Cool Aerodynamic Cycling Helmets For a Faster Time Trial

When you're cycling against the clock in a time trial or triathlon time matters. The lower your time the better your potential result. Whether you want to go under the hour for a 40km TT/ Tri bike leg or earn the leaders jersey in your next stage race an aerodynamic cycling helmet can help you save precious time.

This article highlights some of the best and coolest aero cycling helmets available on the market today. All of these helmets comply with the strict US helmet safety laws governing cycle helmets (ANSI). As going faster is nothing if you're not going to keep safety in mind too.

Over the course of a 40 km time trial it's estimated that an aerodynamic cycling helmet can save you around 47 seconds at an average speed of 37 km/h^[1]

The Giro Advantage is one of the original aero helmet designs which has had little adjustment over time. It was used effectively during individual time trials by Lance Armstrong throughout his Tour De France wins.

Aero helmets are designed for speed and therefore often that leads to poor ventilation. The Giro Advantage attempts to compensate for this by having five small front vents to channel air inwards. This provides a small amount of additional ventilation

The latest version Advantage 2 features Giro's RocLoc 5 retention system to give the rider a comfortable fit while allowing ratcheted micro adjustment. The helmet also features internal grooves to allow the wearer to slide on and wear sunglasses with ease.

When you're riding sometimes you don't want to show emotion or stress- an integrated visor allows you to block your eyes away from onlookers and also protect from the sun as well.

An integrated visor within an aero helmet can help improve aerodynamics further than an aero helmet alone. The Bell Javelin has been designed in the wind tunnel for wind cheating performance results.

The Bell Javelin has also been designed for easy on and off in transition too so is a great consideration for triathletes thanks to it's SeamFlex ear flaps which flex for ease of installation.

The visor system means this would be a great helmet for a track sprinter that wants to hide their eyes away from an oponent on the velodrome for added effect.

When you're looking at bicycle helmets the name Uvex doesn't normally come to mind. The company has a long running relationship with many professional cycling teams which has allowed them to create an extremely desirable and fantastic looking helmet. Uvex is the current helmet sponsor of the FDJ- BigMat professional team

1 Kyle, Chester R.; Zahradnik, Fred: Aerodynamic Overhaul. Streamline Your Body and Your Bike. Bicycling, Jun 1987, pp. 72 - 79