Giro Cinder Mips Helmet Matte Red, M

You don't have a full race calendar or a spot on the local cycling team, so gear should be more about function than style. Open, empty roads and long sojourns on Sunday afternoons are where you find your joy in cycling, and gear that helps you stay out longer always ends up being what you reach for first. The Giro Cinder MIPS Helmet fits that description aptly, so if your old lid has seen better days, protect your grey matter and stick to your principles by upgrading. Inspired by the competition-minded Synthe, the Cinder shares more than just a similar sounding name with its pricier sibling. Giro anchors the Cinder with a streamlined, aerodynamic shell much like the Synthe's, and ensures it maintains ample airflow out on the roads by carving 26 vents into its shell. Its light, unfussy design succeeds just as well in weekend fondos as it does on weeknight group rides, while inside the helmet, a MIPS liner adds subtle, but important protection. MIPS, or Multi Directional Impact Protection System, refers to the Swedish technology that appears in the form of a thin inner basket, which rotates upon impact to absorb brain-damaging rotational energy generated in certain crashes. The fifth version of Giro's tried-and-true Roc Loc 5 fit system makes lateral and vertical fit adjustments easy to do with one hand, while Air-Fix padding and a ponytail-compatible design give the Cinder an adaptable, versatile fit.

Price: $119.96 from Backcountry