Bicycle Helmet Ratings Home Publications Contact Bicycle Helmet Ratings In collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, we have rated a total of 113 bike helmets using the STAR evaluation system. Our bicycle helmet impact tests evaluate a helmet's ability to reduce linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head resulting from a range of impacts a cyclist might experience. Helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with less stars. Wearing a helmet is most important and can be the difference between life and death in the event of a crash. These ratings supplement standards by providing additional information on which helmets best reduce concussion risk. For bike helmets, we recommend any 4 or 5 star helmet. While there are some differences in impact performance within these groups, other factors such as cost, fit, and comfort should be considered when purchasing a helmet. Share this page on social media: Tweet You can help support the helmet ratings here: Donate Now : Best Available : Very Good : Good : Adequate : Marginal : Not Recommended A lower score offers better protection. Cost shown is MSRP at the time of testing. See our test methodology. Only show helmets that are: Show All Road Style Urban Style Mountain Style Skate Certified Snow Certified Under $100 Fox Dropframe Pro (MIPS) Cost: $200 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 8.9 Lazer G1 MIPS Cost: $240 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 9.2 Bontrager Rally MIPS Cost: $150 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 9.3 Specialized Align II (MIPS) Cost: $50 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 9.6 Troy Lee Designs A2 MIPS Decoy Cost: $179 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.0 Lazer Century MIPS Cost: $180 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.0 SCOTT Centric Plus (MIPS) Cost: $200 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.2 Lazer Sphere MIPS Cost: $160 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.3 Lazer Cyclone MIPS Cost: $75 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.5 POC Octal X SPIN Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.6 SCOTT ARX PLUS (MIPS) 2020 Cost: $100 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.7 Bontrager Specter WaveCel Cost: $150 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.8 Fox Speedframe Pro (MIPS) Cost: $160 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.8 Bontrager Ballista MIPS Cost: $200 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 10.9 Lazer Anverz NTA MIPS Cost: $200 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.0 Troy Lee Designs A3 MIPS Cost: $220 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.0 Lazer Jackal MIPS Cost: $200 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.2 Bontrager Starvos WaveCel Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.2 Giro Tyrant Spherical Cost: $170 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.2 Bell Z20 MIPS Cost: $230 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.2 Bontrager Solstice MIPS Cost: $65 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.5 Troy Lee Designs A1 Classic MIPS Cost: $139 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.7 POC Tectal Race Spin Cost: $220 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.7 Bontrager XXX WaveCel Cost: $300 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.8 Bell Formula MIPS Cost: $95 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 11.9 Bontrager Rally WaveCel Cost: $150 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.1 Lazer Z1 MIPS Cost: $255 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.2 Giro Manifest Spherical Cost: $260 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.2 Specialized Echelon II MIPS Cost: $90 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.2 Bontrager Velocis MIPS Cost: $210 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.3 Rudy Project Racemaster MIPS Cost: $350 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.3 Lazer BLADE+ MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.3 Louis Garneau Raid MIPS Cost: $120 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.3 Bell Z20 Aero MIPS Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.4 Giro Aether Spherical Cost: $325 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.5 Bern Union MIPS Cost: $110 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.6 Specialized S-Works Prevail II (MIPS) Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.7 Bell Stratus MIPS Cost: $150 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 12.9 Giro Synthe MIPS Cost: $270 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.0 Lazer Chiru MIPS Cost: $55 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.0 Specialized Chamonix MIPS Cost: $75 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.1 Bontrager Blaze WaveCel Cost: $300 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.2 Giro Syntax MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.4 Bontrager Charge WaveCel Cost: $150 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.6 Giro Chronicle MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.7 Lazer Impala MIPS Cost: $140 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 13.8 Specialized Ambush (MIPS) Cost: $200 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.0 Smith Route MIPS Cost: $105 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.0 Lazer Compact DLX MIPS Cost: $60 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.0 Bontrager Circuit MIPS Cost: $90 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.0 Giro Caden MIPS Cost: $95 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.2 SCOTT ARX PLUS (MIPS) Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.3 Bontrager Quantum MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.3 Specialized S-Works Evade II (MIPS) Cost: $275 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.4 Bell Annex MIPS Cost: $125 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.5 Lazer Coyote MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.8 Specialized Centro (MIPS) Cost: $65 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.8 Specialized S-Works Prevail II Cost: $225 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 14.8 Smith Overtake Cost: $163 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.0 SCOTT Vivo PLUS (MIPS) Cost: $130 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.4 Catlike Whisper Cost: $130 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.4 Giro Savant Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.5 Bell Sixer MIPS Cost: $150 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.6 Cannondale Ryker AM (MIPS) Cost: $100 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.6 Bell Draft MIPS Cost: $60 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.6 Specialized Ambush (non-MIPS) Cost: $180 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 15.7 POC Octal Cost: $200 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.1 POC Omne Air SPIN Cost: $150 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.4 POC Tectal Cost: $190 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.4 Giro Foray MIPS Cost: $85 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.5 Louis Garneau Course Cost: $180 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.8 Schwinn Intercept Cost: $18 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 16.9 Giro Synthe Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 17.0 Giro Register Cost: $45 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 17.1 SCOTT Cadence PLUS (MIPS) Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 17.2 6D ATB-1T EVO Cost: $210 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 17.4 Giro Fixture MIPS Cost: $65 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 17.8 S1 Lifer Cost: $65 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Skate Score: 17.8 Giro Sutton MIPS Cost: $100 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.1 Kali Therapy Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.2 LEATT DBX 3.0 All Mountain V19.2 Cost: $170 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.3 Specialized S-Works Evade II Cost: $250 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.5 Smith Forefront Cost: $100 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.6 Louis Garneau Le Tour II Cost: $50 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.8 Bell Adrenaline Cost: $23 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 18.9 Triple 8 Dual Certified MIPS Cost: $75 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Skate Score: 19.0 Garneau Eagle Cost: $40 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.1 Lazer Blade Cost: $95 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.2 Troy Lee Designs A1 Drone Cost: $99 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.3 Schwinn Excursion Cost: $25 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.4 Bern Allston Cost: $80 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.4 Giro Hex Cost: $80 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.5 Kask Valegro Cost: $185 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.6 Kali Interceptor Cost: $180 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.6 Kali Maya 2.0 Cost: $100 Style: Mountain Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.7 Bell Reflex Cost: $10 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.9 Bontrager Solstice Cost: $40 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.9 Bern Brentwood Cost: $70 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 19.9 Bell Division Cost: $40 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Skate Score: 20.1 Schwinn Thrasher Cost: $14 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 20.1 Giro Revel Cost: $45 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 20.9 Schwinn Flash Cost: $30 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 21.0 Smith Holt Cost: $70 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Snow Score: 22.0 Kali Tava Cost: $240 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 22.3 Kali City Cost: $125 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 22.5 Nutcase Street Cost: $70 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Skate Score: 22.7 Specialized Centro Cost: $60 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 22.8 Schwinn Chic Cost: $25 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 22.9 Electra Helmet Cost: $70 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC Score: 23.3 Cannondale Quick Cost: $40 Style: Multi-sport Certifications: CPSC Score: 24.2 Lazer Genesis Cost: $100 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 24.3 Specialized Echelon II Cost: $70 Style: Road Certifications: CPSC Score: 25.2 Bern Watts Cost: $60 Style: Urban Certifications: CPSC, Snow Score: 25.3 No Helmet Not wearing a helmet poses extreme risk of injury compared to wearing any helmet. Notes A lower score offers better protection. Cost shown is MSRP for the helmets at the time of testing. For proper fit, cyclists should position the helmet rim 1-2 fingers' width above the browline and tighten the fit system to minimize movement of the helmet on the head. All helmets sold in the US must be CPSC-certified. This standard requires protection against catastrophic injuries in extremely severe impacts, which are rare. Several helmets are certified by additional US standards. The ratings indicate helmets that pass standards for snow sports (ASTM F2040) or skate sports (ASTM F1492). Documents See our test methodology. *Anyone can sustain a head injury with even the very best head protection. This analysis is based on data trends and probabilities, and therefore a specific person’s risk may vary. This variation is likely dominated by genetic differences, health history, and impact factors such as muscle activation. Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics Copyright © 2018 Steve Rowson
