Bike helmets

A well-designed and properly fitting bike helmet can prevent up to 88 percent of bicycle-related brain injuries, according to an industry estimate.

Most helmets did well in our impact and retention tests. The Bell Citi, Bell Slant, and Specialized Aurora adult helmets and the Bell Boomerang toddler helmet scored highest for impact absorption. The Bell Citi and Bell Slant adult models and Schwinn Intercept youth model are CR Best Buys. The Ratings show how well all the adult, youth, toddler, and BMX-style bike helmets did in our tests.

Before you buy a helmet, try it on yourself or your child in the store (whomever the helmet is for). Not all helmets fit all heads, and an uncomfortable helmet (or one your kids don’t think is cool enough) won’t get used. It’s best to buy from a bike shop or another store where the salespeople should know how to help you choose a helmet that can be properly adjusted to your head.

A helmet should fit snugly and sit level on your head or your child's, not tilted back like a hat. Not all helmets match all heads, and your child will resist an uncomfortable helmet, so pick a design and color he/she approves of.

After an accident, replace any helmet that has done its job by absorbing impact. Some manufacturers will knock something off the price of a replacement.