Don’t sleep on house-brand helmets and accessories because Cannondale has a versatile winner in the all-new Dynam MIPS Helmet. Available in a variety of colors, this affordable helmet also features the protection of MIPS for the utmost in safety. I’ve been keen to wear this one for road, gravel and mountain biking and it’s a keeper.
Cannondale Dynam MIPS Helmet Features:
- Advanced In-mold construction with PolyRail supports for structural integrity and increased ventilation
- IntelliVent design with bi-level exhaust vents, three central vents, & two temple intakes for max airflow
- FrameLock eyewear grippers
- MIPS Air Node with 360° wrap retention system and ErgoFit+ dial
- Fidlock buckle closure
- BioMap Fit delivers the best shape for a secure, easily adjustable fit
- Weight: 330 grams (medium, actual)
- MSRP: $180
Dynamic lid for all rides
Honestly, a Cannondale helmet hadn’t really crossed my mind when considering new helmets to test. I guess if Specialized and Trek can garner piles of accolades for their helmets, then why not Cannondale? With a modest helmet offering that is almost 100% mountain and urban-focused, the all-new Cannondale Dynam MIPS stands out as a road-focused lid that can hold its own among the competition.
Let me walk through the features and specs from an unboxing perspective. The MIPS Air Node system is one of a variety of MIPS designs we’ve seen in recent years. Gone are the typical yellow cage and liners are now built with anti-friction surfaces that allow the liner to rotate independently from the shell. The goal is to minimize rotational forces in a crash. I’ve tested it first-hand in a crash several years ago and I’m a believer. This simplified system has all the you’d expect from a MIPS helmet, but has yet to be tested by Virginia Tech. That said, it’s a pretty safe bet it’ll be a 5-star rating.
Notably, the rear strap isn’t fixed to the helmet and can allow the strap placement to get wonky. Just keep that in mind and make sure it’s centered before putting it on. The strap yokes are not adjustable and I prefer that. With fixed under-ear placement, I’ve found it to work great and sit flush against my face without the need to fiddle with additional ways to mess things up unnecessarily. With that, the only adjustment is at the strap where you’ll find a magnetic Fidlock buckle to secure it in place. Connecting it together is intuitive and smooth. It’s been since the Bontrager Specter WaveCel that I’ve had a Fidlock buckle and I forgot how nice it is.
The retention system uses an ErgoFit+ dial and it works well providing just the right fit for my noggin. I haven’t experienced any pressure points in almost 6 months of active use and the shape just plain fits perfectly. Tension is evenly-distributed around the helmet for a secure, comfortable fit.
As mentioned, I’ve not been shy about rocking the Dynam across road, gravel and MTB. To be honest, I prefer a road helmet across all those disciplines because I find visors to get in the way of forward vision when riding in an aggressive position. For that purpose, much like the Trek Velocis MIPS, the Dynam features an angled brow to further enhance forward vision when riding aggressively in the drops. It worked great on the Velocis and works equally-well with the Dynam as the brow never gets in the way.
Airflow is outstanding, but not best-in-class. There are more airy helmets but most of them cost almost twice as much. Importantly, sweat management is better than most. Sweat is mostly contained and only drips inside my sunglasses after extremely-hard or hot efforts. Even so, it’s never a river of sweat. For the most part, drips fall in front of and away from the outside of the lenses in my riding position. I’ll call sweat management better than average if you’re riding aggressively.
On the roughest terrain, the retention system maintains a solid connection without any bouncing around or tapping against large-framed sunglasses. In addition, across a variety of sunglasses, I’ve had no interference with the retention system. Primarily, I’ve ridden with the Vinco Sola Sunglasses (review coming) and everything works seamlessly. When not worn, sunglasses can be placed in the Framelock grippers for secure storage. This system works great.
Admittedly, the look is a bit chunky and the Blue Ribbon color is a little more zippy than my typical white, but it’s growing on me. Of course, traditional white, black and yellow are options.
The Good:
- Angled front brow allows forward vision
- Good ventilation for warm days
- Low-profile MIPS system
- Non-adjustable strap yokes make for easy fitment
- Retention system is comfortable and easily-adjusted
- Liner is fantastically comfortable
- Really competitive pricing
- I like the Fidlock buckle’s ease-of-use
- Really surprised how much I like this helmet
The Bad:
- Heavier than competing helmets
- Rear strap isn’t fixed and can get skewed
The Bottom Line: Cannondale Dynam MIPS Helmet
Not known for high-end road helmets, the Cannondale Dynam MIPS deserves some attention. The MIPS Air Node design simplifies the system while still providing the utmost in head protection. Above all, the Dynam simply fits like a glove and disappears in the saddle. Ventilation is great and sweat management is above average.
Buy Now: Visit Cannondale.com
