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New Specialized Aero Helmet Spotted at Milan-San Remo

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Specialized aero road bike helmet prototype
Image from OmegaPharma-Quickstep team website.

Following introductions by Giro and Louis Garneau, Specialized looks to be introducing an aero road bike helmet. It was worn by Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen and Vincenzo Nibali at the Milan-San Remo this past weekend.

The design has a smooth surface with far fewer vents than their S-Works model, but much more pronounced scoops than Giro’s Air Attack. We’re guessing there’s plenty of internal channels to direct the air smoothly out the back, which looks to have a large central exit port. Who knows, maybe they even used a little FEA to design the structural aerodynamics?

Does this mean you’ll see it at your dealer soon? It’s likely, now that UCI rules say any product used by sponsored athletes must be available for sale within nine months of first use. Should go pretty nicely alongside the Venge.

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17 Comments
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Zeb
Zeb
11 years ago

Soooooooooooooo ugly. Its rather unfortunate that the UCI made this rule because im going to throw up the first time i see somebody actually wearing this

Betty Beige
Betty Beige
11 years ago

Obviously the aero is helping, look at the guy’s face he is totally stoked.. clear advantage.

Wojtek G
11 years ago

There’s no possible way I could believe it gives any aero advantage. And it’s unbelievably ugly too.

RIFF
RIFF
11 years ago

why yall so salty? i cant wait to buy it and make everybody puke everywhere!

Pancakes
Pancakes
11 years ago

I’m not an engineer, but I have met some engineers, so I’m confident this isn’t aerodynamic at all. I can tell from the picture.

Ajax
Ajax
11 years ago

De this mean aero is not as efficient in cooling as a helmet with more vents?

patrick
patrick
11 years ago

Waiting for an actually useful, productive post in this thread. Of course, mine doesn’t meet that criteria, and neither do the others.

ant1
ant1
11 years ago

looks painful.

Will Hilgenberg
11 years ago

As far as helmets go I have to say that this one looks a whole hell of a lot better than the Giro helmet: especially from the back. Concerning aerodynamics, I’m not sure how meeting engineers makes you an authority on aerodynamics to be honest. The only real way to determine the aerodynamic qualities is to stick it in a wind tunnel. I am a little confused by what is meant by “using a little FEA to design the structural aerodynamics.” Clarification?

Pancakes
Pancakes
11 years ago

Swish. I agree it looks way better than Air Attack though.

slippy
slippy
11 years ago

Marketing geniuses at work.
Giro – “Helmet sales have stalled, all the serious roadies are wearing Rapha caps now instead of helmets. How can we make everyone who already owns one or five helmets feel inadequate and buy more helmets?”
Specialized – “Thank goodness Giro took that risk, now we can listen to the negative feedback and design our own helmet to engender inadequacy and prompt Venge owners to buy a matching helmet.”
Rapha – “Here’s our very own, $600 helmet that we bought from Laser and put a rainbow on”

harrochan
harrochan
11 years ago

@slippy lol, lets be friends

Fred
Fred
11 years ago

If you want an aero helmet, why not wear an aero helmet rather than a normal helmet with a few vents covered up?

Robo
Robo
11 years ago

no one other than rumor sites have said it’s an “aero” helmet. it could just be their next high end helmet, which they have said would be “more aero” than a prevail. that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s supposed to be an ‘aero helmet’ Nawmeeeeen??

Robo
Robo
11 years ago

also, I think it looks waaay better than the goofy giro air attack

Barry
Barry
11 years ago

Pancakes, I think you’ve been in the shop I work in many times.

Gavin
Gavin
10 years ago

To Will Hilgenberg and the author of the article:

I know there’s a lot of abbreviations/ acronyms flying about that can lead to confusion but:

FEA to design “structural aerodynamics”

The clever chaps at specialized almost definitely used CFD, not FEA, to model airflow through the helmet.

structural aerodynamics? Impressive! Is this some new type of air that spesh have invented? Should be good for the Nobel Prize!

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