Bicycle Helmet Features and Fitting

Features to look out for when buying a bicycle helmet can be broken into 3 categories:

1. Mandatory Features
2. Highly recommended features
3. Preferable features

 
1.   Mandatory Features are those which are required by law. 
In the case of Bicycle helmets, mandatory features are those which are required to satisfy Australian Standard AS/NZS 2063.
Australian Bicycle helmet standards are the toughest in the world.
If your bicycle helmet does not have the Australian Standards compliance sticker it cannot legally be used in Australia. ​

2.   Highly recommended features
​
Highly recommended features are those which ensure that your helmet fits you properly and remains on your head in the event of an accident.
After all there is little point having a helmet if it falls off if you have an accident.

• An adjustable harness

A good quality helmet will have a dial for adjusting the harness inside the helmet.
The harness ensures that the helmet fits snuggly on your head and does the bulk of the work in keeping the helmet securely located on your head.
BASIC TEST: A correctly sized and fitted helmet with a harness will stay on your head even if you hang your head upside down with the chin strap not fitted.
(always ensure that you or a partner are ready to catch the helmet if you are doing this test)

• A chin strap that fits snuggly against the side of your head.

Straps which sit a long way from your head allow the helmet to easily pivot on your head.
Straps which closely follow the shape of your head hold the helmet securely in place.
The strap splitter should sit just below your ear.

3.   Preferable Features
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​A helmet should be light weight and well ventilated to keep your head nice and cool whilst riding your bike.

​FITTING YOUR HELMET

• There should be a maximum of a two finger gap between your eye brows and the helmet.
• The harness can be adjusted to correctly position the helmet.

​If you have long hair, a pony tail or a bun you will need to lower your pony tail or bun so that it sits at the base of your neck below the height of the harness

• After adjusting the harness and correctly positioning the helmet on your head you can tighten the chin strap.​​
• You should ensure that the chin strap splitter sits just below the ear and that you can fit two fingers between your chin and the chin strap.