Helmets
Alpina Pheos Helmet
The Pheos sits at the top of Alpina's road range, a mixture of polycarbonate, EPS and carbon fibre. A weight of 248g is towards the lighter end of the market comparing it Giro's Ionos at 304g so one for the weight weenies.
The Pheos uses a similar setup as the Giro Ionos of carbon fibre sections added to strengthen the cross members between the main vents. This allows for 25 vents in total which not only provides that low weight but also has the effect of letting huge amounts of air to pass over your bonce keeping things cool.
Specialized S-Works Helmet
If you're looking for a really light road helmet that complies with a number of safety standards, then look no further, the Specialized S-Works fits the bill. The S-Works purports to be 'the lightest certified helmet in the World' and it's certainly the lightest I've come across, weighing just 215g for the size medium I tried. It complies with the rigorous safety standards SNELL B-90a, B-90c, B95 and CE En1078 - you'd be hard pushed to find many heavier helmets these days that are SNELL certified.
BBB Falcon Quick Step - Helmet
BBB isn't the first name that springs to mind when thinking of £100 helmets (well, give or take 5p), but their top of the line Falcon helmet graces the heads of notable pros such as Tom Boonen and everyone's favourite have-a-go hero, Johnny Hoogerland. The Quickstep version tested here is relatively subdued in its white and faux-carbon livery, with only a few Quickstep stickers giving away its origin. As such, it should play well with the majority of kit colour combos - an important consideration when trying to look 'PRO'.
Louis Garneau Diamond helmet
Louis Garneau's range-topping Diamond helmet looks good, boasts an impressive vent count and is extremely comfortable to wear...however, we had a pretty fundamental problem with ours.
Whilst they are a relatively unknown brand here in the UK, Louis Garneau have been around for over 25 years, starting out as a family garage based operation and growing into a brand capable of taking on the big players in the cycling apparel market.
Bontrager Solstice WSD Ladies Helmet
Conceived as a general purpose women's cycling helmet, the Solstice WSD is pitched at the recreational or fitness rider, commuter or day to day errand rider, rather than at those looking for high-end performance for races and long events. It features a universal fit, for one-size-fits-most capability, and is designed to be as easy to use and fit as possible.
The Solstice includes an easy-adjust fit system, lockable adjustable straps, washable pads to improve fit and a removable visor.
Giro Selector TT helmet
'The fastest production TT helmet available' is how distributor Madison describes the new Giro Selector. The front is more dome-like than many aero helmets and the tail is truncated. What's unusual about it, however, is that you can select (geddit?) the depth of the lower section of the lid, from the ear covers to the helmet tip.
Abus Metronaut Helmet
The Abus Metronaut stirs conflicting emotions in me. Styled to look like a baseball cap and compliment the street wardrobe, I grew attached to ours very quickly. However, at this point the world-weary, caffeine dependant journalist proclaims it's little more than an in-mould construction piss-pot skate lid peppered with twenty-three pet-box type ventilation holes and dressed in a washable nylon cover.
Alpina Vector Helmet
The Alpina Vector ia an in-mould construction, CE1078 compliant, adjustable llid and could easily be dismissed as just another universally competent entry level road helmet. But look a little closer and the detailing beats some other mid range offerings, with anecdotal evidence suggesting it's particularly accommodating of unusual head shapes.
LAS Anubi helmet
LAS make my current favourite helmet, the £120 Victory, and this Anubi is one rung below at £100 (although you can find it for less) which still makes it a fairly high end lid in most people's books. The Anubi is well made and has some nice features; I didn't get on with it quite as well as the more expensive Victory but it's a good piece of kit nonetheless.
Catlike Kompact'O helmet
The Catlike Kompact'O is a neat and simple helmet that keeps a lid on volume, weight and price. I've worn it for an extended period of racing and training. Rival road helmets may offer more in terms of features or fashion, but this one is competitively priced, well ventilated and lightweight.