Giro Venus II Womens helmet

The Venus II Women's Helmet by Giro does a fine job for a budget helmet, good for the beginner cyclist or for occasional longer rides. It is a basic, easy fit with the bonus that it goes down to 50cm to fit smaller heads.

• Pros: Fits smaller heads
• Cons: No vertical adjustment of the cradle

The Venus II is a universal fit helmet to suit recreational riding and commuting. Its 'universal fit' means it comes in just one size, but to suit quite a wide range – 50cm to 57cm. I'd say it comes up on the small side – I have a small head and it doesn't look huge on me, considering it should fit both a 57cm head and a 50cm head. It's a helmet for a small head.

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It has an in-mould construction, meaning the outer shell is fused with an impact-absorbing EPS liner during the manufacturing process. The idea is that it makes it durable and long lasting. It also keeps the weight down at 292g (286g claimed); okay, it's not super-light, but it's not too heavy for a £35 helmet.

It only has 10 vents, so it might get warm in the summer, but this was a cold weather test so I can't really comment on that at the moment. It comes with the usual padding which is Velcro-ed on and removable for washing if needed.

It comes with a snap-fit visor. Whether you rock the visor look or not, I'd say the helmet looks better with the visor on, because when you pull it off there are four unsightly holes showing where it attaches. I'd suggest it's better to just leave it on and use it to keep the sun out of your eyes.

Looks-wise, it is a little bit mushroom-like on my small head (it's not me in the pics) compared with more expensive helmets such as the Lazer Cosmo, or the Bell Tempo MIPS I tested alongside it, which looks more sporty.

When you compare the fit to more expensive models, it does feel like it perches on your head a bit. The cradle doesn't come as far down at the back of the head, and there is no vertical adjustment to give room for a ponytail.

The Acu Dial fit system is a simple dial to tighten and loosen the helmet and worked well even with gloves on. Although it is a little basic-looking, I found it fitted okay and there were no pressure points, even on long rides. Wearing sunglasses with the helmet wasn't an issue, either inside or outside the straps.

I reviewed the Bell Tempo Mips at the same time, which is a more expensive but similar-fitting helmet to the Giro – both being suitable for small heads. Out of the two, I preferred the fit of the Bell on my head, but my sunglasses were a more comfortable fit with the Giro helmet. It's always best to try helmets and compare because they all fit differently.

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Overall, the Giro Venus II is a good helmet for the recreational user and very well priced. If you are starting to do more regular riding, though, I'd suggest looking at the Bell; it would be my preferred choice, with more protection features and, for me, a better fit, but it is nearly twice the price.

Verdict

Good basic helmet for the recreational user with a small head