2022 Top 5 Best Bicycle Helmets

Hopping on an electric bicycle in the near future? We all hope to be!

Now, how will you protect your best asset in case of an accident? Start with the top rated bicycle helmets that offer you both protection and comfort–and style!

You also want to consider fit for your particular head and hairstyle, as well as fashion sense and for, of course, your personal safety. Find out what kind of helmets are securing heads of e-bike riders and conventional bicyclists in 2022.

About the Best Bicycle Helmets

When it comes to a bicycle helmet, you want safety, comfort, and style. These are essential. Otherwise, what’s the point?

In an all-around bicycle helmet, the main parts also include:

• Chin strap that should be adjustable
• Breathable inner liner
• Removable foam padding for improved fit
• Helmet vents to allow air flow
• Sized to fit your head
• Plastic shell for impact and puncture resistance
• Small visor to block out direct sunlight and glare

Here are some of the optional features, as discussed by REI in How to Choose a Bicycle Helmet:

• Multi-Directional Impact Protection System (Mips) for minimizing rotational effects in a crash
• WaveCel technology that features a spongy absorbent gel-based material for shock absorption
• Mount for cameras

That’s not all. You also want to look at the best helmets for styling and profiling when riding your bicycle. Wherever you plan on riding your bicycle, having the right helmet makes all the difference. You end up having a better experience overall, since you are not fidgeting with the fit and functionality of your head gear the entire time. If you are using a helmet as a camera mount, this would be a particularly difficult area to have malfunctioning on you.

Consider what features matter the most to you when buying a bicycle helmet. Then, make a decision and purchase based on the type of bicycle riding you anticipate doing the most.

If you are going on gravel roads, for example, you need far more shock protection compared to someone who will be riding on the highway and sidewalks. The added bounce increases strain on your neck muscles already, and having a crash on a dirt road is far less predictable due to the rugged terrain.

Best All-Around Bicycle Helmet

One of the best bicycle brands to come out with gear for 2022 is sixthreezero. An electric bicycle company with e-bikes, including vintage-style beach cruisers designed in Los Angeles, California, sixthreezero recently started selling things like helmets, bags, and panniers.

Whether you own an e-bike by sixthreezero or not, the bike brand has some very cool and durable helmets.

The latest helmet to be released by sixthreezero features a unisex design that works well for any person. Whether you are a woman or man, or a teenager or a senior, there are helmets by sixthreezero that are worth checking out.

These stylish bicycle helmets come in an array of colors and combinations. If you love pastel tones and like ice cream, by all means, you will be a huge fan of the sixthreezero helmets.

These helmets are made for a variety of styles of bicycles including:

• Beach cruisers
• Fat tire bicycles
• Comfort e-bikes
• Tricycles
• Electric scooters

These helmets feature the traditional turtle shell style that fits easily over your head and hair. A rounded shape with a short bill and air vent cutouts allow for maximum comfort.

Compared to the other cycling helmets on this list, the sixthreezero helmet scores the most points for basic coverage. When wearing a helmet, you want your head to be fully protected, after all, and the sixthreezero helmets cover the most surface area of them all. This is ideal for anyone who wants to protect yourself against all kinds of head injuries, including getting stabbed by a tree branch.

Other features to mention for the sixthreezero helmets are:

• Recommended for bicycle riders 8 years and up
• Available in Medium (21.6 to 22.8 inches)
• Available in Large (23 to 24.5 inches)
• Features an assortment of colors with two tones, including–Light Plum, Cream, Black, Periwinkle Blue, Sky Marigold, Mint Green, Teal, Coral, Ash Amber, and Navy
• Matte finish with minimal adornments
• Adjustable sizing in the circumference
• Shock-absorbent ABS shell
• Full-coverage
• Eight-flow ventilation systems
• Visor

One point to consider: if you need smaller helmets or extra large sizes, there is a limited size range at sixthreezero. For reference, the helmets at sixthreezero are not sold in sizes:

• Extra Small (less than 20 in.)
• Small (20 to 21.75 in.)
• Extra Large (over 24.75 in.)
• One Size Fits All (fully adjustable fit)

Ultimately, this is a great style of recreational bicycling helmet for both electric bike owners and regular bicycle riders. The entire family can find their perfect color combination, making it easy to buy these sixthreezero bicycle helmets. Also, each of the helmets runs at about $70 as an affordable option when buying for a household or group.

Best Road Bike Helmet

If you are riding a road bicycle, the helmet you choose needs to do more than look pretty. That helmet is your only form of defense against the asphalt and a collision with a pedestrian, motorcyclist, or car driver.

Those bicyclists who choose a road bike helmet are also looking for something with flash that is going to attract the attention of passersby. Why? For health and safety, as the person who goes by, you must be able to see you to avoid a head-on or sideswiping collision.

Here is where the Giro road cycling helmets are highly recommended. A Giro bicycling helmet is made for road cycling. There are a few recommendations by the Giro brand for the best road cycling helmets:

• Isode Mips
• Syntax Mips
• Aether Spherical
• Aerohead Mips
• Helios Spherical
• Foray Mips
• Synthe Mips II
• Cinder Mips
• Vanquish Mips
• Agilis Mips
• Eclipse Spherical

One of the key features of the Giro collection of road bicycling helmets is the number of vents. These bike helmets all have at least 20 vents for breathability–some have 30 vents, including the Giro Agilis Mips helmet.

The weight of these helmets is also important to note. You are looking at half to one and a half pounds per helmet. This is a great detail, considering road bicycling is also about aerodynamics. Finding the path with the least resistance is essential to getting to your destination with the least amount of energy and in the shortest time. As for the price of the Giro helmets, you are looking at spending $50 to $300 on these helmets.

Best Mountain Bike Helmet

Mountain biking is more of a full body sport than any other type of bicycling–other than speed racing. When you are out there on the open trails, you experience smells and sights that are completely in nature. This beats the heck out of city streets and those smells for sure. Trying to stay on the trails is one thing–minimizing impact if you crash is a whole new ballgame. You want to look for a bicycle helmet that offers both Mips crash protection, as well as extra visor clearance and ventilation. Keeping the sun and tree limbs out of your eyes is a must. Additionally, your head needs breathing room after doing all of that riding in the humid forest.

Help yourself to the Troy Lee Designs helmets from a brand that sells mountain bike, motocross, and dirt bike helmets. This is a fun collection of helmets for sports enthusiasts thanks to the trendy and urban styling. Additionally, cost wise, you can expect to pay for the fun vibe with pricing at $75 to $230 for these helmets for bicycling. You can also get these customized with lettering for an additional $150 plus custom art. Choose from detailed airbrushing, lettering, character work, pin striping, numbers, or your own custom logo. Yes, right there on your mountain bike helmet.

How do the Troy Lee Designs (TLD) off-road helmets work for mountain biking? They are made by a company that also makes helmets for the high impact sports of motocross and dirt biking.

As a result, you can anticipate the ultimate in head protection with the bike helmets by TLD. Check out the A3 Helmet with Mips by TLD that has full coverage on the lower back head. This is a unique style feature you will not find in most bicycling helmets. These mountain biking helmets also come with a visor that is a three-way adjustable Magnajust® as well as a 3d Fidlock® buckle system that uses magnetics and “composite smart shear screws.”

Best Commuter Bicycle Helmet

Aerodynamics are essential for a commuter bicycle rider as time is of the essence. Do you ride your commuter bike into the office each morning? Do you use a commuter bike for city-wide deliveries? A commuter is someone who by definition travels to work for a certain distance on a consistent basis. As a result, there are conditions to take into account when buying a helmet for a commuter bicycle.

The sleek style of a well fitted visor is also important. You want to look cool and fast when riding a commuter bike–it helps with the overall vibe. Plus, you need a sleek style for that aerodynamic cut to reduce wind resistance as you ride your bike to work or school.

Finding the best commuter bicycle helmet starts with a brand like Nutcase. Sure, the name alone is catchy, but so are these helmets for commuters. Plan to spend about $70 a piece on these helmets, which are sold by major dealers like Walmart and Cambria Bicyle Outfitter Outlet in California. These are third generation helmets that have a long-standing tradition of looking hip on the streets. Key features include:

• Signature Nutcase silver on black metal logo embellishment
• Crumple zone coated in EPS foam
• 11 airflow vents
• Fidlock® buckling system
• Detachable visor
• Round shape with a fully encased shell
• Unique artwork and prints for kids and adults

The Street helmet by Nutcase is a great helmet for all ages thanks to the cool prints and graphic designs that are printed on the shell.

Best Gravel Bike Helmet

The side roads and back alleys of many rural towns are covered in gravel. You might also love riding your mountain bike on backwoods trails covered in dirt. If you are riding on gravel aka dirt and rock, you need to upgrade your bicycling helmet to absorb the shock. The added bounce and bang you get from these gravel roads also leads to more linear and rotational stress in the case of a crash. To protect your skull and brain, you need the Mips system and I suggest adding the WaveCel material for your helmet.

For the best gravel bike helmet, choose the Bontrager Circuit WaveCel helmet if you are planning on going on gravel roads with your bicycle. This is the best gravel bike helmet for a multitude of reasons. The WaveCel features a honeycomb weave similar to that you see in running shoes. Made of a highly shock absorbent material, the WaveCel material adds a third layer of protection beyond the basic padding and foam inserts of a helmet. This does the magic and is the most protective type of bicycle helmet as a result.

If you are bouncing around on dirt roads with your bicycle or mountain bike, by all means, buy a Bontrager helmet. If you cannot find the Bontrager Circuit WaveCel helmet, opt for any of the Bontrager Rally Mips helmets. The Bontrager Rally Mips line of helmets is rated 5 stars with a STAR value of 9.34. The helmet was ranked 7th out of 150 helmets by Virginia Tech. However, the price tag of $150 puts this bicycle helmet in the mid-range of price points for most bicycle owners' budgets.