Met Miles Mips helmet

The Met Miles Mips Helmet is marketed as a ‘Recreational Bike Helmet for Touring, City and E-Bike’, which is a broad church and might suggest greater heft and less efficient ventilation. In practice, it’s airy, comfortable and the less aggressive styling lends itself well to all sorts of cycling. In a nutshell, there’s much to like and it’s also competitively priced. My only minor grumble is that the shell doesn’t cover the rim, but that’s typical at this price – and not a deal-breaker as far as I’m concerned.

Specification

Pretty much what I’d expect at this price. It’s available in a choice of five glossy colours from a bold day-glo yellow through to teal and black, and the construction is the usual polycarbonate shell and EPS liner tag team.

There are 17 vents, a ponytail port, hand-washable pads and it meets the usual CE1078, US and AS/NZ safety standards. Then of course, we have Mips, in this instance, the C2. Put simply, Mips is a sort of roll-cage for your skull and brain.

Most crashes involve twisting forces, rather than a single strike to a hard surface. It’s the rotational forces, especially at speed, which cause sometimes lasting and potentially profound damage. The low-profile, slippery yellow Mips insert is designed to mimic your skull’s own protection system.

While this is proven and long-established technology, other factors such as correct fit and accessories such as cameras and lights also influence a helmet’s effectiveness. The softer, more subtle profile compared with contemporary road models means it’s more accommodating of helmet lights.

The rear has a generous reflective decal and there’s also scope for mounting an LED.

Internally, there are removable pads, designed to be hand-washed, though personally I’d probably soap down the lid in the shower.

Sizing and fit

There are two sizes: our Small/Medium for 52-58cm head circumferences and Medium/Large for 58-61cm. While an excellent fit overall, in common with Lazer, I found the Miles a little more snug than others purportedly of the same diameter, so as usual I’d recommend trying on before buying. I also found the Met a little shallower, with it sitting slightly higher on my head. I didn’t notice this after a few rides, but coming from the Van Rysel 500 and Lazer Strada Kineticore I found it a bit of a culture shock at first.

Adjustments come courtesy of the familiar thumbwheel, which I found easy to adjust while riding, even in full-finger gloves.

The chin strap buckle is the equally familiar click-and-go type with a subtly sculptured profile sitting nicely against the skin. Despite the snug fit, I found no issue pairing this with a cap – including the beefier ‘Belgian’ types – snoods or similar headwear. I had no issues with peaks being cramped, either, and some Gore-tex covers fitted well.

Performance

I’ve been impressed with the Met Miles. In temperatures from 5-16°C the 17 vents did an excellent job scooping air over my scalp, and I found it effective at keeping my head cool when I was grinding up climbs.

When I was descending at 25-30mph in exposed, blustery areas there was some slight whistling, but never enough to be intrusive. My head also stayed mainly dry after 40 minutes riding in persistent rain.

Testing aside, I donned a water-resistant, breathable cap, such as the Showers Pass Atlas whenever rain was imminent.

On brighter days, while the Met Miles doesn’t have a dedicated port for sunnies, I still managed to safely park models with grippy TR90 or Megol rubber arms even when I was riding over lumpy lanes, though unmade roads and farm tracks were bumps too far.

I generally shun rucksacks but I did try a few loops with a 10-litre rucksack and had no issues with over-the-shoulder glances at junctions.

Durability and care

Despite my remarks regarding the rim, the Miles is holding up well against everyday knocks. No fraying or similar deterioration around the straps and the composite thumbwheel and chin buckle seem similarly sturdy. Gloss finishes are similarly easy to live with – a quick once-over with a dedicated helmet product, or indeed, beeswax furniture polish locks the contaminants out and the sheen in.

The helmet pads were still smelling fragrant a few weeks down the line. However, the lid’s joined me in the shower, and I’ve given the pads and straps a gentle, soapy cleanse and rinse and they responded very well. After a quick towel dry and leaving the helmet overnight, they came up fresh and dry again.

Value

The helmet’s £69.99 price is very competitive.

The Bell Avenue Mips is perhaps its nearest rival, and while priced at £79.99, it’s generally discounted at present. It’s also available in several colours, is well ventilated, similarly secure and easily adjusted, though at 308g it’s a little heavier than the Met.

The Endura Xtract MIPS Xtract Mips Helmet – White is £69.99 and similarly marketed as an all-rounder with gravel potential.

If you’re looking for a more aggressive road aesthetic, the Van Rysel Road Bike Helmet Helmet RCR MIPS is offered in five colours, features 24 vents, Mips and costs £79.99. And yes, the shell covers the rim.

Arguably a closer match to the Met is the £89.99 Lazer Strada Kineticore Helmet. This doesn’t feature Mips but uses Lazer’s own KinetiCore technology, which is designed to achieve the same result. It has a sunglasses port and Lazer’s ‘Scrollshift’ adjustment system that theoretically allows a more exacting fit. On paper, the Lazer’s 23 vents should make it airier than the Met Miles, though in practice I didn’t notice much difference.

The 2025 Giant Rev Comp Helmet is the same price as the Lazer, and also boasts a a five-star rating from the independent Virginia Tech Helmet Safety Lab.

Check out our best cycling helmets buyer’s guide for more options at a wide range of prices.

Conclusion

I’ve warmed to the Met Miles and rate it as an everyday helmet for all sorts of road-based cycling. The shape is less aggressive than some, so better compliments a wider range of cycling kit, which is appealing whether you’re riding in more relaxed touring or gravel kit, or commuting shorter distances in office casuals. The shape accommodates lights well and ventilation is similarly good. It may not be on par with the lightest, airiest road models, but you won’t overheat and this is arguably a better fit during the cooler months.

Verdict

Mips-equipped helmet for everyday riding that’s competitively priced, reasonably airy and a decent weight

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