Compare bike helmets head to head

At $100 or less, the safest road helmet Virginia Tech tested, by STAR score, is the P2R A20 MIPS ($55 price at test).

Each comparison puts two helmets from the same Virginia Tech category side by side. You get the scores, stars, test years and prices at testing, plus our take on whether the better lab score is worth the money.

Road helmets

Giro Aries Spherical vs POC CytalThe POC Cytal scored about 11% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $30 more at testing.
P2R A20 MIPS vs POC CytalThe POC Cytal scored about 8% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $275 more at testing.
P2R A20 MIPS vs Giant Rev Comp MIPSThe P2R A20 MIPS scored about 11% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $10 less at testing.
Bell Z20 MIPS vs Giro Aries SphericalThe Giro Aries Spherical scored about 25% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $70 more at testing.
POC Cytal vs Giro Aether SphericalThe POC Cytal scored about 40% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $5 more at testing.
Giro Eclipse Spherical vs Giro Aries SphericalThe Giro Aries Spherical scored about 25% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $50 more at testing.
PIKIO Si OBLIK vs POC CytalThe PIKIO Si OBLIK scored about 39% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $49 more at testing.
SCOTT ARX MIPS 2026 vs P2R A20 MIPSThe P2R A20 MIPS scored about 6% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $44 less at testing.
SCOTT ARX MIPS 2026 vs Lumos Aero GT MIPSThe SCOTT ARX MIPS 2026 scored about 14% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $1 less at testing.
SCOTT ARX MIPS 2026 vs Specialized Chamonix 3The SCOTT ARX MIPS 2026 scored about 10% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $19 more at testing.
Outdoor Master PEBBLE MIPS vs P2R A20 MIPSThe P2R A20 MIPS scored about 20% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $5 less at testing.
Giant/Liv Rev Pro MIPS (2026) vs Giro Aries SphericalThe Giro Aries Spherical scored about 15% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $25 less at testing.
Specialized S-Works Evade 4 vs Specialized Prevail 3The Specialized Prevail 3 scored about 18% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $50 less at testing.
Sweet Protection Falconer Aero 2Vi MIPS vs Specialized S-Works Evade 4The Sweet Protection Falconer Aero 2Vi MIPS scored about 13% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $50 less at testing.
Sweet Protection Fluxer MIPS vs KAV SilvoThe KAV Silvo scored about 15% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost the same at testing.
Lumos Ultra MIPS vs Lumos Ultra E-Bike MIPSThe Lumos Ultra MIPS scored about 25% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $60 less at testing.
Specialized Loma vs Lumos Aero GT MIPSThe Lumos Aero GT MIPS scored about 9% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $20 less at testing.

Mountain helmets

POC Cularis vs Fox Racing Speedframe RSThe POC Cularis scored about 2% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $39 less at testing.
POC Cularis vs Endura Hummvee MIPSThe POC Cularis scored about 26% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $150 more at testing.
POC Cularis vs Fox Racing Speedframe ProThe POC Cularis scored about 12% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $41 more at testing.
POC Cularis vs Specialized Ambush 2The POC Cularis scored about 28% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $60 more at testing.
Canyon Deflectr RLS vs POC CularisThe Canyon Deflectr RLS scored about 4% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $80 less at testing.
Canyon Deflectr RLS vs Fox Racing Speedframe ProThe Canyon Deflectr RLS scored about 16% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $39 less at testing.
Fox Racing Speedframe RS vs Fox Racing Speedframe ProThe Fox Racing Speedframe RS scored about 11% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $80 more at testing.
Specialized Ambush 3 vs Specialized Ambush 2The Specialized Ambush 3 scored about 8% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $70 more at testing.
Endura Hummvee MIPS vs Specialized Tactic 4The Specialized Tactic 4 scored about 11% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $20 more at testing.
POC Cularis vs Giro Manifest SphericalThe POC Cularis scored about 42% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $20 less at testing.
Fox Racing Dropframe Pro 2023 vs Sweet Protection Bushwhacker 2Vi MIPSEffectively tied on score. Pick on fit and price.

Urban helmets

UNIT 1 AURA vs UNIT 1 NEONThe UNIT 1 AURA scored about 5% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $50 more at testing.
HEXR Miden RLS vs Specialized ModeThe HEXR Miden RLS scored about 21% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $30 more at testing.
HEXR Miden RLS vs Giant/Liv Novo MIPSThe HEXR Miden RLS scored about 23% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost the same at testing.
Giant/Liv Novo MIPS vs Specialized ModeThe Specialized Mode scored about 2% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $30 less at testing.
ABUS Pedelec 2.0 MIPS vs Lazer Anverz NTA MIPSThe Lazer Anverz NTA MIPS scored about 1% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost the same at testing.
ABUS Pedelec 2.0 MIPS vs UNIT 1 NEONThe UNIT 1 NEON scored about 14% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost the same at testing.

Multi-sport helmets

Specialized Align II vs Trek Solstice MIPSThe Specialized Align II scored about 21% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $20 less at testing.

Full-face helmets

Sweet Protection Fixer Carbon 2Vi MIPS vs O'NEAL SonusThe Sweet Protection Fixer Carbon 2Vi MIPS scored about 35% better in Virginia Tech's lab tests and cost $550 more at testing.

Lower STAR scores are safer. Virginia Tech says not to compare scores across categories, so every pair here shares one. Looking for a shortlist instead? See our best bike helmets by style.