The Fox Speedframe is a cool running new trail helmet

Fox Speedframe helmet
The Fox Speedframe is an open face for serious trail riders. Note the large side and smaller front air ports, on Fox's Speedframe design (Image credit: Fox)

Speedframe is Fox’s new trail helmet for mountain bikers who value a combination of comfort and protection.

The Californian protection and apparel company’s latest helmet features comprehensive head and neck coverage, without delivering a helmet which runs uncomfortably hot on summer days.

Viewed in its side profile, the Speedframe’s generous ventilation ports are immediately noticeable. Fox industrial designers have managed to shape a helmet with 14 airflow ports, to optimise cooling when you are climbing hard, on a warm day, without sacrificing the helmet’s safety specification.

The Speedframe’s primary energy absorption is a blended Varizorb foam structure. This foam mixes harder and softer compounds, to render the best overall impact protection, in the case of both high- and low-speed crashes.

Beyond the structural impact absorption, the Fox Speedframe also protects against brain injury from rotation forces. The helmet’s inner liner is MIPS, which lessens the danger of angular impacts and brain injury, due to sudden helmet rotation upon impact.

Ergonomic convenience is provided by Fox’s Fidlock helmet strap system, which features a securing buckle that is easy to lock and unlock, even with riding gloves on.

Hygiene is always an issue with trail riding helmets, as they generally run hotter than the more open and minimalist design of a cross-country helmet. To ensure your Speedframe remains hygienic, even after peak summer rides, there is Fox’s removable and washable XT2 antimicrobial liner.

Fox is bringing two versions of the new Speedframe to market, both available in small, medium and large sizes. There is a Pro model, which has a comprehensive specification and eight different colourways, priced at $159.95.

For those willing to forego the dual-tone colours and content with a single-moulded foam structure and simpler MIPS liner, the non-Pro derivative is $109.95.

Lance Branquinho
Freelance writer

Lance Branquinho is a Namibian-born journalist who graduated to mountain biking after injuries curtailed his trail running. He has a weakness for British steel hardtails, especially those which only run a single gear. As well as Bike Perfect, Lance has written for MBR.com, Off-Road.cc and Cycling News.