ABOUT THE ABUS TARGON CONVERTIBLE HELMET
You can pick the ABUS Targon helmet up with a Mips system for €349.95 / $399.99, or without in Europe only for €299.99. The ABUS Targon is available in sizes small, medium or large, with four colourways to choose from: velvet black, sand beige, ash purple and lemon white.
Both versions of the Targon are made in the ABUS facility in Italy, and have been tested to EN 1078 bicycle helmet standard, the CPSC standard used in the USA and Canada, and the downhill-specific ASTM F1952-22. It’s worth noting that only the MIPS version will be released in the US.
This convertible helmet can change from a full-face helmet with chin bar to an open-face helmet quickly, with the Speed Latch system. This uses discrete buttons on the side of the helmet to quickly unlatch the helmet when still on the user’s head, opening up airflow for the climbs. It then snaps back into place quickly for increased safety on the descents.
Two fit features are included in the ABUS Targon: Vario Adjustable Pads to tune the fit inside, and a height-adjustable Zoom Rapid Fit adjustment dial to lock it in. On the chin there is a Fidlock magnetic buckle, and the visor is height adjustable and will break away in a crash.
The ABUS Targon weighs 950g in a size small with chin bar attached, or 490g in the open-shell mode.
THE DIRT
Out of the Box
Comfort is king when it comes to helmets, and straight out of the box, the ABUS Targon didn’t feel quite right. I felt a pressure point on my forehead, and it just didn’t feel all that secure. It was time to tinker. Instead of shipping the helmet with a handful of foam padding inserts that inevitably end up in the bin, ABUS has designed the Targon with Vario Pads, which slide on a rail in the chin bar. They helped me find a tighter fit, and when combined with the adjustable cradle set to the lowest of its three available positions, I found a more well-rounded and comfortable fit. Fine-tuning the tightness is done with the Zoom™ Rapid Fit adjustment system, which is chunky and easy to find slap bang in the centre of the rear, rather than being tucked away awkwardly, as some can be.
On the Trail
I often ride with convertible helmet users who find that converting between full-face and half-shell modes is too much hassle, so they end up riding in one mode all the time. A compromise like this is a bridge too far for me, so I was interested to see what ABUS had done. Right away, I could see that the ABUS Targon has an edge over other convertible helmets. The chinbar quickly unclips thanks to the Speed Latch System, and it can be clipped back in without having to take the helmet off. The technique to clip in quickly takes a bit of figuring out (the chin bar is at more of a vertical angle than you’d expect), but once you feel it clip, you flick the latches closed, and you’re good to go. ABUS designed the Targon to be a full-face helmet that converts to enduro, rather than the other way around, and it feels like the right approach for a modern mountain bike helmet. The latches feel very secure, and after a handful of tries at the top of the trailhead, I have the technique down. Clip, ride. Unclip, climb. Repeat.
Another compromise that I’m unwilling to make is having to carry a chinbar that rattles on my bars or sticks out of my hip pack awkwardly when climbing. ABUS can’t make the chinbar magically disappear, but they have put effort into distributing the weight evenly so that it sits securely on your bars. I was pretty sceptical about how well this would work, but I was happily proved wrong when climbing on rough fire roads and uneven trails.
If my theory that converting means compromising, then the ABUS Targon must have some downsides…and it does. By trying to be an all-rounder that covers every base, it misses out on some nice touches that dedicated helmets have. The Targon is clearly designed around riders wearing googles, but on some big pedally days, I’d prefer to leave the chinbar and googles at home, and go with glasses instead. However, there is no glasses garage on the Targon, so this isn’t as convenient as it could be. On days when I’m wearing goggles, I’d like to have some sort of guide on the Targon to help me line up my goggle straps correctly, as many downhill helmets do. Both are “nice to haves”, rather than “need to haves” and neither is a dealbreaker when the helmet feels as secure and easy to use as this.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The ABUS Targon feels like a great fit for someone like me who climbs almost exclusively on fire roads and then drops into fast and techy descents. Having been put off by the compromises in the past, it looks like the Targon has made me a convertible convert that really hits the mark. 
Price: €349.95 / $399.99
Website: www.abus.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Cían is a travelling, bike riding writer who started mountain biking in Whistler back in 2013 after a lifetime of playing team sports in Ireland. He likes posting up in different biking destinations for months at a time with his enduro bike in search of techy and tricky singletrack. Known for having a spectacular crash or two in his locker, Cían is always on the hunt for the next place to try and keep it rubber side down.
Rank: Wandering Wolf
Size: 6’4″ / 193cm | 105kg / 230lbs
Social: @cianwrites
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