BBB Hawk helmet

BBB’s Hawk is a decent and comfortable lid, straddling the budget to mid-range price points. It looks a lot like MET’s Forte and has what I think of as a ‘universal helmet spec’: it conforms to the EN1078 safety standard; features in mould construction; has easy align straps; and the cradle adjusts with a twisting dial.

With 24 generous vents it scoops enough air to prevent your head boiling in summer but with a Buff or cap underneath isn’t too cold in winter. The pads supplied let you fine-tune the fit and they’re anti-bacterial and washable. Our 52-58cm sized Hawk needed dialling to the tightest setting and fitting with thicker pads for a genuinely secure fit. Higher end BBB road helmets, also named after birds, feature a more refined fitting system.

A single rear reflective helps visibility a bit, though a tiny LED could easily have been incorporated into the adjusting dial for additional winter safety. That said, the Hawk can be equipped with LED lighting systems and similar extras more readily than most road-specific lids.

Out in the real world, I quickly forgot the Hawk’s minor shortcomings. As the tempo increased, the vents admitted plenty of cooling air without leaving me feeling chill. While it didn’t induce ice-cream headaches on fast, blustery descents, those of us with five o’clock shadow hairstyles will still want insulation underneath the helmet when it’s cold, and sudden downpours had me reaching for my Gore-Tex helmet cover.

It’s easy to keep clean: a damp cloth took care of mud, silt and bird droppings. And several weeks of constant service suggests it should, spills allowing, see a good few seasons’ use before retirement. However, in a fiercely competitive market the Hawk isn’t markedly better than a host of similar designs. It’s available in a choice of blue, red, or black.

Good value, if unremarkable mid-range road lid

Verdict

Good value, if unremarkable, mid range road lid