Best overall Scott ARX Plus $120
Highest overall score (96/100) — the strongest balance of specs, value and recency in this group.
See on Amazon →Independent · sourced · Updated July 2026
Best Bike Helmets (2026)
The best overall bike helmet is Scott ARX Plus ($120). The best value bike helmet is Bell Stratus MIPS ($149.95). The cheapest is Scott ARX Plus at $120. 10 bike helmets compared from $120 to $360 across 10 brands — every figure sourced, updated July 2026.
10 bike helmets compared on the specs that matter and US price — ranked cheapest-first. Every spec and price links to its source and the date we captured it.
Our data Our pay-blind pick across the 7 bike helmets we ranked is Scott ARX Plus — the Gold-tier leader on specs-per-dollar, never price or placement. Category Champions, as of July 2026.
Which bike helmet should you buy?
Three buyer-intent picks from the algorithmic ranking below — no paid placement.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified 2026-07-13; live price may differ.
Key takeaways
- Lowest price: Scott ARX Plus at $120 (US price listed as $120.00 in BikeRadar's March 2024 Scott ARX Plus review (Product spec block: "Price A$160.00, €130.00, £100.00, $120.00"). The $ figure is the US price; treated as US MSRP. No manufacturer MSRP page was fetchable (scott-sports.com Incapsula-blocked), so this is the sourced US price.).
- Typical price: from $120, median $275.00, up to $360 — across 10 priced.
- Tracked: 10 products across 10 brands, current through 2026-07-13.
- Compared on: Weight grams, Rotational protection, Shell construction, Vent count, Intended use, Size range (cm).
Best by the numbers
Objective winners — each is the leader on one measured spec, with the figure. No subjective ranking.
- Lowest price: Scott ARX Plus ($120)
- Lowest weightGrams: Trek Velocis MIPS (260 weightGrams)
Top 3 by quality
An algorithmic overall ranking from the data on this page — value for money, spec strength, and recency. 100% data-driven, no paid placement.
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Scott ARX Plus Quality score 96/100 Best value - Bell Stratus MIPS Quality score 83/100 Most powerful
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Lazer Sphere MIPS Quality score 76/100 Most powerful
How we rank: Value 45% · Spec strength 35% · Recency 20%. Scores are computed only within this category from published specs and prices — never influenced by commissions or placement. Method & open data →
What to look for
How to read the comparison — what each key spec means and the range across these bike helmets.
- Weight grams — lower is better (this group: 260 to 370).
- Size range (cm) — higher is better.
Comparison
| Compare | # | Bike Helmet | Price | Weight grams | Rotational protection | Shell construction | Vent count | Intended use | Size range (cm) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott ARX Plus | $120 | 269 | MIPS | in-mold | 17 | multi-sport | — | bikeradar.com | |
| 2 | Bell Stratus MIPS | $149.95 | 271 | MIPS | — | — | road | 52-62 | bellhelmets.com | |
| 3 |  Thousand Chapter MIPS | $149.95 | 370 | MIPS | — | 8 | commuter | 54-62 | explorethousand.com | |
| 4 | Lazer Sphere MIPS | $149.99 | 280 | MIPS | — | 18 | road | — | summitbicycles.com | |
| 5 |  Smith Trace MIPS | $250 | — | MIPS | in-mold | 18 | road | 51-62 | smithoptics.com | |
| 6 |  Specialized S-Works Prevail 3 1 review | $299.99 | — | MIPS Air | — | — | road | — | specialized.com | |
| 7 |  Kask Protone Icon | $300 | — | none | — | — | road | 50-62 | kask.com | |
| 8 |  Trek Velocis MIPS | $329.99 | 260 | MIPS Air | — | — | road | 51-63 | trekbikes.com | |
| 9 |  Giro Aries Spherical | $349.95 | 270 | MIPS Spherical | in-mold | 24 | road | 51-63 | giro.com | |
| 10 |  POC Cytal | $360 | 320 | MIPS Air | in-mold | — | road | — | poc.com |
Specs are as published by the manufacturer (or a reputable spec source where the official page was unavailable); prices are US launch MSRP. Full per-product records and all spec columns are in our open dataset.
Popular comparisons
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest bike helmet?
Scott ARX Plus is the cheapest at $120 (US price listed as $120.00 in BikeRadar's March 2024 Scott ARX Plus review (Product spec block: "Price A$160.00, €130.00, £100.00, $120.00"). The $ figure is the US price; treated as US MSRP. No manufacturer MSRP page was fetchable (scott-sports.com Incapsula-blocked), so this is the sourced US price.), as of 2026-07-13.
How much does bike helmets cost?
Across the 10 bike helmets with a published price, the median is $275.00, ranging from $120 to $360, as of 2026-07-13.
Which bike helmet is best by the numbers?
Lowest price: Scott ARX Plus ($120). Lowest weightGrams: Trek Velocis MIPS (260 weightGrams).
How many bike helmets are compared here?
10 bike helmets across 10 brands, with US price and key specs, current through 2026-07-13.
What is the best overall bike helmet?
Scott ARX Plus ($120) — Highest overall score (96/100) — the strongest balance of specs, value and recency in this group.
What is the best value bike helmet?
Bell Stratus MIPS ($149.95) — Most specification per dollar of any bike helmets here at $149.95.
What is the most capable bike helmet?
Trek Velocis MIPS ($329.99) — Leads this group on the measured specs — a premium pick at $329.99.
More hardware comparisons
How we compiled this
Covers adult bicycle helmets sold at a published US MSRP, including road, mountain, gravel, and commuter/urban lids. Excludes children's helmets, full-face DH/BMX helmets, motorcycle and ski helmets, and smart helmets whose defining feature is electronics. Price is manufacturer MSRP in USD for the standard colorway. weightGrams is the manufacturer's claimed weight in grams for a size Medium (or the brand's single/one-size figure); null if only non-Medium weights are published. rotationalProtection is the rotational-impact system as an enum: 'MIPS', 'MIPS Air', 'MIPS Spherical', 'WaveCel', 'SPIN', 'Koroyd', 'Kineticore', or 'none'. shellConstruction is an enum: 'in-mold', 'hardshell', or 'hybrid'. ventCount is the integer number of vents stated by the manufacturer. intendedUse is an enum: 'road', 'mountain', 'gravel', 'commuter', or 'multi-sport'. sizeRangeCm is the head-circumference range the model covers across all sizes, in centimeters, written 'min-max'. certification lists the safety standards the model is certified to (e.g. 'CPSC', 'EN1078', 'NTA-8776'), separated by semicolons. visorIncluded is a boolean: true if a peak/visor ships in the box. integratedLight is a boolean: true if a rear LED taillight is built in or included. reflectiveDetailing is a boolean: true if the manufacturer specs reflective elements for low-light visibility.
Last verified 2026-07-13. We re-check published specs and prices on a recurring cadence and update this page when they change.
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