Trail & Gravity Helmets: 5 of the Best from ABUS
Made in Italy, Abus has some of the most compelling mountain bike helmets you can buy today. Now available in South Africa, we picked our five favorites from their extensive Trail and Gravity range that we think are hot for ’24.
Video Review
Abus CliffHanger
Extended protection for the shredders
The Cliffhanger is a high-end mountain bike helmet with all the bells and whistles including extended protection, height and circumference adjustability, high-tech structural reinforcements and goggle compatibility.
Eight air inlets and six air outlet vents offer plenty of cooling for even the most stifling of conditions. The adjustable visor has two distinct positions; tilt it down for shredding and tilt it up for stowing goggles.
Fitting and adjustment is easy and once on it’s apparent that comfort is king with the Cliffhanger. The shells internal padding is minimalist yet perfectly positioned such that there’s little to no direct contact between your head and the EPS foam. The magnetic Fidlock buckle adds a touch of class and at 325 grams it’s by no means a clunker. | Learn more.
Abus MoDrop MIPS
The do-it-all Trail Helmet
The Modrop is a stylish, well-ventilated and versatile mountain bike helmet that is priced around R3500. Construction is similar to the Cliffhanger yet it foregoes the Acticage protection technology in favour of MIPS.
The visor is micro-adjustable, offering plenty of real estate to stow goggles when climbing and three of the front vents have a mesh to prevent bugs from getting close to you. Ever been stung on the head by a bee when hurtling down a trail? – it’s NOT fun.
When it comes to comfort, the Cliffhanger just edges out the Modrop yet the two are equal when it comes to style points. Impressively, the MIPS inside the Modrop doesn’t creak and crackle like on some other brands. The Modrop is also compatible with the brand’s fall detection technology known as Quin. | Learn more.
Abus MoTrip
For general off-road riding
The Motrip has a mid-pack price range of around R1900 yet it carries many of the features that you’d expect from a top-level mountain bike helmet. 340 grams is not hefty for an off-road helmet, it has 14 air vents, height and circumference adjustability and similar styling to the Modrop.
Construction wise the Motrip features an in-mould process which improves durability. Beyond its secure fit and high levels of comfort, the Motrip has goggle compatibility and a four-position indexed-adjust visor.
The padding above the brow will do a good job of directing the sweat away from your eyewear and out of your field of vision. At around R1900, the Motrip packs in a lot of value as a trail-riding workhorse. | Learn more
Abus HiDrop
Maximum coverage and protection for fast riding
The Hidrop offers World Cup-level protection for eMTB, Enduro, BMX and Downhill riding. Construction details include an ABS shell with an EPS and EPP core that meets and exceeds all international certification standards.
The combination of a relatively low weight (1070 grams) and well executed ventilation make this a great helmet for anything from shuttle runs, to bike park laps or BMX racing — especially when the temperatures are high. Light it may be but make no mistake this is a robust and burly full-face helmet offering maximum protection.
Features include breathable cheek pad inserts, the safety of a breakaway visor and a secure double D-ring buckle. Naturally it is goggle compatible, however it can be run with your favorite eyewear or spectacles. The padding is relatively thick and so the helmet has a very snug feel, holding your head firmly. Retail pricing is around R5 600. | Learn more
Abus YouDrop FF
Kids full-face helmet with removable chin guard
Fitting head sizes from 48 to 55cm the Abus YouDrop FF is made for kids and teens who are shredding. In full-face mode the Youdrop offers maximum protection for your kiddos and at just 440 grams isn’t going to weigh them down.
The in-mould construction process levels up the overall premium look and feel of the Youdrop, and improves durability too. 14 air vents is more than sufficient for even the hottest days out and the padding is removable for washing.
The Youdrop FF has height and circumference adjustability, with a buckle system that is easy to operate. In either mode, this is a great choice for any type of mountain biking that your shredder does. Recommended retail pricing is R 3200. | Learn more //