I have always had light colored helmets and am about to get a Black Atmos. Has anyone found the black helmets are actually hotter? I used to have a light colored Pneumo.
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I have a flat black Atmos and a black and grey Sweep. I also have owned two different black aero helmets.
I didn’t detect any noticeable difference in comfort or temperature even on very hot days in very hot climates, such as Thailand.
Especially in well ventilated helmets, I doubt the color makes any difference in your perception of temperature.
In fact, at least one helmet company- Bell if am not mistaken- did research that suggested it was cooler to wear a helmet due to the venturi effect of air moving over the head above some specific speed (I don;t remember the specifics, just the concept) thn it was to go with a bare head. I believe this research was featured in some of their magazine advertising.
Tom hi,
How do you like the new Sweep compared to the Atmos?
Dave in VA
that might have been specialized. i remember one of their ads mentioning it for their S-1 helmet, that at certain speeds it’s cooler with the helmet and it’s vents than bareheaded.
back on topic, i have a black color of such S-1 helmet, and i don’t notice any problems with the helmet being hotter. i’m guessing that the materials used and the design would limit the incremental absorption of heat retention that a black colored helmet would have over a white one. now if the helmets were made out of metal and had no vents, the black helmet would be a hell of a lot hotter.
Not Tom … but, I liked the Sweep better. For 2 reasons: 1.) It fit my noggin better than the Giro. 2.) I liked the looks of it better (and the cool CSC colors). Okay, 3 reason. It was cheaper. But that really had no bearing on why I bought it. Mostly, it fit better, and coincidentally I happened to like it’s looks.
The sweep is light, well ventilated and the adjustment thingy is easy to use and works well. Same goes for the Atmos.
No, the actuall surface would get hotter, but you have the greatest insulation material between your head and the outer later.
There is no difference. The dense styrofoam used to make the helmet is a hell of a good thermal insulator, even if the black has a surface temp 20 degrees higher it will never penetrate the helmet, especially in moving air. Note that the surface temp will be hotter, but inside the helmet there is no difference.
On the other hand, black clothing is definitely hotter, and I am always amazed to see Peter Reid and others wearing black at Kona or other hot Ironman races. Black does better as a UV shield, especially compared to wet white clothing, so there is some logic to darker colors if you are more worried about UV I guess.
The Atmos is great…so light.
It was Giro I think that first made the claim about a helmet being cooler than a bare head - with their Ventoux model.
I don’t think the helmet colour makes a difference, but I have read something about Black clothes - like the Arabian dressthe tribesmen wear being cooler than white due to the increased circulation of warm air. Sounds a bit dodgy to me though.
I think the Sweep is far superior to the Atmos and a few bucks cheaper (we sell both). The Sweep has a simpler, “one touch” single hand rotating hat-band circumferance adjustment system. It can easily be adjusted while riding with one hand. Much easier to adjust than the Giro Roc-Lock with one hand. The Sweep generates less wind noise in my opinion. The Sweep is less expensive. The chin strap on the Sweep seems to be angled better for my chin, with a more forward orientation for less interferance under your ears.
Anyway, I have both right now. I am kind of a helmet slave. I love helmets.
Living in Tempe, I only have to walk the dogs in my black jeans or T-shirt to prove sufficiently for myself that black is NOT the color you want for clothing in the desert. I even moved away from black bike shorts for hot days. But I think I saw something similar about Arabian garments designed for circulation and shielding.
This season - Darth Vador look is coming back.
black jeans? and you call yourself Dapper Dan? last time i wore black jeans was a motley crue concert in '86.
I switched this year from a white to a black helmet and notice no difference at all.
I ride in plus 30 degrees and high 90 humidity.
…and black is faster!
THe major benfit of a lighter helmet over a black or dark one is visibility. I have a dark blue and grey helmet, as well an Euskali Orange Catlike and a white S1. The White helmet stands out very well in photos and is considerably more visible to traffic. Big Bonus that last point!
I absolutely agree with that.
This season - Darth Vader look is coming back.
“Let me tell you. It really hard to breathe and your voice sounds like James Earl Jones”