Kask Urban-R cycle helmet review: now with added illumination

Kask Urban-R cycle helmet review in sentence: Head protection that comes with the added benefit of an optional and attachable bike light.

As our best cycling helmet guide reveals, there are plenty of options out there for cycle helmets, but getting one that’s been carefully teamed up with a rear-facing cycle light isn’t always as straightforward.

Now though, Italian cycle headgear specialists Kask has come up with the perfect pairing in the shape of the Kask Urban-R cycle helmet and the accompanying Limelight add-on accessory. It’s a great idea because the helmet design has been specifically designed to incorporate the easy fitment of the bike light. That said, the Limelight will work with other helmets in the Kask range thanks to its special mounting bracket.

If you want to know more about T3's product reviews, take a read of our how we test page. In the meantime though, read on for my thoughts about the Kask Urban-R cycle helmet.

Kask Urban-R cycle helmet: price and availability

The Kask Urban-R is available now for £189 and $250 and, in the case of the example I’ve been trying out, comes with the Limelight as an optional add-on. 

You can purchase the Limelight as a standalone unit for £50, $39 or AUD $55, but it works best if you pair it with one of the KASK's Urban helmet range - the Moebius, Moebius Elite, and my pick here, the Urban R. The unit has been designed to work easily with these helmets in the portfolio, using the nicely designed mounting bracket.

Kask Urban-R cycle helmet: design, build and safety

The 410 gram Kask Urban-R cycle helmet is an impressive looking thing, with some cool design lines as you’d expect from the Italian brand. My helmet also features an adjustable visor too, which makes a lot of sense if you tire of getting bugs and other detritus in your eyes if you’re going at any kind of speed. 

The lid is also nicely ventilated, with three ventilation holes that span the top of the helmet, while Silver Plus antibacterial and antifungal treatment of the inner padding should mean it’ll stay whiff free for the foreseeable future.

Fitting the helmet is made as easy as it always is with a Kask thanks to the neat Ergo Fit system. This lets you adjust the area that sits on your head using a dial at the back of the helmet, which can be done while you’ve got it in your hands or also while it’s on your head. 

The strap is fully adjustable too, while the overall feel of the materials used here is excellent. Meanwhile, safety certification means that it meets CP EN 1078 / CPSC 1203 standards and you can get it in all sizes, from small to extra large, ranging from 51cm to 63cm.

So that’s one part of the package. The other is, of course, the Limelight add-on, which is a decent sized LED rear-facing light that has been designed to work in tandem with Kask headgear. 

It features five different flashing modes; steady low. Steady medium, steady high, flash low and flashing high. Impressively, there’s up to eleven hours of uptime if you’ve charged it beforehand, which can be done using a supplied USB-C cable. If you’re less than organised, fear not as the Limelight flags battery life of 15% and under with a special light signal. Just so you know, and that’s mighty handy.

Kask Urban-R cycle helmet: in use

What’s really useful with the Kask Urban-R is the way the visor is interchangeable, so I can get a different shade when the weather changes and it acts as a great way to manage light flow. Of course, that does add a little to the already chunky 410-gram weight, but I’ve not really found this to be a disadvantage when I’ve been out riding. In fact, considering this isn’t one of the most svelte cycle helmets in the Kask range it actually feels really good on your head.

I also like the quick-release strap mechanism along with the way the helmet can be adjusted for s snug fit on your scalp when you’ve got it on. My helmet arrived in black, but there are other more exotic colours in the range if you fancy something a little more visible. However, the fact that you’ve got the added benefit of the Moebius Limelight attached to the rear of the helmet immediately aids visibility. The range of flashing modes makes it even better.

Kask Urban-R cycle helmet: verdict

I’m a big fan of the Kask Urban-R cycle helmet and it turns a few heads too, thanks to the detachable visor. The latter is a very practical solution to preventing a dreaded fly in the eye, and you can get tinted versions for when the weather improves too. Add in the appeal of the Limelight, which delivers a dazzling red light view from the back of your lid and you’ve got a great combination.