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Helmets
Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet Sweet Protection Outrider helmet
Sweet Protection Outrider Helmet

Sweet Protection Outrider helmet

8
by George Hill
UPDATED Fri, Nov 09, 2018 00:03

First Published Nov 8, 2018

23
£99.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Looks good and performs well, being comfortable, a good weight for the money, and with decent ventilation
Weight: 
267g
Contact: 
www.jungleproducts.co.uk
How we test

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The Sweet Protection Outrider is a good looking, comfortable and relatively well-ventilated helmet for the money.

  • Pros: Looks, ventilation, strap design
  • Cons: Could be more adjustable for those with smaller heads/bigger ears

The Outrider sits below the Falconer in Sweet Protection's two-model range of road helmets, with four variations on offer: with and without Mips for men, and with and without Mips for women.

> Buy this online here

Sweet Protection has worked across many different sports for the past 30 years and has built a really effective retention system with its Occigrip dial. This controls bands that run from the back of your head to the temples, meaning that tightening runs around most of the head rather than just at the back. It is pretty small compared to many other helmets, so less likely to be annoying on the back of your head. The dial also allows small increments of adjustment, so it's easier to find the right fit.

sweet_protection_outrider_helmet_-_back.jpg

Helping with comfort are the pads, which have a medium depth but more density than many others I have used. This combination means the helmet can sit closer to the head to improve fit, while still providing a decent level of comfort.

sweet_protection_outrider_helmet_-_inside.jpg

Another nice touch is the way the straps have been built, with two different elements, a bit like Specialized's 'Tri-Fix splitters', but adjustable. I found this worked really well as it basically nullified any twisting, but because you can only adjust the clips by a couple of inches, it might not be quite so good for those with smaller heads or bigger ears.

sweet_protection_outrider_helmet_-_strap.jpg

Ventilation is fairly good, although this is one area where you can really notice the difference between a mid-price helmet and a really high-end one. It is slightly better than others I have used in this price bracket, though; I used it on some of the hottest days of the year and didn't ever find myself wishing I was wearing something with more ventilation.

sweet_protection_outrider_helmet.jpg

Weight is pretty good for a helmet in this price bracket, too – 267g isn't far off the Salice Ghibli, which Stu noted was impressive at 255g; by comparison, the Smith Portal weighs 309g.

sweet_protection_outrider_helmet_-_detail.jpg

It's around the same price as both those (the same as the Salice and a fiver more than the Smith), comparable in most respects and better in some, such as head retention and – subjectively – looks. (It's available in four other colours if this doesn't do it for you.)

> Buyer's Guide: Cycling helmets – everything you need to know

Overall, I was impressed with this helmet. It looks really good, is well priced, has decent ventilation and is very comfortable. There's little not to like, although those with larger ears or smaller heads might not get on so well with the straps.

Verdict

Looks good and performs well, being comfortable, a good weight for the money, and with decent ventilation

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sweet Protection Outrider Helmet

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Sweet Protection says, "A sleek, do-it-all road helmet, the Outrider uses impact technology inherited from the high-end models. This means low weight and great ventilation all in a compact shaped value-for-money package."

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Performed really well; decent ventilation and fit help to keep it comfortable.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Seems well made and likely to last.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

Good weight for a helmet in this price bracket, with similarly priced helmets coming in heavier.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
7/10

Good comfort thanks to well-designed pads and decent ventilation.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Pretty good value for a fairly lightweight and comfortable helmet.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It performed well, offering relatively good ventilation, decent fit, and good looks.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I really liked its looks combined with the performance. You could happily wear this without looking like a faux-pro while still getting the benefits of its performance elements.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

It would be good to have a little more adjustability in the straps for people with smaller heads/bigger ears.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

The Salice Ghibli comes in at the same price and the Smith Portal is £5 cheaper, both of which offer roughly the same kind of performance.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's a decent weight for the money and ventilation is pretty good. It would perhaps be nice to have more adjustability in the straps for those with smaller heads or larger ears, but really that's nitpicking what is otherwise a very good helmet.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cinelli Gazzetta  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

Sweet Protection Outrider helmet 2018
Sweet Protection Outrider helmet
Sweet Protection 2018
Sweet Protection
George Hill

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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