BTwin 900 Road Bike Helmet

Decathlon's BTwin 900 road bike helmet is their top lid for the road, coming in at a penny under £50. It's a good helmet, and good value. I wasn't blown away by the performance but there's nothing really wrong with it.

BTwin gear comes in 300, 500, 700 and 900 series, getting progressively more technical (and expensive) as you go. As such, this is the most expensive road lid they'll sell you. It's an in-moulded EPS/polycarbonate design with 28 vents, and it features internal reinforcement to keep it structurally sound should you ever need to test its EN1078 credentials. The straps are standard webbing with a quick-release cinch to get them running properly down the sides of your head. At the back there's a retention system that uses two ratchets at either side, rather than a dial. There's some standard internal padding, and a removable visor.

In use the 900 helmet puts in a solid rather than exceptional performance. Venting is good, overall comfort okay. I found the rear retention was higher than I'd like, and it's not height-adjustable, so that was a minor niggle. It didn't feel insecure, just slightly odd. The padding is in the right places and my 58cm head was a snug fit inside the 54-58cm medium, as you'd expect. The straps are easily adjustable, and don't dig in. The peak is fairly minimal and secure once you pop it into its four mounting points.

All good then? Yes, pretty much. At £50 though you'll be eyeing up the likes of the Giro Savant which is an exceptional helmet for the money, and for the sake of a tenner it's worth upping your spend. That being said, Decathlon often discount their BTwin stuff and at time of writing the 900 is 20% off at £39.99, at which money it represents a good buy.

Verdict

Good all-round performance from BTwin's top road lid