I always encourage bike riders to wear a helmet. I'm sure some people think it's a burden to wear one and interferes with their image but I've had two instances in my life that make me wear a helmet always. I witnessed my mate go over the bars and crack his head on a rock putting a serious dent in his helmet, who knows what would've happened if it had been his head, and I lost 30 minutes of memory in 2010 when I rounded a bus. I remember going round the bus and the next thing I remember is locking my bike up at work with a split ear and a cracked helmet. No permanent damage but I'm sure my helmet saved my head.

Having bought a new helmet in 2010 after my accident I thought it best to invest in a new one in 2018, with it being 8 years old and luckily not having to use it. Having done a little bit of research I opted for the Giro Chronicle MIPS helmet in an olive colour.

Having looked around there were two main reasons for choosing the chronicle. First I didn't see any reviews that rated it any less than 4.5 out 5. Taking into account personal preference that is a good score especially when the majority of reviews were 5 out of 5. Secondly was the price. Most stores list the chronicles recommended retail price between 74.99 and £99.99. That tends to depend on the colour you choose, with light blue being the most expensive. I opt for more natural colours and the olive helmet I found for £64.99. As the natural green matches my kit it is perfect.

In addition there are a couple of other of the Giro Chronicle MIPS features that caught my eye. Obviously a big selling point is that the helmet is MIPS equipped. The MIPS technology, or Multi-Directional Impact Protection System, has been developed in Sweden since 1996 and is scientifically proven to reduce rotational motion by absorbing and redirecting rotational energies and forces transferred to the brain from angled impacts to the head. So in a nutshell further protects the brain from minor or severe brain injuries during impacts.In a helmet with MIPS Brain Protection System (BPS) the shell and the liner are separated by a Low Friction Layer. When a helmet with MIPS Brain Protection System is subjected to an angled impact, the low friction layer allows the helmet to slide relative to the head. The MIPS BPS is designed to add protection in helmets against the rotational motion. The rotational motion is a combination of rotational energy (angular velocity) and rotational forces (from angular acceleration) that both affects the brain and increases the risk for minor and severe brain injuries. MIPS BPS has been scientifically proven to reduce rotational motion when implemented in a helmet by absorbing and redirecting rotational energies and forces transferred to the brain.Whilst MIPS was probably the biggest selling, I was interested in the 'Deep coverage P.O.V Plus visor'. The visor on my last helmet was short and looked good but didn't really block the sun. So a deeper visor sounded more functional.

Other features advertised are, extra plush Coolmax padding, Roc Loc 5 Fit System, 14 Wind Tunnel vents with internal channeling and In-mold polycarbonate shell with EPS liner.

Having had the Helmet now for over nearly a year I can honestly say I'm very impressed. It's very comfortable, it sits well on the head and feels very stable. Now I can't comment on the protection as luckily I've not had an accident to test it. The visor I was interested in does the job without protruding out too much. The only thing I would say is whilst it is ideal for the English weather I think if you bike in a hot country the'14 Wind Tunnel vents' don't provide enough cooling. In 2018 England had one of the hottest summerson record and doing a 4 day 12 hour a day trip I did notice my head getting hot at certain points. On the flip side it regulates your head temperature in the winter to help keep you warm.

All in all I would definitely recommend this helmet...especially at the price you can buy the Giro Chronicle for. It's well worth the investment.