Test 2010: Lightweight helmets - 11 lightweight helmets up to 250 grams in the test

Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong were probably the most prominent people to wear Giro's new "Prolight" superlight helmet during the hot mountain stages of the 2009 Tour de France. Although you can hardly call it "wearing" when it weighs just 160 grams. Incidentally, helmets have only been compulsory at Pro Tour races since 2004, when the regulation was triggered by the fatal accident involving Kazakh Andrej Kivilev at Paris-Nice in 2003.

The positive example set by the professionals is now increasingly being transferred to the amateur scene. Helmets are also compulsory at major events for everyone and cycle tour organisers. And even at privately organised training rides for smaller hobby groups, those who want to cycle without a helmet are increasingly being left out. Trauma surgeon Doctor Uli Schmucker from Greifswald University Hospital can prove from his professional experience and statistical surveys that a helmet is the best and cheapest life insurance for every racing cyclist: "Around 60 per cent of serious skull and brain injuries after cycling accidents can be avoided by wearing a helmet," says Schmucker, who enjoys cycling in his spare time. And: "More than half of those who die after such accidents had a serious head injury".

Incidentally, most serious accidents involving racing cyclists are caused by collisions with cars.

All models weighing no more than 250 grams in size S were eligible for our test of lightweight helmets - including mountain bike helmets, as these hardly differ from pure road bike models apart from the visor option.

SHORT & SHORT

A total of five out of eleven helmets received very good marks in our test. The best is the "FP1" from Uvex; the lightest and also the one with the best cooling is Giro's new "Prolight". Scott's "Groove II" has the best price-performance ratio.

The test results of these helmets can be found below as a PDF download:

Alpina Pheos

Catlike Whisper Plus

Cratoni Bullet

Etto Tornado

Giro Proleight

Limar Ultralight Pro 104

MET Forte

Rose RH 01

Scott Groove II

Specialised S-Works

Uvex FP 1

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