best road bike helmets

Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. Here's how we make money.

Last Updated on June 29, 2021

You always have to account for all the safety measures when riding your road bike. And that begins with wearing the right protection gears before hitting the ground running.

From cycling sunglasses and bike gloves to cycling knee pads and the right pair of bike shoes, there’s more to bike safety than just making sure the tires have pressure and the breaks work correctly. 

 You also need the best road bike helmet. Designed to protect your head and keep you safe in the event of an unexpected impact, the helmet isn’t an option but a must-have. 

It’s important to remember that the best road bike helmets are readily available in different design patterns and color options.  Some include MIPS technology while others have layers of padding to provide as much head protection as possible. So even if you fall from your bike, you won’t have to worry about head damages nearly as much. 

Now, when it comes to choosing a good helmet to use with your road bike, sometimes you have to stop focusing on the cost and determine the value of the model instead.

To put this into perspective, the road bike helmet you choose should be lightweight, feature proper ventilation, and include safety features that will provide as much protection as possible. 

With that said, here are some recommendations to consider. 

Contents

Top Rated Road Bike Helmets Comparison & Rating

Preview

Product Name

Weight

MIPS

Breathable?

Price

Giro Cinder MIPS Cycling Helmet

234g

BELL Stratus MIPS Helmet

317g

No products found.
No products found.

215g

No products found.
Giro Aether MIPS Cycling Helmet

265g

POC Ventral AIR Spin (CPSC) Helmet

270g

Best Road Bicycle Helmet Reviews - Cheap & Affordable Cycling Helmets

1. Giro Cinder MIPS Road Cycling Helmet

Giro focuses on absolute comfort and performance to make this the best helmet for its purpose.


It may not look nearly as fashionable, but style isn’t as important as head protection.


With Giro Cinder, it’s safety first, so you can ride your bike efficiently and get back home with a clean bill of health.


This helmet is an alternative to the Synthe, which is a rather high-end model that may not be suitable for budget buyers. 

Made of in-mold polycarbonate, the shell of the helmet feels so strong that you can expect it to last long term.

On the underside is the Roc Loc 5 retention system, which ensures the helmet stays in place no matter how fast your ride your bike. And weighing only 290 grams, it’s clear that Cinder won’t add too much weight to your head. 

It includes MIPS, the best protection system that absorbs more than 90% of the impact in case of a fall. Plus, the vents all around ensure that your head remains cool and dry, especially when cycling under hot weather. 

Pros

  • Well-built helmet with proper ventilation
  • Includes MIPS 

Cons

  • The 290 grams may seem heavy for some riders

2. Bell Stratus MIPS Adult Road Bike Helmet 

Are you on a budget and looking for a road bike helmet that doesn’t suck?


Or maybe you’re an entry-level cyclist and you want to try an inexpensive option first? 


Go with Bell Stratus helmet. It includes Bell’s Float Fit system, which enables you to achieve a proper fit while ensuring the helmet stays in position even if you ride your bike fast.


It’s lightweight model with 18 vents, which ensure efficient airflow to keep your head cool and dry as you ride your bike. 

Pros

  • Affordable, good to consider this if you’re on a budget
  • Include the MIPS system for maximum head protection

Cons

  • Strap isn’t of top quality

3. Kask Protone Road Bike Helmet 

No products found.

Kask Protone may not have hit the perfection mark. But it’s one of the best for the price point.


Colorful, solid in design, lightweight, and well ventilated, the Protone isn’t just a well-built bike helmet. It’s the kind you can use for long distance riding. 


From a design standpoint, we’re more than willing to admit that Kask has done quite a commendable job. 


By balancing out weight, ventilation, and aerodynamics quite well, what you get for the price is a bike helmet properly optimized for performance.

Kask boast of making the helmet from the finest material. And from the look of the design, it’s hard to doubt their pride in what they’ve done. Having been wind tested in extremely windy conditions, this almost feels like a windproof, ventilated helmet for the price. 

Pros

  • Properly ventilated to keep your head cool and dry
  • Strong and well built, can withstand an impact and keep going

Cons

  • Expensive
  • This model doesn’t include the MIPS system

No products found.

4. Giro Aether Road Cycling Helmet 

Giro Aether road cycling helmet is a well-built model, but it’s more expensive than Cinder and Synthe.


Like the rest of the models in the brand’s helmet series, this helmet promises maximum head protection against impact, without adding too much weight on your head.


Plus, the aerodynamic is just right, not to mention it has 11 large vents for effective air circulation.


One of the things we love about road bike helmet is that it includes the MIPS technology.

With a plastic liner integrated in the build, the system slide around your head and absorbs impact in the event of an accident. To ensure the effectiveness of the MIPS, Giro adds foams on the outside, which is exactly what creates a perfect protection mechanism. 

Pros

  • Lightweight and breathable
  • Tough and durable design
  • Include MIPS

Cons

  • Expensive helmet

5. POC Ventral Air

POC Ventral Air is one of the well-made road bike helmets that you can use for head protection. From testing to actual use repeatedly, this pick has proven quite effective in doing its job.


POC doesn’t just optimize this pick for aerodynamic performance. They’ve also ensures there’s minimal air turbulence.


POC Ventral Air doesn’t feature the MIPS system.  But it includes a SPIN system that works the exact same way.

Unlike MIPS, the SPIN crash technology rotates in the event of an accident. This helps to minimize impact by distributing it all around the helmet. 

Plus, the design even includes silicone pads, which provide additional comfort as well as head safety. 

You’ll love this helmet because it promises sufficient air circulation and delivers just that.

While it may not have as many vents as what you get from Giro models, what you get is enough to keep your head cool and dry throughout your riding session. 

Pros

  • Multiple color options to personalize your pick
  • SPIN system works really well
  • Additional padding provides comfort and safety

Cons

  • The strap is somewhat thin
  • Expensive


Harold Whitford

Follow me here

About the Author

My name is Harold Whitford, a husband, father, and avid cyclist with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Delaware. Having been in the industry for more than 15 years, I have a number of the road race and national time trial championships in my bag.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>