Look and Smell Pretty
We’ll be your cycling loved ones are quite fit, but often dirty and smelling funky. It’s time to help them clean up their act.
Your cyclist has probably spent quite a number of hours in that grimy old helmet, and even though it might have once been a fancy, top-of-the-line model and never really crashed, helmets certainly can start to smell funky and the pads and protection can deteriorate over time in the sun and hot cars. But because it’s still intact, often the typical cyclist will keep riding it, thinking, do I really need a new helmet? That’s why we think a shiny new, fresh-smelling helmet makes the perfect gift for a cyclist.
A new helmet goes a long way to keeping a rider looking and smelling fresh, and more importantly, staying safe. And unlike something like shoes or even shorts, it’s not hard to get the right size since helmets typically come in only a few sizes (sometimes only one).
Our suggestion? Grab his or her helmet, check out the size, and take whiff. Yuck? Head to your local shop to pick up a new melon saver. There are so many new styles and colors out there now, perhaps a new aero/warmer option is appropriate for winter riding in your area, or consider an upgrade to emerging technologies like MIPS-equipped helmets. Here are few of our favorites:
POC MIPS Trabec Helmet
The POC Trabec MIPS helmet: protection in bright colors. © Cyclocross Magazine
MIPS systems are getting more and more common with helmets, and POC is leading the charge. The “Multi-directional Impact Protection System” is designed to better keep your head safe when you hit the deck by creating more travel in the outer and inner layers of the helmet, in attempt to mimic what the brain and skull do to protect you in a crash and reduce the chance of concussions. Our test rides have shown the helmet, while a bit warmer than most and at times, slightly squeaky, has great back-of-the-head protection, and we like knowing we might have a chance of killing less brain cells in a spill.
The $220 POC’s Trabec may not look like your traditional roadie helmets, but for the style-savvy, it will definitely stand out in a crowd, and comes in several eye-popping colors to make sure you won’t be missed.
More info: pocsports.com or if not available locally, at competitivecyclist.com
Lazer Helium Helmet
The $219.99 Lazer Helium isn’t exactly a new model, but it’s evolved over time in the terms of clasps, sweat pads and rear light options, and it’s still one of favorites for a feature-packed, custom-fit helmet.
The Lazer Helium helmet is feature-packed and has a race-winning pedigree.
The Helium is the most feature-packed helmet we’ve tested, with non-absorbent, water-based Aquapad sweat pads that channel sweat away, the custom-fit, one-finger Rollsys adjustment system with a built-in LED rear light, the height-adjustable Head Basket, and dual-density foam that is said to increase protection.
As if that’s not enough, the Helium has a bunch of cool options like the Aeroshell (a clear plastic rain/wind cover) and Winter Padding to keep you warm and dry. The only downside is that all these features come at a weight penalty, as our Large test model weighed 374g, or a 100g more than other some other high-end offerings, and quite a bit more than the listed weight.
More info: lazersports.com
Giro Aspect Helmet
The new Giro Aspect helmet with built-in cloth visor. © Cyclocross Magazine
The one helmet that really caught our eye at Interbike 2013 was perhaps the most subdued one of them all: the Giro Aspect helmet. The brand-new $175 helmet looks like a larger, safer version of a retro leather hairnet, but much more svelte than the old Bell V1 Pro (Bell and Giro share the same parent company).
The Giro Aspect offers several unique features, including a clear cover option, a blunt tail that eschews the pointy, swoopy shapes of most road helmets, and a built-in, removable cloth visor that keeps the rain and sun out of your face. Ultrasuede chin strip and padding keeps it comfortable when you’re being rattled by the bumps, and yet its appearance will be equally at home in an urban setting. It’s also light at around 250g. We’ve played with it at the show, but have not gotten our heads in one yet. Stay tuned.
More info: Giro.com
