The best lightweight road cycling helmets — invest in a bike lid that balances protection, comfort, and ventilation

The Abus AirBreaker is an excellent cycling helmet that provides loads of ventilation in a lightweight and low profile package. The AirBreaker’s venting is its best feature. It’s an in-mould design (meaning that the outer shell is permanently connected to the expanded polystyrene inner) with what Abus calls ActiCage structural reinforcement – essentially a plastic framework within the EPS, the idea being that you can have big vents without the helmet’s safety being compromised. Many other brands do something similar.

The AirBreaker’s overall shape is the same as that of Abus’s GameChanger aero lid. Aero helmets tend to be heavier than most others and ventilation is usually compromised, hence the introduction of the AirBreaker. Our medium sized test model hit the scales at just 214g and it has a similar level of ventilation to the Abus Aventor.

The HJC Furion 2.0 Semi-Aero Helmet is, as the name suggests, a ‘semi-aero’ road helmet that has a degree of ventilation. Weighing in at 218g on the road.cc scales of truth, it’s very light for an aero helmet, but if it’s great ventilation you’re after though, reviewer Ed says, “Unfortunately on the hottest days it’s really only semi-ventilated too, but for more usual UK weather this a good, light and very comfy option”. 

The Furion 2.0 features a Selfit securing mechanism which is an automatic self-adjusting fitting system so that once the helmet fit is set, it doesn’t require further adjustment, even when your head is moving during a ride. Ed referred to this technology as “genius” saying that “it keeps the helmet constantly sat on your head correctly without any loose wobble, but also you don’t feel like it is trying to tear your scalp off.” 

Kask’s Protone Icon Helmet is a superb road helmet that’s light, airy and comfortable with reviewer Shaun writing, “what I can say is that the Icon is the airiest and most comfortable helmet I’ve ever used, in 35 years of cycling. At 223g it’s also possibly the lightest – I barely noticed it.”

The Protone Icon is an evolution of the Protone helmet and like its predecessor, the shell uses seamless technology to join the upper and lower parts for a sleek aesthetic. Structurally, the Protone Icon employs what Kask calls an ‘innovative inner strengthening frame’, which theoretically affords greater mechanical strength and Kask has used its own in-house Kask WG11 test.

The Protone Icon is available in three sizes: S (50-56cm), M (52-58cm), and L (59-62cm) and it comes in a choice of no fewer than 10 colours, including matt and gloss effects.

Kask’s Sintesi helmet is an excellent lid at a great price. It’s light, comfortable, looks good, and is suitable for all styles of riding, from urban commuting and road cycling to gravel. At just 237g this helmet is in the weight territory of performance road helmets rather than the often beefier commuter lids.

As well as meeting the usual standards, the Sintesi has also passed Kask’s own WG11 Rotational Impact test, its alternative to Mips, and it includes a number of useful features. It has 13 generous vents which effectively channel air and the interior padding has an antibacterial treatment, which should enhance its lifespan, but a replacement pad kit is also available.

It also comes in 11 different colours ensuring there’s one to suit your preference. 

Lazer’s Genesis has evolved from a mid-range helmet into a lightweight, breathable lid that performs well on hot days and during races. The ventilation is among the best that we’ve tried and it works brilliantly when climbing at threshold. The fit is very comfortable and the Rollsys retention system works well to spread pressure. 

Lazer’s latest version of the Genesis cycling helmet sees it go on a diet, losing 65g and quite a bit of material too. Vents have increased in size and number, from 19 up to 22, but the Rollsys retention system is unchanged and still works very well. If you hate a heavy lid and want to feel as small a load on your head and neck as possible, this is the helmet to go for.

To be clear: this is a new Lazer Genesis that’s lighter than both the original Genesis of a few years ago and Lazer’s previous top-end helmet, the Z1. We weighed our size medium at 210g (Lazer claims the small is 195g) and you can get the MIPs version – that our reviewer said he’d upgrade to – for a 10g weight penalty. 

The Met Manta Mips Aero Road helmet offers a good blend of aero performance and ventilation while integrating Mips protection nicely. It’s a good all-round helmet with a strong leaning towards fast club riders and racers interested in aero performance.

Tester Leon writes: “Out on the road I’ve found the new Manta Mips to be fast (well, fast-feeling) compared to my usual airy and lightweight climber’s helmet – a Kask Valegro at the moment – and surprisingly airy too.”

He also adds, “The MIPS technology has been nicely integrated, and the safety benefit of that – which no one hopes to ever have to test – puts you in the best position possible if you do have a spill.”

The Met Trenta 3K Carbon Mips is an excellent lid. It’s light, cool and comfortable, if not cheap… The Trenta 3K Carbon is Met’s top-of-the-range lid and it’s this particular model that was worn by Team UAE Emirates and Tadej Pogacar at this year’s Tour de France, balancing aerodynamics for the flat stages and ventilation on the hilly stages.

Aesthetically it’s very similar to the previous model but it has been updated with rotational protection. It’s impressive that Met has achieved the addition of Mips without making the helmet noticeably heavier weighing in at 223g – 3g heavier than previously. 

This new version appears to sacrifice none of this ventilation by using the airiest and lightest Mips Air Node system and Met has also minimised the amount of the head that’ll be in contact with the helmet to help with keeping you cooler as you ride. Only 30 per cent will be in contact apparently, which, according to Met, allows the other 70 per cent to benefit from the optimised airflow passing through the internal cavity.

Poc’s Omne Lite is an evolution of the Omne helmet, made lighter and with added airflow and the Omne variations are Poc’s least expensive helmets. 

The lid is based around a lightweight EPS liner, with a minimal polycarbonate shell to provide structural strength while keeping the weight as low as possible, all conforming to EN, CPSC, AS/NZS certifications, though it does not have Mips.

Poc says it’s optimised ventilation and airflow by adding extra exhaust vents at the back of the helmet. In total, there are 12 ventilation holes opening up to the five channels that run on the inside in the EPS liner. The combination of the holes and channels works really well; the ventilation is top notch on this helmet.

Rudy’s Project Egos helmet is a comfortable, well-vented helmet that shows lots of attention to detail with features such as the under-ear straps, magnetic chin clasp and bug mesh – and the price isn’t stupid either. 

Inside the helmet is what Rudy Project calls a dual-density inner shell.  The lighter grey section is softer than the main EPS – expanded polystyrene – part of the shell, and according to Rudy, this softer material provides greater absorption of energy in the event of a crash. With 23 vents it’s an airy helmet, but in addition to having a large number of vents, the vents are also well positioned.

Regarding safety, the EGOS passes the European CE/EN 1078 and the US CPSC 12.03 standards. The helmet doesn’t feature Mips or similar technology, but Rudy says it does its own in-house rotational impact test, which has a pass or fail criteria. The EGOS is available in three sizes, which is fairly typical of most helmet brands. And you get a choice of four colours: blue, black, white and cosmic blue.

Specialized’s S-Works Prevail II Vent ANGi helmet is a lightweight and well-ventilated option that comes with a MIPS safety system and an optional crash detection sensor, £39.99, which, when linked to a smartphone, can tell your emergency contacts that you’re in need of help.

The Prevail helmet has long been a popular helmet with performance-focused cyclists because it’s comfortable, well ventilated and seriously lightweight. This version retains everything that was good about original but has a much lower profile. It not only looks better but offers better ventilation and sweat management as well as reducing the wind noise of the original..

The Prevail II Vent features large vents – including a ‘Mega Mouthport’ across the front – along with deep internal channels and sizeable exhaust ports at the rear. The whole system does an excellent job of moving air across your head to keep you feeling cool and (at least relatively) sweat-free. This is one of the best-vented helmets out there, and the incorporation of MIPS makes no difference to that.

The Trek Velocis Mips helmet is excellent, impressively light at 235g, with good ventilation and a very comfortable Mips system. It comes with striking looks too and reviewer George thinks that the front of this helmet is reminiscent of a Ferrari 458. 

Trek’s tagline for the Velocis Mips helmet is ‘Cool is fast’, because this helmet is designed for both aerodynamics and ventilation. While we can’t test the fast claims, the ‘cool’ element is impressive. Trek has used computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modelling and windtunnel testing to optimise airflow for the helmet, which seems to have done wonders.

The helmet tightens with a 360-degree Boa system and tester George said, “having used a lot of high-end helmets over the years I would say this is the most comfortable, both in terms of ventilation and fit”.