There’s nothing like the freedom of cycling to work, feeling the wind on your face and your quads on fire as you pump the pedals, upping your fitness and your planet-saving creds. But there’s a secret stress that many cyclists face. One that nobody likes to talk about for fear of taking the sheen off their cycling prowess. Yup, we’re talking about sweaty hair, those tell-tale bits of flat hair, and unsightly helmet ridges.
Why helmet-friendly hair matters
Meet “helmet hair,” the molded, slickback style that skips hair ties entirely. Instead of brushing everything into a bun, your hair stays down. It’s combed straight back, pressed close to your head along the sides, then lifted slightly at the crown - all with ample amounts of gel or hairspray to hold the shape. In other words, it’s the logical endpoint of the clean-girl bun: Nothing is pulled up, but nothing is out of place, either.
Why Is “Helmet Hair” Trending? You’ve probably noticed it the past few weeks - not just on runways, but also trickling onto red carpets. The common thread? meeting, but fashion-forward - and a little bit sexy - once the sun sets. It’s also practical because short hair is having a moment in general. Bobs, pixies, and bixies are the hottest cuts to try right now - and, yes, they look great, but they’re too short to toss into a ponytail. This gives you that same pulled-back, off-the-face effect without needing an elastic. It’s in step with the ongoing ’80s revival in fashion and beauty, just not in an obvious way.
How to achieve helmet-friendly looks
Whether you’ve just gone short or you’re officially over the slick-back bun on repeat, this is the style to try as the weather heats up - and it’s surprisingly easy to achieve.
First, start with damp hair, which is easier to mold into place. To create the wet look that Zendaya’s been rocking lately, celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen starts by blow-drying hair up and away from the face to create volume at the crown. Then comes product - hair cream and oil. The goal is saturation, so don’t be shy with it.
If you want a softer finish, you’re basically done. Comb everything straight back (read: no part) and finish with a light-hold hairspray - concentrating on the sides and really pressing those sections close to your head so your hair moves in one direction. For a more lacquered, wet look, apply gel after cream and before shaping.
Push your hair forward while it dries or use your fingers instead of a comb up top if you want a little extra volume and texture. Uncontrolled helmet hair is not life-threatening, and generally treatable, but it can cause social anxiety, diminished self-worth, or severe eisoptrophobia.
Practical tips for cyclists with different hair lengths
Longer hair can be a challenge to pack into a helmet. Whether you choose to ride with or without a helmet, some hairstyles will always look terrible after a motorcycle ride. Driving around in a car with the windows down would have the same effect, right? Sweat, oil, and wind affect your hair’s appearance just as much as the helmet itself. Less hair means less helmet hair. Try a shorter haircut to manage helmet hair. Some riders just cut their hair as short as possible and call it a day. Added benefits of shorter or buzzed haircuts include good helmet ventilation, less time spent on hair care when road tripping, and more room inside the helmet for cold weather gear like balaclavas or skullcaps when riding.
Straightened or slicked-back haircuts with minimal volume tend to hold up well while riding. A thin neck tube or scarf can be used to hold the hair in place while putting on a helmet. Just like the old tablecloth pull trick, a quick tug from the back of the helmet removes the fabric while keeping the hair aligned inside. That feeling of wind in your hair can lead to a tangle later. Use braids, hair ties, and other methods to prevent a mess. Hair that extends beyond the back edge of a helmet can be mercilessly twisted and tangled while blowing around in the breeze. Structured hairstyles like braids, low buns, and dreads can resist the wind’s tangling effect. Another option is a ponytail tucked into a neck tube or scarf.
Helmet accessories like Hightail, which looks like a larger chin curtain mounted to the back of the helmet, can also keep hair tucked out of the way. Avoid stuffing your long hair into the helmet itself. For some folks, the simplest and most effective solution is just throwing on a hat after riding. Standard baseball caps are the most common, but they don’t fit into jackets all that well. Tuck one under your seat, in a backpack, or secure it to a belt loop. Hats with folding bills are cheap and easier to squash into a jacket pocket.
The balaclava might be the oldest trick in the book, but lots of newer riders don’t think to ride with one. Simply placing a boundary layer between your hair and your helmet cuts down on frizz-generating friction and movement. Plus, high-quality balaclavas made from silk or synthetic materials can add comfort to your ride with additional warmth or moisture wicking properties.
When to seek professional advice
You’re wearing motorcycle gear from head to toe. You’re carrying a motorcycle helmet and your bike is parked nearby. Of course you could always ask the pros for advice on managing helmet hair. And by "pros," in this case, we mean professional roadracers, not haircare professionals. Not only does the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha team have by far the most points of any team in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike paddock, but the two riders, Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen, also have more hair than any other team. “I always had short hair my whole life, but now that I’m living under my own roof, I decided to grow it out and I’m loving it,” says Petersen. “I’ve had long hair for five or six years,” says Gagne. “I guess it just feels like me.”
He gets it trimmed once a year. You might never even notice that Gagne has really long hair because he keeps it tightly pulled into a knot at the back of his neck. “I tie mine up with hair ties because if not it gets so mangled and tangled I spend the whole night ripping hair out,” Gagne said. “I will say, I don’t think my approach is the best,” Petersen admitted, when the helmet hair topic was raised. “I’ve got such thick hair I really struggle to tie it up. I do like the way it looks out the back of the helmet. That’s the reason why I grew my hair out.”
Spurgeon suggests a modular helmet to minimize helmet hair. Or, you could get tips from another kind of pro, the ones who ride motorcycles and then have to stand in front of a camera. RevZilla media lead Spurgeon Dunbar finds that changing helmet types helps his hair stay in place. “I’ve always preferred full face helmets to modular helmets, but I think modulars make a big difference when it comes to helmet hair. The trick is rolling your head back into the helmet with the chinbar open instead of pulling the helmet straight on like a regular full face. Use the same rolling motion when taking the helmet off.”
Twin pigtails mean Jen’s ready to race. “Helmet hair, the bane of my existence,” says fellow RevZilla media lead Jen Dunstan. “I think every female rider has a special kind of struggle with this, depending on hair type, cut and style. I foolishly once believed all I needed to do was cut it short and the problem would be solved, right? First, always bring a hat for après-ride hangouts. There is no amount of brushing or hair product that can solve for my sweaty gross 'skullet' hairdo after a long ride, so the only solution is to cover that hot mess with a hat.”
The two tight braids hold together better than a single loose braid, and the two pigtails allow for maximum movement and minimal catches when craning your neck to see around the next corner. The ritual of putting my hair into pigtails at the track also puts me into the 'racer' mindset. Give some of these techniques a try, and see if your helmet hair situation doesn’t improve.
The Carbonaro Effect - Instant Hairstyling Helmet | truTV
Quick-take checklist
- Keep hair clean and not sticky with sweat or old hair products.
- Wash and condition regularly; pre-cycle drying helps.
- Choose a cut that minimizes needing a ponytail (short, bob, pixie, or bixie).
- Use a bun, ponytail, or braids only if compatible with your helmet fit.
- Carry a small towel, sea salt spray, texturizing clay, or dry shampoo for quick refresh.
- In bathrooms, use a hand dryer and fingers to shape texture; scrunch curls if needed.
- Consider helmet type and accessorizing options to reduce hair movement.