How to choose the right city helmet?
5 TIPS TO CHOOSE YOUR CITY HELMET
The bike is the best solution in town. The current outbreak highlighted the bike as one of the best tools for moving in the city while respecting the social distancing rules. In that sense, the biggest cities in the world are investing to facilitate the use of the bicycle in the city. A good example is the city of Milan, where the mayor Giuseppe Sala commits to “to facilitate the circulation of the bikes in town”.
As biking is the best way to stay safe, it’s also important to stay safe while biking.
Using a helmet is the first important step, as even in bike lanes, a crash could occur.
How to choose the right helmet? We explore 5 essential characteristics you should consider before choosing one.
1
- SAFETY FIRST
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All helmets sold should respect the safety norm of the country they are sold (CE, AS/NZ, CPSC); some are offering more coverage. In case of impact, an increased side and back coverage will provide a crucial extra protection.
For an E-Bike use, you can also consider the extra protection offered by helmets certified NTA 8776.
Tested at a bigger impact speed, they are able to dissipate significantly more energy compared to a standard helmet, such as the MET Grancorso.
2
VISIBILITY
Visibility is a key element for safety, especially when riding in town. The helmet should bring you more visibility, passive or active. You should control first the reflective parts of the helmets, as they will provide the passive visibility.
Some models are offering more reflective parts, with different positions. For example, the MET Grancorso has a reflective bottom half which boosts your 360° visibility. At night or in bad weather, a rear light is essential. See if the helmet has an integrated rear light, or if one is available as an accessory. All of the MET urban range has an integrated rear light or they are compatible with our USB LED or DUO lights.
3
- DESIGN AND COMFORT
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It’s pretty obvious but it’s essential so you can wear the helmet with ease and enjoy your ride. The helmet should correspond to your style and be comfortable in all situations. There are many different styles on the market and you could choose a classic rounded shape to match with your casual look, or choose a sportier one that you could use in different activities. On the comfort side, the best is to choose a helmet offering a micrometric regulation of the retention system. This will guarantee an optimal stability and fit. Choosing a 360° retention system on top of that is a must, as it will enhance the comfort by avoiding any pressure point on your head. After that, have a look at the weight too. A lighter helmet makes a great difference if you plan to wear it all day or for long distances.
4
- DURABILITY
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In the case of an intensive urban activity, you will likely manipulate the helmet a lot, putting it on hard surfaces, and store it as you can. Its finish and its construction will guarantee you a better durability and protection. An EPS (composing the internal part of the helmet) covered by the outer shell will offer an extra durability. A crash replacement policy will also be interesting as you will be able to replace your damaged helmet at a reduced cost.
MET offers a crash replacement policy, see here.
5
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT FEATURES FOR YOU
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Not all of our urban journeys are equal. We might not have the same needs and it’s important to choose the helmet that has the right characteristics for you. If you use it in all weather, you might need a shield to protect your eyes and glasses. In the same way, as our urban journeys are composed of stopping and starting, you might find it useful to have a magnetic buckle, just like the MET Grancorso. You might also want to adapt the design of the helmet accordingly to your mood: a helmet like the MET Corso will allow you to swap between two visors (one soft and one rigid), to look the business in all circumstances.
