Just when you thought aero helmets couldn’t look goofier, Giro has held everyone’s beer and said: check this out.
The past few years have seen changes in traditional aero TT helmets—the close-fitting, sleek, with a giant tail, to rounder, wider, and oftentimes sillier ones. Sure, they may be faster, but the fashion police would like to have a word.
Giro for Visma – LAB
Visma – Lease A Bike is being sponsored by Giro for 2024; the years before they wore Lazer lids. And the company that got famous on Greg LeMond’s noggin–most notably when he wore a Giro Aerohead helmet to win the 1989 TT ahead of helmetless Laurent Fignon, has certainly made a statement.
Recon time. 👀
Excited to use our brand new innovative Giro helmets for the first time. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/B7uj77Iwq9
— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) March 4, 2024
Jonas Vingegaard and others on the team were seen wearing the oversized helmet, which makes all the earlier bonkers helmets look, uh, less bonkers.
When helmets got goofy
In 2023, Scandinavian squad UNO – X debuted a TT helmet which looked more or less like a traditional one from the side, but from the front, looked like a mushroom in Super Mario Bros.
最近各社のエアロ性能追及の成果でどんどんすごい事になってるTTヘルメット、Uno-Xが使った新型（SWEET PROTECTION製）はビジュアル的になかなか破壊力あるなあw pic.twitter.com/EWyCTFezKA
— 紙の男 (@John_Doe_0774) February 21, 2023
POC already has a ginormous and ridiculous-looking aero helmet that had a similar profile–but the helmet brand didn’t stop there. In 2024, riders on EF Education were seen wearing aero helmets–but during road races. And by aero helmets, not just non-vented, but helmets that looked more suited to time trials.
最近各社のエアロ性能追及の成果でどんどんすごい事になってるTTヘルメット、Uno-Xが使った新型（SWEET PROTECTION製）はビジュアル的になかなか破壊力あるなあw pic.twitter.com/EWyCTFezKA
— 紙の男 (@John_Doe_0774) February 21, 2023
Ineos – Grenadiers, famous for its history with marginal gains as both the current outfit and as its predecessor, Team Sky rolled out its own aero road racing helmet. This one had flaps that came down over the ears.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…