Test 2015: Professional helmets for road cyclists - 12 top helmets between 100 and 250 euros tested

The head protection worn by Degenkolb, Kittel & Co. is one of the few pieces of professional equipment that you can buy in the shops - from manufacturers such as Ekoi or Specialized, even in the original team design of the sponsored teams. The fact that the professionals' helmets are no different from standard equipment is not least due to the fact that the helmets must fulfil the internationally valid safety standards according to UCI regulations. As helmets are largely manufactured by machine using very expensive moulds, small series production would be far too expensive - and manufacturing by hand is completely impossible.

Both amateur and professional athletes agree on what a top helmet should look like. Apart from the individual fit, the helmet must be easy to adjust and securely fastened to the head; it should be as light as possible and optimally ventilated so that it disturbs as little as possible - especially in high summer temperatures - and keeps the head cool. However, helmet manufacturers also charge top prices for their top models - which may not matter to sponsored professionals, but can put a serious dent in the budget of amateur athletes.

These top helmets with all the information and test results can be found in the PDF download below:

- Abus Tec-Tical Pro
- Bell Gage
- Bontrager Velocis
- Ekoi Ekcel Magnetic
- Giant REV
- Giro Synthe
- Kask Protone
- Lazer Z1 (TOUR test winner)
- MET Stradivarius HES
- POC Octal Raceday
- Scott WIT-R
- Specialised S-Works Prevail

The starting grid

At this year's Tour de France, 198 riders will be competing in 22 teams. As the manufacturers Giro and Specialized are each equipping three teams, a total of 18 different brands will be on the heads of the peloton - from Abus (Bora-Argon 18) to Suomy (Lampre-Merida). Not all, but at least a dozen outfitters accepted our invitation and sent their respective professional models into our current helmet competition.

With a few minor exceptions, the twelve candidates from the 2015 model year present themselves with proven, solid quality. The trend towards ever lighter helmets seems to have stopped, at least for the time being. Only the helmets from Specialized and POC undercut the 200 gram mark by one to two grams, while the competitors weigh in at around 230 grams on average. Abus and MET are around 20 grams heavier than the average, while the heaviest helmet (277 grams) comes from Giant - a newcomer to this product segment. However, this obviously doesn't stop the pros from the Giant-Alpecin team around John Degenkolb from winning.

To adjust the helmet to the head, most manufacturers rely on a combination of padding inserts of different thicknesses with a head strap that can be adjusted in width and height, all of which can be adjusted using a twist lock. On eleven of the twelve test helmets, a purely positive click lock closes the chin strap. Ekoi, sponsor of the AG2R team, uses a new type of magnetic lock that closes automatically when the two ends are brought together. Although opening this lock is not quite as intuitive, you quickly get used to the new handle.

Management task

On all helmets, the straps are passed laterally in front of and behind the ears through small toggle levers; this allows both the length of the straps and the position of the clamp under the ear to be adjusted. This works best with helmets on which the straps run to the left and right of the twist lock at the back of the head. On the Ekoi, Giant and Scott models, the rear strap stop sits comparatively high and in the centre, which slightly restricts the adjustment range around the ears. POC, Lazer and Specialized separate the straps below the ear using a kind of trapezoid; this leaves little room for manoeuvre in terms of the distance to the ear, but the straps can be adjusted quickly and easily.

A headband that can be adjusted in height and thus individually adapted to the pressure-sensitive area at the back of the head should be standard in this helmet class. Abus and Ekoi do without this useful feature, which costs both helmets points in the customisation section. For women, helmets that are open at the back offer the advantage that a plait can be easily threaded through at this point. The helmets from Scott, Bontrager and especially Lazer are therefore likely to find many fans among women - or men - with long hair.

In addition to customisability, the cooling performance of the helmet is one of its core characteristics. It is important that as much fresh air as possible is directed over the head so that a lot of sweat can evaporate. We measured which helmets performed best here using a test head we developed ourselves (see "How TOUR tests", page 50). All twelve candidates scored good to very good in this category. Depending on whether you sweat a lot or your head is a little sensitive to cold, you can find your personal favourite.

Although helmets are only subject to minor wear and tear, it is nevertheless desirable that parts such as pads, straps or locks can be purchased. It is commendable that all brands offer this service. While Bell, Bontrager or Lazer include replacement pads in the scope of delivery, these can at least be reordered from all suppliers. Most also have new straps or fasteners in their range. An accident replacement scheme, also known as crash replacement, has become established with most manufacturers. Ekoi and Kask claim to have the most generous offer: both manufacturers offer a new helmet for 50 per cent of the new price - with no time limit - if you send in the crashed helmet. With most other providers, this service is limited to three years from the date of purchase; Abus, Giant and POC do not offer this service. POC offers another interesting feature: each helmet comes with a sticker with a barcode plus PIN,
which can be scanned with a smartphone and releases the wearer's personal emergency data, which can be stored in an app.

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