Finding the Right Cycling Helmet

The right cycling helmet is light, well-ventilated, fits and looks great.

Most cycling helmets are made of expanded polystyrene foam to make them as light as possible. They usually have a thin hard plastic cover or a soft cover that protects the foam core and makes the helmet look better. Make sure your cycling helmet doesn't feel heavy or make your neck tired.

Cycling is an aerobic sport, and your body generates a lot of heat during aerobic exercise. You get rid of a great deal of body heat through your head; that's why your mom made you wear a hat in the winter. When you're cycling, you want to lose that heat through your head, so you want a well-ventilated helmet.

A cycling helmet that doesn't fit right won't do its job. A properly fitted helmet:

• Rests firmly on your head without slipping.
• Sits level on your head with the front about an inch above your eyebrow.
• If it has a rear stabilizer, it fits under the occipital bone (the bump on the back of your head)
• The strap fits under the back of your lower jaw and is snug enough that you can only get one finger between the strap and your throat.
• Children's cycling helmets need to be replaced frequently as they grow.

Finally, you want a helmet that looks great. They come in all kinds of colors, patterns and shapes; find one that you like and that you look great in.