Specialized, Giant, Bell and POC show off new lids
Image 1 of 21
Specialized showed its new Prevail helmet to the world ahead of the Tour de France. Astana, Etixx-Quick Step and Tinkoff riders trained in the new lid in the days prior to the race(Image credit: Nick Legan)
The matte black and gloss yellow finish matched Lotte-Jumbo's kits well(Image credit: Nick Legan)
We may be seeing a MIPS internal liner in the small yellow pieces inside the vents(Image credit: Nick Legan)
While the new lid has styling cues that remain true to the Bell aesthetic, the new helmet seems more compact (Image credit: Nick Legan)
Several Lotto-Jumbo riders were spotted wearing a new vented helmet from sponsor Bell (Image credit: Nick Legan)
The inside of the helmet has large channels to direct air. Giant reps said the new Pursuit ventilates as well as its current Rev helmet and is more aerodynamic that its Rivet model in almost all conditions. Sprinters, with their head-down, will still be a tad faster with the Rivet (Image credit: Nick Legan)
Giant product managers were on hand to help fit the new helmet for the riders. Large front vents provide ventilation(Image credit: Nick Legan)
The rear of the helmet features two large dimples that help direct airflow(Image credit: Nick Legan)
Giant brought its new Pursuit helmet to the Tour. Here Giant-Alpecin's Frenchman Warren Barguil helpfully gives us a profile shot of the new aero road helmet (Image credit: Nick Legan)
From the front, the helmet appears narrower, with thinner sides (Image credit: Nick Legan)
The rear features numerous exhaust ports (Image credit: Nick Legan)
The new Prevail is very attractive in Tinkoff team colors (Image credit: Nick Legan)
Irishman Dan Martin speaks with Specialized's Chris Yu about the new helmet, mentioning that the new Prevail is a slightly deeper helmet that comes a bit lower on the brow(Image credit: Nick Legan)
The new helmet is more rounded than its predecessor, with aero cues for a sleeker look(Image credit: Nick Legan)
World Champ Peter Sagan speaks with his mechanic Christophe Desimpelaere prior to a training ride. Specialized prepared a black world's rainbow edition for Sagan. It's also likely that the American manufacturer has green, yellow and polka dot versions hidden away just in case(Image credit: Nick Legan)
The rear of the helmet is more rounded than the Gage, the previous top of the line road helmet from Bell (Image credit: Nick Legan)
POC Require sunglasses were also seen in the distinctive colourway(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
DO Half Blade glasses also received the fluoro treatment(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The helmet celebrates POC's 10 year anniversary(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
The Tour de France is where many companies debut new product. Some put out press releases or even host press events to hype their new wares. Others quietly hand them to athletes and ride the buzz that is the world's largest cycling event. At this year's Tour, many teams are using new helmets, whether entirely new models or limited runs.
Specialized's updated Prevail
The new helmet is more rounded than its predecessor, with aero cues for a sleeker look
While we don't have much information just yet on the updated Specialized Prevail, the shape appears to have far more aerodynamic cues than its predecessor. All three sponsored teams – Tinkoff, Etixx-Quick Step and Astana – have the new helmet.
They were delivered in production, over-the-counter style packaging so they must be darn close to ready for distribution. Beyond normal team colours Specialized also produced a black model with rainbow stripes for world champion Peter Sagan.
Giant's Pursuit aero road helmet
Giant brought its new Pursuit helmet to the Tour. Here Giant-Alpecin's Frenchman Warren Barguil helpfully gives us a profile shot of the new aero road helmet
While details are forthcoming on Specialized's lid, details abound for Giant's new Pursuit aero road helmet. Designed combining aerodynamics and ventilation, Giant sets this helmet up as no-compromise protection. Giant-Alpecin riders Tom Dumoulin and Warren Barguil field-tested the new helmets and the entire team was using it for the opening stages of the Tour.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
With dramatic swooping shapes and two large dimples on the rear of the helmet, Giant has taken what appears to be a difference approach to directing airflow. Weighing less than 250 grams for a US-friendly CPSC version (slightly less for European CE models), the new helmet uses what Giant is calling AeroVent technology, strategically placed vents that pull air in and force it internally and out exhaust ports in the rear. While the branding is new, the concept is not. However, the inside of the helmet is amazingly open and the riders seem happy with the results.
In the wind tunnel, the helmet is faster in most conditions than Giant's previous Rivet aero road model. The exception is for head down sprinting, where the tail of the Pursuit can be a tad slower.
Giant will offer the helmet in small, medium and large, in both an oval Western fit model and a rounder Asian fit. The Pursuit also uses a more adjustable helmet strap than its previous helmet models, allowing for more customization. Six colours will be available when the helmet is released later this year.
Bell's unknown new road model
While the new lid has styling cues that remain true to the Bell aesthetic, the new helmet seems more compact
LottoNL-Jumbo riders have been seen wearing a new, vented road helmet from sponsor Bell. While many riders preferred Bell's Star Pro aero helmet for the wet conditions encountered in the opening days of the Tour, several went with the new model, as yet unnamed.
Overall the shape is more rounded at the rear of the helmet when compared to Bell's previous top road model, the Gage. Bell would not comment on the helmet except to say that more details would be available at the Eurobike show in late August.
POC celebrates 10 years with high-vis helmets and eyewear
On the heads of Cannondale-Drapac riders, you can't miss the high-vis green Octal and Octal Aero helmets that sponsor POC has produced for its 10th year in business. While the product is the same, the colour is very limited, with only 1,500 numbered helmets being offered to the public. Similarly, POC's Do Blades and Do Half Blades eyewear receive the bright treatment and numbering.
