ABUS Cliffhanger MIPS Helmet review

The Cliffhanger MIPS helmet from ABUS is designed to be their premium open face enduro helmet, with loads of ventilation to prevent overheating.

• Brand: Abus
• Product: Cliffhanger MIPS helmet
• From: mobil.abus.com
• Price: £179.9
• Tested by: Hannah for 1 month

Pros

• Plenty ventilation
• Light
• May fit your narrower head better than other brands

Cons

• The fit is quite narrow
• Not great helmet light compatibility
• Only one colour

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I do not have sufficient hair to test the claimed ponytail compatibility, but it at least doesn’t seem to be one of those hair-grabbers that pulls your hair out as you take it off, despite the integrated MIPS for protection from rotational impacts.

The shape of the helmet is not quite right for my head – for reference I’ve found Fox and Bell helmets to be especially comfortable on my bonce. This Cliffhanger seems to be a touch narrow compared to other helmets, which gets uncomfortable on me – especially when paired with glasses.

The internal fit can be adjusted using the ‘Zoom Ace MTB’ height adjustable system. However, I couldn’t get the helmet to sit at a position that didn’t seem to put pressure on the sides of my head. The ratchet/ladder system that adjusts the height of the helmet seemed unusually mobile – it slips and slides up and down quite freely rather than locking in place. That said, I didn’t notice it moving when riding.

The ‘TriVader’ strap system seems to work well – you can adjust it to sit where you want it, and then the Fidlock magnetic clasp makes doing the helmet up nice and easy, even with gloves on. It may take a bit of setting up and positioning, but once it’s done it’s done.

The visor is adjustable and stays where you put it – not catching the wind and self-adjusting. There’s room to put goggles under there if that’s how you roll. Unusually, it only comes in this colour – but it’s a nice coppery metallic one, so what’s not to like? Well, I know that some people like something bright that stands out against terrain, and this certainly blends in – one for the stealth riders perhaps.

There are certainly lots of vents on this helmet, and I haven’t found myself getting too hot while wearing it. However, the vent layout means there’s only one central vent on top of the helmet. Unless you have an Exposure style helmet mount that sits inside a vent, you’re not going to be able to mount a light. You can’t thread a Velcro strap between two vents.

Overall

If you’ve a narrower shaped head you may find this ABUS Cliffhanger MIPS helmet fits you better than some models. It’s light and airy, and I think the colour is pretty smart too.

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Review Info

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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