Commuting by bike in the UK is rarely one-size-fits-all. Some days you cycle, some days you hop on the tube, or take a bus. For Lime, Voi, Forest, or Santander cycles users, you might cycle one part, tube another, then cycle the rest, or any other endless possibility. It’s fair to say you likely do not want a bulky helmet when you’re doing your transitions, even better, what if you could fold it down into a bag? That’s exactly what a folding bike helmet does (you’ll also see them sold as foldable or collapsible bike helmets), and in this guide I’ve picked the best folding cycle helmets you can buy in the UK.
Standard helmets can be bulky. They often hang awkwardly from your rucksack on public transport, take up half your locker space, and are a nuisance when not on your head. For many, this is the real barrier to wearing a helmet, or cycling at all. It’s not the ride itself, but what to do with it when you aren’t riding (who wants a helmet in the pub?).
Seeing cyclists on a city commute without a helmet is a real bugbear for me, and so I thought I would take a look at the best folding bicycle helmets for the UK commuter. These are suitable for bicycle owners, bicycle renters, and e-scooter renters too.
Folding bicycle helmets offer certified protection (read about EN 1078 in this article), while collapsing down to a fraction of their size, making it easier to fit them into a messenger bag, backpack, or briefcase.
A word of caution: On Amazon to a degree, but especially on Temu & AliExpress, you must exercise caution.
There are both standard, and folding helmets on these sites that DO NOT come anywhere close to meeting safety standards. Please only buy helmets from a trusted brand or retailer. Whilst I am linking to Amazon in this article, I would warn against buying an off-brand helmet that is not mentioned here. The best way to go about this, is if you are looking at other options, and want to purchase them on Amazon, you should look on other trusted retailers to see if they stock this brand too.
Affiliate Disclosure
Some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, fleethopper.co.uk may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support independent commuting guides and product testing. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Folding Cycle Helmet UK: Safety Standards You Can Trust
Before looking at models, we’re going to focus on safety.
A folding helmet must meet the same protection standards as any conventional helmet. In the UK and Europe, the benchmark is CE – EN 1078. This ensures compliance with impact and retention requirements.
Avoid helmets that do not explicitly state EN 1078 compliance. All helmets in this guide are fully certified and suitable for regular commuting.
Best Folding Bike Helmets for UK Commuters
The folding helmet market is small but mature, and several manufacturers have refined designs to suit both occasional riders and daily commuters.
NewLane Folding Helmet
A home-grown UK option, the Newlane foldable helmet is designed for all commuting needs. Its Flip-Clip system makes it up to 50% smaller in about two seconds, which makes it one of the easiest folding helmets for bike commuters to live with.
Pros:
UK brand
Intuitive folding mechanism
Fits well in bags
- Stylish
Cons:
Heavier than some road helmets, however, is a standard weight for a commuter helmet
Best for people who want a stylish folding helmet, suitable for daily, or occasional use.
NewLane Folding Helmet (MIPS)
The Newlane Foldable MIPS helmet is the same folding design with a MIPS liner added, a low-friction layer designed to reduce rotational forces in angled impacts. It costs a little more than the standard Newlane.
MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, it is designed to reduce rotational forces on the brain during angled or glancing impacts, which happen when your head hits a surface at an angle or slides across it, rather than striking straight on.
Effectively, you’re talking about roughly £40 extra to potentially be more safe, and it was the first folding helmet to feature MIPS.
Closca Folding Helmet
Closca is a global leader in folding helmets. The Closca foldable helmet uses a telescopic ring system that collapses it flat, so it’s the collapsible bike helmet to pick for slim briefcases or laptop bags.
Pros:
Award-winning urban design
Collapses from 14 cm high to 8 cm
Quick, easy folding action
Cons:
Ventilation limited on very hot days
- SOME reviews suggest the hinges break easily – you need to be gentle with this one
Best for those who want a robust helmet whilst riding, suitable for daily or occasional use, just be gentle when folding/unfolding.
Overade Plixi Fit Folding Helmet
The Overade Plixi helmet uses a hinged, origami-style design to fold up into a compact block a third of its open size. When open, this fold up bike helmet feels as solid as a traditional one.
Pros:
Excellent volume reduction
Feels sturdy when worn
Packs well into gym kits or deeper bags
Cons:
Folding takes practice
Angular, technical appearance
- Does not fold ‘flat’ like other options
Best for commuters who need maximum space savings in a backpack or tote, occasional or daily use.
Ventete aH-1 Inflatable Helmet
The Ventete aH-1 is an inflatable bike helmet, so it doesn’t fold at all, it uses air. Let the air out and it goes flat, less than 4cm thick and about the size of a laptop, so it slides into a laptop sleeve instead of filling half your bag. You pump it back up before you ride, which takes about 30 seconds, and the e-pump version does that bit for you. It meets EN 1078, the same safety standard as the other helmets here. Ventete also says an independent report by HEAD Lab at Imperial College London found it cut the risk of brain injury from straight-on impacts by 44.1% compared with the best foam helmet they tested. That’s Ventete’s figure, and I can’t verify it myself.
Pros:
- The flattest helmet in this guide
- Slides into a laptop sleeve
- The e-pump version inflates it for you
Cons:
- Needs inflating before every ride
- The e-pump is one more thing to charge
Price guide: Premium
Best for laptop-bag commuters who want a helmet that takes up almost no room.
How Small Do Folding Helmets Fold?
This is the question that matters most, so here are the figures each brand gives for its own helmet:
- NewLane: up to 50% smaller, and the Flip-Clip folds it in about two seconds. It weighs 470g.
- Closca: 14 cm high when open, 8 cm when folded, so it takes up almost half the space in your bag.
- Overade Plixi Fit: its volume is divided by three when folded, and it also folds in about two seconds. It folds into a block rather than flat.
In practice, the NewLane and Closca slide into a laptop bag or satchel, while the Plixi is happiest in a backpack or gym bag.
Choosing the Right Folding Bicycle Helmet for You
1. Fold Shape and Bag Compatibility
Think about the bag you carry:
Rucksack or gym bag: Overade Plixi
The folded shape matters most here. Bike-share users often prefer flat helmets that slide into a tote, satchel, or locker.
2. Ventilation vs. Weather
Hot days / fast riding: Overade Plixi – They really went all out on the ventilation here!
More ventilation improves cooling but may reduce rain protection.
3. Cost
Folding helmets are engineered products. Expect £80–£130 for a certified, reliable model. Cheaper options may compromise safety or durability.
Of course your budget is important here, but I would always try to think about which one is going to suit your needs more, as you don’t want to buy something you don’t end up using.
Verdict: The Best Folding Bike Helmet for You
Folding helmets are ideal for:
Flexible commuters using Lime, Voi, Forest, or Santander bikes who want to stow their helmet away when jumping onto a train or bus
Daily cyclists, with the caveat that non-folding options may be cheaper, and at this price range might have additional safety measures
NewLane is robust and perfect for commuters with any bag.
Closca is also ideal for commuters with any bag.
Overade Plixi maximises packability.
A folding bike helmet makes safe cycling convenient for everyone, whether you ride every day or just occasionally.
If a folding helmet isn’t for you, have a look at the best budget bicycle helmets, or if you ride an e-bike a lot, the best e-bike helmets rated to NTA 8776. And if you’re wondering which hire bike to pair it with, my London hire bike comparison covers Lime, Forest, Voi, Bolt and Santander Cycles.
Folding Bike Helmet FAQs
Are folding bike helmets safe?
Yes, as long as they’re certified to EN 1078, the same standard as a regular bike helmet. Every helmet in this guide is. Closca also points out that its folding system does not fold in an impact.
Is a foldable helmet the same as a collapsible helmet?
Yes. Folding, foldable and collapsible are just different names brands use for the same idea: a helmet that shrinks down when you’re not wearing it.
How small does a folding cycling helmet get?
Roughly half its size. The Closca goes from 14 cm to 8 cm high, the NewLane gets up to 50% smaller, and the Overade Plixi Fit shrinks to a third of its volume.
Can I use a folding helmet on an e-scooter?
Yes. Closca and Overade both sell theirs for bikes and e-scooters, so they work on a Lime or Voi scooter as well as a hire bike.
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