Gear of the week

New products ridden and rated

MET Rivale MIPS helmet £150

The MET Rivale MIPS road helmet is designed for those riders who want a bit of everything. It’s lightweight, has an MIPS liner for added safety and combines aerodynamic features with lots of ventilation for a fast but cool head. Vitally it won’t cost you as much as many of its competitors. But is it really possible to be all things to all cyclists?

The Rivale MIPS consists of an EPS liner in a polycarbonate shell and the up-to-date MIPS C2 liner for additional protection from rotational forces. For a helmet with aero properties, the Rivale has a svelte look about it and doesn’t appear at all bulky on your head.

The overall shape and design of the Rivale aims to optimise ventilation while maintaining aerodynamics. The mainstay of this is the NACA vent (a low-drag air inlet which has a ramped and curved design) towards the rear of the helmet which channels the air over the top and back. In total there are 18 vents. Those at the front of the helmet are designed to maximise the ventilation to counter what is lost at the back due to the more aero design. Two of the front vents double up as sunglasses ports.

On the road the Rivale MIPS felt light. Ventilation was good too, and the more enclosed aero parts of the helmets didn’t make it noticeably hotter than other helmets we’ve ridden. We’ve used it predominantly for road rides but it’s also proved to be a really good commuter helmet – there’s plenty of clearance at the rear for when you’re wearing a backpack while the position of the vents means it can accommodate a centrally mounted bike light if required.

The MET Rivale MIPS does really seem to meet the lofty demands of the road rider who wants a bit of everything. Yes, there are helmets that are lighter, cooler and more aero, but we’ve yet to come across one that does all of these things at this competitive price point.