BBB Falcon Quick Step - Helmet

BBB isn't the first name that springs to mind when thinking of £100 helmets (well, give or take 5p), but their top of the line Falcon helmet graces the heads of notable pros such as Tom Boonen and everyone's favourite have-a-go hero, Johnny Hoogerland. The Quickstep version tested here is relatively subdued in its white and faux-carbon livery, with only a few Quickstep stickers giving away its origin. As such, it should play well with the majority of kit colour combos - an important consideration when trying to look 'PRO'. There is also a Cofidis version and a non team coloured one too.

The Falcon is middle of the road when it comes to the level of coverage it provides. You won't feel exposed with it on, but the sides are a little higher than on some other helmets. The shape itself is quite rounded and should fit a wide range of head shapes. The three spikes at the back lend the Falcon an aggressive appearance befitting of a racing lid.

Deep internal channels run the length of the helmet which funnel the air effectively from the plethora of frontal vents to the exit ports. In use, ventilation is good if not spectacular. It's not something that immediately jumps out at you, but I never suffered from an overheating noggin.

The fit is adjustable through a cradle which provides a wide range of circumferential adjustability (a phrase to conjure with - ed). Whilst not technically adjustable in the vertical plane, there is enough flexibility in the plastic arms to position the cradle just where you want it. The operation of the ratchets is necessarily a two handed operation which makes it more difficult to adjust while riding than systems which use a single dial. Once the fit is sorted however, the helmet sits well on the head and one soon forgets that it's there at all.

The rather basic ratcheting system does have its downsides though. Opening the ratchets up so that the cradle can be loosened requires you to press into the back of your head which in turn makes it harder to release the tension. The result is a very jerky action not befitting a helmet of this price. Similarly priced helmets from the likes of Bell, (the Sweep) and Met (the Stradivarius) have systems that are much easier to adjust on the fly. Overall, the cradle has a very 'plasticky' feel to it and just looks plain cheap.

The pads too, are also not the highest quality and could do more to wick sweat away. I did find that sweat was liable to drip down into my eyes when toiling up steep grades at low speed. On the other hand, the locking clips on the straps are a useful feature when adjusting the straps so that they lie flat.

Verdict

Tricky one, it's definitely not a bad helmet, but the Falcon doesn't exude the quality you'd expect from a helmet costing almost £100, although it also has to be said that these days that price makes it more of an upper mid-range lid than a high end one. In use, it performs well but if I was spending my money on it I'd feel short changed by the cheap plastic cradle and the poor ratcheting design. That said, at the right price I'd consider buying one.