Published November 9, 2026 11:03AM
Velo recently ran a poll to find out what it is you care about when you buy a helmet. It stemmed from something I’d seen in the comments and I couldn’t quite square up.
The backstory is that I continually update the Best Bike Helmets buyer’s guide when there are new helmets and I’ve tested them. I can’t test everything immediately, so there are times when a new helmet comes on the market and it takes some time to make it into the guide. That happened with the PIKIO Si OBLIK.
Normally, it’s not a big deal. Readers don’t really notice, and if I think there’s a better helmet, I swap it in as soon as I can. The problem here is that the PIKIO Si OBLIK shatters the Virginia Tech bicycle helmet test—the gold standard in independent helmet safety testing. It outpaces other helmets enough that the scale has actually changed over time to make it harder to get a 5-star rating. Readers knew this and asked the reasonable question of why the helmet that was on top of that test wasn’t listed in the guide. Isn’t that the most important metric in a helmet guide?
The helmet is now in the guide,
The helmet is now in the guide, but that question stuck with me. If readers considered that test the most important metric, why wasn’t it the only helmet anyone bought? So we ran the poll on Instagram and the site, and after hundreds of responses the results were telling: On Instagram, 64% of respondents admitted that aesthetics were the ultimate deciding factor, while aerodynamics polled at just 13%. Safety and ventilation rounded it out at 15% and 8%, respectively.
When we put the same poll in front of the audience on the site, they did prioritize independent safety ratings a bit more at 28%, and the performance metrics of aerodynamics and ventilation swapped places, but the runaway winner, once again, was fit and aesthetics at 46%.
Those are the numbers, but you can still let me know if you have a different opinion. Drop a comment here or jump to the Velo helmet poll and add a vote if you missed it the first time.
I have some thoughts, though, as I’ve spent
I have some thoughts, though, as I’ve spent a lot of time talking with and listening to our audience. One thing in particular actually stands out to me. There is often a massive disconnect between the progressive, highly vented designs that win the ‘vibe’ check in the comments section and what riders actually buy. I’ll hear endless praise from readers about a polarizing, modern design, but when it comes time to put down their own money, they overwhelmingly gravitate toward traditional, sleek, aero-focused silhouettes.
You see this same phenomenon with bike builds. Tons of modern riders desperately want deep 50-60mm wheels, but at the same time, there’s a lot less appetite for speed suits or even just positional changes. This all adds up to a new theory.
I think I missed something about modern performance cyclists that I actually hit on in my recent deep dive into Factor vs. Specialized marketing. Clearly, readers care about looks, but for many of our readers, looking fast is just as important as actual performance. A sleek, aero helmet is a fast-looking helmet, and people appreciate that. Deep wheels make a bike look fast, and people appreciate that. Those two items also happen to be aerodynamically faster, but the math isn’t enough on its own—they have to pass the mirror test first. Let me know in the comments if you think I’m onto something, or if you think I’m totally wrong.
