Street Bike Helmets

Street bike helmets are protective headgear worn on the head of street bike riders. As with all types of helmets, the main purpose of these helmets is to protect your head during impact in order to reduce or prevent head injuries to an extent, or save your life. Some types of street bike helmets afford you with extra features such as ear protection, face shields, ventilation, and intercoms or headsets among many others.

In general, typical street bike helmets have two main components to protect your head; one is the sturdy and thin outer shell conventionally manufactured from Kevlar, fiberglass, or polycarbonate plastics, and the other component is a thick and soft inner lining typically made from polypropylene ‘EPS’ or polystyrene foam.

The inner foam lining provides a cushioning effect to head in case of accidents that effectively increases the distance and time duration at which your head reduces deceleration and stops. On the other hand, the outer shell offers a hard structure to protect the softer, foam inner lining so it won’t get easily damaged on impact. It also prevents pointed elements from puncturing the foam and your head. Below are some of the most common street bike helmets.

Full Face Street Bike Helmets

These street bike helmet types covers your head completely and majority of your face. The outer shell begins from your brow to your cranium and to the top portion of your neck at your skull’s base. It also covers your cheekbones, chin, and jaws, which leaves your view port unobstructed.

The view port includes a sliding acrylic, clear visor to protect your eyes from dust, wind, and rain, as well as to lessen unnecessary strain to your eyes. A lot of full face street bike helmets have vents with sliding protectors within the shell and the chin part during the cold seasons. They also feature chin straps and padded inner shells.

Full face helmets are generally considered as the safest helmets around since they can protect most of your face and head. However, they are also one of the bulkiest and heaviest helmet types which pose increased chances of fatigue to the neck due to wind resistance.

Flip-up or Modular Street Bike Helmets

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular street bike helmets are flip-up helmets, also called modular, flip-face, or convertible helmets. A flip-up helmet is across between an open face and full face helmet. When closed and completely assembled, these helmets look much like full face helmets with chin bars for accidental impact on the face. The chin bar can be removed or flipped upwards by using a lever component to resemble an open face helmet.

Typically, modular street bike helmets are only worn when riding in the closed position since the chin bar is actually more for convenience and not really needed for active riding. Because the face shield and the chin bar are open and curved, these helmets are known to heighten wind drag when riding since air cannot freely flow around the helmet.

Likewise, because the chin bar juts farther away from your forehead, riding in an open position can cause increased chances of injuries to your neck during an accident.

Motocross or Off-Road Street Bike Helmets

Off-road or motocross street bike helmets feature an angular chin bar, distinctively elongated visor and chin components, and a slightly open face so you can wear goggles for your eyes. The open face feature also allows for free air flow while actively riding. The visor on the other hand provides protection from flying objects while off-road riding. The visor is also more often than not tinted to keep off the glare of the sun when performing flips and jump.

Before, these types of street bike helmets didn’t feature chin bars and riders used helmets that look like conventional open face helmets, along with a face cloth or mask to prevent debris and dirt from entering the mouth and nose.

Three Quarter or Open Face Street Bike Helmets

Open face or three quarter, ¾, street bike helmets look similar to full face helmets, with the exception that these don’t envelope around the face. With this type of helmet, the outer shell begins from your brow to your cranium and to your neck’s base and over your ears. It also features a chin strap for securing the helmet in place, while some feature chin cups.

These street bike helmets also provide almost the same level of protection that full face helmets can give and can be easily removed without obstructing your vision because they don’t have chin bars. A usual addition to open face helmets are headsets so that a group of riders can communicate freely while riding.

Half Street Bike Helmets

Also commonly termed ‘shorty’ or beanie helmets, these street bike helmets are considered as the most comfortable to wear since it only covers the cranium’s top portion. Half helmets are also very lightweight and provide less wind drag. However comfortable they may be they don’t provide sufficient protection.

When choosing street bike helmets, it is imperative that you choose one that fits you perfectly. If the helmet is too fitted, you might get headaches, if it is to loose on the other hand, you can strain your neck because wind can get underneath the helmet and push it upward. Likewise, remember that if the helmet is on the lighter side, it can strain your neck when riding in high wind.

All styles of street bike helmets have their own disadvantages and advantages and when choosing, your preference should of course be one of the main considerations. However, note that your first consideration should always be your safety above all else.