Children's bike helmet test 2020: which is the best? •

Kerstin Güntzel

We tested 18 children’s bike helmets. The best is the Alpina Ximo Flash. Pretty much everything fits here: good safety rating, high wearing comfort, easy handling, good temple and forehead protection and plenty of ventilation slots with insect protection. In addition, there is a design that appeals to children and a highly visible LED lighting for safe driving in the dark – and all for a very good price. But trying on is of course a must. If the Alpina Ximo Flash doesn’t fit, we have alternatives for you.

Update April 2, 2019

We tested 8 new children’s bike helmets. We really liked three models, but since none of these helmets integrated a light, we decided against a clear purchase recommendation.

Admittedly, bicycle helmets are rarely sexy: they flatten the hairstyle, at best you look like Lord Helmchen and the feeling of freedom, when the wind blows around your ears, is somehow gone. Many cyclists therefore push themselves in front of the plastic hood. According to the Federal Highway Research Institute, only between seven and 21 percent of adult cyclists wore head protection in 2016.

But things are different with children: Many children not only find a bicycle helmet pretty cool, they also like to put it on. 76 percent of six to ten year olds cycled with helmets. In the meantime, especially in the city, you hardly meet a three-cheese-high that runs without a piece of plastic on the bulb.

Which one is the right one? We looked at 18 models for children who scored at least well in the overall assessment by Stiftung Warentest and ADAC, after all, the best possible protection against injuries is the most important thing with a bicycle helmet. We also had two popular helmets that only performed satisfactorily overall in the test. The helmets were priced between 30 euros and around 50 euros. 15 of the tested models are currently still available.

Seldom has it been so difficult for us to choose the best. Apart from the Abus Anuky, none of the tested bike helmets caught our eye completely. On the contrary: we can recommend the majority of the models with a clear conscience. But there were also a few that we particularly liked. Here are our recommendations in the short overview.

Brief overview: Our recommendations

Alpina Ximo Flash

bought from 313 readers

What we like best about the Alpina Ximo Flash micro shell helmet is the overall package: its easy handling, appearance, quality, good safety rating, light weight and good lighting. As much as we think, we find nothing to complain about. In addition, it is one of the cheapest bike helmets in the test.

Cratoni Akino

bought from 78 readers

The Cratoni Akino is also a very solid, reliable micro shell helmet. That is why he was also chosen as the test winner by the Stiftung Warentest and the ADAC. In general, this helmet turns out to be large and is therefore perfect for bulky children’s heads. We find the selection of different designs great, its light weight, its high wearing comfort, the LED light and the fair price. Only the operation is not as easy for us as for the Alpina.

KED Meggy Originals

bought by 9 readers

Great fit, lots of comfort, bright lighting, made in Germany, relatively light – and at a low price: We are talking about the KED Meggy Originals. But there are also points of criticism: Because of its rather childish motifs, the helmet is suitable maximum for preschool children. He is too "babyish" for older semesters. In addition, it does not prove to be particularly heat-resistant.

comparison Chart

Easy to use
Great fit and quality
Very comfortable to wear
Clearly visible lighting
Many designs
Light
Good price

Very good workmanship
Very convenient
Good fit
Large selection of different designs
Weighs little
Clearly visible lighting

Easy handling
Relatively easy
Great comfort
Top fit
LED flashing light
Unbeatable value for money
Made in Germany

ultra Comfortable
Well padded
Great fit
Cuddly padded chin strap
Good results in the test by Stiftung Warentest and ADAC Leicht
Easy handling
reflectors
Forehead well protected
Great quality
Good price-performance ratio

Super price-performance ratio
Good fit
Temples and forehead protection
Megalight for the minis
Easy to use
insect net

Very nice design and a large selection of colors and motifs
With the best fit
Very convenient
Easy handling of the straps and the strap fastener

Easy handling
Comfortable
Size and width easily adjustable
Good quality

Good fit
Soft padding
Protects the forehead
Light
TÜV and GS checked
Simple operation
insect net

Looks sporty
Seven different street style looks
High quality workmanship
Easy to handle
Very easy

Good fit
Very convenient
Dual LED flashing taillight
Good forehead and temple protection
insect net
Good workmanship

Sits well with the tester
Comfortably padded
reflectors
mosquito net
lightweight
Large selection of designs
Easy to use
TÜV and GS checked
Cheap

Visually the coolest in the test
Dozens of different looks to choose from
Good quality
Very comfortable to wear
Good evaluation of the Stiftung Warentest and the ADAC for small children, especially when it comes to accident protection

Thickly padded and comfortable
Fits well
Free additional upholstery available
Unexpensive

LED taillight
reflectors
Good temple, neck and forehead protection
Rather easy
TÜV and GS checked
insect net
10 design variants
Good Amazon ratings

Good fit
LED light
Very easy
Easy to use
Good rating from Stiftung Warentest and ADAC

test winner	Good as well	For the younger ones
model	Alpina Ximo Flash	Cratoni Akino	KED Meggy Originals	Cratoni Pacer	Uvex Kid 2	Uvex Kid 3	Bell Sidetrack Child	Alpina Carapax Jr.	Uvex Air Wing	KED Status Junior	Abus Smiley 2.0	Nutcase Little Nutty	Skullcap BMX helmet	Abus Youn-I	Abus Anuky

Per
Contra	Operation okay, but not quite as easy as with the test winner Turns out big Large selection of designs, but all motifs are quite childish Not very heat resistant No lighting, but at least retrofittable Temples not completely covered No insect net No lighting, but at least retrofittable Squeaky-colored optics not for puristic parents No lighting Accident protection and heat resistance only so medium Quite difficult, even if the test children didn’t complain about it Unfortunately without light Accident protection only satisfactory No lighting, but can be retrofitted Does not completely cover the temples Our test winner offers a better price-performance ratio Only boys like optics No standard light, available as an option Annoying size adjustment inside the helmet Visually very massive, looks oversized on children’s heads Sometimes turns out too big Rather in the upper price range Lack of lighting Amazon customers complain about fit Quality questionable Price in the upper segment No taillight No insect protection Weighs the most of all No light Looks cool at first glance, but sits too high on the head, which looks a bit strange in a child Webbing loosens on its own Forehead and temples not optimally covered Without insect net Uncomfortable and hard because too little padding Not very cheap Very uncomfortable due to insufficient padding Doesn’t look quite as stable Hardly any temple protection design "for babies" (Original sound of the testers) and therefore nothing for primary school children
Best price	No prices found.
Show technical data
St. goods test / ADAC	Good (2.3)	Good (2.2)	Fair (3.5)	Good (1.8)	Has not been tested	Fair (2.8)	Good (2.3)	Has not been tested	Good (2.5)	Has not been tested	Has not been tested	Good (2.1)	Has not been tested	Has not been tested	Good (2.3)
Weight	about 250 grams	around 250 grams	about 280 grams	about 230 grams	around 185 grams	about 370 grams	about 300 grams	about 250 grams	around 230 grams	about 280 grams	about 225 grams	about 400 grams	about 350 grams	around 240 grams	about 230 grams
processing	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	hard shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	micro-shell	hard shell	hard shell	micro-shell	micro-shell
sizes	From 45 to 54 centimeters	From 49 to 58 centimeters	From 44 to 58 centimeters	From 49 to 62 centimeters)	From 46 to 52 centimeters	from 51 to 58 centimeters	From 47 to 54 centimeters	From 51 to 56 centimeters	from 51 to 57 centimeters	From 49 to 59 centimeters	From 45 to 55 centimeters	from 48 to 53 centimeters	From 53 to 55 centimeters (children’s helmet)	From 48 to 57 centimeters	From 46 to 57 centimeters

No helmet required

In Germany it is not a must to wear a helmet when cycling, not even for children. In fact, the risk of getting a serious head injury while biking is pretty low. Statistically speaking, such an accident happens exactly once, according to a study by the University of Copenhagen, if you cycle fast on average for 3000 years. Cyclists also die less frequently from serious head injuries than pedestrians or car occupants.

There is also controversy among experts about whether helmets actually provide as much protection as hoped: neurosurgeon Frank Thomas Möllmann and his colleagues from the University Hospital in Münster examined the reasons for bicycle accidents and frequent injuries in 2004. They examined more than 300 patients who sustained brain injuries while cycling. Almost all of them, namely 90 percent, had not worn a helmet. The researchers’ surprising conclusion: with or without a helmet – the degree of injury between the two groups was not significantly different.

Disagreement about the introduction of a helmet requirement

The basic study of the states of Baden-Württemberg and Thuringia in 2017, on the other hand, showed that a helmet lowers the risk of injury by 50 to 70 percent and can demonstrably reduce the consequences of a traumatic brain injury – the most common cycling injury at all. Sounds logical. Another study of accident research by insurers, the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Munich and the University Hospital in Münster also examined 543 accidents with cyclists in 2012 and 2013. She came to the conclusion that bicycle helmets have been shown to prevent or mitigate most life-threatening head injuries. And these are just two of the many studies that show that it is better to wear a helmet when cycling.

In countries like Australia, Chile, Finland or Spain, cyclists cannot avoid head protection. The law wants it that way. Even if the police in Germany recommend wearing a bicycle helmet – there is no compulsory helmet in Germany. According to Chancellor Angela Merkel, it should stay that way. At the 2013 Eurobike, she said that the government feared that more people would be prevented from cycling in an environmentally friendly and healthy manner.

Here she takes over the attitude of the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC), which refuses to wear a helmet, because then the car traffic would increase. In addition, the helmet requirement is neither enforced nor controlled. To avoid accidents, the association relies on cyclist-friendly traffic planning and an even faster speed limit for cars in residential areas.

In the unlikely event of a fall, unbelievably large forces act on the body. Unfortunately, the head is the central problem here, because it almost always hits the floor or another hard object. If the helmet fits correctly, you can at least reduce this force. The various shapes offered by many manufacturers, on the other hand, have no impact on safety, they are simply a question of taste.

It sits!

What can be said with good conscience despite controversial studies: every helmet is better than "topless" riding. Even a mixed model can reduce the risk of injury. And: The best head protection is of little use if it doesn’t fit.

Pay attention to the correct fit

Therefore, please take the tape measure first. Place it about one and a half centimeters above the eyebrows of your mini Lance Armstrong and then place it diagonally around the skull so that the band at the back of the head comes together slightly below the height of the forehead starting point. Compare these centimeters with the respective helmet size.

Here we have listed the size chart for children’s bike helmets:

helmet size	head circumference	Age
XS	44-49 cm	0-3 years
S	46-51 cm	2-7 years
S / M	49-53 cm	3-9 years
M	52-60 cm	4-12 years

Now it is time to fine-tune: According to the Stiftung Warentest, it must be ensured that the helmet shell is neither too wide nor too narrow. Feel free to shake your child’s head a little. The helmet must not slip even when the fastener is open. If this happens, you choose a smaller model.

The forehead and temples must be protected by the helmet as they are the most likely to cause injury. To do this, the bicycle helmet must sit horizontally. Soft cushions are ideally placed wherever the child’s head touches the shell. If this insulation is missing, it can become painful. Therefore, it makes sense that the little ones wear the helmet for a quarter of an hour before buying. Because kids are guaranteed not to put on an oppressive thing. Where do the straps optimally meet? About a finger’s width under the ear, while the strap is neither too loose nor too tight under the chin.

So that active girls and boys don’t tip off their bikes from the heat in the summer, wide ventilation slots are necessary, which must be insect-proof-network are provided. This is the only way a wasp does not drive small cyclists into total damage. It is also important, especially for older kids, that they can easily put on or take off their helmets themselves – and above all that they find them pretty. Otherwise you have to fight a fight before each bike tour.

Only a new helmet is a good helmet

Do you want to be on the safe side? Then your child has to say goodbye to his helmet immediately after a fall – even if the headgear looks great on the outside. It can be damaged inside. Therefore, it is better not to buy used products. Who knows how often the previous owner fell off the bike.

Be careful with used helmets

When buying, take a look at the production date in the helmet shell: the newer the better, because the material wears out. How long helmets are generally ready for use depends on use. However, after five years at the latest, many experts would replace it for security reasons. Please also pay attention to the CE mark, which guarantees compliance with German safety standards. And forbid your child to leave the helmet on in the playground – in the worst case the strap could strangle it.

Micro, hard or soft shell?

Micro shell bicycle helmets, the latest technology, are also the safest and best: At the same time, hard foam (expanded polystyrene, called EPS) is welded to the in-mold process with a thin layer of hard plastic that protects the EPS and slides better against the obstacle in the event of a crash.

Soft shell helmets do without this hard plastic layer. So they don’t protect the head so much. The state initiative "I wear a helmet" therefore says: "The process that was often used in the past for children’s helmets is outdated. These helmets should definitely be replaced. «

The extreme athletes among the head guards are hard-shell helmets, which downhill bikers also like to wear because of the hard outer shell. Its main weakness is its high weight.

So we tested

Because we didn’t want to push our two test children (7 and off the bike dozens of times to test the protective effect of the helmets, we almost exclusively decided on models that were tested by the Stiftung Warentest and the ADAC in their joint test with "Good" were evaluated. Only the Uvex Kid 3 and the KED Meggy Originals got the grade "satisfactory". However, since they are bestsellers, we also looked at them.

As far as the pollutant content is concerned, all ten models are harmless, according to the Stiftung Warentest and ADAC: apart from the Nutcase Littly Nutty and the KED Meggy Originals, which are rated "Good", they all get a smooth one. What else we focused on: straps, chin strap and width adjustment, fit, insect protection, design, weight, material, comfort and safety as well as the lighting.

First of all: It is of course quite difficult to test bicycle helmets as universally as possible, because every head is different: flat, wide, Homer Simpson-like … In our case, we had to rely on our two test children, of whom the eight-year-olds had a relatively large one Turnip, the seven-year-old for their Age carries a very small head around with him.

The most important thing is of course that you let your pupil try on the helmet. The best helmet is useless if it is not properly seated or is so uncomfortable to wear that it does not like to be put on. Our recommendations are therefore primarily intended as a decision aid, which you should try out first. In the end, you have to decide which one your child gets along with best.

Test winner: Alpina Ximo Flash

With the Alpina Ximo Flash micro shell helmet, pretty much everything is right: the straps, chin straps and helmet size can be easily adjusted or adjusted – for example with the uncomplicated rotary wheel on the back, which, incidentally, all test models have.