Specialized Align helmet

Specialized's Align helmet may look cheap in price but it's far from it in performance. The fit is absolutely spot on, with simple adjustment, and it looks way more expensive than it is. The only thing standing in the way of a higher score is that it is quite weighty.

• Pros: Great fit, loads of reflective detailing, simple to adjust
• Cons: Noticeably heavy

The Align is part of Specialized's Urban lineup, which makes it ideal for all types of riding from pootling to the shops, to a bit of off-road work or fitness-level road cycling.

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The reason I say fitness level is because the Align isn't that airy, even with all of those vents (22 in all if you count that front scoop as one rather than three). If you ride hard with this helmet on you will find it warm: great for this time of the year but not so much on a humid summer's day. It just doesn't feel like the breeze gets dragged through.

It's a good looking helmet, though, and very comfortable to wear. I know how well a helmet fits is very user-specific, but while I wear loads without issue there are only a few that really fit like a glove and the Align is one of them. The cradle touches all of the way round with no pressure points and the simple adjustment wheel gets everything sitting just right.

The pads are a decent thickness for comfort and sweat-soaking abilities, plus they are removable for washing, as you'd expect.

The Tri-Fix web splitter deserves a special mention. Where most helmets have a simple clamp that sits below the ear to swap from two straps to one, this design of Specialized's is really comfortable as it feels like it removes any pressure points and adjustment is really easy.

A good thing to see is how many reflective details have been added to the Align, suiting its urban designation. You get a couple on the cradle and three strips on the rear which are black until hit by light. There is even reflective stitching running through the straps.

Included in the package is a clip-on visor, which is great for more upright/urban riding and off-road use. It's simple to fit and remove by way of a small pip just in front of the central front vent. It's a secure attachment, and no matter how rough the terrain, it stays in place.

The Align is a bit of a tubster, though, at 338g, and that extra 100g or so is actually quite noticeable compared to, say, the Oxford Raven helmet.

For cruising around the streets it's probably not a massive issue, but the Oxford Raven shows what you can achieve in terms of weight and ventilation for just a tenner more than the Align's £30 rrp.

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At the end of the day, though, if you want a comfortable helmet that'll do the job if something unfortunate happens (it's EN-1078 certified) then the Align is a really good deal.

Verdict

Comfortable helmet for fitness riding which offers a great fit, if a little heavy