kenshireen

I'm just a recreational rider but do long distances.
looking for the lightest helmet that won't break the bank.

Any suggestions

fietsbob

Basically the engineering to increase the air flow, and the amount of holes,

without sacrificing the ability to absorb impacts and stay together in a crash ,

Is what you get when you are willing to pay more money .

pretty much across the board for all top brands.. it's a balance,
you get what you can afford..

My LBS carries several brands, some are more oval/or round head fitting .
(so like shoes, go try them on in person)
selling Trek bikes , they among others have Bontrager branded helmets ..
they also carry Gyro, Fox and several others ..

the I got a 'X' and I like it replies will, undoubtedly follow..





....

Sy Reene

Cannondale Cypher Good helmet, lighter than my Kask Mojito by 30 grams. Medium price.. not cheapest, not most expensive

DrIsotope

My wife has a Giro Aeon, which is distractingly light when you pick it up. Can be found under $150. Something like the Specialized Prevail II is lighter, but far more expensive, and I have always hated the look of that helmet.

She hates having to wear a helmet, but complains very little about the Aeon, so it must be doing something right.

Jarrettsin

I also have a Giro Aeon, so much lighter and cooler in the summer heat then my old $40 basic helmet. But yes cost right around $150. Just got it this summer and like it.

DanBraden

Very few helmets look cool...

Wait, that's not what you meant!

I have the Giro: Register (about $45.00) in neon yellow. It didn't break the bank, is a helmet, and highly visible which is why I purchased it. It also has ventilation, is easily adjustable and so far has been adequate.

Giro: Register

Milton Keynes

This one is the lightest, but definitely not the coolest:

metalheart44

I think these are "cool" bike helmets in disguise, especially if you are the stylin' type

Sy Reene

Sorry no.. those just look like you must have some kind of hidden gigantism disorder.

zze86

^I rather fancy that second one myself. Must wear with a tweed jacket, knee high boots and knickers for the right look though. Wait, that's for fox hunting...oh well, looks like ventilation would be rather poor anyways.

ollo_ollo

Last September I had a bad crash. Bad enough to break my Bell Ghisallo helmet and black my eye. Would have been far worse without it, and I would have bought another, but they're now out of production & not available new in my Med size.

I went with a Louis Garneau Vuelta as Nashbar had discounted them to $45. Highly rated, it is comfortable, easy to adjust, & has the best ventilation of any helmet I ever wore. Don

veganbikes

My favorite current helmet is the Lazer Z1, it is nice and light and extremely comfortable and haven't felt a need for more venting as it does quite the job. My old helmet was a Giro Synthe which also was quite excellent but now with the new helmet they have coming out, the Aether, I think it has been beat.

If my Giro was slightly larger (IE: I had just gone with a large vs medium), I think I might still go Lazer but with the Aether I might skew towards that. I own two other Lazer helmets one of which is a mountain biking helmet the Ultrax and an Oxygen (which I haven't worn because it is just an in case helmet and for guests who I allow to ride my babies) so I would certainly say I am happy with the brand and their fit.

Of course with any helmet you should always try it on first so I would head down to your local shop and hope they sell some good stuff and try on a few different ones.

Ronsonic 

I'm a cheapskate and just get the high zoot fancy pants helmet from two years ago.

They don't go bad on the shelf that fast and you can get a high-quality, light helmet for a reasonable price.

tagaproject6

First, you have to define "won't break the bank". Some banks are bigger than others.

cyclist2000

+1

I don't want to pay more than $80 for a helmet, and I think that Giro fits my head better, so I found a Foray last year for about $50. I used it this year until I lost it last month and it was fine for cooling (I don't notice too much difference). Try on a bunch of brands of helmets to see what is most comfortable.

igorek

I use Giro Reverb that I paid $30

taz777

I'd have to recommend the Kask Mojito. Very well vented, very light and looks great too! It's often available in some good deals here in the UK at least.

Garfield Cat

This You Tube on Catlike shows you the adjustments on the Mixino

indyfabz

Would never buy a helmet without trying it on first. Different makes and models fit differently.

Ogsarg

+1 Unless you're a pro racer, trying to shave off an ounce or two off a helmet seems rather silly to me and there are lots of helmets with more than adequate ventilation area. How it feels on your head and how it protects when needed should be the primary considerations.

jack pot 

ABUS Scraper >the dorkiest helmet available >> closeout $$ plus you get max protect & no one will suspect you of being hip

ollo_ollo

Helmet brands vary in their size range for S, M, L, so there is some overlap depending where they make the break. A good fit for me falls between S and M depending on brand, but on most it is the low end of Medium range. Don

sw20

+1 for the Giro Foray, liked mine so much I'm gonna buy another but the mips version.

coffeesnob

You mean helmets have a shelf life?

TrojanHorse

Totally true although if you're a L in Giro, you can probably buy another L Giro without trying it on, but different brands fit differently.

I do *not* have an Aeon but that is a crazy light helmet. I've seen them for under $100 if you don't need this year's color patterns. If you want light... check them out.

I do have a synthe, which is nearly as light.