Joe finds out if Ride 100%’s first foray into the open face helmet market stacks up in this very competitive market.
It certainly has all the right ingredients, but can Ride 100%’s opening sortie into the world of open face helmets cut the mustard? Joe has been finding out.
Photos by Dave Price.
Key features:
- Smartshock® – 14 Point Smartshock® Rotational Protective System
- Multi-density EPS foam – injection moulded with polycarbonate
- Massive airflow – With an impressive 15 ventilation ports
- 350 grams (Medium Shell, claimed)
- Expanded coverage while still lightweight
- Sunglass Storage – Integrated sunglass storage system
- Multi-point adjustable visor designed for maximum vision and goggle stowage
- Anti-microbial moisture-wicking liner is washable
- Adjustable Ratcheting Fitment System
- Nexus Push Release Snap-Buckle
- RRP £139.99
- 100Percent.com
Buy online at Cyclestore for £125.10.
The Altec is 100%’s first open face helmet and has a host of features, as you would expect of a £140 helmet.
I need to just touch on the sizing/fit. I was sent a size Medium, which on paper should fit me, but in reality I seem to have a slightly weird shaped head… either that or my ears are too high. This means I find a lot of helmets touch the top of my ears, and in this case the adjustable cage at the rear could cut into my ear-head join (non-technical term) which would be uncomfortable on rides over around an hour or so long.
I have had this issue with several other helmets over the years, so it is no means unique to the 100% Altec. Aside from that issue, it was easy to get a snug fit with no unwanted movement, and the straps were easy to adjust. I did get my wife to try it for size too and she had no issues with it catching her ears, and it fits her fine, so it must be my unique and weird shaped head.
Ensuring it fits correctly and comfortably is the number one thing to get right when choosing a helmet, so I would always recommend trying on a few before making a decision, even if you do have regular placed ears.
So with my ear issue put one side, I did still use the helmet on shorter rides and it performed well. The large vents provided plenty of airflow to keep my head cool, and the large adjustable peak worked well with goggles to allow storage below the peak on climbs, avoiding the need to remove them and store them on the rear of the helmet. On the rear of the helmet, there is a moulded sunglasses storage feature. I did try storing my Oakley glasses there, but unless I kept really still on the bike they would jiggle lose and fall off, so I had no confidence to use the feature on anything but a road ride. It may work better with different brands of glasses to worth testing it before purchase if you plan to use this feature.
As with most helmets priced over £100 these days, it has an MIPS-style system. 100% call it Smartshock. A series of rubber shock absorbers sit between your head and the EPS foam shell and provide a small degree of movement on impact, reducing the rotational impact on your head should you smash it into something immovable. Luckily, I never needed to test it to its full extent, unlike the last helmet I tested which I truly tested to destruction…
What do we think?
So overall, the 100% Altec is another quality helmet to choose from, just make sure you try for size before buying.
We love:
- Well ventilated
- Solid and adjustable peak/goggle storage
Could do better:
- Sunglasses holder didn’t really work
You can check out the Ride 100% Altec helmet on their website here.
Buy online at Cyclestore for £125.10.
