Getting The Fit Right: A Guide To Helmet Sizing

Getting helmet sizing right starts with a proper head measurement, taken with a soft tape around the largest part of the head, just above the eyebrows and ears. That figure points to a starting size, but it is only a starting point, since head shape varies as much as head size.

None of this needs to be bought at once. Building a complete kit over time, prioritising the areas most exposed in a typical fall, is a realistic way to get there.

A certified helmet carries a label inside the shell showing the standard it meets, along with a homologation number that identifies the specific model tested. This label is worth checking on any helmet, since it confirms the exact helmet in your hands passed the test, not just the range it belongs to.

A helmet is the most visible piece of riding gear, but it works as part of a wider kit rather than on its own. Gloves protect hands in a low speed drop, which is one of the most common types of fall, and a good pair balances grip and feel with real abrasion resistance.

Neither format is a universal answer. Weather, speed, journey length and personal comfort all play a part, and many riders end up owning one of each for different trips.

A helmet workshop in London works on a smaller scale than a mass production line, and that shapes almost everything about how a handcrafted helmet shell gets made. Materials are chosen and checked by hand, shells are shaped and finished in small batches, and problems are caught by people who see every stage, not just a sensor on a line.