What you see here is not a helmet from a sci-fi movie (though it very well could be!). It’s a racing helmet for bicycles, specifically, a time trial helmet. Developed by American helmet manufacturer Giro Sport Design in collaboration with the Dutch bicycle racing team, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the helmet, dubbed Aerohead II, ditches aesthetics entirely and embraces practicality in aerodynamics.
This is not Giro’s first foray into making aerodynamic helmets for competitive cycling. The outfit created the original version in 1986, which helped American racing cyclist Greg LeMond win the 1989 Tour de France by 8 seconds ahead of his closest opponent. It became a commercially available helmet for bike racing competitions.
Fast forward to 2024, and the Aerohead II is born. The helmet’s radically distinctive aesthetic arises from aerodynamic necessities. It features a bold, wedge-style nose cone design that reminds one of the nose of a supersonic jet. This conical form tapers to a flared tail section designed to align with the rider’s shoulders when tucked in the aero position, allowing for minimal air resistance and optimal aerodynamics.
The Giro Aerohead II Time Trial Bike Helmet not only benefits from better aerodynamics than its predecessor; the transparent visor that wraps around almost half of the helmet is said to offer better visibility. The helmet was put through extensive testing over the past winter and recently debuted in a competition at the opening time trial of the Tirreno-Adriatico road cycling stage race in Italy.
Images: Giro.
