In homage to our new obsession, we’ve already rounded up thebest bikes for womenand thebest bikes for under £300if you want to test the waters first. But what about all the kit that goes with it? Buying a bike and nothing else is like ordering a Nando’s with no sides: you’re barely halfway there. Even if you’ve got no idea, you’vegotto have all the gear.
Cycling is experiencing something of a renaissance right now, with bikes going out of stock on retailers like Tredz, Halfords and Evans Cycles faster than you can say “Coronavirus”. It’s hardly surprising, since *everyone* is searching for alternative ways to commute to the office when the time finally rolls around. It’s going to be a long old while before we feel comfortable stepping foot on a tube. But that’s not all – cycling is also a great way to keep fit and get fresh air after being cooped up at your WFH desk all day. We’re totally aboard the bandwagon.
A bike helmet is, of course, paramount when it comes to safety while cycling. “At Liv, we believe a helmet is the most important cycling accessory,” said Colette Clensy, European Marketing Manager at the female-dedicated cycling brand. “A helmet offers benefits beyond the obvious injury prevention: wearing a helmet offers visibility to other road users, so you are seen. ”
That doesn’t stop plenty of us *not* wearing helmets while we ride, though. There are lots of reasons why we might avoid it: discomfort and irrational fear of looking a tad silly included. But listen up: a 2016 study collected data from over 64,000 cyclists around the world, and found compelling evidence that wearing a cycle helmet reduces risk of serious head injury by almost 70% and fatal head injury by 65%. It was the largest review on cycling and helmets to date, also finding that the risk of sustaining a general head injury is reduced by 51% and facial injury by 33% when a helmet is used. They’re numbers you can’t ignore.
OK, so not wearing a helmet could be fatal, no matter how fast you’re going. We get it. But how can you find the best helmet for you? Well, you’ve first got to make sure it’s a female helmet you’re looking at. Yep – wearing a helmet designed for the opposite gender could stop it from being effective. Collette told us: “Women have a different head form to men, which means the internal fit of a Liv helmet is designed for the proportions and shape of a female head. Wearing a women’s specific helmet means you’ll have great fitting and comfortable protection for your lovely head. ”
Don’t be fooled – you don’t have to try on a helmet in store before ordering. As long as you know what to look out for, and measure yourself properly, there’s no reason why you can’t order a perfectly fitting cycling helmet direct to your door.
Here are Collette’s top tips for ordering a cycling helmet online:
- When choosing a new helmet, you need to consider the sort of cycling you’ll be doing. Different cycling disciplines have helmets designed specifically for them. The Liv cycling website can help guide on your usage, whether you’re looking to push yourself on a road bike, head off the beaten path mountain biking or enjoy some lifestyle/city adventures. Check out the link here and select the riding you want to do to and find your perfect lid.
- It is also critical that your helmet fits correctly and comfortably. To ensure this you’ll need to establish the size you need by measuring the circumference of your head (fear not, it’s pretty simple with a tape measure). Follow this simple guide to walk you through the process.
- Ultimately you have to feel good in your helmet, ensuring you have the right style and fit for the riding you want to do will give you the confidence to focus on the ride.
