May 26, 2022

5 great cycling helmets for the city commuter

It’s important to keep yourself safe when cycling, whether you are commuting or not, but each kind of cycling requires its own variation of gear.

For MODMO riders, we think it’s a matter of combining road cycling safety and urban style - you want something that will keep you safe, cool and sweat-free, and something that you will enjoy wearing.

Luckily there are plenty of options out there! Here are five of our favourite bicycle helmets for the city commuter, complete with why we like them and how they compare.

Kask Moebius

A scratch-resistant helmet designed for the urban commuter, with a detachable peak and reflective inset at the back to keep you visible. Built to fit ergonomically, with vents at the front and rear of the helmet to keep you cool.

Credit: kask.com

Weight: 420g (M size)
Colours: wide range, from ivory to lime. View website for more details.

Hexr

A 3D-printed helmet that is custom made for your head shape. First purchase the helmet through their website. They then send you a fitting cap to capture your head measurements, which you use to input data into their smartphone app. They check your stats with you, then print your helmet and deliver it to your door.

Credit: hexr.com

You can even buy spares of the outer shell of your helmet and change its colour/design.

Price: 360 Euros
Weight: because each Hexr helmet is custom-made, the weight changes. They say that a typical M size helmet weighs 310 grams.
Colours: white, dark green, black

Tredz Specialized Echelon II Mips

A cheaper option for those looking for style and safety with a slightly tighter budget. Large vents for greater cooling, reflective details for increased visibility, easy-adjust Headset SL II fit system, etc.

Credit: tredz.co.uk

Price: 83 Euros
Colours: Black, White, Matte Maroon, Oak Green Metallic/Black Reflective, Gloss Cast Blue, Matte Clay

Oakley ARO5

A very unique style of helmet with a high level of crash protection and an eyewear dock at the front of where you can keep your shades handy for easy access.

Credit: oakley.com

Price: 227 Euros
Weight: 305g Colours: nine colours, see website for details.

Kask Mojito 3

A solid but lightweight helmet built with an optimised ventilation system, coming in a range of high-vis colours.

Credit: kask.com

Price: 248 Euros
Weight: 230 g (M size)
Colours: many! Check out the website for more information

I have finally received my Modmo Saigon S and following a couple of initial rides I can say that I’m highly impressed so far. Highly recommended.

Amazing

What a bike, great specs and well made.Huge bargain with all the extras.

Great E-Bike, Disappointing Customer Experience

I purchased this e-bike after extensive research, and in terms of performance, it truly delivers. The bike is fantastic—smooth riding, battery life, and excellent motor power. For daily commuting or leisure rides, this e-bike checks all the boxes.
Unfortunately, my experience with the company has been far less positive. From the moment I asked for a spare battery, the customer service fell short. They did not respond to my emails, leaving me feeling ignored and unsupported. Shame MODMO team.
Overall, I love the e-bike but can't fully recommend the company due to their lack of support.

My bike has arrived and I am pleased with it although there is no key for the battery and it does not appear to be removable which isn't what I expected and is a security concern. I have stuck black insulation tape across the headlight to prevent glare into my eyes whilst riding. Have emailed to register warranty and enquire about accessories but still waiting for a response....

My second Modmo

I've had the Saigon for 18 months, and have not been disappointed. There have been a few niggles. The first was the battery was dropping in the frame which meant it wouldn't charge or would sometimes not power on. This was fixed with some simple packing between the battery and the battery cap to keep it in position. The second is chain tensioning - with no horizontal dropouts it's impssible to deal with chain stretch and get the ideal tension. An external chain tensioner solved this, and with a new chain and a 16T rear sprocket, it has been an excellent commuter, easily covering 45miles round trip. The mudguard fastenings at the fork crown and seat stay bridge are made of cheese, so I binned the mudgaurds pretty quickly.
I've upgraded now to the Saigon+, or at least the 2024 edition. The frame engineering is significantly better - the ugly welds have gone and the finish is much better. It's heavier, but I do like the Gates drivebelt and does overcome tensioning issues, in fact, eliminates chain maintenance altogether. The Enviolo gearing is an interesting concept - especially for a single-speed rider like myself. Still haven't made my mind up on it yet, but will persevere.
The user manuals need some work. They haven't been updated for all the Saigon and Saigon+ features, so don't have 100% coverage and you have to find a few things out for yourself.
However - Modmo produce solid and reliable commuters, and well worth the money, once you apply one of the many discounts that they make available.