i bought the aerohead.. didn't like the way it looked and then thought aobut how hot it's going to be ride in that.
I read rappstar's article on the new Scott Cadence (road aero helmet) and figured, if it's good enough for Kienle to have his best Kona ride under it, it's good enough for me, it worked very well at IM PR yesterday. I was within 1 minute of my predicted bike split. (note said big split was a wild a$$ guess, not a scientifically (BBS, etc) modeled ride)

Thanks for posting about another alternative helmet. I'm wondering if anyone has any information about the helmets listed?

Why not consider a LG Po9? I love mine, it's light and very well ventilated.

The POC is surprisingly well ventilated despite its appearance. Certainly better ventilated than the Aerohead.

My Giro Aerohead MIPS came yesterday and the first impression is good because I have a very big head, most helms do not fit but this one is ok (as my old Giro advantage).

My second impression is also ok after reading this
http://www.thomasgerlach.com/...-triathlon-aero.html
Here also the trick was shown to click the visor on the top of the helmet (if it rains or so)

Now I will try it out this week on the bike.

3. Have you played HALO seriese before?
Aerohead looks like aliens' helm.....
Or looks like the helm of operators in Deathstar

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I found the same when racing in the POC, did not feel hot at all. I also had no fogging issues.

The giro is just fugly and is reported to be very hot.

I used to have a P-09, and found it quite hot as well, but others seem to really like it..

For this year I plan to either use a POC again or the Scott Cadence (leaning towards this). Only small concern with Scott for me is the obvious need to wear sunglasses.....don't find them comfortable for 3+ hour rides and tend to sweat into them.

I'm kind of liking the Smith. It has two vents above the visor and visor vents. It also has two large rear vents. It's a short tail like the POC. The visor is supposed to be high quality at Smith specializes in optics. MIPS is utilized in the helmet as well.

I like the camo or white. The camo just looks badass imho.

https://gzmyu4ma9b-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/...bicycle-helmet07.jpg

Just out of interest, where did you read this?

https://www.bikerumor.com/...ps-new-tttri-helmet/

At the bottom of the article under comments someone linked to a study that included the Smith Forefront and other helmets. It's likely a terrible comparison and inaccurate.

I have the POC and love it, used it for an ultra du in fair weather and for an Iron in rain and hail and an international distance in November in NYC. All vastly different weather, never any temp problems. I had my best season on the bike as well. I do not have a pumpkin size head, i know a few guys who can't use it do to size.

I thought the opposite- POC hotter than Giro. Neither bad enough to cause a concern tho.

I wore the Aerohead at two races last year. Augusta 70.3 which was hot, and Cartagena 70.3 which was off the charts hot and humid (race day heat index peaked at around 110). I didn't think it was any hotter than any other aero helmet I've worn in hot environments, which are the LG Vorttice, LG P-09, Kask Bambino, and Rudy Wingspan.

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Sorry about the fugly comment.... :) Personal preference!!

I'm getting some very good feedback. Thanks everyone.

I really like the Smith Podium. I like the shape, venting, MIPS, and visor. Any thoughts? The camo pattern is pretty sick, but I'm wondering if I'll wish I had bought white a few years down the road? The white is somewhat plain whereas the camo is kind of trendy. I wear a black kit with a blacked out bike so either helmet would work.

Couple thoughts
1. The smith looks like its shape is really similar to the POC. I'm guessing if you shop around, you can find the POC for $100 less than the smith.
2. I wouldn't base your decision on what you think you may like 3 years down the road....lots of folks won't use a helmet that long anyway.

These are great points. The Smith and POC helmet shapes are the main selling factor for me, and they're about the same. Competitive Cyclist had a MARCH20 (20%) off coupon, but I missed out while trying to decide on a helmet, thinking that the coupon would last through March. That would have saved some money, although they don't have the Smith in the camo color.

You're also right about overvaluing the longevity of equipment. The helmet will likely be used for 3-5 years. Beyond that timeframe, who knows...By then something else will be "cool".

Very good writeup from rappstar on the Scott Cadence. I'm considering buying one to use for racing and training. Seems like the best of 1) aero 2) weight on head/neck 3) venting/coolness 4) ability to wear sunglasses (visor could be problematic for rainy or humid races).

Before I purchase, does anyone have recs or comparisons to the other aero road helmets? One commenter asked about the Specialized Evade, but didn't see a response.

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I was foolish enough to follow the click trail. A Swedish Insurance company rated it poorly in the direct impact test because it was "too stiff." The same study/test gave the highest marks to an airbag. An airbag worn around the head and deployed during an accident. I can't say I know a thing about helmet testing, but this seemed a bit silly.

I prefer lenses/shields on helmet over glasses and the cooling potential for the Smith caught my eye. Lots of cool options in this thread though.

The more I read about the Smith, the more there is to like about it. The visor apparently does not fog when tested even in humid conditions. As well, the ventilation looks excellent. I was worried about it getting hot, but I also read that color will not affect the temperature of the helmet, due to what amounts to essentially a "Styrofoam" liner inside the helmet. I initially thought white would be advantageous, but that does not appear to be the case.

It's pretty cool just that it's so different and the lenses should be good. We're only going off "looks" aero, well ventilated, etc. at this point though. There's just something about that goofy camo or bright colors popping out the back that look so wrong that they start to look right if you stare long enough. I bet that black, white, red one would match a LOT of bikes and kits too.

A medium Aerohead fits me quite well and comes in a lot cheaper. IMBA members get 30% off of Smith bike helmets which puts the Podium TT right at $250 as well. It would be pretty hard to buy one sight unseen without knowing more about the fit and ear flaps though.

Man we are off topic...

My wife likes the black, red, and white helmet. It would easily match my black bike and kit.

I'm going to have to pick one. I envision throwing on camo and getting ready to battle every time! Although, it's quite trendy and would be my only aero helmet the base colors would be safer. Smith is already sold out of the camo in large so it must be popular.

For what it is worth. The POC generally tests pretty well. The Aerohead has been consistently one of the top 2 helmets we've tested since it came out. The difference for you could be 0 watts or 5 watts, on average that has been the delta between them. I really like the looks of the POC and those that have it don't seem to have issues with ventilation. That being said if I were going to buy one without testing it first I'd go with the AeroHead. It is also less expensive.

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Heath Dotson
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I just ordered the Smith Podium, full disclosure they are a sponsor, and should have it shortly. I plan on taking it into the tunnel at FASTER and compare it to my Giro Aerohead which did test better for me vs the LP-09.

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Nice! Please share the results after testing. Which helmet color did you get?

I also ordered a Smith Podium TT Helmet this weekend. I'm pretty stoked about it. It looks like a really solid helmet.

Black

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I ended up ordering mine in black as well. I can't wait to use it.

On a related note, anyone put some time in with a Catlike Rapid Tri?
Asked a few months ago, but not many had at that time.

How is the fit on the Podium? Is it for oval or round heads? I bounce around between medium and large in aero helmets and there's no way to buy a Smith locally and actually try it before buying. A medium Aerohead came on and off fine when trying it on, but I was definitely a large for my old Advantage 2 and Bell Javelin helmets. The medium Aerohead fit nice, but you see them everywhere now and until I get serious enough to test, I'm okay buying a helmet based on looks.

You seem to own every helmet !

I was thinking about dropping my kask bambino which i like for the aerohead

I ride with my head down a lot even in IM - do you think it's worth it or is it really guess work without testing ?

Thanks Steve

Actually i did, and as a shop owner i can try a lot of helmets. I like it much more then the aerohead which feels not only heavier although the actual weight difference is not that bif, but the aerohead is way too hot for me. The rapid tri has a very nice, at least for me, fit. Really comfy and i like that the lens is slightly further away from the face. The rounded shape allows a lot of looking down. I also own a LG vortice and uses that most of the time, but i might go for the rapid tri for this season. Also nice it comes with 2 lenses and a solid case to keep it safe during travel.

Jeroen
Tri-Run.com

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Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands

Fit's better then the Arrowhead for me in a large, it go's on easier and is much more comfortable. I hope it tests well, I'm going into the tunnel next Friday.

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Just to verify, you wear a large in both the Aerohead and Podium?

Any update on the trip and how it tested?

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...d_Tunnel.._P6284204/

I'm hoping to get in next week. Aaron at FASTER said if the Giro tested better the the LG for me, it will likely be faster then the Podium but I want to make sure as I like the Podium better.

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Thank you Sir!

Have you ever tried on a POC Cerebel? If yes, could you compare the fit to the Smith?
Thx!

not who you asked, but I had the POC for a day....way way too tight to get on for my medium sized head. My old Bell Javelin was easier to get on. The Smith is super comfy, though not had a chance to ride with it.

I went in to the wind tunnel last year with the P9, an old recalled one that isn't as large because they made it bigger with the recall. It tested fastest for me on the day. I went in with a Giro Aerohead that I purchased anyway last year because I truly believe Giro did their homework even thought clearly the P9 was fastest for me. I haven't looked at the results yet but during the actually runs after I wore the Aerohead versus the P9 on Wednesday Brian said it wasn't even close and was 10 watts. I'll have to look deeper into the data but I don't know how anybody doesn't go with the Giro Aerohead at this point. It tests nearly fast on everyone and that is both in a tunnel and track. Seeing Brian walk out of the testing room with confidence it was clear the Aerohead had just crushed the P9 which was already fast for me.

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What about for those who are sensitive to heat (I think you are not in this category)? The P9, especially when used *without* the visor, is on the cooler side of aero helmets. Aerohead reviews seem to consistently report that it is a relatively warm helmet. Also, there really isn't an option to run the Aerohead without the visor in order to increase air flow to the forehead for cooling. Again, maybe not an issue for many racers, but for some, the warmth factor may have them hesitate on the Aerohead.

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I will admit the P9 is a cool helmet (feeling) when ran with shades. I have never worn it with the visor but I can imagine it is also hot. Heat is a real issue but it is way more of an issue on the run and frankly the sooner you can get to the run in a 70.3 the lower the sun will be and the cooler it should be. If you get to hot you can always flip the visor around for some extra ventilation. One of the things I knew people might be interested was how much slower it was w/o the visor and I tested that on Wednesday as well. Haven't look at the data but it was slower for usre

Lastly, I do seem to be less affected by the hot and the Aerohead was hot hot hot at Cozumel but still manageable. But this is all perception too. The reality of testing by Crowie is that perception and actual core temperature are two different things. You might feel like you are cooking your melon but if you core temp doesn't rise it is all perception. Perception can affect other things I believe but more mental then anything.

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Had an athlete test this.... visor up was worse than visor off very slightly, on par with the spec evade.

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That is probably the case. I tested the visor off because in triathlon frankly I like to keep it up to put the helmet on then flip it down after I get going. In addition if it starts raining or gets foggy it is also nice to be able to put it up there. I wouldn't leave it off specifically altogether. This helmet is really clear the shield was truly designed as a system with the helmet shell.

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Aerohead was 10 watts faster than P9? That seems like a significant amount. For the aerohead, did they fix the issue with the visor rubbing on people's noses or is that just a fit issue for some people.

Wish it weren't so ugly!

do you like it better than the P9? I can't say I like the looks of the P9. I haven't seen the aerohead in person

It could be hyperbole, I have to look at the actual data but the giro aerohead is small and the p9 is a medium. The fit issues is probably just a fit issue for certain heads, I haven't heard to much about that myself.

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okay. I'll be interested. I have the P9. Not that I'm a speedster but if it actually was something like 10 watts that seems significant. I'm probably fine with the P9. I like the looks of the aerohead better.

Helmets is one of those things that is very individual regardless. Without actually testing in the wind tunnel, field testing etc, it is just dart throwing. The P9 was the helmet that tested fast on a lot of people which is why I went with originally - this was many years before the Aerohead. The Aerohead is testing faster now than the P9 for the majority of people. It is solid recommendation suggesting the Aerohead. You might be wrong occasionally, but you are going to be more right than wrong over the long run.

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You're fast enough already, just buy it. It's a gorgeous helmet.

Thomas, did you say you had a small giro and a medium LG?
I have a medium p09 and wondering if I should get a small aerohead.

That's part of my issue with the aerohead; fit around the nose. It is so well fitted that it surrounds my nose to the point I can't farmer blow! Haha. Or, I can but it blasts back inside the visor. The constant post ocean swim drip isn't fun.

The aerohead visor is handy to have flipped up in transisition, and also useable on long hills...flip it up and start climbing!

I have a tweener head. I wonder if I could fit a small p09 as well. The medium given it is large size and heavy weight I found myself having to ratchet the dial down as far as it would go and then it would still move. I am getting crazy light as well, much lighter than last year so I am not sure how much that has to do with it. Regardless, when I bought the medium it was the only helmet available on day 1 and that is what I bought. I have a medium as well that I have to now sell. But yes, the small is very small. It is a tight squeeze.

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Well it is a fine looking helmet that's for sure.

I think the p09 is way better looking, but I owned one and did not find it comfortable.
I do find the cerebel comfortable, but may just go with a Scott cadence this year. I'm MOP and 30 seconds here or there won't matter.
The Smith looks cool, but over 400+tax here in Canada...

Any tunnel updates on the Podium?

I am scheduled to go in next Wed., promise to provide the results!

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And I am back from the tunnel! I will post the data when I have it but the Smith Podium tested 25g less drag for me then the Aerohead.

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can't wait to hear the info...I have a new Podium ready to dance!

@thomasgerlach - Take this into the aero tunnel for real!


https://www.amazon.com/...s=aerodynamic+helmet

I just recently bought a POC and will be doing my first races with it next weekend. So far I havent dont a long enough ride to really tell you much. But I will say if you look down while in aero position sometimes the wind will catch the vents and make a howling noise.

Nice giro ripoff. I bet it is decently fast, especially if you tape the vents.

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I agree with the P9 not being particularly comfortable. Not terrible but I don't like it on the ears. I got the Giro Aerohead on the recent CleverTraining 20% discount. I've only tried the Aerohead on but it feels more comfortable since the shield wraps around and nothing is closed close to your ears. I'm taking the Aerohead for a ride this weekend.

Hmm, maybe I should pull my Podium back off the classifieds. My head is a little taller than average and I just felt like the ear flaps could have come down a little lower than they do on the Podium. It's not like my Javelin where everything is all-in.

OK, here are the results. They are VERY close so you likely can't go wrong with either but we do have a lot more individual testing results on the Giro then the Podium. Even Aaron at FASTER has seen the Aerohead test very well for a lot of different riders.

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Thanks for the follow-up!

Even though everything is super individual, it's nice to know that the Podium is likely not a brick in the aero world. It's a gorgeous helmet and the lenses are superb.

Have you ever tested with a Cerebel?
I think the Smith looks great, but as the above poster mentioned, I'm not sure I'd be happy with it not coming down all the way over the ears. The Cerebel goes all the way over the ears..

I've ordered a POC. I was a little ambivalent because I feel my Bontrager Ballista is doing a fine job in race, though the ventilation, in my opinion, isn't amazing (compared to a, say, Sworks Prevail helmet), paired with some Oakley EVZero Path glasses. My primary interest is better visibility. Even though the EVZero's are rimless, with my head pretty low, I have to position the glasses just right and if I hit a bump, they slip a tad. A helmet with a visor may allow me to keep my head low in a manner that I hope will feel safer.

thoughts with regard to visibility with the POC vs standard helmet and glasses?

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Thanks for posting. My eyeball WT says you appear to look down quite a bit so your position doesn't do the Aerohead any favors. I think the Aerohead is more effective when the airfoil shape of the visor is more exposed to the wind. With your position the visor is mostly hidden behind the brim of the helmet. I would guess the Kask and POC would also work well on you.

Funny enough I train wearing my Ballista and a pair of EV Zeros and experience the same thing. I often end up having the edge of the glasses be right where I'm trying to look (truth be told I can actually see the a bit of the leading edge of the helmet too).

I don't recall how the POC fared specifically (I'm away from home otherwise I'd go check for you) but the visibility from my Aerohead is superb.

yep, the front edge of the Ballista obstructs my vision a tad; I have to position it tilted back a tad. I'm hoping the POC Cerebel resolves those issues.

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Chiming in with my n = 1.

Coming from S-Works TT. Fit was a little bit too loose/wrong shape for my head so it would rotate forward into my vision during the race. Ordered the Aerohead and Podium. Aerohead had similar loose fit to S-Work TT, Podium fit perfectly. Love Smith ski helmets and googles, they always fit well. Podium TT helmet is no different. Excellent visor too. Raced the Podium last weekend, hot and humid but it was a surprising cool helmet. Best compliment a helmet can get in my mind is that you forget about it, which the Podium certainly achieved. It makes a slight whistle when you stick the tail up but that was a perfect reminder to keep the head down.

I'm happy with it and would recommend as a worthwhile try on. $100 more than the Aerohead but comes with two visors, case and Smith warranty.

What size did you get in the podium compared to the other helmets?

M/L in everything. They all "fit" just different shapes and natural tilt position.

Wonder if anyone has any windtunnel data on the Smith Podium? Does it test any good? I am mostly interested because this seems to be the lightest aero helmet out there, sold my aerohead because it was so heavy I couldn't stand it

Do any of the aero helmets still test well when the visors are removed? I wear my prescription Oakley's to race in and I need to replace my 2009 Wingspan helmet
Thanks

LG P-09 tends to test well without its visor. Many of these newer visor helmets, like the Aerohead, are "Visor or GTFO"

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