Life In The Saddle

Smith make exceptional bicycle helmets and cycling sunglasses. I have used their accessories for many of my past trans-continental bikepacking tours, because they are exceedingly comfortable and built to offer the highest level of protection. The Smith Trace MIPS Helmet and Smith Optics Attack Max Sunglasses are new releases from the Italian brand. They have fast become my go-to choice—offering the highest level of performance, comfort, design, and protection. Review – Smith Trace MIPS Bicycle Helmet The new Smith Trace MIPS Helmet builds on the strengths of my favourite Smith Overtake Helmet; with subtle design tweaks to supply added comfort and flair. Like the Overtake, the Trace helmet uses Smith's signature Koroyd technology. This honeycomb polymer structure material is built into the shell of the helmet; its superb impact resistance has allowed Smith to reduce the overall weight of the helmet by minimising the volume of the helmet's shell material, yet still offeri...

The Dashel Urban Cycle Helmet is a classic and beautifully designed bicycle helmet; manufactured in the UK and crafted for everyday use on urban city streets. The Dashel helmet strips back helmet design to the core: with a light, safe, and comfortable two-part design. The inner helmet is composed of recyclable plastic, while the outer is also made of easily recyclable material. With all Dashel helmets made here in the UK, this helmet has a far more sustainable and has a lower carbon footprint than most helmets on the market today. Safety remains the main concern with cycling helmets, and the Dashel Urban cycling helmet is certified CE EN1078 safe. The helmet uses washable helmet pads to provide a personalised and secure fit; reducing the amount of plastic required compared to common dial adjustment systems. The Fidlock® magnetic clip buckle on the chin strap is also a neat touch that makes for easy and comfortable fitting and removal. Slim, lightweight (380 grams for a Medium) and pro...

I have become an avid fan of the Smith brand over the last five years; their products are exceptional in quality level and comfort, as well as being some of the best value cycling helmets and sunglasses on the market today. Review ­– Smith Persist Cycling Helmet The new Smith Persist Cycling Helmet is a fitting example of the innovation and development that the Smith brand puts into its products. Despite it being one of the lower priced helmets within the Smith helmets range, it holds some of the most developed comfort and protection technologies seen in the world, as well as some of the best styling. The classically shaped and smoothly contoured helmet features a multitude of vents that suck air through the helmet and deliver an impressive cooling effect for those sweltering summer days. A comfortable adjustable chin strap keeps the helmet in place, and inside the antibacterial padding offers good comfort and moisture wicking capabilities. The outstanding thing with the Smith Persist...

The Smith Express MIPS Helmet is designed for urban cycle commuting and errand runs. With its high visibility yellow colour, integrated rear light, clip-on visor, and MIPS protection, it is the ultimate helmet for style and safety on the city streets. I have become an ardent fan of the Smith brand in recent years—choosing their helmets to wear on my last two long-distance cycle tours (the #RoadsFromRome and #CelticCrossTrail ) because of their superb comfort levels and safety ratings. When the new Express Urban Helmet was released earlier this year, I was intrigued to see if it could offer the same level of comfort and protection for everyday shorter-distance rides. The Express helmet is designed to look like the classic bucket helmet, with few vents and a wrap-around coverage. This helmet style was originally popular with skating and BMX riders, but over time it has also grown increasingly used by urban commuters and city cyclists—who value its robustness, weather protection, and sup...

The MET Trenta 3K Carbon is a performance road cycling helmet, designed to keep you cool and save you valuable energy because of its aerodynamic profile. Its ventilation and ascetics are exceptional too, as is its comfort. It has fast become my favourite road cycling helmet of the 2020 summer season. MET claim the MET Trenta 3K Carbon is the most advanced road cycling helmet they have ever made; the MET development team discovered that carbon's elastic modulus allowed them to reduce the density of the EPS foam in the helmet by 20 percent, without reducing the capacity the foam has to absorb impact energy and force. The result is they could create a helmet that sets a new standard in terms of weight, performance, and ventilation. The Trenta features a low-profile shell design, and a minimalist weight of just 229 grams (size Medium). It fits securely and comfortably on your head thanks to the 360 degrees retention system and a simple but effective chin strap. MET have opted to...

The Smith Ignite is a cycling helmet that looks fast, feels fast, and provides impressive protection for your head. The Italian brand has utilised the latest in material technologies to deliver a lightweight, exceptionally comfortable helmet, which also performs very well in wind tunnel tests. I have become a real fan of Smith's helmets; using their Overtake helmet for both everyday wear and on my two long distance bikepacking tours in the last two years — the #CelticCrossTrail and #RoadsFromRome . The Smith helmets are uniquely styled, but also have a clear focus on safety. They remain comfortable in a variety of weather conditions, and feature a number of genuinely useful design aspects. The Smith Ignite MIPS helmet is designed as a dedicated aero road cycling helmet. It has been shaped to provide a slippery surface, and constructed using aerodynamically efficient Aerocore technology — which maximises air through-flow to offer maximum cooling, and a minimal drag factor. ...

The Smith Optics Overtake Helmet and Attack Sunglasses were my headwear of choice for the #RoadsFromRome tour, and they surpassed all my expectations. With Italian styling, and a superb build quality; this helmet and pair of sunglasses have a unique look, but equally exceptional performance. Smith Optics Overtake Helmet Review Most people will recognise the Smith Optics Overtake Helmet from the distinctive horizontal vents on the front of the helmet, as well as the pointed rear section, and the honeycomb like internal structure. All of these are unique design features, but they are also features that help to explain the great performance of this helmet. The Overtake helmet is constructed in a complex five layer system, illustrated in the image below. This includes a skeletal outer shell, carbon fibre reinforcements, high volume EPS foam, and Smith's  Koroyd material. Labelled the AEROCORE™ construction, it is designed to improve airflow, while also providing far grea...

POC has become my go-to option for helmets; their weight, comfort and safety ratings are second to none. The POC Ventral SPIN helmet is the brand's latest release, and an incredible piece of technological development. The Ventral was designed in collaboration with POC's sponsored professionals, including the Cannondale-Drapac Cycling Team, as well as with feedback from POC specialists in the WATTS performance lab and aerodynamic testing labs. The result is a helmet that POC claim is the most comfortable, safest, and most aerodynamic yet. I can vouch that they are pretty on-point with that claim. The Ventral uses a unique approach to aerodynamics. Rather than pushing the air around the outside of the helmet, the Ventral's design leads air through it, and in doing so significantly reduces the aerodynamic wake behind the helmet. The Ventral's name comes from reference to the Venturi effect, which relates to how the helmet has been designed with specific airflow zone...

Kask make some of the best bicycle helmets in the world, for some of the best riders in the world; look no further than Team Sky, Wiggle High5, or Jeremy Powers. The Valegro helmet is their latest release, and pushes boundaries in terms of comfort, performance, and Italian style. The Valegro was developed with input from Team Sky Pro Cycling, and is designed to provide the best comfort and ventilation when cycling in hot conditions, and particularly when climbing mountains at lower speeds. The shape of the helmet was crafted in the wind-tunnel, but rather than the sole focus being on aerodynamics there was also a consideration of how the airflow was working to cool the head of the rider; looking at creating effective through-flow that encourages cooling and is aerodynamically efficient. To facilitate "thermo-cooling" Kask have placed 37 ventilation holes on the Valegro helmet, which is more than on their previous models. These vents whip air through the helmet at spee...

When I tested the original Octal Road Helmet back in 2015, I was extremely impressed ( read the review here ). The Octal had some pioneering new looks, but it also delivered better comfort, protection and ventilation, than almost any other helmet I had worn. The new POC Octal X Helmet has been created with the same core principles as the Octal Raceday road helmet; including the impressive ventilation, featherlight weight, and a safety rating so high that it is no wonder POC Sports are often likened to Volvo. Added protection Where the Octal X differs from its road counterparts, is in its additional safety features. The principle evolution is an extended helmet shell, which goes back further on the rear of the head. The extra protection is especially valuable because of the greater incidence of 'over-the-bars' accidents in XC mountain biking. The aramid bridge design that has been introduced in other POC helmets, is also included in the Octal X helmet. This unique s...