techniques and materials are beginning to filter through, such as 3D-printed Polyamide 11 and other proprietary polymer materials.

Naturally, manufacturers claim these designs offer benefits over traditional cycling helmets, but whether those benefits are realised in use remains to be seen.

Safety features

While we won’t comment on the overall efficacy of helmets in general, it’s worth noting that all helmets sold in the EU must conform to the EN 1078 European Standard (and therefore have a CE mark). In the US, they must be CPSC-certified.

Every helmet on this list does just that, if not more, and should at least offer your head some protection against bumps and scratches if you fall off your bike while out riding.

Recently, we’ve seen a substantial increase in additional safety technologies such as rotational liners (e.g. MIPS) and Bontrager’s proprietary WaveCel material. These innovations are claimed to offer increased protection from head and brain injuries by reducing rotational forces or simply by using materials that are better able to absorb certain shocks.

There is some independent safety testing of cycling helmets, but these things are obviously harder to test outside of the lab, where there are so many variables at play. On balance, these extra safety features are almost certainly worth looking for and have now trickled down to quite inexpensive lids.

Ventilation

For fast road riding, especially in hot weather, ventilation is key. A well-designed system of vents and channels in the internal structure of a helmet can help to draw air over your head and dissipate heat.

As might be obvious, putting holes in a helmet to increase ventilation is likely to lead to reduced weight and, potentially, robustness. So, to make up for that, airy helmets often need more reinforcement or are constructed with pricier materials, to ensure they still meet safety and durability standards.

Aerodynamics

The aero brush touches everything these days, increasing costs and making all your current kit feel outdated, but with helmets it probably makes sense. The potential watt savings to be made with aero helmets shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re concerned with riding fast.

There are compromises of course: increasing aerodynamic efficiency usually means closing off ventilation holes or putting up with funky-shaped lids that, frankly, have looks that sometimes border on the ridiculous. But then again, if your main concern is simply to ride faster, perhaps looks aren’t that important.

Other features

Only a few brands actively promote their helmets' ability to hold your sunglasses in the front vents, but this feature can be a real bonus.

Helmet brands that also make sunglasses tend to do better in this regard, but make sure to take your sunglasses with you when you’re shopping for a new helmet so you can check the hold.

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but it is worth considering what kind of riding the helmets you like the look of are designed for.

Let’s say you like classic-looking helmets with lots of vent holes; if you live somewhere cold, maybe you’d be better off with a more aero-focused helmet with less ventilation and holes for water to seep through.

Likewise, the opposite could be true if you live somewhere hot; there’s no use having a helmet that’s incredibly fast in the wind tunnel if you don’t want to wear it because it makes your head boil.

What about gravel bike helmets?

Many gravel riders choose to wear road bike helmets due to their unrestrictive designs and lightweight constructions.

Gravel-specific helmets often feature more protection towards the rear of the head where blows can come from when riding more technical terrain at slower speeds.

Some helmets, such as POC's Omne Ultra MIPS, feature external attachment points so you can carry small items on your helmet.