Virginia Tech bicycle helmet ratings explained

What the score and stars mean

Published field	How to read it
STAR score	Lower is better within Virginia Tech’s bicycle helmet methodology. It is not a percentage, grade, or predicted outcome for an individual rider.
Star rating	A summary band derived from the STAR score. Virginia Tech revised the bicycle star thresholds in July 2025, so the rating should be interpreted with the current methodology notes.
Helmet style	The source category, such as road or mountain. Compare helmets intended for the same activity and use.
Certifications	Separate compliance evidence reported with the source record. A certification and a comparative STAR result answer different questions.
Price at testing	A historical source field, not a current retailer price or statement of availability.

What Virginia Tech tests

The published bicycle protocol uses 24 impacts across six helmet locations and two impact velocities. The STAR value combines the modeled concussion risk from those impacts with exposure weighting. That makes the results useful for comparing tested helmets under one repeatable method, but it does not reproduce every crash, fit, rider, surface, or impact direction.

What a five-star rating does not prove

It does not mean a helmet will prevent concussion, death, or every head injury.
It does not establish that the helmet fits your head or is intended for your activity and speed.
It does not replace regulatory certification, manufacturer instructions, or a current recall check.
It does not make results from different helmet categories or test methods interchangeable.

How to use the ratings

Start with the correct helmet category and the manufacturer’s intended use.
Compare STAR scores within the bicycle methodology, remembering that lower is better.
Check fit, retention, condition, applicable certification, and current manufacturer instructions.
Verify current recalls and warnings before purchase and during ownership.

Open the bicycle helmet comparison →

Sources and further reading

Virginia Tech is the source of the independent ratings. TestedHelmets is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a testing partner of Virginia Tech.