Which aero helmet to get?

Triathlon Forum
21

Ok but you choose a lighter brick if it’s equally as fast (or possibly faster). As noted, this will always be rider-specific but if you aren’t going to test, might as well use one of the fastest testing g helmets that’s also light…

If you play the averages on this:

Switching to the Aerohead gives you a 90% chance on the low side and maybe as much as 95% chance it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.
Switching to the Rudy Wing is a 50% chance on the low side and maybe a 60% chance on the high side it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.

When I think about which helmet I recommend when someone consults I take into account where they place, goals/aspirations. The closer they are to the front of their AG or the race overall or a pro or those are their realistic goals I recommend the Aerohead if they aren’t testing. But, if they have tried the aerohead than it’s the Poc cerebral or the Rudy choose whichever fits best, costs less and you can find although I’d say the POC has maybe a 10% increase in chance to work better than the Rudy.

Hope that helps everyone

I read this over and over again here in ST and I always question it. Not saying that the Aerohead is a slow helmet, but from a pure aerodynamics/fluid mechanics perspective, why will the Aerohead “always (95%)” test faster than all the other helmets that have similar shapes, materials, etc. ?

In my own testing, I could not find any difference between the Aerohead and the Bell Javelin or the Catlike Rapid Tri. All three of them were faster than the Air Shield.

If the Aerohead would have a proprietary patented shape different from the other helmets, I could see it…but . What am I missing? I would also argue that 95% of folks who do a lot of unbiased aero testing work, do not end up with the Aerohead (Say Frodo, Ditlev)

22

See the kask mistral much in testing? This, and almost like a throwback, the Met Drone, gets a lot of use amongst tri pros.

23

Ok but you choose a lighter brick if it’s equally as fast (or possibly faster). As noted, this will always be rider-specific but if you aren’t going to test, might as well use one of the fastest testing g helmets that’s also light…

If you play the averages on this:

Switching to the Aerohead gives you a 90% chance on the low side and maybe as much as 95% chance it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.
Switching to the Rudy Wing is a 50% chance on the low side and maybe a 60% chance on the high side it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.

When I think about which helmet I recommend when someone consults I take into account where they place, goals/aspirations. The closer they are to the front of their AG or the race overall or a pro or those are their realistic goals I recommend the Aerohead if they aren’t testing. But, if they have tried the aerohead than it’s the Poc cerebral or the Rudy choose whichever fits best, costs less and you can find although I’d say the POC has maybe a 10% increase in chance to work better than the Rudy.

Hope that helps everyone

I read this over and over again here in ST and I always question it. Not saying that the Aerohead is a slow helmet, but from a pure aerodynamics/fluid mechanics perspective, why will the Aerohead “always (95%)” test faster than all the other helmets that have similar shapes, materials, etc. ?

In my own testing, I could not find any difference between the Aerohead and the Bell Javelin or the Catlike Rapid Tri. All three of them were faster than the Air Shield.

If the Aerohead would have a proprietary patented shape different from the other helmets, I could see it…but . What am I missing? I would also argue that 95% of folks who do a lot of unbiased aero testing work, do not end up with the Aerohead (Say Frodo, Ditlev)

It’s very personally dependent: very very, because everyone has a different body and sits differently on the bike.
The only assertion is, that the aerohead tests aerodynamically very good in MOST configurations. And a configuration is dynamic: a test in a windtunnel with a fixed position does not help a lot. In the real world you constantly change the position of your head. At least I have to sight every 2 or 3 seconds, since in full aeroposition I cannot see the road in front of me.

That’s why I have the aerohead, I’m too lazy to test other helmets (whereby executing a testing protocol is not so easy too).

To me an aerohead is not too hot or heavy (I did numerous very hot IMs with it). It is true you see the edge a bit on top when in aeroposition, but hardly. This becomes also better when you fasten the turning button, actuating the plastic strap around the head, I noticed. With a loose plastic strap the helmet falls downwardly blocking the vision at the top.
Disadvantage of the aerohead: every visor breaks in the middle starting at the bottom: I had to replace it more often. Furthermore the visor is fantastic: it is held firmly by the magnets and you can store the visor on the top of the helmet.

24

Ok but you choose a lighter brick if it’s equally as fast (or possibly faster). As noted, this will always be rider-specific but if you aren’t going to test, might as well use one of the fastest testing g helmets that’s also light…

If you play the averages on this:

Switching to the Aerohead gives you a 90% chance on the low side and maybe as much as 95% chance it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.
Switching to the Rudy Wing is a 50% chance on the low side and maybe a 60% chance on the high side it’ll be faster than whatever you’re switching from.

When I think about which helmet I recommend when someone consults I take into account where they place, goals/aspirations. The closer they are to the front of their AG or the race overall or a pro or those are their realistic goals I recommend the Aerohead if they aren’t testing. But, if they have tried the aerohead than it’s the Poc cerebral or the Rudy choose whichever fits best, costs less and you can find although I’d say the POC has maybe a 10% increase in chance to work better than the Rudy.

Hope that helps everyone

Did you get to test the POC Procen yet by any chance?
Ventilation looks very good on paper

25

See the kask mistral much in testing? This, and almost like a throwback, the Met Drone, gets a lot of use amongst tri pros.

I tested this a few times last year to really good results

26

I read this over and over again here in ST and I always question it. Not saying that the Aerohead is a slow helmet, but from a pure aerodynamics/fluid mechanics perspective, why will the Aerohead “always (95%)” test faster than all the other helmets that have similar shapes, materials, etc. ?

In my own testing, I could not find any difference between the Aerohead and the Bell Javelin or the Catlike Rapid Tri. All three of them were faster than the Air Shield.

If the Aerohead would have a proprietary patented shape different from the other helmets, I could see it…but . What am I missing? I would also argue that 95% of folks who do a lot of unbiased aero testing work, do not end up with the Aerohead (Say Frodo, Ditlev)

I’ve found all those helmets you mentioned to be faster than the aerohead for 1 maybe 2 people. Yet typically the aerohead, both in the wind tunnel and field testing I’ve done the aerohead is the best helmet for the most people across the most conditions the rider is likely to see. (n= >100)

I see helmets get close, or even tie it. For example I know a triathlete who on low yaw days wears the aerohead and on high yaw days the Poc cerebral. The POC tested faster at 7.5 and 10 the aerohead faster at 0 and 5 for her. She travels w/2 helmets. You will most likely be different.

Or in field testing I’ve seen helmets tie it but when you start looking at the times for the runs the aerohead is almost always :01-:02 faster. Let’s say I do A/B/B/A/A/B and the CdA comes back the same but the aerohead is :01, :02 and :02 faster, I’m recommending the aerohead. :05 over 10-11km starts to add up as the distance increases.

IDK about you’re 95% of unbiased people testing don’t end up with the aerohead. I know a lot of people who test More often than not the aerohead is among the fastest choices. i’ve tested a lot of pro cyclists, a few pro triathletes, several AG triathletes and cyclists that didn’t have a choice and had to wear/preferred to wear something slower due to sponsorship.

I do think there is a crop of helmets that are a lot closer to the aerohead than the crop of helmets that existed when the aerohead first came out. That was 2016 iirc. The EU has more helmet choices than we do here in the US. The aerohead also does not seem to be as much of a prominent / dominate brand in the EU/UK cycling scene. Probably bc of the greater selection of choices.

27

Brian,

What do you think of the Specialized TT helmet (circa 2015) vs the Aerohead? I have both, and prefer the Specialized for comfort. It looked is to have a smaller profile, and in its early years was acknowledged as a fast option.

Thanks

28

Brian,

What do you think of the Specialized TT helmet (circa 2015) vs the Aerohead? I have both, and prefer the Specialized for comfort. It looked is to have a smaller profile, and in its early years was acknowledged as a fast option.

Thanks

For me, it tested as fast (within 1w) as the Aerohead at the A2 tunnel
Testing 2 guys from world tour, Dario Cataldo was faster with the spec, Jakob Fuglsang with the aerohead when we tested their team helmet, to the Spec, to the Aerohead.

So my sample size is 3. Brian probably has more

29

Brian,

What do you think of the Specialized TT helmet (circa 2015) vs the Aerohead? I have both, and prefer the Specialized for comfort. It looked is to have a smaller profile, and in its early years was acknowledged as a fast option.

Thanks

The McLaren TT4 or the long tailed specialized helmet (TT2) previous to that?

I know the TT4 has come out as the fastest for a few people i just don’t remember #s or how many people, call it 5-6 at least. When it came out I remember it doing well against the helmets that were out then. it’s long in the tooth for sure though and their new TT5 is probably faster

Sorry I don’t have better/more accurate info for you.

30

Brian tested me in it and in the Aerohead. The aerohead was faster for me by a fair bit. Ditto on my friend testing the same day.

31

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a Rudy Wing. Any reason to reconsider?
I have a very small head - assuming size small.
Any discounts Rudy peeps?

32

Update about a year later: ended up getting a Procen while it was on sale, hoping to take it out some time in the next few weeks and will update here with my experiences compared to the Evade and my POC Ventral helmet.

33

Curious- how did this go for you? I’m 65 kg and averaged 249W at jones beach, ending at 2:16. Not sure how you figure heavier weight less watts was going to put you in the 2:10-2:15 range, unless either my power or your previous power was off.

34

Ah… I had a really bike accident (hit a deer while going ~30 mph on the TT bike in NJ) two weeks before Jones Beach and ended up not racing due to a head injury and some bad road rash. As for my estimated bike leg time, I was basing this off of a Eagleman race (better conditions than Jones Beach, 900ft less elevation) where I was racing on shimano rs171 training wheels and the Evade. I assumed that I’d save roughly four minutes at the same wattage (207) and being a bit stronger and experienced (Eagleman was my first ever tri/bike race) that I could dip into the 2:15s with a 15% increase in power. I also have a stocky build (173 cm at 68kg) from my background as a swimmer so my CDA may be relatively low for my weight.

@discotheque3 FWIW my only other IM branded race was at Wisconsin 2022 where it was similar conditions (rainy, windy, mid 50s) and Cody Beals rode in the 4:50s, which is much slower than what I’d expect a top tier pro like him to put up. Possible that the conditions affected your race time negatively? I had a friend who had to drop out of the race after the bike because it was so cold and windy.

35

Haha I know exactly who you are; been following you on strava for last year (also nyc based)- yeah I was looking forward to breaking 2:15 but with conditions opted out of my disc wheel. Was definitely getting knocked around with winds especially weighing less. That context makes sense.

36

Is the Areohead still one of the best Tri helmets out there? Or another has taken its place?

I love the RP The Wing, but their sizing is just not for me. I first got the M/L and it was falling on the front even if the tock-lock was fully tightened.
I switched to the Small and it was pinching my ears. It becomes very uncomfortable after 20kms of riding.

Looking for an alternative to The Wing (other than the Aerohead).

Met Codatronca? Sweet Protection Tucker?