The poorly adjusted helmet, a more common mistake than it should be

It may seem obvious, but the reality is that there are quite a few road cycling and mountain bike enthusiasts who ride with their helmet improperly positioned. Here we are going to give you some tips on how to properly wear your helmet, which, although most of you probably already know what we are talking about, goes beyond just adjusting the rear wheel.

How to adjust the helmet correctly

First of all, it is vital that the helmet we use is the correct size for us. Do not skimp on trying it on before buying it, because an ill-fitting helmet that is not the right size will be as uncomfortable as it is dangerous.

When adjusting the helmet correctly, we must follow four simple steps:

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1. Place it in the appropriate position, perfectly balanced and without leaning more forward than backward or to one side than the other
2. Adjust the retention system (at the back of the head approximately) until it feels firm enough, tight but not uncomfortable. This step is quite simple thanks to the millimeter adjustment dials that are present in almost all helmets nowadays
3. Regarding the adjustment of the side buckles, which regulate the straps that go around the ears, two things must be taken into account. They should be positioned below the ear, not near the chin to prevent them from coming loose. Secondly, both straps must be balanced to avoid tilting the helmet excessively to one side or the other
4. When tightening the buckle closure, keep in mind that when tilting your neck back on the bike, it will be looser than when you decide to adjust the helmet while standing before getting on the bike. In other words, it should be slightly tighter so that in the natural position on the bike it fits properly

All of this can be summarized in a phrase that we have heard on more than one occasion from many cyclists and that has been popularized by Ibón Zugasti "the helmet always straight".