NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you're going to ride a bike, you don't want to do it without a helmet.
That's right. A helmet is a must if you're going ride no matter how old you are, how long you've been riding or the type of bike you're using.
That's because helmets can significantly reduce your risk of serious injury if you fall or have an accident. And that helmet has to hold up to protect you when you need it most.
Inside Consumer Reports’ bike helmet testing lab, experts pull no stops when evaluating helmets, literally dropping helmets from the sky.
“We hoist helmets approximately 6-and-a-half feet up into the air and drop them at about 14 miles per hour onto a steel anvil to simulate how a biker might fall in an accident,” said Consumer Reports Health Editor Kevin Loria.
They do that four times, impacting the front, side, rear, and crown of the helmet. Testers also check the chinstraps, ensuring they properly secure the helmet during an accident.
“We test the strength of the chinstraps, attachment points, and buckles by dropping a weight that’s just under 9 pounds 2 feet so that it yanks on the straps to simulate the force of a crash,” Loria
Good protection is great, but if the helmet is uncomfortable to wear, it will likely stay at home. So, Consumer Reports testers also check for ventilation, fit adjustments, ease of use, and other features.
After all this testing, topping Consumer Reports adult helmet scores is the Trek Starvos WaveCel, which aced almost every test, but at a price–over one hundred dollars.
The Ozark Trail Adult Helmet is a more budget-friendly option, which earned perfect test scores for impact absorption and ease of use.
For kids, the Bontrager Tyro got top marks for impact absorption, ventilation, and ease of use.
Another safety-focused option you might want to consider: No matter the type of helmet, replace it if it’s been in an accident, experienced any high impact, or is more than five years old.
So how do you find a bike helmet that's best for you? First decide what sort of riding you're going to be doing. There are road biking helmets with good ventilation and commuter helmets for day-to-day work trips and others less complicated for just riding around the neighborhood.
You'll also want it to fit right. Try on several. The front edge of the helmet should sit no more than an inch above your eyebrows. And even before you fasten the straps, your head should fit snugly but not uncomfortably against the pads inside the helmet.
Be sure to fasten and tighten the straps. Try to wiggle the helmet around. If you can slide it forward or back, you'll need to tighten more.
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