Road Bike Online

Catlike Whisper Plus – £149.99

The ventilation offered by this helmet is impressive , due to the  39 round and oval nostril-style vents scooped out of the shell.The vents link together with deep internal channels forcing any air to flow straight out of the back . Heat loss is excellent at lower speeds such as when climbing and the airflow is efficient when used at fast pace too.

The retention system on the Whisper Plus is bulkier than many however making it slightly heavier to wear  and the helmet weighs in at comparably heavy to most of it’s competitors .( XS -260g S-270g M-280g and L -290g)

The helmet is designed to perform well with regard to safety , the manufacturers claiming that “CES Crash Energy Splitter technology is the key factor in ensuring safety to the highest standards. ”

Some riders find the straps Y Buckles move more than is preferable but overall the helmet wins over most others in the ventilation stakes.

Specialized Prevail – £159.99

This helmet is  lightweight (185g) and trimmed down in size and shape. It’s definitely one for the minimalists. Having said that it still offers great functionality.

On the helmet height and width adjustment is placed on the rear cradle, the straps are positioned away from the riders cheeks , fixed onto  the helmet edges with small but solid buckles. It has slightly less foam than other helmets though.

It performs really well however , with really good airflow over the top and notably great airflow at the sides compared to other similar priced helmets.

Giro Aeon – RRP £199.99

Giro’s new Aeon helmet is a very top end pro level  helmet. Its a mix of the best features of  the Ionos and Prolight  combining  the superb ventilation of the former with the lightness of the latter.

The quality of this helmet is extremely high also offering top level comfort, The RocLoc 5 is a more minimal version of the previous retention device and  the best yet.  The comfort factor is so high partly due to it’s slightness and the ease of adjustment it offers.

The helmet is actually a dual-layered helmet, comprising of  a shell within a shell.  The Thermoformed SL internal  structure is in fact made of the same polycarbonate material as the Aeon’s outer shell .

The straps also don’t disappoint  offering softness, lightness and narrowness whilst remaining compliant even after a thorough soaking.

The Aeon offers top rate airflow and is so comfortable you could really forget you’re wearing a helmet  but it is a serious amount of money to pay for the privilege.

Uvex FP3 – RRP £149.99

The Uvex FP3 is a heavyweight amongst helmets (the larger shell size weighs 342g) but this comes from its built in roll-cage built of tough plastic ( Makralon). Worth carrying the extra for those preferring the extra roll -cage protection which the manufacturers state spreads a potential impact over a larger area thus hopefully reducing the  risk of serious damage to one area of the head.

This helmet arguably offers greater protection at the expense of style and ventilation but these elements are not significantly reduced , certainly the quality of construction is excellent, with the upper and lower shells in-moulded. All exposed foam is covered again adding to the durability factor.

The adjustable height and nape pivoting retention system offers the necessary security and comfort this standard of helmet requires.

Las Victory – RRP £119.99

Another light weight helmet here, weighing in at a pleasing 250g but it doesn’t feel flimsy and fits very securely to the head. In fact the wide and bulky retention device covers a wide area of the head which is noticeable if you have a lot of hair . It rests higher up on the head though than many other helmets which can make the rider feel less secure and protected however. In contrast though the lack of exposed foam protects it well and the fact  the shell extends right to the bottom of the lid prevents scuffing the protective foam when its put down.

The straps are woven Nylon but high quality, and you get a fleecy chinguard that you can wrap any excess up in. There’s a removable peak too which goes with the spiky overall look of the Victory.

Las Victory comes with  two sets of pads: one full liner with mesh covers for the vents for winter and one set of lightweight pads for summer  with improved ventilation which is a clever touch.

Spuik Daggon -  RRP £99.99

The lower price here certainly doesn’t mean you compromise on comfort or safety. It has plentiful good quality padding and has well designed straps and buckles ensuring it stays in position well and doesn’t irritate the wearer. The straps are a little on bulky side as is the retention unit but as it is priced very competitively for a quality helmet these are only minor drawbacks.

The shell quality and overall finish of the helmet is very pleasing. It’s also lightweight with the the small size weighing just 270 g.

The Daggon has  less internal channelling than other comparable helmets  but its ventilation performance was only slightly less than the top ones tested.

Kask Vertigo £165

This helmet is a serious quality helmet which explains it’s serious price. In case you don’t know Kask are supplying the helmets for the Sky team so you’re looking at a pro level ride helmet here.

It’s an extremely secure fitting helmet with a  retention system that pivots from the side of the helmet plus  height and angle adjustment comes from another pivot towards the back of the helmet. There’s a one dial click system that allows for easy fitting and adjustment. It has very grippy vented silicon pads which can take some getting used to but the upside is it will stick on your head if you fall off. The Vertigo meets the  European EN-1078 standard.

Once the nape cradle is set the fixed point Y buckles slot easily into position.

It boasts leatherette straps rather than the usual nylon ones plus coolmax -lined gel filled internal pads without any exposed EPS foam which adds up  to a lot of  comfort even on the longest rides enabling excellent airflow from the 24 vents and skeleton system.

There are so many bike racks are available it is only a matter of personal choice rather than which is the best.

This rear mounting THULE Clipon 9104 Bike Rack Strap-lite rack can carry three bikes.  Once the rack is assembled it only takes seconds to fit and remove from your vehicle with the quick release levers. The rack folds neatly for storage and the metal straps are rubber coated and clamp onto the bottom and top of the hatch-back.  The cradles holding the bike in place are soft but very grippy, these can grip either the top tube or seat tube, the adjustable fender keeps the bikes away from the vehicle.

It can carry 45kg and comes with a five year guarantee; though this rack is very well designed it might not be suitable for the smallest of frames, it will require a light mounting board.

If the serious rider is aiming on saving weight where possible then this solid CNC machined billet is for you, the 10-speed 12-25 Shimano compatible cassette weighs in at 99g, this is half the weight of Dura-Ace!

Coated in titanium nitride gold this ‘bling’ solid work of art should also be hard wearing.  £249.

More information: www.spincycleworks.com

Boardman have built their reputation on no-nonsense good value bikes, fitting into the “bike to work scheme” market with prices sub £1000.  Surprisingly this years offering is alloy framed, although a light full carbon for, triple butted frame, and  oversize BB30 bottom bracket mean that weight has only increased by 100g over last years carbon fibre model.

The alloy Team is a firmer frame with tighter more accurate wheels resulting in a crisper fast ride.  The BB30 chainset is also more efficient and direct in delivering power.  This tight feel and good power transmission are certainly an advantage on sharp hilly rides, although the stiff frame can skip traction on rougher climbs unless you feather power.  Broad bars give plenty of low rev leverage.  With proven Shimano 105 gears and Mavic Aksium wheels, the Team also has durability.

So it’s a light, fast hill climber, but if you want comfort on long runs, the 2011 Team is less up your street, with its firm ride which can be wearing especially on rough tarmac, although this could be improved with different bar tape, saddle and fatter tyres.

• Available for £999.99 from Halfords