Scott Cadence Plus (CE) Helmet

The Scott Cadence Plus (CE) helmet is supposedly faster than its predecessor. It's comfortable, and features the new lighter 'Air Node' version of Mips and a clip-on rear light. It'll be suitable for a wide variety of riders, with only ventilation coming up as any kind of shortcoming – which is the case for a lot of aero road helmets.

> Buy now: Scott Cadence Plus (CE) helmet for £229.99 from Pedalon

Scott says its Cadence Plus is its 'fastest ever road racing helmet'. This is a claim we can't specifically test, but it certainly looks the part and you can also purchase vent plugs for the front to supposedly improve its aerodynamics further.

At this point the emphasis is heavily on speed and not so much on ventilation. But when those vents are uncovered, this isn't too much of a problem.

The helmet sports five sizeable front apertures and a similar number of smaller exhaust vents at the rear. There's a sixth one of sorts if you choose to remove the light, but even then the vertical adjuster runs across it, so I can't imagine it making much difference.

Together these provide good airflow through the helmet when you're rattling along at any kind of pace. Going uphill, in hot weather, you may wish the helmet were perhaps just a touch airier.

That may come across as an inevitable compromise when designing an aero helmet, but an effort is clearly being made here to provide versatility, as evidenced by that rear light.

An integrated light is not an obvious inclusion on a performance helmet, but plenty of us like to ride quickly at night or in the winter and we've all been caught out by a sudden change in weather.

It certainly shapes up as a useful addition as far as I'm concerned – and if you really don't like it, you can unclip it.

The light has three settings: solid, flashing and a sort of slow, pulsing, throbbing glow. It's bright enough for a helmet light and handy to have. I left it attached throughout the testing period.

If you do decide to remove it, you reclaim a whopping 15g, taking the helmet's total weight down from an uncompetitive 301g and putting it kind of mid-pack among the various aero road helmets we've reviewed recently. Aero helmets do tend to be a little heavier.

I was testing a medium for 55-59cm heads and it fitted my 57cm noggin perfectly. Small (51-55cm) and large (59-61cm) sizes are also available.

Safety-wise, the Cadence Plus features Mips (Multi-Directional impact Protection System), which is designed to minimise the rotational forces transmitted to the brain in an impact. In this case, the lighter, Scott has employed the airier Mips Air Node version.

> All you need to know about Mips

Colour-wise, you can get black, white, diamond grey/lime green and – if you're a bit jauntier – 'ultra purple'.

The dial adjuster clicks loudly when you're tightening it and softly on the way out. It's chunky and rubbery and easy to tweak even in winter gloves. There are half a dozen settings for vertical adjustment too.

The padding is adequate and unobtrusive and the strap smooth enough – a plastic divider routes the straps so that they sit a little wider of the ears.

The fastener is magnetic and works very smoothly indeed. Rest assured there are slots for your sunglasses, if that's a feature you require.

Value

With an RRP of £229.99, the Scott Cadence Plus is pretty dear even for an aero helmet.

That's the same price as the Trek Ballista Mips helmet, albeit with a markedly different look.

The £220 Met Manta Mips Aero Road helmet is a little lighter, but the Scott's integrated rear light adds to its utility for me. Meanwhile, the HJC Furion 2.0 is a chunk of change cheaper at £180, but lacks Mips.

And though the Specialized S-Works Evade 3 is more expensive at £275, you can often find it for a lot less.

For more options check out our best cycling helmets buyer's guide.

Conclusion

Aerodynamic, comfortable and offering a little more versatility than the average aero road helmet thanks to that clip-on rear light, the Scott Cadence Plus shapes up as an excellent all-rounder. I'd personally prefer a little more ventilation when climbing on a hot day, but that's likely to be the case with any helmet prioritising aerodynamics.

> Buy now: Scott Cadence Plus (CE) helmet for £229.99 from Pedalon

Verdict

Aerodynamic, comfortable and well put-together with a slot for your sunnies and a detachable rear light – but not cheap