Choosing the right bike helmet is crucial for any cyclist, and for ladies, finding the perfect blend of safety, comfort, and style is key. Whether you’re cruising through city streets, enjoying a scenic road ride, or tackling mountain trails, a well-fitting helmet is non-negotiable for protecting your head. While “Ladies Bike Helmets” might sometimes be marketed with feminine designs or smaller sizes, the most important factor is a helmet that fits correctly and meets your riding needs.
To simplify your search, we’ve rigorously tested a range of top-rated helmets specifically suited for women. Comfort and ease of adjustment are paramount – no one wants a helmet that’s a hassle to wear. Our hands-on testing ensures each helmet in our selection delivers on both these critical aspects.
We’ve organized our top picks into categories based on riding style: commuter, road, and mountain biking. However, remember that these are guidelines, and many helmets are versatile enough for casual riding across different terrains. If you’re also looking to upgrade your ride, be sure to check out our guides on the 10 Best Women’s Bikes and the 8 Best Electric Bicycles for Women.
| Ladies Bike Helmet | Why We Love It | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-Friendly Helmets | ||
| Retrospec Lennon | Stylish Commuter Helmet on a Budget | $34 |
| Retrospec Rowan | Affordable MTB Style | $39 |
| Outdoor Master Gem | High Quality & MIPS Protection on Budget | $59 |
| Commuter Helmets | ||
| Thousand Heritage | Retro Chic Design | $99 |
| Thousand Chapter | Enhanced Visibility with Rear Light | $145 |
| Mountain & Road Bike Helmets | ||
| Giro Fixture II MIPS | Universal Fit & Excellent Ventilation (MTB) | $75 |
| Smith Convoy | Highly Adjustable for MTB | $85 |
| Smith Signal | Highly Adjustable for Road Cycling | $85 |
| Kali Chakra Solo | Best Value for Money (MTB) | $50 |
| Helmets We Don’t Recommend | ||
| Schwinn Thrasher | Better Options Available at Similar Price | $29 |
| Fit is Key: Always check specific fit notes for each helmet to ensure compatibility with your head shape. |
Finding Your Ideal Ladies Bike Helmet
While numerous bike helmet options exist for women, our curated selection focuses on helmets best suited for the everyday female cyclist. While higher-priced helmets might offer incremental improvements, spending over $100 isn’t necessary for most ladies bike helmet needs.
Bike helmets, including ladies bike helmets, are broadly categorized by riding style: commuter, road, and mountain. Each category incorporates features tailored to the specific demands of that riding type. However, for casual cyclists, a helmet from any category can work well, often boiling down to personal style preferences.
- Commuter helmets: Prioritize style and fashion. They often include integrated lights to enhance visibility in urban traffic or during nighttime rides.
- Road helmets: Represent the classic bike helmet aesthetic. High-performance road helmets are engineered for aerodynamic efficiency, minimizing wind resistance for speed.
- Mountain bike helmets: Provide expanded coverage, especially at the sides and back of the head, and typically feature longer visors for protection during off-road riding.
It’s important to remember that helmets aren’t gender-specific. Unisex and men’s helmets are essentially the same as ladies bike helmets, often differing only in size ranges and color choices. Women with larger head sizes might even find that “women’s” labeled helmets are too small.
Quick Guide: 3 Essential Bike Helmet Tips (90 Seconds)
[Unfortunately, I cannot embed a video here, but consider adding a short, helpful video about bike helmet fitting at this point in a real web article.]
Detailed Reviews of Top Ladies Bike Helmets
BUDGET-FRIENDLY LADIES BIKE HELMETS
For cyclists seeking safety and style without breaking the bank, these budget-friendly options offer excellent value.
Retrospec Lennon – Budget Commuter Style
Price: $34
Size: ONE SIZE: 54 – 61 cm
Fit: Slightly Narrow
Construction: Hardshell
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: No
Features: Dial-adjust internal cage, LED tail light (3 modes), sealed sweat-wicking pads
View on Amazon
View on Retrospec
The Retrospec Lennon delivers a premium aesthetic and feel at an accessible price point, making it a fantastic commuter helmet for budget-conscious riders. Available in five contemporary matte colors and a broad size range (54-61 cm), the Lennon caters to a wide variety of fits and styles.
Key features include an easy-to-use dial-adjust cage, plush athletic wicking pads, and an integrated rear LED light for enhanced visibility. The substantial padding, particularly at the sides and front, results in a slightly narrower initial fit compared to other helmets. However, this is expected to improve as the pads compress with use.
The Lennon’s affordability is reflected in its “hardshell” construction, which is less durable than the “in-mold” construction found in higher-end helmets. While functionality remains unaffected, the colored plastic hardshell may be prone to warping or chipping over time, potentially exposing the helmet’s foam core. In contrast, “in-mold” helmets fuse the outer plastic shell to the foam core, providing greater durability and resistance to separation.
Retrospec Rowan – Budget MTB Style
Price: $39
Size: One Size 54-61cm
Fit: Average width (wider than Lennon, narrower than Gem), Deeper fit
Construction: In-mold
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: No
Features: Durable in-mold construction, dial-adjust internal cage, large air vents
View on Amazon
View on Retrospec
The Retrospec Rowan offers modern mountain bike styling, matte finishes, and a deeper fit, delivering exceptional value. Constructed with in-mold technology (more durable than the Lennon’s hardshell), the Rowan is designed for both style and long-lasting performance.
As a mountain bike style helmet, the Rowan sits lower on the head, closer to the eyebrows, than the Lennon or Outdoor Master Gem. This deeper coverage provides enhanced protection from branches on trails and during crashes. However, the lower profile might interfere with bulkier sunglasses, although slimmer sports glasses should fit comfortably.
Inside, the Rowan features high-quality, thick, and comfortable athletic pads. The 14 large air vents promote ample ventilation.
Outdoor Master Gem – Budget with MIPS
Price: $59
Sizes: Medium (55 – 58 cm), Large (59 – 61 cm)
Fit: Average width
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: Yes
Features: MIPS safety system, height-adjustable rear cage, sealed moisture-wicking athletic pads, chin pad, lightweight
View on Amazon
View on Outdoor Master
The Outdoor Master Gem stands out for its impressive features at a budget-friendly price, most notably including MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) technology. The Gem also boasts a highly adjustable fit with a height-adjustable rear cage. This allows you to customize the vertical position of the cage for an optimized and secure fit.
Additional features include two sets of sealed, moisture-wicking pads of varying thicknesses for fine-tuning the fit. The Gem is also available in an impressive range of 10 colors.
Compared to higher-priced MTB helmets like the Giro Fixture or Verce, the Gem’s ventilation is slightly less effective. While it has 24 vents, they lack the internal recessed channels found in the Fixture and Verce, which enhance airflow. Consequently, the Gem may feel a bit warmer during intense rides.
COMMUTER STYLE LADIES BIKE HELMETS
These helmets combine safety with stylish designs perfect for urban cycling and commuting.
Thousand Heritage – Retro Styling
Price: $99
Size: Small (54 – 57 cm), Medium (57 – 59), Large (59 – 62)
Fit: Average width
Buckle: Fid-lock magnetic
MIPS: No
Features: Integrated PopLock anti-theft system, vegan leather straps, Fid-lock magnetic buckle, optional magnetic light
View on Thousand
View on Amazon
The Thousand Heritage revolutionized bike helmet design by proving that safety doesn’t have to compromise style. If you’ve been hesitant to wear a helmet due to aesthetic concerns, the Thousand Heritage is the ideal solution.
Offered in 12 retro-inspired colors, this ladies bike helmet features vegan leather straps and a chic Fid-lock magnetic buckle, elevating its style quotient.
Functionally, the integrated PopLock system is a standout feature, allowing you to securely lock your helmet to your bike, eliminating the hassle of carrying it around. Thousand also offers an anti-theft guarantee, replacing stolen helmets for free when locked using the PopLock.
The current Thousand Heritage 2.0 model incorporates improvements over the original, notably a more comfortable interior shape to suit a wider range of head shapes. It is also compatible with an optional rear magnetic light for enhanced visibility in traffic or low-light conditions, an upgrade from the original Heritage.
Thousand Chapter – MIPS Safety & Integrated Light
Price: $145
Size: Small (54 – 57 cm), Medium (57 – 59), Large (59 – 62)
Fit: Average width
Buckle: Fid-lock magnetic
MIPS: Yes
Features: Integrated magnetic rear light, MIPS safety system, locking side straps, dial-adjust fit, crash replacement & anti-theft policies
View on Thousand
View on Amazon
For Thousand enthusiasts seeking enhanced features, the Chapter justifies its higher price with key upgrades. While subtle differences exist, the primary distinctions are style preference, enhanced visibility, and MIPS safety.
The Chapter offers a different aesthetic and color palette that some women may find more appealing, with a more refined or couture feel.
For dedicated commuters, the integrated magnetic rear light is a significant safety enhancement. Furthermore, the inclusion of MIPS provides an important upgrade in rotational impact protection. MIPS is detailed further below for those unfamiliar with its benefits.
Like the Heritage, the Chapter includes the Pop-lock anti-theft system, anti-theft guarantee, and a free crash replacement policy.
MOUNTAIN & ROAD LADIES BIKE HELMETS
These helmets prioritize performance and safety for trail riding and road cycling.
Giro Fixture II MIPS – Best Universal Fit
Price: $75
Size: Fixture Unisex (54 – 61 cm)
Fit: Fixture Unisex is slightly wide
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: Yes
Features: Excellent ventilation, fixed side straps, dial-adjust fit system
The Giro Fixture II is Giro’s updated entry-level mountain bike helmet, available in various colors, some marketed as “Women’s,” though all share the same unisex 54-61 cm sizing and MIPS protection.
The Fixture II excels in providing a universal fit, comfortably accommodating both round and oval head shapes. Testers praised the soft chin straps and the streamlined design without plastic side adjusters.
Ventilation is a key strength of the Fixture helmets. With 18 large vents interconnected by internal channels within the foam core, airflow is maximized from the front to the back of the helmet, keeping you cool on rides.
Smith Convoy – Highly Adjustable MTB Helmet
Price: $85
Sizes: Small (51 – 55 cm), Medium (55 – 59 cm), Large (59 – 62 cm)
Fit: Average width
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: Yes
Features: Lightweight, highly-adjustable fit system (vertical adjust), locking side strap sliders, thicker interior padding
The Smith Convoy and Giro Fixture share many similarities, making them both excellent choices. Beyond color or brand preference, the Smith Convoy offers two key advantages.
Firstly, the Convoy’s rear dial-adjust cage allows for vertical adjustment, enabling a more customized and secure fit by positioning the cradle optimally on the back of your head.
Secondly, the Smith Convoy has a shallower profile than Giro helmets. If you have a shallower head shape, Giro helmets might sit too low on your forehead, potentially obstructing your vision. The Smith Convoy tends to sit slightly higher, offering better forward visibility.
Smith Signal – Highly Adjustable Road Helmet
Price: $85
Sizes: Small (51 – 55 cm), Medium (55 – 59 cm), Large (59 – 62 cm)
Fit: Average width
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: Yes
Features: Lightweight, highly-adjustable fit system (vertical adjust), locking side strap sliders, thicker interior padding
The Smith Signal is virtually identical to the Smith Convoy, differing primarily in the absence of a visor and available color options. Choosing between the Signal and Convoy is purely a matter of personal style and visor preference. The Signal is designed for road cycling while the Convoy is for mountain biking, but functionally they are very similar in terms of fit and features.
Kali Chakra Solo – Great Value MTB Helmet
Price: $50
Size: S/M (52 – 57 cm), L/XL (58 – 61 cm)
Fit: Average – wider than Retrospec Lennon, narrower than Giro Fixture
Construction: In-mold
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: No
Features: Durable in-mold construction, dial-adjust internal cage, exceptional internal air channels, lifetime crash replacement
The Kali Chakra Solo delivers exceptional quality and performance at a remarkably affordable price. It features outstanding ventilation, robust construction, and a comfortable fit, rivaling more expensive helmets in build quality, although it does not include MIPS.
Built to last with in-mold construction, the Chakra Solo is backed by Kali’s lifetime crash replacement program, ensuring long-term protection. Register your helmet after purchase, and Kali will replace it if damaged in a crash.
For cyclists in warmer climates, the Chakra Solo is an excellent choice due to its superior ventilation. In addition to 21 large vents, it incorporates deep internal air channels within the foam core, effectively channeling airflow over your head and out the rear vents for rapid cooling.
LADIES BIKE HELMETS WE DON’T RECOMMEND
While these helmets may seem appealing due to their low price, we advise opting for better alternatives.
Schwinn Thrasher – Uncomfortable Budget Option
Price: $29
Size: Youth (54 – 58 cm), Adult (58 – 62 cm)
Fit: Slightly narrow fit
Construction: Hardshell
Buckle: Standard
MIPS: No
If budget is extremely tight, the Schwinn Thrasher provides basic head protection, but comfort is sacrificed. While it will protect your head and offers a decent fit, our testers found it uncomfortable for extended wear. If you are limited to a $29 budget, the Retrospec Lennon offers significantly better comfort and features for a minimal price increase.
Note the Thrasher’s sizing – we tested the “Youth” size (54-58 cm), which is identical to the “Adult” model (58-62 cm) apart from size range. Adults within the smaller size range can confidently choose the “Youth” size.
How to Select the Best Ladies Bike Helmet for You
Finding the perfect ladies bike helmet involves considering several key factors to ensure optimal safety and enjoyment on your rides.
Size – Head Circumference is Paramount
A properly fitted bike helmet should fit snugly to remain secure during a crash. Accurate sizing is crucial for achieving this snug fit.
Helmet sizing varies by brand, as there is no universal standard. Sizes are typically indicated as a range, such as 54-58 cm, representing the head circumference range the helmet is designed to accommodate. The helmet can be adjusted within this range for a customized fit. Helmets marketed as ladies bike helmets often have smaller size ranges. Always measure your head circumference before purchasing any helmet.
Tip! Measure your head circumference approximately two finger-widths above your eyebrows. If you have thick hair, pull it back into a low ponytail (or your typical riding hairstyle) to ensure an accurate measurement.
Head shape also significantly impacts helmet fit. While helmet interiors are generally molded to fit “most” head shapes, some helmets are better suited for wider or narrower heads. Even with the correct circumference, a helmet might not fit comfortably if it doesn’t match your head shape.
For instance, one of our testers with a 59 cm head circumference falls within both M and L Thousand helmet sizes, yet neither size was comfortable due to her head shape. If a helmet feels uncomfortable, try different brands. Each brand uses unique molds, and you may need to try several brands or models within a brand to find your perfect fit. Our reviews indicate helmets that run wider or narrower than average, such as the Nutcase Street which is known for its narrow fit.
Ladies Bike Helmets vs. Men’s or Unisex Helmets
The primary distinctions between men’s, unisex, and ladies bike helmets are sizing and color options. A men’s or unisex helmet is perfectly suitable if it fits correctly and you like the style. Simply ensure your head circumference falls within the helmet’s size range.
Adjustability – Dial Fit Systems are Ideal
All helmets in our recommended ladies bike helmets list feature a dial-adjust fit system. This system uses a knob at the back of the helmet to tighten an internal cage, ensuring a snug fit against the back of your head.
Some premium helmets incorporate “auto-fit” systems that automatically adjust to your head shape upon wearing.
Basic helmets may lack a dedicated fit system, relying on interchangeable interior pads for fit adjustments. We recommend avoiding these, especially as dial-adjust systems are widely available even on budget-friendly helmets and offer superior adjustability.
Ventilation – Keeping Cool on Rides
While preventing all helmet-induced sweat may be impossible on hot days, helmets vary significantly in ventilation effectiveness.
Commuter vs. Mountain Bike Helmet Ventilation
Commuter helmets generally have fewer vents, which can provide added warmth in colder months for year-round commuters. Alternatively, a winter helmet cap can be worn under a more ventilated helmet in cold weather.
For hot climates, road or mountain bike helmets, with their greater number of vents, will provide better cooling airflow.
Ponytail Compatibility
Ponytail accommodation is a common concern for women cyclists. The simplest solution is to wear a low ponytail. While not always ideal for everyday hairstyles, it works effectively under most helmets.
Some ladies bike helmets feature a dedicated ponytail port at the rear, allowing for higher ponytails. The Nutcase Street is an example on our list with this feature.
However, aligning a ponytail precisely with the helmet port can be tricky, and threading hair through the hole can be cumbersome.
If a ponytail port is absent, you can try threading your ponytail through the space between the helmet shell and the dial-adjust knob, as demonstrated in the image below. However, this method isn’t universally compatible and may not work with all helmet designs. Generally, low ponytails or wearing hair down are the most reliable options for helmet compatibility.
Buckle Types – Standard vs. Magnetic
Standard buckles are cost-effective and common on helmets across price ranges.
Standard vs. Magnetic Buckles
Higher-end helmets may feature Fid-lock magnetic buckles. Magnetic buckles are a convenient “nice-to-have” feature, but not essential for ladies bike helmets unless one-handed unbuckling is a priority.
Magnetic buckles are particularly beneficial for children’s helmets, reducing the risk of pinching. Adults are unlikely to pinch themselves when buckling their own helmets.
MIPS – Is it Necessary?
MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) is an advanced safety feature increasingly common in bike helmets.
MIPS involves a low-friction layer inside the helmet, anchored by flexible attachments. In an impact, this layer allows the helmet to rotate slightly, reducing rotational forces transmitted to the head.
Standard helmets are designed to mitigate linear impact forces, while MIPS helmets address both linear and rotational forces from angled impacts.
Research suggests the brain is more vulnerable to rotational forces, making MIPS a potentially valuable technology for reducing brain injury risk.
While MIPS is the most recognized rotational impact protection system, some brands have developed proprietary alternatives. Conversely, some experts question the effectiveness of MIPS, arguments summarized at helmets.org.
Many of our recommended ladies bike helmets include MIPS, but these helmets are generally more expensive than non-MIPS counterparts.
Related Articles for Kids Bike Helmets
10 Best Helmets for Kids: Our top recommendations after 12 years of helmet testing.
10 Best Helmets for Babies and Toddlers: Smaller sizes for the littlest riders.
Kids’ Helmet Sizes Guide: Ensure you select the correct size using our guide.
FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review. No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, some of the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC. All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.
