Helmets

Italian brand ZeroRH+ have a range of three helmets in their cycling portfolio; the ZR, the ZX and this - the ZW.

The ZW, like practically all helmets on the market,is made from an expanded polystyrene (EPS) liner which is co-moulded to the polycarbonate shell. This keeps the helmet together after the first impact just in case of a second.

The Abus Lane U helmet is a unisex design marketed as having a more feminine friendly shape but in my experience it just seems better fitting and finished than most lids.

We take in mould construction (where outer shell and EPS liner are formed seamlessly together) for granted these days but Abus have employed a double shell, which supposedly offers greater protection and combined with a softer, more rounded profile and subtle liveries certainly looks more flattering worn with street/inspired clothes.

The Carrera Radius helmet is the top-of-the-range model from specialist manufacturer Carrera. It's pretty light, claims good aero credentials, and has an adjustable set of straps at the back to hold it firmly on your head.

The Bell Volt helmet is the brand's second-tier helmet. It feels reassuringly tough, not weighty, and looks similar to the top-tier Gage helmet, as worn by BMC team riders, thanks mainly to the pods behind the ears.

The Volt is priced at an RRP of £139.99, it's currently available at just under £100 at most outlets. The 320g claimed weight of the helmet disappears when in use; I've yet to use another helmet where the weight seems so well distributed.

Oozing stereotypically Germanic refinement, the Uvex XP City helmet feels much closer to a road specific model than its urban tag suggests.

Sixteen vents, CE accreditation, peaks, bug netting and integral LEDs add up to an absolutely flawless finish - an example of in mould construction at its very best. I was particularly taken with our sample's grey livery that looked great with everything, but coupled with some equally subtle reflectives, comes alive under street and vehicle lighting.

The Amare from Giro is no cheap and cheerful beginner's lid, it's a properly technical, super light and highly ventilated helmet, aimed at demanding riders.

The new Giro Sonnet helmet is the women's version of the men's Savant model http://road.cc/content/review/48763-giro-savant-helmet, which impressed us when we reviewed it last year. Like its counterpart, the Sonnet is a lot of helmet for a little price.

Coming in three colourways, none of them pink, it looks like a serious helmet. It weighs a highly reasonable 259g and boasts 25 vents.

The Bell Strut Helmet is aimed squarely at the female leisure cyclist, or women just starting out in riding, and offers an attractive price tag and some female specific features to entice the first-time buyer. Sub £35 is a great price for an entry level helmet with all the safety credentials you could want.

Bell's Piston helmet combines graceful lines, 15 vents CE1078 approval and an all-up weight of 250g for just shy of 35 quid. I can recall a time when this sort of spec was the stuff of top-flight race lids!

This highly adjustable Giro lid is more air vent than helmet. The 2013 version of Giro's successful Atmos does not disappoint. With easy adjustability and huge cooling vents, the Latest incarnation of this high end offering gets the job done.