How to choose your BMX helmet ?
BMX is divided into several different practices, each with its own risks of crashing. This requires the use of a helmet that is adapted to the type of BMX riding you want to have. Wearing a helmet has become essential in the practice of cycling in general, in case of a shock received on the head, it protects and avoids many injuries that can be serious or even fatal. It is important to take a helmet adapted to your practice but also to your head. A helmet model exists in several sizes, which will give you the possibility to have a helmet well adjusted to your head, allowing it to protect you in the best way. Some Brands offer different types of very good BMX helmets as Troy Lee Design, Bell, Fox or TSG.
General informations
There are several types of helmets dedicated to BMX riding. In a simple way, there are two variations of helmets: the bowl helmet and the full face helmet. Generally speaking, Freestyle BMX riders use bowl helmets. These helmets protect the rider's skull while allowing a wide field of vision, which is important for performing tricks. For Race BMX riders, the full face helmet is used. The riders race at high speed and perform jumps. As a result, potential falls are more dangerous than in Freestyle BMX. This is why the use of a full face helmet is mandatory.
Generally, helmets are made from materials that allow them to be at least a little rigid. However, these materials must be able to deform and even break during an impact to protect the cyclist's skull as much as possible. In most cases, helmets are made from polystyrene and PVC. Prices vary and can start at €25 and go up to €500 for the best helmets. If you want to know about the helmets quality, it is important to look at the norms. CE EN 1078, CPSC and AS. The norm CE EN 1078 is mandatory in Europe. Every helmet available on Alltricks are certified.
If you don't chose the proper helmet for you, its effectiveness will be reduced. We have some tips for you to help you to chose the best helmet.
BMX helmets adapted to different practices
The cyclist should choose his helmet directly according to his practice. The reason behind this is that the different types of helmets on the market do not all meet the same demand.
Bowl Helmets
The bowl helmet is a lightweight helmet that protects the skull while leaving the face free so as not to reduce the rider's field of vision. This type of helmet is very well suited to BMX Freestyle riders who want to perform tricks with a clear view of their surroundings. The bowl helmet will still allow them to have the necessary protection in case of a crash.
Full Face Helmets
The full face helmet is the most protective helmet. It is more bulky than the bowl helmet, but it protects the rider's entire head. It is also often heavier than a bowl helmet but some of them can be very light. However this will also increase the price. The full face helmet is suitable for BMX race riders. They race, take a lot of risks by riding at high speed and doing jumps. As a result, crashes are very dangerous, requiring riders to protect their entire face to avoid serious injury.
BMX helmets at your size
Once the model has been chosen, it is essential to select the right size. It is important that the helmet fits your head properly, it should be neither too small nor too large to be as protective as possible.
In order to choose the right size, you should take a measuring tape to measure your head size. Place the tape measure around your head, just above your ears and 2cm above your eyes and record the size in cm of your head circumference.
Once you know your head size, it is still very important to check the size guide, as every helmet is different. Brands often have their own ribs and sizing system. A helmet of size M from one brand may not necessarily fit a helmet of the same size from another brand, as not everyone uses the same shape and therefore the same head size. In addition, some helmets fit a certain type of head shape better than others.
Don't forget that at Alltricks, you have 30 days to return a product that doesn't suit you. This allows you to order a helmet without worrying, because if the size is wrong, you can send it back and order the right size.
"MIPS" technology
Some brands equip their helmets with certain technologies to improve safety in the event of an impact. The best known technology in this field is "MIPS" for "Multi-directional Impact Protection System". Neurosurgery researchers have found that a conventional helmet protects the outside of the skull from falls, but not the inside. When there is an impact, the brain will hit the skull and create an injury.
To counter this, MIPS technology is a membrane inside the helmet that conforms to the shape of the cyclist's skull. This membrane is dissociated from the outer shell of the helmet, which in the event of an impact better attenuates the directional shock applied to our head and consequently reduces the violence of the impact and the risks of injury.
