About BMX Bike Helmets

BMX, also known as bicycle motocross, is a sport that involves extreme racing on tracks often with inline starts and obstacles. Started in the 1970s when children began racing their bikes on dirt tracks in California, the sport was widely popularized with the racing documentary “On Any Sunday.” It has since become a full medal Olympic sport. Whether you race or just have a BMX bike, you should accessorize with a BMX bike helmet.

There are two main types of BMX bike helmets: full face helmets and open face helmets. Full face helmets offer the most protection, as they cover the base of the head and have a protective panel that covers the chin. This chin piece is extremely important, as research has shown that 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in crashes have had major impact in this area.

While bicycle motocross is not as extreme or dangerous as motorcycle riding, similar risks are posed. Some full face helmets also have a visor built into the helmet that can slide up and down to provide added protection. Other full face helmets merely have a cutout that allows the rider to wear their own eye protection in the form of goggles. Full face helmets specially designed for motocross often have elongated chin and visor parts to provide additional protection. Open face helmets provide less protection but are less bulky than full face helmets. They still provide protection to the base of the head but lack chin and lower face protection.   

Most BMX bike helmets come with adjustable padding to provide for a comfortable fit and are vented to allow for cooling.  The majority are also ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) certified and have an inner EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) with an outer shell made out of plastic or a fiber material.  Because these helmets are designed to break in a crash to mitigate any force that may be applied to the head, they must be replaced after an accident.