Anyone who went to a Decathlon shop for cycling gear in the 2000s must have made a mistake or two. The French sports giant's own gear, sold under the name B'Twin, varied greatly in quality, and you could still go wrong a few times with the name coding that was supposed to indicate quality. Decathlon, that was for beginners. Fast forward to 2025. The world really does look different. That seems like an open door, but it is genuinely true. Especially for Decathlon and its Van Rysel brand. The brand's name is an ode to the birthplace of Decathlon, which is headquartered in Lille. Lille is known as Lille. Van Rysel makes clothing, bikes and, consequently, helmets. This review focuses on the From Rysel RCR road bike helmet.
New product line Van Rysel
With the new From Rysel product line has Decathlon bet on quality, but still with a lower price than its competitors. In recent years, the brand has not only developed a clothing line, accessories line and bikes, no, it is main sponsor of a WorldTour team and also puts this team into developing new, performance-oriented bikes.
'Everyone a Decathlon' was always the motto, and with this new product line, they are going full steam ahead. For our review, we received one of their road bike helmets, the From Rysel RCR. One thing is for sure, there is no need to compromise on this!
First impression
We had specifically asked for a Black helmet. Simply because it goes with everything, but also because it is only available in Black in this version. This is the helmet without the MIPS system. The version with MIPS is available in several colours.
We also put the helmet on the scales. The indicated weight is 300 grams, in size L (large head) it is slightly heavier than the weight according to the specifications A fine weight as far as we are concerned.
You can adjust the helmet with a dial at the back. Otherwise, the helmet does look a bit like ABUS helmets. A relatively small V | R logo adorns the front and it says 'Van Rysel' on the side. But in 'black on black', so not garish. The type is also written in black on top: RACER. The helmet looks ostentatious. Top. Optically, the helmet seems to be made up of two parts. A kind of upper part and a part.
In use
Like other helmets, the helmet can be adjusted with a dial at the back. The plastic strips that enclose your head are otherwise fine and comparable to other options. The straps under your chin are also fine to adjust. A snap closure under your chin finishes the job. I have a fairly large, but mostly narrow head. It is still sometimes a problem to get a helmet meant for wide heads to fit my head properly. That is not a problem with this one. I look in the mirror: nothing wrong with it. Time to roll out
Once on my head, the helmet falls well. I have a somewhat odd, long head, which is why, with a big helmet, I often look like TOAD from MarioKart. Not so this time. It has enough, large ventilation holes to provide cooling on hot days. The only thing I miss a bit is the 'glasses garage' that you do have with many brands. Whatever glasses I have on, you can't tuck them away comfortably. Not necessarily a feature I would pick a helmet on, but when you get used to it, you miss it. As with many things.
I used the helmet mainly in autumn and spring weather. The last few days were also a bit warmer, then the helmet does a good job. I like the thing, although I would like to use a version with MIPS. If only instinctively.
Specs
- The helmet is available in sizes S, M, L and, according to the specifications, weighs 230 - 270 - 290 grams respectively.
- The helmet will last 5 to 7 years, according to Decathlon
- Price €72.99 (price reading 13 May 2025) - version with MIPS: €94.99
Overall conclusion Van Rysel RCR Review
Now for the moment of truth. Is it a fine helmet you could buy? A resounding 'yes'. It is definitely a more than good road bike helmet. At a price of just under €73, you are almost a thief of your wallet if you buy a branded helmet of almost double that. That said: if weight is everything, lighter helmets can be found. The POC Ventral Lite is just under 200 grams (Medium), but the price is correspondingly high: three and a half times as much. For double the RCR, you have an ABUS Gamechanger, but it is only slightly lighter.
So, if you're going for a value-for-money helmet, the RCR is a top choice. It fits well, doesn't feel cheap and you can certainly use it with the presence of Decathlon-AG2R in the peloton will definitely come home with it! We can't wait to test the new Van Rysel team bike too!
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