AERO HELMETS

The Giro Air Attack started the aero road helmet revolution in 2012 and the popularity has exploded in triathlon, sending the TT helmet towards the margins as savvy triathletes realised that aerodynamics, comfort and ventilation could come in one helmet package.

While the weight of an aero road helmet is typically higher than a standard road lid, our wind tunnel tests at the Boardman Performance Centre in 2019 and this January reveal an aero road helmet can be 3:22mins faster than a vented lid over the 180km Ironman bike leg, a healthy saving for those vying for age-group honours. Much of this, of course, depends on an athlete’s abilities to keep their head in the same aero position, but the drag penalties of moving one’s head aren’t as high on an aero lid as when riding