AERO HELMETS

The popularity of aero road helmets has exploded in triathlon, sending the long-tailed TT helmet towards the margins as savvy triathletes have 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 Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub in late 2020 and at the Boardman Performance Centre in 2019 have shown an aero road helmet can be 3:22mins faster than a vented lid over a 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