BBB’s Hawk is a decent and comfortable lid, straddling the budget to mid-range price points. It looks a lot like MET’s Forte and has what I think of as a ‘universal helmet spec’: it conforms to the EN1078 safety standard; features in mould construction; has easy align straps; and the cradle adjusts with a twisting dial.
With 24 generous vents it scoops enough air to prevent your head boiling in summer but with a Buff or cap underneath isn’t too cold in winter. The pads supplied let you fine-tune the fit and they’re anti-bacterial and washable. Our 52-58cm sized Hawk needed dialling to the tightest setting and fitting with thicker pads for a genuinely secure fit. Higher end BBB road helmets, also named after birds, feature a more refined fitting system.
A single rear reflective helps visibility a bit, though a tiny LED could easily have been incorporated into the adjusting dial for additional winter safety. That said, the Hawk can be equipped with LED lighting systems and similar extras more readily than most road-specific lids.
Out in the real world, I quickly forgot the Hawk’s minor shortcomings. As the tempo increased, the vents admitted plenty of cooling air without leaving me feeling chill. While it didn’t induce ice-cream headaches on fast, blustery descents, those of us with five o’clock shadow hairstyles will still want insulation underneath the helmet when it’s cold, and sudden downpours had me reaching for my Gore-Tex helmet cover.
It’s easy to keep clean: a damp cloth took care of mud, silt and bird droppings. And several weeks of constant service suggests it should, spills allowing, see a good few seasons’ use before retirement. However, in a fiercely competitive market the Hawk isn’t markedly better than a host of similar designs. It’s available in a choice of blue, red, or black.
Good value, if unremarkable mid-range road lid
Verdict
Good value, if unremarkable, mid range road lid
road.cc test report
Make and model: BBB Hawk helmet
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?
BBB describe the Hawk like this:
■ In mold shell construction.
■ 24 air ventilation vents.
■ Rear ventilation vents for optimum air flow.
■ Adjustable straps for a perfect and comfortable fit.
■ Easy to use DualClose adjustment system.
■ Washable anti-bacterial pads.
■ Reflective stickers at the rear.
■ Sizes: M (54-58cm) & L (58-63cm).
I would add that the Hawk is basically a lower-mid range model great for generic road riding/training and performs these duties very well.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
7/10
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes, as a second lid for training/winter
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, in the above context
Age: 37 Height: 1m 81 Weight: 70 kilos
I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
And 3 of the 'workers' are just leaning!
Same sketch everywhere, or so it seems. Take Whitelegg Way in Bournemouth. Wide cycle lanes put in both sides of a (formerly very wide) two lane...
Sounds cool. I haven't taken an "unnecessary flight" since 1992. Flown many times since then for work, but you can't patrol the Iraqi desert, or...
My first thought on reading the headline was "ooh, has Clevedon put in covered bike parking now?".
I rented a car a few weeks ago, a Skoda Octavia (needed a big car for a weekend), and the ride was astonishingly good compared to my own 10 year...
Silly.
Shimano for me please ! 👋👋
Shimano were castigated for not bringing on new factories to meet pandemic demand, thus gumming up the supply chain. Their argument at the time was...
I figured out a reason of that squeaking noise. I have xpresso 2 and 7, and also xpro 10 pedals, and that squeaking isn't present only at Xpresso 2...
Italian tourist and pussycat in Portugal.