Helmets are essential, whether you are going for a casual ride under the sun or riding against a rocky mountain for the thrills. Most countries have made wearing a helmet mandatory for cyclists. A solid one can protect you from dangerous, life-threatening accidents and gives you that extra bit of confidence on the road. However, if you fail to choose the perfect kind for you, it might work against you. There are numerous factors to be considered when buying a helmet. You will soon regret your choice if you go into a hardware store blindly and buy the first option that catches your eyes.
In this article, we will teach you how to choose the perfect helmet optimized according to your needs and style.
Get The Fit Right
Getting the wrong size can defeat the whole purpose of purchasing a helmet. If it sits loosely on your head or if it’s too tight for ventilation, this can only increase your chances of an accident. Remember to get a helmet that fits your head perfectly and makes you feel comfortable and safe. Most brands and stores sell pretty bike helmets according to the circumference of your head. You can easily find this out by tightening a string around your forehead and then measuring it. Since sizing can tremendously differ between brands, make sure to always try the helmet on before buying it.
Invent A Style
If you can’t find a style that suits you, you should come up with your own. At the end of the day, you want excellent protection and comfort. How you achieve that totally depends on you. On the other hand, you can also choose a helmet that has been recommended by a professional website. Always choose a trusted source for reviews, and when you go to their website, make sure you take the time to browse your options and see what works for you. You can test a helmet for its impact resistance, visors, ventilation, straps, padding, and anything else that’s important to you. Customize all the factors according to your taste to come up with your perfect helmet.
Choose Your Style
Your style can come down to how and why you cycle. The reason you ride a bike can be as simple as traveling or it can be more entertainment-based like mountain riding. Your reason for riding will massively impact the type of helmet you will need. Getting the wrong helmet type not suited for your style can be a hindrance to your driving experience.
Always get a helmet that is specially designed to support your biking adventures. Furthermore, you can always get multiple helmets if your style is not limited to a single type. Below are some common helmet styles, designed for their specific purposes.
Mountain Helmets
You can identify a mountain helmet by its unique appearance, an adjustable visor, and a low-cut rear. Since mountain biking involves tough terrain certain measures have to be taken to protect the rider. Mountain helmets are designed to have either a half or full adjustable visor. The visor is a critical component in mountain helmets. Although you still need to wear sunscreen, it provides protection against high-intensity sunlight and can protect the head from a fall.
The lower cut in the rear end provides extra protection from the harsh conditions in a forest or rocky mountain. Depending on where you are planning to ride, you can also choose a full-face helmet that covers your chin. This is especially useful in downhill riding.
Road Helmets
Road helmets are your regular riding buddies designed to provide comfort. One notable feature of road helmets is the emphasis placed on ventilation. Since road riding can get hectic in traffic, the rider is more likely to build up a sweat which will cause discomfort. The ventilation system allows air to flow and keeps the rider cool in their long travel journeys.
Race Helmets
As the name suggests, a race helmet is specially tailored to aid you in riding fast and beating the time. The helmet is built using strong carbon fibers to make it light-weight and impact resistant. The other notable feature of these helmets is the shape since it’s designed to provide aerodynamics to the riders and help them reach high speeds faster. These helmets also have better ventilation as sports can cause sweating really fast.
Whether you are a serious biker or looking for a bit of fun on the road, a helmet is your ultimate buddy. Since there are a lot of factors that impact a helmet, consider taking your time and making the best decision. We hope these tips will help you choose your perfect helmet.