Helmets

BBB’s Hawk is a decent and comfortable lid, straddling the budget to mid-range price points. It looks a lot like MET’s Forte and has what I think of as a ‘universal helmet spec’: it conforms to the EN1078 safety standard; features in mould construction; has easy align straps; and the cradle adjusts with a twisting dial.

At first glance, this helmet isn't too dissimilar to the 'potty lids' we used to wear on our skateboards back in the 70s, but it's brought up to date with a lower profile shape and it's a lot safer too.

The polycarbonate shell has an in-mould expanded polystyrene liner that's fused to the harder outer shell to save weight and distribute the force of an impact. The straps are basic with no clever, easy-adjustment clips, but once you have them correct and the foam padding inserts positioned right, this helmet has a comfortingly snug fit.

The K-50 is Kask’s “cheapest” offering in its range of road cycling helmets. You’d be mistaken if you translated cheapest into any kind of compromise on quality though. Weightwise it can certainly hold its head high, coming in 20 grams lighter on my scales than the Kask Vertigo – as used by Team Sky – and as reviewed by us a little while ago.

Pro Viz’s Saturn is a unique helmet with some really neat touches and a refreshingly competitive price tag.

If I had to sum up the Kask Vertigo in one word, it would be this one: quality. There's no doubt that £165 is a serious wedge to pay for a helmet, but whereas some bike kit seems to get more ephemeral the more you pay, this helmet feels every inch a dependable, pro level piece of kit.

The top-of-the-range Ionos gets Giro’s new Roc Loc 5 fit system for 2011 which, unlike previous incarnations, comes with a ratcheting, micro-adjustable dial to make on-the-fly fine-tuning easier.

With Roc Loc 4 you had two little buttons around the back that you either pushed closer together or pulled further apart when you want to alter the fit. You could tighten it one-handed simply enough, but loosening it was really a two-handed job.

This smart, chic urban cycling helmet is made by one of the most respected names in helmet construction, the Italian company MET and with an rrp of £50 this could be the perfect helmet for your ride to work.

A helmet for those who don’t like traditional lids, the natty head protectors from Danish company Yakkay are all based around a straightforward crash helmet with a range of funky covers to choose from to make them look, well, less helmet like.

Bell’s latest Citi helmet is a mid-priced commu/touring lid that in the glow in the dark version tested here combines eye-catching titanium/neon green livery and genuinely effective Scotchlite reflective straps worth their weight in gold on misty mornings or caught in the glare of car headlamps while stopping shy of being garish. Unsurprisingly given it's designed for urban riding it doesn’t look out of place with the civilian wardrobe.

The FP1 is the top of the Uvex range of helmets, aimed at the road-racing market, and is also ideal for sportive riders. Trim and cool, it’s a nice piece of kit.

Picking up the FP1, it just feels good. That’s no way to judge a helmet, but it’s an OK start. Maybe I’m seduced by the Made in Germany sticker. Naturally, it meets all the European safety standards.