Best Bike Helmet With Visor our Top 3

Do you want the best bike helmet with a visor to keep the sun out of your eyes while biking? Or maybe you’re looking for a helmet with a visor that is both stylish and functional. If so, then this blog post is for you! We have done extensive research on what are considered to be the best bike helmets with visors, and we will share our findings in this article. Keep reading to find out more about these great options!

Our Top Pick: Giro Montaro Helmet

Why Do Bike Helmets Have Visors?

A visor is an extension of the helmet that protrudes over the rider’s forehead. Often the visor is adjustable. Not all bike helmets have visors, and not all cyclists want a visor. There are some advantages to having a visor on your helmet.

1. Protection from the Sun

Much like the brim of a baseball cap, a helmet’s visor keeps the sun out of a cyclist’s eyes. The sun’s glare can block a rider’s vision which can be dangerous as you may be biking at fast speeds, on public roads, or through treacherous terrain. 

Some cyclists prefer to wear sunglasses instead, but the sunglasses may be too dark for mountain bikers riding through trees but are still susceptible to the sun’s glare.

2. Protection from the Elements

The visor also protects riders from branches and leaves hitting their faces as they ride through mountain paths. Many mountain paths are narrow, with space for only one rider to go through at a time. The paths are often lined with trees, and the branches can scratch the riders’ faces as they ride through. 

A visor also gives some degree of protection from the rai; the visor will keep the rain out of your eyes.

3. Protection from a Fall 

If a rider falls off their bike head-first, the visor will take the brunt of the fall as it extends further out than the rider’s face and protects the cyclist’s face and nose from meeting the ground first.

Do Mountain Cyclists and Road Cyclists Need a Helmet with a Visor?

Your cycling style will determine the type of bike you ride and the type of helmet you choose. Not all bike helmets are created equal. Depending on whether you primarily ride on the open roads or prefer the narrow tougher mountain paths, you may opt for a different type of helmet.

Mountain Cyclists

Mountain bikers can benefit a lot from having a visor on their helmet. It protects from the sun’s heat, the sun’s glare in their eyes, branches lining the mountain paths, rain, and offers extra protection in the event of a fall. Visors also protect mountain bikers’ faces from gravel and dirt that become loose and airborne when bikers ride over them. 

The visor shouldn’t obstruct a mountain biker’s field of vision, a concern that some cyclists have due to their posture when they ride. Many visors are adjustable, so if it is in their field of vision, they can adjust it.

Road Cyclists

Road cyclists usually do not use a visor. A visor can be more of a hindrance than a help for them. Road cyclists aim for speed and try to be as sleek and aerodynamic as possible. The visor on a helmet protrudes out and will cause a drag and slow them down. 

Road cyclists aren’t concerned with mountain trails and tree branches and don’t need a visor to protect them from flying gravel. Road cyclists mostly wear sunglasses to keep the sun’s glare out of their eyes.

Due to a road cyclist’s riding position, the visor can obstruct their view of the road, which is another reason why a visor isn’t recommended for road bikes. Road cyclists need to be alert for cars, pedestrians, and other road hazards and can’t risk having their vision limited by a visor. 

What Helmets Do Professional Cyclists Wear? 

Professional cyclists who participate in races such as The Tour de France do not wear visors. Their goal is speed, and they need to use aerodynamics to their advantage. They wear tight-fitting shirts, shorts, and sleek helmets without a visor, such as the Kask Protone and the Oakley Aro5. 

Obviously, safety is the number one priority for all professional cyclists, and their helmets conform to the highest safety standards.

How Much Should You Spend on a Bike Helmet?

Choose a bike helmet for its safety features and not by its price. There is a  range of prices in bike helmets and a difference in quality too. Look for a helmet that provides good head coverage, adequate padding, and most importantly, fits you well.  

Conversely, the price doesn’t always reflect the helmet’s quality. Some excellent quality helmets on the market won’t break the bank. Some of the pricier helmets cost more due to their brand or for the extra trimmings that you may not need anyway.

Is MIPS Worth the Extra Money?

MIPS, Multi-directional Impact Protection System, is an innovative feature that improves the safety of bike helmets. It uses two layers of liners that move against each other to protect the cyclist’s head. The outer layer is made from EPS, which absorbs the impact in the event of a crash. 

MIPS, as of now, is only available for specific models of helmets. A MIPS helmet costs a little more than a non-MIPS one, but it is well worth the small price for its invaluable safety protection.

The Best Bike Helmets with a Visor

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the bike helmet options on the market today, so we rounded up the top three bike helmets with a visor, evaluating their safety, quality, comfort, and performance.

1. Giro Montaro Helmet

The Giro Montaro helmet is one of the most popular helmets with a visor for mountain cyclists. It offers excellent protection, ample head coverage, and a  MIPS liner – the gold standard in helmet safety. It’s a comfortable helmet with good ventilation, has adequate padding, and adjustable straps. The visor is quite long, but it is adjustable and flips up if the rider wants to wear goggles. 

Pros:

• Uses MIPS technology for extra safety
• Long, adjustable visor and straps
• Compatible with goggles
• Has good ventilation
• Well-priced

 Cons:

• Isn’t as lightweight as some other helmets

Reviews:

The majority of reviews were favorable for this helmet. Most users praised the Montaro for its safety and comfort. Some even found that they preferred the Montaro over higher-performing helmets. It even managed to accommodate people with larger than average skulls.

However, some customers thought that even with all the advantages the helmet had to offer, it just wasn’t comfortable enough.

2. Fox Racing Speedframe Pro

The Speedframe Pro is a high-quality helmet without a high price. It has all the safety features a cyclist needs, including a MIPS impact system and EPS foam. It feels lightweight and comfortable and has superb ventilation. 

The straps adjust easily to give a perfect fit for many head shapes and sizes. We love its sleek design and appreciate that its visor is adjustable and can accommodate goggles.

This helmet earned five stars from Virginia Tech‘s bicycle helmet safety ratings.

Pros:

• Comfortable and lightweight
• Excellent safety features
• Great ventilation
• An adjustable visor that accommodates goggles

Cons:

• Doesn’t provide enough coverage as other helmets 

Reviews:

Users highly praised the Fox Racing Speedframe Pro. Along with providing for all their needs, the helmet offered riders a comfortable fit and durable performance. 

The main complaint for the Speedframe Pro was many riders did not think its goggle compatibility claim was legitimate. Some found it too uncomfortable to wear goggles, while others found the helmet would slide back if the goggle lenses were large.

3. POC Tectal Helmet

The POC Tectal helmet is comfortable, has an adjustable visor, and has ample head coverage.  The helmet has an EPS liner, superior ventilation, and we love the look of it. 

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Adjustable visor

Cons:

• Does not have MIPS

Reviews:

Again, most users praised the Tectal for its performance. Many thought it was a clear upgrade from POC’s Trabec. Even without MIPS, many riders felt safe or protected after a crash.

However, some riders thought the Tectal was too pricey, especially since it doesn’t have MIPS. Another user found that although the helmet protected him from a crash, the lack of damage made it too difficult to know if the helmet performed as well as it should have.

Wrapping it Up

Mountain cyclists are best using a helmet with a visor. The visor will protect you from the sun, rain, branches, dirt, and against falls to your face. We rounded up three top-quality helmets with adjustable visors so you can flip them up if you don’t always need them. 

If you mostly ride road bikes, you will not need a helmet with a visor, but you can use one if you prefer. A helmet with an adjustable visor can work for you for both bikes.