If you are new to cycling, the wide range of helmets that are available can be overwhelming and confusing. How do you maximise both comfort and safety when choosing which kind to buy? To get you started, here are six of the best helmets we have found to cater for all cycling needs.
Specialized Evade
Dh1,095 at Yas Cycles
A magnetic buckle, advanced aerodynamics and amazing ventilation make the S-Works Evade Tri helmet the ultimate triathlon racing helmet. It comes in black, white, hyper green and red, and is ultralight, with thin, soft DryLite webbing that doesn’t stretch with sweat or water. You’ll forget you’re wearing a helmet until you catch a reflection of yourself and notice the bulky dome on your head. Still, it has huge cooling vents that tame the heat, and is much more ventilated than any other aero-road helmet on the market.
Nutcase
Dh180 to Dh250 at www.nutcasehelmets.com
Nutcase may be the most aptly named helmet – and we are big fans of their “I love my brain” slogan. They make helmets for babies, toddlers, small kids and chic adults. Armed with an injection-moulded ABS shell and EPS foam on the inside, the helmet will protect your head with the best of them. But the real draw in this light, airy, magnetic, reflective helmet is the nutty style – about 50 graphic choices, including a polka-dot version and the Vintage Velo (pictured), which celebrates the historical romance and recent revival of the bike. Designed for flexible use, this helmet has you covered for everything. The fun designs mean you will not have to do a lot of convincing to get your kids to wear one. All helmets also come with detachable visors to help shield your eyes from sun, dust and rain.
Kask
Dh560 at Yas Cycles
This Italian brand is a favourite with the members of the Dubai Roadsters cycle group, who all swear by the Kask Mojito and the Kask Protone. Available in lime, fuchsia, black and white, white and navy blue, all black, and black and red, the helmet is renowned for being “really lightweight, well-ventilated and very comfortable”, says Amy Carter, head of marketing at Yas Cycles. “It’s the training helmet of choice for Team Sky” – the professional UK cycling team that competes in the UCI World Tour.
T2
Dh515 at www.torchapparel.com
If you like riding at night, this is the helmet that will light your way home. The Torch Apparel brand, which sprang from a Kickstarter campaign, has already made waves in the cycling world with its debut line of Torch T1 polycarbonate commuter helmets. The T2 has 10 integrated high-flux LED lights that wrap around the sides of the helmet for 360-degree night-time visibility. The lights are charged from a USB port using the included USB cable. A single charge will last for six hours of continuous light or 36 hours on the flashing setting. There are four other light-display functions in addition to the flash setting. The helmet is available in one size, but features a dial-adjust fitting system and multiple padding thicknesses. Available in seven colours: black, grey, red, white, green, yellow and blue.
Giant Orion
Dh250 at GoSport
“A helmet is a must-have necessity for safety, so when I started becoming serious about cycling two years ago, I made sure I never got on my bike without my helmet on,” says Issam Zaghloul from Jordan, who lives in Abu Dhabi and is a member of the Raha Cycling Group. The Giant Orion helmet, he says, is “nothing fancy – just a fit-for-purpose helmet that provides the necessary protection. I had a crash once, and know it works for sure. I personally don’t need more because I don’t race or do time trials. It simply looks OK and provides protection.” It’s available in a range of sizes and colours.
POC Trabec Race
From Dh350 at beSport
This amazing helmet – by a Swedish cycling brand that works closely with Volvo – uses the same technology used in football and hockey helmets. It will absorb oblique impacts to the head and minimise the rotational forces in the brain that can cause injury. Designed for single-track and enduro racers, the Trabec is also well-vented and provides superior coverage for higher speeds and heavy usage. “POC also has several emergency features, including a QR tag that can be attached to the helmet with personal and emergency-contact information,” says long-time fan and beSport sales and operations manager Raslan Abbadi. It is available in small, medium and large sizes, in white, orange and white, and black.
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