Cannondale hasn’t been in the helmet game for long, but its modest range covers several disciplines – with many helmets boasting MIPS protection. I’ve been lucky enough to test the Junction, intended to appeal to anyone dabbling in both on and off-road riding.
Price-wise it’s pitched as a budget option, I was keen to see how it compared to other similarly priced options among the best budget cycling helmets that are well suited to casual riders and commuters.
Cannondale Junction MIPS: Construction
The Junction’s short front end is offset with some stylish profiling and a removable peak; Cannondale has done a good job of avoiding a ‘casual commuter look’.
23 vents of varying sizes, shapes and profiles are positioned to promote air intake. Interior channels, arguably above the Junction’s price point, encourage airflow along the length of the helmet to the rear ‘outlet ports’.
The MIPS insert has a reassuring amount of play; it should effectively dampen rotational forces in the case of an impact.
The helmet is finished off with a microshell, again, a tidy affair for the price point. The upper element has a classy matt appearance, the lower level is a gloss one.
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The helmet is available in two sizes, S/M and L/XL, and comes in three different colours: black, grey and blue (the US market have two further options, ‘quicksand’ and ‘black cherry’).
Cannondale Junction Adult Helmet: the ride
Getting the helmet set up size-wise is worth the effort. There’s potentially three different height ‘settings’ thanks to a row of pop-out nipples incorporated into the basket. I say ‘potentially’ as Cannondale don’t mention (on their website) whether having just one of the nipples engaged is sufficient. At worst you have two height options.
(Image credit: Emma Silversides)
A rear dial, sufficiently profiled to work effectively with gloved fingers, winds in the cradle’s circumference. While I’ve found the S/M (claimed to fit a 54-58cm head) to be a perfect fit, some might struggle with just two size options though so trying before you buy might be advisable.
(Image credit: Emma Silversides)
There’s loads of length to the straps and once adjusted you’ll likely want to cut off the excess. They are far from easy to feed through the v-shaped splitters but effort is rewarded with straps that…