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review

BTwin 700 Road Cycling Helmet

8
£27.99

VERDICT:

8
10
For £28 it's a pretty darn good lid and looks on-trend – just check the fit of the rear band
Weight: 
340g

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The BTwin 700 helmet is a perfectly good option for those not wanting to spend £100 plus for the latest big brand lid. It looks good too.

French sporting behemoth Decathlon's in-house BTwin brand is going from strength to strength, offering good quality, stylish kit for not much cash. The BTwin 700 helmet is at the higher end of the range, and, finishing aside, could pass for something costing a lot more.

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

> Buy this online here

The first thing that struck me on seeing the 700 was 'Catlike'. The Spanish company's design language of large elliptical vents is closely mirrored by the 700, making for a helmet that lets a lot of air in. There's no evidence of channels inside to assist with airflow out again, but for £28 you can't expect too much.

BTwin 700 Road cycling Helmet.jpg

In white, the finish is a slightly iridescent, pearly look with contrasting black, and it looks nice. The two reflective patches at the back look white, too, keeping with the monotone. Around the back there's an adjustable clicky band which, on me, didn't quite come low enough to offer a really solid fit, but, like shoes and bibshorts, everyone's different so try before you buy.

BTwin 700 Road cycling Helmet - back.jpg

The straps were adjustable enough, but you don't get locking Y-slider bits for under the ears – so I found I needed to micro-adjust after every donning. If you like to dial your fit in just so, this might get to be annoying. The buckle's a simple affair and there's no chin padding, plus the strap ends are plastic-riveted together, leading to an inevitable loop of strap once fully adjusted, so maybe trim short and sear with a lighter once you've got the fit.

BTwin 700 Road cycling Helmet - inside.jpg

In the pack you get a spare set of pads, handy if they wear out or get lost. There's also a clip-on peaked visor, though it's only an inch wide and has five large slots in it, so won't stop rain or sun, or plant detritus from falling through...

The 700 uses 'in-mould technology' – meaning that the polystyrene foam is injected into the shell while it's still in the mould, where it solidifies. This means they form an integral single piece and allows for funky shapes to better channel air, and there's no risk of the plastic shell coming away. One thing you do notice is the finish – something's got to give at this price point, and in this case it's the finish quality, which leaves a few less-than-perfect edges here and there. But hey, it's £28.

> Check out our guide to the best cheap helmets

Going from a £100+ lid to the 700, I can't say I noticed much difference once it was on and adjusted. The 57-61cm model was 340g, which felt OK and you'd probably not notice a bit of extra fat over more expensive offerings unless coming to it from a sub-200g (but over £100) super-lid.

Fundamentally, after a month of blatting about the place, I'm quite happy with it. Take the £72 you'll save on a £100 lid from a big brand and spend it on something that makes a difference, like better bibs or tubeless tyres. Because for the money, there's little to differentiate between the 700 and helmets four times the price.

Verdict

For £28 it's a pretty darn good lid and looks on-trend – just check the fit of the rear band

road.cc test report

Make and model: BTwin 700 Road Cycling Helmet

Size tested: Large, 57cm-61cm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

It's a pretty good helmet for the money. Very good, in fact. If it fits, why look further?

BTwin says:

In-mould technology for a lightweight helmet. Micro-adjustable slider provides precise adjustment around the head, for a secure, snug fit. 17 vents provide excellent ventilation.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

VENTILATION 17 vents.

LIGHTWEIGHT 270 g in size M.

EASE OF USE Micro-adjustable slider for a snug, secure fit.

COMPOSITION Inside Shell - Main fabric : 100.0% Polystyrene (EPS) - Expanded Webbing : 100.0% Polypropylene (PP) Outside Shell - Main fabric : 100.0% Polycarbonate (PC)

RESTRICTED USE: Not suitable for motor sports.

STOCK ADVICE Do not expose to high temperatures (60°C max.) and store in a dry place away from UV light. Clean with a soft wet sponge and neutral soap.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Clean with a soft wet sponge and neutral soap.

GUARANTEE : 2 Years

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
6/10

Seems built well enough, but a few edges could do with tidying up.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

Yup. It stayed on my head once locked down.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Can't imagine it going wrong, and it has a two-year warranty if it does.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
6/10

340g in large isn't light, but we aren't talking much compared with much pricier options.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

The rear adjustment band could come lower down, for my head anyway.

Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Darn good value.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Pretty well. Straps could be tweaked, as could the band, but fundamentally it's a good 'un.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The looks.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The Y-strap things moving. Annoying, a bit.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

If the Y-strap-things were locking, and the rear band came a bit lower, it would be a 4.5.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 183cm  Weight: 72kg

I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

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1 comments

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BarryBianchi | 7 years ago
0 likes

There is a lot of differentiate it from the Abus one at £170.   This one has, like almost all helmets ever crafted by the hand of man, adjustment of the straps under the ears.  The Abus one, according to a user on this site, doesn't; genius!  Decathlon really is giving the so-called "premium" (priced) manufacturers a right and long-overdue, kick up the saddle area, especially those of us who actually use our bikes, rather than taking out some branding for an airing on a Sunday...

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