Upgrading to 🔥one of the best aero helmets is an eas🌳y way to go faster on a bike, and the benefits on offer can be pretty substantial.
As mentioned in our guide to the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bike helmets, you likely wear a helmet every time you ride. The primary reason for that is safety but given there isn't much data available to compare one helmet versus the next, other metrics such as ventilation and aerodynamics come into play when deciding which to buy. Today's best aero helmets can offer d♛ecent ventilation too - much better than they could just a few years ago - so unless you live in the desert, you're probably going to place aerodynamics at the top of your priority list.
We recently tested over 20 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:helmets in a wind tunnel to find out which were the fastest, and we've used that data combined with our rea൲l-world experience using each of them, to narrow down six of the best aero helmets for al💝l types of riders.
For those that focus on time trials, check out our list of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best time trial helmets. Those options representꦗ no-holds-barred speed-focused helmets that aren't usable for everyday riding. For everyone else, keep reading to see a list of options that prioritise aero sp☂eed, but without losing sight of everyday usability.
The Specialized Evade III is a desiꦅgn that’s been refined over multiple generations and the result is a helmet that does a good job in every category. It was the fastest 'normal' looking helmet in our test, is super comfortable, and provides excellent ventilation.
The Procen Air is a time trial helmet adapted for the road, with a visor up front and an over-the-ear design. That means its looks a🤪re polarising, but you can't dispute its aero performance. In our testꦺ, it was the fastest of 24 helmets, saving over 12 watts compared to the slowest at 40km/h.
The Van Rysel FCR Aero was the 5th fastest in our test, it's comfortable, reasonably li꧙ghtweight, and looks great. Most importantly though, it's a quarter of the price 🥂of others here, making it a great buy if you're on a budget.
The Cadence Plus was 4th fastest in our test, despite having five huge vents up 🧸front. It's not the breeziest helmet out there, but if you want aero performance while still prioritising airflow, this is a great pick.
The Velocis MIPS isn't marketed as an aero helmet by Trek, but in our test,🎃 it outperformed over 15 others and was only marginally slower than its Ballista counterpart. It also tipped the scale at the lightest of all, at 245g.
Last updated on 06th March 2025The guide was updated ensuring that all the aero helmets are current and up to date and available. Buy if/Don't buy if" sections were added to highlight the pros and cons of each aero helmet.
✅ You want a sleek, road-style look: It's definitely more traditional in appearance but still delivers aero gains.
✅ You wear cycling glasses: It's thoughtfully designed to work seamlessl෴y🥀 with all eyewear. The strap is easily adjustable too.
Don't buy it if
❌ You want the absolute fastest helmet: I💦t's impressively aero. Still, it lost 1.8 watts to the the Procen Air in testing.
❌ You prefer a budget-friendly option: Premium performance comes at a premium price.
The Specialized S-Works Evade III was second in our test, giving away 1.8 watts to the Procen Air 🅘(with Visor) on average across all four yaw angles. It was actually faster at certain points, and it comfortably beat everything else on the test (a full list of which is at the🤪 bottom of this guide). Given that performance, some are calling it the fastest 'road style' helmet, given the time-trial aesthetic of the POC.
B🤡eyond the aero performance, it's also super comfortable, lightweight (only 29 grams heavier than the lightest on test), offers great𝓰 ventilation, and looks great. It plays well with all cycling glasses and has an easily adjustable strap. The straps themselves are also slightly thinner, meaning less chance of silly tan lines for those lucky enough to ride regularly in sunnier climates.
The S-Works Evade III is first and foremost an aero helmet, but it does everything very well, and for that reason, it's our pick as the best overall. Read more about the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:Specialized S-Works Evade III in our full review.
Fastest aero helmet on test
(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
2. POC Procen Air
Fastest helmet on test
Reasons to buy
+
Best-in-class aero performance
+
Two visors included
Reasons to avoid
-
Looks are polarising
-
Huge cost
Buy it if
✅ You want the absolute fastest aero helmet: The POC Procen Air was the most aerodynamic we tested for this guide, saving up to 12 watts at 40km/h and 24 w𒐪atts at 50km/h.
✅ You wear prescription glasses: The full visor design allows for comfor👍table use of prescription eyewear underne♔ath.
Don't buy it if
❌ You expect significant noise reduction: While slightly better ☂in head-on airflow, it was marginally louder than other helmets overall.
❌ You prefer to wear cycling glasses instead of a visor: Sure, the POC is still among the fastest without the visor, but ܫit'll cost you precious time!
It might look a little wacky, but of the 24 helmets we took to the wind tunnel, the fastest oღf them all was the POC Pr🅠ocen Air.
Compared to the slowest on test, it will save you 12 watts at 40km/h, and a staggering 24 watts at 50km/h. To apply the da𝐆ta to a real-world scenario, with all else being equal, the Procen Air would save you 55 seconds vs the slowest on the test, or seven seconds compared to the S-Works Evade III ꧙in a 40km time trial at 250 watts.
If ❀your r🔴eason for buying an aero helmet is about speed, then look no further.
There are other things to think about though, so we took the helmet out into the real world to see how it fared on the road, and a few things stand out. Despite the full visor and ear coverings, the ventilation was surprisingly good thanks to the three large holes up top. With the over-the-ear design, much is said about the potential fo🍃r noise reduction, and although marginally better in head-on airflow, I found it marginally louder than other helmets on average. That's not a major issue, but don't buy it if you're hoping for this.
I'm not a huge fan of wearing contact lenses, but as a slightly blind human, I need prescription glasses, and I really like that I can fit them comfortably beneath the visor. If you'd prefer to shun the visor though and show off your 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best cycling glasses, rest assured that it's still among the fastest out the𒅌re (although it will cost you 10 seconds in that 40km t༒ime trial).
Non-adjustable helmet Y strap sits quite high under the ears
Buy it if
✅ You want strong aero performance at a fantastic price: The FC🎃R finished 5th in wind tunnel testing, outperforming more expensive helmets in this 𒆙guide
✅ You need a lightweight, well-ventilated helmet: We think the FCR offers 🍌great comfort and airflow.
Don't buy it if
❌ You want the highest-quality construction: We found the materials feel lower in quality compared to pricier rivals.
❌ You rely on third-party safety ratings: Whilꦦe the FCR meets industry standards, tꦚhere’s no independent testing from Virginia Tech or similar organisations as of yet.
Like all of Van Rysel's product line, the FCR helmet aims to compete with the best while keeping a keen eye on price. In our experience, it's successfully doing that, because it came a strong 5th place in our wind tunnel test ahead of helmets such as the Kask Utopia, Trek Ballista, 🍬Sweet Protection Tucker and many more.
It's comfortable, lightweight, and well ventilated too. The construction does feel somewhat lower in quality than the more expen💛sive competition, but that's no surprise given it's less than half the price of most, and a quarter of the price of the POC Procen Air.
The helmet we tested has no additional rotational impact protection, but in certain territories, it's possible to buy it with MIPS added in. All helmets must meet the same safety standards, Van Rysel included, so as far as the industry-mandated tests go, it's as safe as it needs to be. There's no third-party testing on it so far from the likes of Virginia Tech, though, so 💖we don't know how far beyond those minimum requirements it goes.
✅ You prioritise keeping cool: The Cadence Plus is one of the best-ventilated options in this guide. We'd recommend it for anyone ꦛr𓆏iding in hot conditions
✅ You appreciate convenience: It ൩even features a handy magnetic buckle for easy ♎one-handed fastening.
Don't buy it if
❌ You’re looking for the most budget-friendly helmet with a rear light: Admittedly, Lazer’s Vento💫 Kineticore offe🙈rs a similar feature at a lower price.
Aero helmets have a reputation for being hot. They're much better than they used to be, but some still perform better than o🌃thers, and one of our favourites for ventilation is the new Scott Cadence Plus.
It also happens to be one ofꦍ the fastest in our test, landing fo🦩urth overall behind the POC Procen Air (with visor), the S-Works Evade III, and the Procen Air (without visor).
Adding to your safety - or at least, your visibility - is the included rechargeable light that clips onto the rear o🐻f the helmet. Lazer's Vento Kineticore offers a similar thing for a slightly lower total price, so that's a good choice if you value this feature above all else. You can buy an aftermarket light to clip onto the Giro Eclipse aero helmet too.
Inside, you get MIPS Air Node rotational impact pr🌜otection, the same as you'll find in the Evade and a lot of other high-end helmets nowadays.
Rounding off the Cadence Plus is a mag🐓netic buckle, which means it's easy to do up one-handed. It also comes in a trio of colours, including a garish purpl♏e if that's your thing.
✅ You prioritise a lightweight design: At 245g, it's the lightest helmet in this guide
✅ You value top-tier safety: Trek's Velocis scored 5 stars i▨n Virginia Tech safety tests
Don't buy it if
❌ You prefer a more 'aggressive 'aero look: It lacks the bold, speed-focused aesthetic of some other a꧃ero helmets onꦦ the market
❌ You want the lightest helmet available: If all you careඣ about is weight, the Lazer Z1 and POC Ventral Lite might be better options.
Trek's Velocis MIPS is a bit of a wolf in sheep's clothing. It doesn't have the aggressive aero aesthetic of 𒉰its Ballista stablemate, and Trek doesn't call it an aero helmet, but in our wind tunnel test, it finished an impressive 8th out of 23 helmets ahead of the likes of Kask's Utopia and Abus' Gamechanger 2.0.
It also happened to be the l🎃ightest helmet on our test, at 245 grams. It's not as light as the Lazer Z1 or the POC Ventral Lite, though, so those might be better options if you only care about the weight. Given you're here on an a💎ero helmets guide, though, I'm going to assume that's more important.
The Velocis benefits from MIPS Air technology, and it scored five stars in Virginia Tech's impact tests. It's also one of the very few helmets to use branded Boa dials on the rear cradle. This is a pr๊emium touch, but it's no more functio𝔉nal than the competition. The fact that the cradle folds down is a neat touch for travel and storage though.
Spherical MIPS hides the slip plain within the helmet
+
Add-on rear light option
Reasons to avoid
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There are faster helmets here, and comfort is subjective
Buy it if
✅ You value comfort: The Giro Eclipse offers an excellent fit with a well-designed rear cradle and easily adjustable straps. It's well-ventilated too.
✅ You're looking for a compact, low-profile design: The MIPS Spherical, a ball-and-socket design is unique and looks impressively compact
Don't buy it if
❌ You prefer a more budget-friendly option💞: Premium comfort will cost you but we think this is still a solid investment
Instead of MIPS Air, the Giro Eclipse uses MIPS Spherical. I♈t's a system that uses a ball and socket design to move the slip plane into the layers of the helmet. The inner section remains solidly attached to your head while the outer part of the helmet can shift. The five-star Virginia Tech rating suggests it's a system that works well.
Theꦬ reason for including it here is based on how comfortable it is. Although comfor🌳t is a subjective feature that will vary from person to person, I've never heard a bad word said about the Eclipse on this front. The rear cradle offers good vertical adjustment, the straps are really easy to adjust, both in terms of overall length and where the Y strap sits. It's also pretty lightweight and well-ventilated. All that combines to mean that moments after your ride begins, you forget all about it.
The purpose oౠf this buying guide is to help you buy the best aero helmet, not just 'any aero helmet', so we've spent months researching and testing helmets to try and tease out♈ the very best from the rest.
Landing on the final optionไs for this list required a ton of testing with a wide variety of helmets. Most of them are good, many of them great, but only a few can be deemed 'the best'.
Aside from the helmets listed above, we have tested dozens more. Those in our latest round of testin🅷g are listed below, but that's by no means an exhaustive list.
If we tested any on﷽e of them in isolation, we'd have been happy with them, but the reason they're not featured more prominently here is that they didn't shine in any particular way, or another ღshined more brightly.
Abus Gamechanger 2.0
✅ You want improved ventilation
✅ Secure storage for eyewear
❌ Aero performance isn't the best
An aero-styled helmet with improved ventilation compared to ꦉits predecessor and excellent quality of construction.
Why didn't it get a place? It finished a pretty disappointing 17th in our aero test and doesn't staꩵnd out in any one way. It's by no means a bad helmet, but in our grou🌳p test, others fared better.
Julbo Sprint
✅ Good aero performance at a competitive price
✅ Reasonably lightweight aero helmet
❌ Sizing comes up on the small side
❌ Below average ventilation
A pretty decent option at a decent price, ཧthe Julbo Sprint performed well in our test, finishing 9th.
It's probably our second choice 'budget' aero helmet, as it's only a 🤪litt꧑le more expensive than the Van Rysel FCR and only marginally slower.
The♕ Kask Elemento is a helmet packed with new tech, such as a low-profile carbon fibre shell and 3D-printed padding, both of which🎐 supposedly improve ventilation.
In our experience, however, the ventilation is still below that of the competition, the aero performance wasn't great at 15th in our test,𓆏 and the price is huge.
Kask Protone Icon
✅ Well-ventilated all-rounder
❌ Doesn't excel in aerodynamics
The Kask Protone Icon is 🐲the evolution of the hugely popular original Protone. It boasts large vents up front for ventilation, a rounded rear shape for aero, no matter tဣhe head position, and a leather strap that aids comfort.
It's more of an all-rounder, and it's a good one, but it🥂 didn't shine in any of our recent tests.
Kask Utopia Y
✅ Well padded, comfortable fit
❌ Lacks stand out aero performance
The Utopia Y is the evolution of the original Utopia. It finished a mid-table 1ꦰ0th in our wind tunnel test, and we found it comfortable, but others perform🅺ed slightly better in our test.
The quality of construction feels slightly less than the competitors, and although Kask tests to WG11 standard, there's no third-party testing to back up the safety claims.&nꦐbsp;
Limar Air Atlas
✅ Fidlock magnetic buckle is easy to use
❌ Runs slightly small
Finishing a below-par 16th in our test (with the removable aero fairing fitted), the Air Atlas is not the fastest helmet arou🍌nd. It also tends to size up a bit small in our experience.
When reviewing, we did appreciate the magnetic buckle, the secure storage, and the Mips Air Node rotational impact 🍬protection though, but ultimately felt that others do a better job for less money.
The Manta is the helmet that Tadej Pogačar tends to use. It is a good aero all-rounder, looks sleek, fits well, has a magnetic buckle, and doesn't actually cost as much as many of the competitors.
It finished a mid-table 12🌃th place in our test and is all-round🐼 a decent helmet, but ultimately others performed better.
Oakley ARO7
✅ Integrated lens
❌ Performed poorly in our wind tunnel testing
The Oakley Aro7 (with or without the visor) presents a bold aesthetic that would lo🍨ok more at home on a commuter bike than a road bike, in my opinion.
It's big, bulky, and performed quite badly in our aero test. The size does add to the sense of protection althoug🦩h there are no Virginia Tech results to back that up though.
POC Ventral
✅ Well ventilated
✅ Comfortable fit
❌ Finished last in our aero testing
While POC's P♌rocen won our aero test, the same brand's Ventral finished a disappointing dead last.
Despite this, it does still have its pros, including a shape that suits most heads, large vents up front for breathability, and it 👍plays nicely with sunglasses.&nb🐠sp;
POC Ventral Tempus
✅ Keeps the rain out
✅ Comfortable fit
❌ Not very aero
T🌞he Ventral Tempus was another that performed badly in the wind tunnel, finishing 24th out of the 25 tests.
Again, the shape works for a lot of people, and although the upfront vents have been closed off, this is primarily for rain protection.&nb🌺sp;
Rudy Project Nytron
✅ Impressive airflow
✅ Comfortable retention system
❌ Restrictive range of sizes
The Nytron was another that performed quite poorly in our wind tunnel test, finishing 21st behind vented🙈 helmets like the Specialized Prevail III.
With that said, it's decently comfortable and the style brings som♈ething a♕ little different to the table. It does run a little hotter than others, but it's not a dealbreaker.
Smith Ignite
✅ Koroyd crumple zones
✅ Decent aero performance
❌ Less ventilation
Smith's biggest differentiator is the use of Koroyd impact protection tech, which mimics dozens of plastic straws stuck together, offering a crumple zo🧜ne in the event of a crash.
It performed okay in our🎶 wind tunnel test, coming 13th, but I found the MIPS liner catches my hair, and it's not the most breathable in warm weather.
The Propero 4 is a more aff🐻ordable option from Specialized, but one that pulls its weight well. It di✃dn't make it to our wind tunnel test, so we can't compare it there.
Based on the price and the on-bike performance, there𓆉 are others we'd choose over it, but it's a good contender at this price point.
Sweet Protection Tucker 2VI
✅ Premium aesthetics
✅ Well-ventilated aero helmet
❌ More aero options available
T𝔉he Tucker 2Vi, like the Ballista from Trek, leaves no illusion as to its aero intentions. It has minimal vents and a long tail. The carbon fibre centre adds a premium aesthetic, and the breathability is a𒆙ctually pretty good.
It came a dღisappointing 1♕4th in our test, though.
There's no denying the Ballista'ꦯs intentions as an aero helmet, with its long tail and aero shape. It performed reasonably well in our test - finishing 7th - but we have to go by our results and there were others that perform✱ed better.
Like the Velocis, it gets a Bo༺a dial, folding rear cradle, and MIPS tech, and we really like wearing it, but it didn't do enough to warrant a place in this guide.
How to choose the best aero helmet for you
The implication with an aero bike helmet is that it is a measurable way to make you faster. We have wind tunnels an♈d we can measure drag, this should be simple right? Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple.
Here at Cyclingnews, we spent a day in the wind tunnel at Silverstone te💛sting helmets in what we deemed to be an 'all-day' road position, with a fairly comfortable head angle. We're aware, however, that what's fast for one person isn't necessarily fast for the next, and they can differ from one position to the next.
You won’t find a definitive answer as to what the fastest aero helmet is for you without buying every one of them and going t൩o a wind tunnel yourself, but fro🌄m our tests, you can get a good idea.
So take that info and combine it with the other aspec♔ts of a helmet that you find important when ไdeciding on the best aero helmet for you.
What is an aero road bike helmet?
Before we get too far down the 🦩path of choosing an aero bike helmet, let's define what we are discussing. Most people are familiar with the idea that there are helmets designed for time trials or the bike leg of a triathlon. That's not what an aero road bike helmet is.
Instead, we are discussing the kind of helmet you can wear on every ride. These are helmets that are relatively light, they flow air, and they are not deeply affected by head position. Aside from the POC Procen Air, they don't feature full shield lenses and instead are designed to work with the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best cycling glasses. In many ways, an aero road bike helmet is just a standard👍 road bike helmet.
What's different is a willingness to trade weight and ventilation for better aero optimisation. They're often a bit heavier and a bit hotter than the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bike helmets, though to varying degrees.
Is an aero helmet worth it?
Now that we are all on the same page, it makes sense to quest꧃ion if it’s worth bothering.
In answering this question, let🤡's look at how much fa💃ster a helmet can make you. In our wind tunnel helmet test, we found that the difference between the fastest and slowest was 12.7 watts when riding at 40km/h (around 25mph), or 5.4 watts when riding at 30km/h (around 18.6mph).
Calculate that into seconds saved, and the fastest hཧelmet in our test will save you 55 seconds in a 40km time trial when riding at an average of 250 watts. That's nearly a minute off a ride that will take you around an hour to complete, meaning you'll be riding around 1.6% faster.
Simplifying the results, that's a similar aerodynamic saving to an upgrade from a cheap shallow wheel to a pair of the 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:best road bike wheels.
Aero helmets don't tend to cost any more than the same brand's 'vented' helmet, so assuming you're buying a new helmet, then choosing🐓 an aero helmet is a ౠno-brainer.
Do women need women's-specific helmets?
Among helmet manufacturers, there's a bit of a conflict in ♏that some offer separate women's specific helmets, while other brands' ranges are totally unisex.
We tackled the question of whether 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:women n🦩eed women's-specific he꧋lmets in depth recently, with the main takeaway being that unisex helme𓆏ts are usually preferred by most and that there's nothing about a woman's head that would require a different helmet shape. All of the helmets in this list are unisex.
Do aero helmets matter for slower riders or riders who don’t race?
In every ꦫdiscussion about aero advantages someone eventually mentions they only matter to fast riders. It's likely this idea comes from the fact that going faster requires exponentially more power to cut through the air. That means you can typically save more watts at higher speeds. Cycling companies, of course, exploit this fact by doing tests at high speeds to show more impressive numbers.
Those high-speed tests hide part of the story though. As you go faster the number of wa🌳tts saved grows but the time saved gets smaller. The slower you are, the longer you spend coverin💞g a distance, so while the number of watts saved is smaller, the time saved is greater.
The other reason why you might actually care a lot about the numbers at high speeds is because of headwinds. You might be going forward at a lower speed but a headwind effectively adds to the spee🐎d you are experi🏅encing. 30 km/h is reasonable for a road bike, but if you add a 20 km/h headwind, all of a sudden, you are dealing with the same aero situation as a pro rider travelling at 50km/h.
Because aerodynamics is the biggest force we all deal with on a bike, optimisation mattಌers to everyone. Gravel cyclists and slower riders of all kinds can go faster by getting more a🦩ero. When racing, that means finishing faster. If you aren't racing that might mean finishing at the same speed with less work.
Do aero helmets make you overheat?
For a lot of people, the reason to hesitate before buying an aero helmet is all about comfort. Aero helmets have a reputation for being hot and that turns people away. Brands reinforce thatꦑ idea by offering aero helmets as an alternative to helmets with branding🐟 emphasising how airy they are.
In my experience, the reality of riding with an aero helmet is actually quite different. While aero helmets do have less venti🎃ng, it's highly optimised. Modern designs use CFD analysis to put a limited number of vents in just the right place. Then, on the rear of the helmet, large exhaust vents let the hot air out, in turn pulling air through the helmet and across your head. A✃s long as you are moving, aero helmets will stay cool.
When you slow down, aero helmets do suffer from less opportunity for heat to escape. Those hot brutal summer climbs can leave you feeling cooked. Here's the thing that rare🐓ly gets discussed though, those same climbs will leave you feeling cooked in non-aero helmets also. It's hot and you are climbing, so buckle in and prepare to sweat. Aero helmets aren't significantly worse in this regard.
Are aero helmets heavy?
Aero helmets are not only hot but also heavy, right? That's the reputation and I would have agreed before working on this article. It only makes sense that aero helmets would be heavier given that they seem to have more material. When I actually weighed a bunch of helmets though, I found the opposi🅷te. Some of the lightest helmets on the market are aero helmets.
🧸Overall, on average they d꧙o tend to be heavier, but it's not always the case, and even when they are, it's not a significantly difference.
Are there any downsides to aero helmets?
When it comes to performance, there are very few downsides to aero helmets. They aren't necessarily heavier, they aren't particularly hot, and they offer an opportunity fo✨r free speed. Except nothing is free and when it comes to downsides theꦫ one sticking point is actually the price.
Aero helmets aren't more expensive as a whole. Often the top price point a brand offers will have an option for an aero option or an all-around vented option and they'll be the same price. Keep moving down through the model range though and aero-first helme🍸ts will disappear.
Most bra🍬nds only offer an aero helmet near the top of the pricing structure.
Do I need MIPS in an aero helmet?
Aero helmets are still bike helmets. All the same questions that exist with any bi𝔍ke helmet exist for ae𒁃ro helmets and MIPS is a big question. The actual name is a distraction though.
As explained in our 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:guide to MIPS, it is a brand name and an acronym. The letters stand for Multi-directional Impact Protection System and the brand iꦕs offering ꦦtechnology to protect in situations where impact occurs off-centre. If you see a MIPS label on a helmet it means the brand paid a licence fee and is using the MIPS technology.
MIPS is only one brand offering a solution and there is no definitive answer of whether it's the best solution available. No one really knows the best way to protect against a concussion, otherwise known as traumatic brain injury,🦩 in the event of an impact. What MIPS claims is that when the impact occurs off-centre your helmet should be able to rotate separately from the head.
There are a variety of brands an꧟d organisations that agree with this assessment. Many of those brands licence MIPS technology to make use of it. Other brands agree on the basic idea but have their own systems to allow your ꦡhead to rotate within the helmet. Alternatives are technologies like Kineticore from Lazer as well as WaveCel, Koroyd, and others that have come and gone through the years.
There are also brands that agree with the basic idea but disagree with how to address it. Kask i🥃s somewhat vocal about the idea that there's plenty of opportunity for a helmet to rotate on an actual human head without additional technology. The brand disagrees with the headform used by Virginia Tech and MIPS to test and has a proprietary WG11 test that does it differently. Rudy Project also has a similarly named, but different, test that aligns with that understanding and has put out some information that seems to agree as well.
Al🀅l that disagreement leaves the consumer with little clarity. Every helmet sold has to pass government testing for the location where it's sold. Those tests mandate a basic level of protection and from there, you'l🔴l have to decide what technology makes sense to you.
Is a Virginia Tech score important?
This is another variation on the same question about MIPS. Every single helmet sold passes a variety of government-mandated tests. Virginia Tech has become well known for developing a different test that specifically covers off-centre impacts. The results get reported as a number and the lower the number the better. Right now the top-ranked helmet, out of 188 tested, has a score of 8.4. If you also see a star ranking, that is the same testing displayed in a di♍fferent way. Any helmet with a score below 14.00 will have a five-star ranking.
Given that Virginia Tech is the only independent testing protocol that offers more than a pass🦩/fail, we think it's worth reporting. Unfortunately, there are a lot of helmets that have not been tested. Some likely because 🌜of the speed with which new options come to market, some because of a disagreement about the protocol, and others for reasons unknown. If they have the number, we share it and you will need to decide if the helmet you decide on must have a score.
How do we test the best aero helmets?
Testing aero helmets for us is a combination of empirical testin🌟g and real-world riding exper༒ience.
The Cyclingnews team have been testing helmets for years, and we've ridden using every helmet we can think of. Our experience is great for teasing out differences in things like comfort, user experience, noise and s𒅌o on, but even we would be hard-pushed to feel a 20-gram weight difference or the 1-2 watts separating each helmet.
That's where scientific testing comes in. We weigh each helmet, and we took over 20 of them all to the wind tunnel recently to find out which was fastest. Cyclingnews subscribers can read our 澳洲幸运5开奖官网在线查询开奖结果:wind tunnel helmet test in full, if you want to get nerdy with the data.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content༺ on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everythin✨g from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 y෴ears. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
