Fox Racing recently dropped the Speedframe trail helmet for trail riding. We caught up with the guys from Fox at the Winter Bike Connection event in Italy. They gave us a Speedframe Pro to test, the top-end feature-packed model, priced at $159.95. Fox also offer a $109.95 Speedframe with fewer features, but importantly, both have the MIPS-C2 rotational impact protection system. Here are our thoughts on the Fox Speedframe Pro.
Feature image by Winter Bike Connection – Rupert Fowler
Tried & Tested: Fox Speedframe Pro
The Speedframe Pro helmet has earned Virginia Tech’s best rating (5 STARS) in its Bicycle Helmet Ratings program. Not too shabby for a rather svelte helmet that actually looks good too. The Fox website reports a weight of 360g but doesn’t indicate what size that corresponds to. We weighed a size small in at 340g.
Speedrame Pro Details:
- Intended use: Trail Riding
- Sizing: S, M, L (51cm – 63cm)
- Safety features: MPIS-C2, Varizorb Dual-density EPS
- Fidlock SNAP buckle
- Removable, washable XT2 liner
- 360 degree fit system
- 3-position visor
- 21 vents
My head measures up at 52cm, so I wore the small Fox Speedframe Pro, recommended for circumferences of 51cm-56cm. The 360° fit is just that. The helmet fits securely and comfortably all the way around my head, with no loose points or pressure points anywhere. The rear dial offers 28 clicks of adjustment.
The chin strap length is adjustable but the divider position is not. That said, I felt no need to adjust the position of the divider. It sits at an appropriate position underneath my ear lobes. Its lack of adjustability means that, from the divider up, the strap length can’t actually change. Less fiddling. More riding.
The Speedframe Pro has the premium-feature Fidlock SNAP buckle, which uses a magnet to slide into position. It’s super easy to use, even with gloves on, and the magnet lets you to fasten it with one hand.
The visor of the Fox Speedframe Pro can sit in three different positions. Push it to the top position to stow goggles underneath. We used the helmet with two different types of MTB goggles; Smith Squad and Leatt Velocity 4.5. Both are compatible with the Speedframe. The helmet’s rear is shaped with a ridge to stop the strap slipping up or down.
The Speedrame features cavernous ventilation, by virtue of the 21 vents with internal channeling for maximal airflow. The shell of the helmet wraps the whole way around and underneath the edges to protect the dual density Varizorb EPS. The XT2 comfort liner is removable and washable, and features anti-microbial properties to manage odor.
The Bottom Line: Fox Speedframe Pro
We’d highly recommend the Fox Speedframe Pro. It is a superb helmet for trail riding, packed with plentiful safety features. The design is well thought through, from the visor to the buckle, from the ventilation to compatibility with goggles. It is comfortable enough for a long day in the saddle. It is pretty lightweight and the coverage isn’t entirely comprehensive; it is just a trail helmet after all. We wouldn’t be going full send in it. We’d rather put our trust in the Dropframe for that.
The cheaper one
Fox also offer the Speedframe MIPS, the lower-end version priced at $109.95. As the name suggests, it retains the MIPS-C2 rotational impact system but it does lose the dual density Varizorb EPS offered by the Pro. It also loses the Fidlock buckle, replaced by a standard plastic buckle, and drops the gloss finish for matte.
