Our pick
Our top choice for most commuters is the reasonably priced Met Downtown Mips. It is comfortable, versatile, and performs well in safety tests, although it is available in only two sizes compared to our other picks.
The Met Downtown Mips is a lightweight and comfortable helmet that performs well in safety tests conducted by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. With its understated style and removable visor, it is a versatile option for casual commuters on hybrid bikes as well as weekend enthusiasts on drop-bar road or gravel bikes.
The Met Downtown Mips is one of the least expensive helmets to make Virginia Tech’s top-25 list in 2023, with the average price of a helmet on that list being $180. Despite its lower price, this helmet’s fit and features do not feel compromised. The buckle and adjustable chin straps, designed to keep the Downtown helmet in place, are among the slimmest and most user-friendly in our tests.
Seventeen vents facilitate airflow through the helmet, and the sweat pads are robust enough to prevent the anti-rotational Mips liner from catching your hair. However, this helmet is only available in two sizes, the fewest of all our picks, and Met’s crash-placement policy is good but not excellent.
Runner-up
The Trek Starvos WaveCel Cycling Helmet, with its lightweight, aerodynamic design, offers good ventilation and an excellent crash-replacement policy. It is ideal for riders on drop-bar bikes.
The proprietary liner on the Trek Starvos WaveCel Cycling Helmet, a unique wave-shaped cellular co-polymer insert called WaveCel, is an innovative take on anti-rotational technology. Although this helmet provides good airflow when riding a road bike, it does not perform as well in a more upright position. Therefore, it is not as versatile as the Met Downtown Mips for those who switch between a drop-bar bike and a city cruiser. (An alternative pick for city riding is recommended for those who ride only hybrids or upright ebikes.)
Among the helmet companies tested, Trek boasts one of the best crash-replacement policies, offering free replacement for one year after purchase, which helps to offset its higher price.
Upgrade pick
The Giro Aries Spherical is the top-rated helmet in Virginia Tech’s safety tests. It is the lightest and best-ventilated helmet tested, but also the most expensive by a large margin. It may be worth considering for dedicated road cyclists or those extremely concerned about concussions.
The Giro Aries Spherical is the most expensive helmet tested, but it is also the lightest and most comfortable. It received the highest rating in the 2023 Virginia Tech helmet safety ratings out of a total of 217 helmets.
This helmet features an unusual ball-and-socket design that utilizes a sleeker, better-integrated version of Mips technology, along with adjustable chin straps and a low-profile buckle. The result is a helmet that is so light and comfortable that you almost forget you are wearing it.
Ample vents and internal airflow channels maintain a cool head, and a reflective tape adds visibility to the back. However, given its high price, the crash-replacement policy seems inadequate.
Also great
Intended for upright riding, the Specialized Mode is designed to appeal to commuters who prefer street clothes over spandex. It outperforms other urban-style helmets we’ve tested and achieved exceptionally high scores in Virginia Tech’s crash tests.
The Specialized Mode appears similar to the popular bucket-style helmets worn by kids and casual riders, resembling a skateboarding helmet rather than a standard bike racer’s helmet. These helmets tend to have fewer vents, resulting in hotter conditions and generally poor scores in Virginia Tech’s tests.
Contrary to expectations, the Mode features cleverly designed vents and achieved an excellent sixth-place ranking in VT’s list. However, its ventilation system is less effective on road bikes, making it less versatile than our top choice, and its crash-replacement policy is less generous compared to our other picks.
Also great
Another exceptional performer in Virginia Tech’s safety tests, the Sweet Protection Trailblazer Mips helmet is designed for use on mountain-bike trails, offering more coverage to the back of the head compared to our top pick, although it is heavier.
If you spend more time on trails than on pavement, the Sweet Protection Trailblazer Mips helmet could be worth considering. It achieved very high scores in the Virginia Tech tests and, like most mountain-bike helmets, offers more coverage for the back of the head compared to road-bike helmets. However, it is heavier than our top pick, and the visor is not removable.
As someone who rides various types of bikes, I appreciated the relaxed vibe of the Trailblazer helmet, making me feel a little less awkward riding in the streets while wearing it. (Choose the helmet you like the most, and you’ll wear it more often!)
