HJC Ibex 2.0 review

The HJC Ibex 2.0 helmet was selected for an Editor's Choice award in 2020. This year's list contains 78 items which scored a 9 or 10/10 with our tech team - this gear is the best of the best, and has received the Cycling Weekly stamp of approval. 

Automation can be a good thing. There are some jobs that just become tedious and if there's an easier way of doing it or even better, something to do it for me, then I'm all for it. I never felt this way about my cycle helmet and it's almost standardised dial system for fitting it to your head until, that is, I tested the HJC Ibex 2.0.

HJC has fitted what it calls its Selfit system in the Ibex 2.0, in contrast to the usual dial based cradle used by other brands. This is effectively a sprung loaded variation that automatically adjusts itself to provide what HJC deems to be the correct amount of retention pressure to your cranium in order to keep the helmet from rattling off your head. I was at first sceptical, expecting it to slip and feel unsafe during the first ride and with the thought in the back of my mind that it would pop off, leaving my head exposed, in the event of a crash. This was of course not the case, in fact the system provided one of the most comfortable experiences of wearing a cycle helmet I've had so far. It also suddenly made me realise that I have probably been over tightening my helmets over recent years.

The system can also be adjusted for head size before use to further alter the level of retention if so needed. The fit of my medium helmet was spot on and despite having a head size at the lower end of the recommended span (56cm) it didn't make the overall size too large and cumbersome.

What also makes this comfort even more unexpected is HJC provide the bare minimum of internal padding, just a section across the brow. There is an optional extra pad you can add to the crown of the inside but I honestly never felt the need for it. To add to this comfort the straps of the Ibex 2.0 are very soft and supple and, like the rest of the helmet, were quickly forgotten about whilst riding.

The Ibex 2.0 is also very light, weighing in at 223 grams for the medium test helmet. This is a little over what HJC claim but is still up there as one of the lighter helmets on the market.

Airflow is also very good thanks to the sixteen vents strategically placed around the shell and it coped admirably during our (sadly, since passed) hot summer. It's also good to note that not only did the helmet interact well with a range of different brand eyewear but it also has a simple solution for placing said eyewear when not needed.

The only aspect of the Ibex 2.0 that I feel lets it down slightly is the lack of any additional safety measures such as MIPS that have been proven to increase your protection in the event of a crash. I would be prepared to put up with a little extra weight in response to the extra reassurance this technology can bring.

In terms of value, whilst £200 is a considerable amount of money to pay, it is less than most of the other brands top level helmets.

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