A helmet with a bit of difference, the wood-effect shell and leather straps of the Lazer Street Deluxe Wood helmet give plenty of chic style – not words I thought I’d ever be writing about a helmet.
For a helmet with a bit of a difference, and at a price that won’t make you squirm, the Lazer Street Deluxe Wood helmet is just the ticket – particularly if you spend most of your cycling time pottering around town rather than racing the roads. Considering Lazer is the oldest helmet brand in the world, the look and feel is fantastically modern.
The Lazer Street Deluxe Wood is similar to the Giro Reverb in its skater-style shape, but what sets this model apart from the pack is its wood-effect finish.
Yes, wood! Just as other helmets have a print or pattern on their shell, this has a very realistic wood-grain effect printed on, and I had to check several times before I was certain it definitely wasn’t wood (it’s a fancy plastic instead). It fooled friends and passers-by too.
Sadly, as much as I love this helmet, I can’t help thinking that from some angles it makes me look like a mushroom. This is not to fault the helmet; it’s just the shape of my head (which is on the large side). I found the fit tricky to get right too, as I’m used to the adjustable dial system in my Kask Mojito (road style) helmet.
With the Lazer Street Deluxe Wood, the size of the shell dictates the fit, and it’s tweaked by changing the thickness of the padding inside (two sets of front and rear pads are provided). I found that with the thinnest pads in, the helmet pressed slightly on the corners of my forehead but was loose elsewhere, so going up a size would have been too big. However, as I’ve ridden in it more, that pressure had eased and I’ve noticed it less.
I’ve been meaning to get a less roadie style helmet for a while, as when I’m not on my road bike I’m on my Pashley, and my Kask Mojito looks a bit out of place on it.
The thing that’s been deterring me is the thought that a skater helmet will make my head incredibly hot with its lack of vents. Fortunately, that hasn’t been the case with the Lazer Street Deluxe at all. It has 16 vents, including two effective ones at the front and six at the back, and I’ve felt a breeze as I’ve been cycling around.
At over twice the weight of my road helmet (it weighs 450g) this isn’t going to replace it for long rides, but for pottering around town, it’s ideal.
While adjusting the fit of the circumference of the helmet isn’t easy, adjusting the stylish leather straps is. Initially a little stiff, they quickly give and are less fiddly than those typically found on a road helmet. And the clasp snaps together magnetically – a wonderfully simple but effective feature that quickly secures the helmet.
Verdict
A wooden helmet? Cor, I would! A stylish offering from Lazer, just get the fit right and city riding will be a breeze.
Pros
– The venting
– Good quality leather straps
– Magnetic clasp
– Wood-effect style
Cons
– The lack of flexibility on sizing
Weight: 450g
Price: £49.99
Sizes: S, M, L
More information: Lazer
UK supplier: Madison
What Lazer says about Street Deluxe Wood helmet:
– Urban Looks
– Comfortable shape
– Fit System: Multiple thickness padding
– Construction: Technopolymer injected
– Ventilation: 16 vents
– Weight: 450g (M) CE
– Certification: CE – CPSC – AS
