We all know that riding bikes is a trend driven sport and gravel bikes are on the fashion front line. I wouldn't want to look foolish, a grown man messing about on a bike, so what style of helmet should I wear? What's going to make me look pro rather than be a no-no?
I just wear my road bike helmet as it's easier to see with no peak when on the drops. Obviously not as bad as the road bike but every little helps.
Why wear one at all? Look like a real pro 🙂 I cannot find that wonderful picture of Edwardian cyclists at the top of a pass.
There's a few inbetweeny helmets these days. I have a Giro Radix (not radish) which is good for commute/gravel/mtb/riding a bike
I just wear my road bike helmet as it’s easier to see with no peak when on the drops. Obviously not as bad as the road bike but every little helps.
Same here- I like to think it's pragmatism not a style decision.
I've got some slightly skinnier riding gear that I don't tend to wear on the mtb because it's not the aesthetic I'm going for (e.g. Rapha touring shorts and aussie grit gilet that could be size bigger) So I tend to wear that stuff on the gravel bike and I take the peak off my mtb (only) helmet.
Yeah, a MTB peak normally gets in the way when on the drops. Some helmets do allow the peak to pivot high enough that it's not a problem. However that looks daft when you're wearing a de riguer cycle cap under your helmet.
FWIW I'm currently using the peaked version of the Kask Mojito which is a good compromise.
Road helmet with cycling cap underneath, which I also often use now on the MTB for quick xc rides.
For the cx bike I just go for a lotto soudal wool hat in winter and a club cap for summer, seems to work for me.
Road helmet for me, the peak on my MTB helmet gets in the way. Albeit I generally wear a cap under it, easy enough to flick the peak up when riding in the drops.
flat bar gravel bike/commuter
got an MTB lid with adjustable visor.. this is a bad move as wind resistance actually catches it, end up putting my head artificially low at speeds so it doesnt drag/lift my head
i wear my POC tectal MTB helmet when on my gravel bike. I dont ride my gravel bike offroad, only on road. But i refuse to buy a road helmet, as they look god awful. And i want road riders to know that i ride MTB and therefore are much cooler than them. I also dont wear any tight lycra. Again, MTB clothing to really drive the point home.
The above might sound tongue in cheek. But its not. I think i have issues 😀
Why wear one at all?
Exactly. Many reasons not to wear a helmet when gravel riding
- Not on the road so no cars to knock you off
- Not riding off road so won't fall off trying to do things above your ability
If you seriously think you are going to fall off your bike riding along a gravel road then maybe stick to walking.
Roadie helmet here - first time I ever bought one as like above, I found that wearing a peak meant I was bending my neck up on the road to see when riding on the drops. Bought a roadie peakless helmet - problem fixed.
Exactly. Many reasons not to wear a helmet when gravel riding
– Not on the road so no cars to knock you off
– Not riding off road so won’t fall off trying to do things above your ability
We're in the UK, there will be tarmac and gravel IS off-road.
FWIW I clocked up +30mph on a number of gravel descents on Saturday.
A helmet makes sense.
As with all 'gravel' stuff, I just treat it as XC and use my old Giro Xar. I don't find the small peak gets in the way on the drops and don't own a roadie lid. Only break out the cycling cap when the sun is really low, or for heavy rain, and don't care about the odd 'peak plus cap' look!
Road helmet.
Road helmet with cycling cap underneath, which I also often use now on the MTB for quick xc rides.
^^This every time.
The ability to fold the peak up out of the way when on the drops is perfect and it's there for low winter sun,car drivers coming towards you that don't do dipped beam and mud catcher in the woods.
Are we saying the manufacturers have missed a trick in not coming up with Gravel Specific helmets?!
We have gravel specific gears, ebike shoes, hardtail socks, full sus pyjamas... etc etc and yet none of them have a gravel helmet in their line up?! hhaaha wibble
depends, mainly roadie style (no peak) but if im planning to get properly sh1tted up in the woods a mtb helmet. dont wanna get stared at
https://www.bikeradar.com/news/kask-reaches-peak-gravel-with-mojito-update//blockquote >Ah, just as I expected!
Quite nice it is too, with it's fake under-helmet-peaked-cap-I'm-such-a-pro-cyclocrosser look 😀
As an aside - after seeing 2 accidents where after an innocuous OTB tumble the rider had their nose cut by a helmet peak I removed the peak from my helmet.
so my more serious answer would be take the peak off you helmet whatever you are riding
How do you know it wasn't their glasses that cut their nose, as is usually the case?
I use my helmet, either one.
'cos neither had glasses on.
Ha, brilliant! I've been wearing peaked helmets for over 20 years and never has a peak caused any damage, well neither has any other part of a helmet for that matter. Had plenty of crashes. So I'll just keep doing what I do, cheers for the "tip" 😆
gravel IS off-road.
a gravel road IS a road. By off road I mean tricky single track, roots etc,. where you could actually fall off and a helmet may or may not be a good idea.
If you are worried about falling off riding along a gravel road then maybe keep the stabilisers on for a bit longer 🙂
Road helmet + peaked cap.
But I don't like machine washing my peaked caps, and gravel usually means mud around here, so I spend a lot of time handwashing my caps, so for that reason maybe at least go for synthetic cap like one of the Castelli ones.
I'm in the camp of using a slightly old-school MTB helmet. That is, an MTB helmet of the style of 5-10 years ago where your peak didn't have to be massive.
I've never had the peak on that sort of helmet get in my way. But on my current MTB helmet (can't remember what it is, something Enduro-trendy), the peak is a PITA when I'm in the drops.
I wear my road helmet although gravel rides around here are anything from crappy pot-holed roads to rocky, muddy bridleways. I've not crashed badly yet but the MTB helmet would probably give more protection if I did.
Just wear what you've got and don't overthink it
Just a cap here. But then that’s the same for most of my riding anyway.
Pith helmet when it’s sunny, Top hat when overcast and a classic beanie in the colder weather.
Road Helmet with cycling cap underneath. Everything else looks wrong. And fashion is everything.
Road Helmet with cycling cap underneath. Everything else looks wrong.
Aye, a cap with a helmet on top of it looks so much better than a cap—better get some elbow pads over the arm warmers to complete that look 😉
And a neck brace. Obvs.
Just wear my road bike helmet when on my cross bike. But then I also wear it on my road bike, touring bike and mtb.
Never had a mtb specific mtb helmet.
If you seriously think you are going to fall off your bike riding along a gravel road then maybe stick to walking.
I can show you pictures and xrays of my facial and shoulder injuries from "just riding along" a gravel track where I was very grateful for a (rather dented) helmet.
Admittedly you don't expect a farmer to leave a cow proof rope across a track without any warning signs, and his insurers are agreeing it wasn't a wise thing for him to do.
Road helmet with cycling cap underneath, which I also often use now on the MTB for quick xc rides.
Is the correct answer.