Limar Alben Mountain Bike Helmet is Lightweight and Comfortable

While not necessarily a household name in the US, Limar has been pressing out helmets for 30 years. The brand is well known within road cycling, and they also offer a couple mountain bike helmets including the XC/trail-oriented Alben. The Limar Alben was designed for maximum coverage and ventilation while minimizing weight. Once I got under the visor, I found that it really delivers.

Lightweight construction

Limar cuts weight on the Alben by using an in-mold mono shell and a custom MIPS liner that is designed to fit the exact shape of the padding and 22 vents. Looking at the underside of the helmet, the MIPS liner fits the pads perfectly meaning you cannot see the plastic MIPS layer like on other helmets.

Weighing only 230g for size medium and 260g for the size large, the Limar Alben weighs about 100g less than the average MTB helmet, and is lighter than many road or gravel-specific helmets too.

The minimalist visor is not adjustable, but provides just enough coverage to block direct sunlight overhead without obstructing visibility on the trail. The distinctive, larger vents make the helmet look higher-end and I found they keep the sweat to a minimum.

The Limar Alben is offered in five different colors including the matte dark red colorway I tested. This color just doesn’t appeal to me, and even the more neutral grey option features loud yellow accents — a color I will never voluntarily wear — leaving black as my favorite option.

Limar Alben fit and sizing

The Alben is only offered in two sizes, medium and large. Limar has helpful sizing information on their website so be sure to measure your head and check the chart before ordering. My medium fits a tad more snugly than most mediums I have worn so I would categorize it as a small/medium. The shape matches up fairly naturally without being too narrow, making it a good fit for my head.

The Competition+ tension adjustment system tucks nicely up and out of the way with a three-position vertical adjustment. Because it’s adjustable, the comparatively long arms of my Bliz sunglasses fit fine with absolutely zero interference. The ratchet dial is about the size of a quarter and is easily adjustable even with full-finger gloves. All of this combines to deliver one of the best fitting and most comfortable helmets I have worn, but the limited sizing may not make it that way for everyone.

Bottom line: This is a fantastic helmet for XC and gravel use and will for sure be my go-to for longer distance rides. Priced at $119.95, it falls right in the typical middle of the price range for helmets in this category.