POC Cytal Carbon helmet review: Lightweight and well-ventilated, but only available in black

Launched in July 2024, the POC Cytal Carbon is the brand's latest aero helmet which it claims is its most aerodynamic and well-ventilated helmet. It sits alongside the Procen Air aero helmet in the brand's pro-level helmet line-up. The Procen Air recently came out on top in our own wind tunnel testing of road bike helmets. 

Thanks to CFD modelling, wind tunnel testing and real-world testing by EF riders, the Cytal Carbon boasts an array of impressive ventilation and aero features, though we are yet to run it through the wind tunnel ourselves. In due course we should be able to say whether it's one of the best aero helmets on the market. 

Priced at RRP £360, the Cytal Carbon comes in three sizes, S, M, and L, (50cm to 61cm), and weighs a claimed 250g for a size M. It is only available in black. 

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Design and specifications

The Cytal Carbon features a carbon 'wing' which sits in the middle of the helmet and which POC says is integral to the helmet's aerodynamics and ventilation. 

Using the Venturi effect, POC's well-known approach to airflow whereby the air speeds up as it passes through a constricted space, the 'wing' has varied thickness and shape which creates pressure zones. POC says this increases air speed through the helmet, aiding with cooling and ventilation across the whole head.

The helmet also has large air vents at the front of the helmet which POC says reduces the build-up of air at the front of the rider's head, and routes air through the helmet rather than around it, adding to ventilation and speed. This is a similar approach to that of the very fast Procen Air. 

The outer shell is made from polycarbonate and is moulded to the helmet core for improved structural stability while POC says the expanded polystyrene (EPS) inner shell is optimised to balance crash protection and low weight. 

Safety

The Cytal Carbon achieved a five-star Virginia Tech safety rating, which POC says principally is down to the density of the helmet’s EPS foam which was chosen to balance crash protection and low weight. Virginia Tech is the leading independent helmet testing facility. 

The carbon wing is also instrumental. According to POC, the carbon wing creates a structure and integrity that is very strong, as the carbon is very durable and able to manage forces differently to EPS. The wing is filled with a Koridion core, an expandable material, which gives the wing a more elastic feel. This absorption capacity allegedly gives the helmet a lot of strength and also supports energy dissipation.  

I tried giving the wing a small squeeze and could feel the compression. However, there is no rotational impact technology such as MIPS in the helmet. 

POC said that the omission of MIPS was because the focus of the helmet is on ventilation and aerodynamics. 

"There was a little bit of a weight consideration, but mostly as the focus for this helmet was pushing the boundary for air flow ventilation and cooling, whilst at the same time being very focused on improving aerodynamics, especially as it was a project we undertook with EF," said Damian Phillips of POC. 

While the omission is notable, it's clearly not noticeable enough to reduce the five-star rating, which leads us to the never-ending safety tech debate of whether technology such as MIPS is essential or not.

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Performance

I've been testing the POC Cytal Carbon in Malta, which unlike the UK boasts a glorious amount of sunshine per year, and in late winter this means temperatures around 17 degrees Celsius. 

I haven't tested this in proper heat so can't attribute POC's cooling claims nor the aero benefits given I do not have access to a wind tunnel. 

At first look, the helmet isn't exactly plush padding- wise as there is minimal lining and padding, but there is extra on offer in the box. 

Despite this, I found the Cytal remarkably comfortable. When riding, the helmet kept my head effortlessly cool. It is an incredibly lightweight helmet, and easy to forget that it's even on your head when riding; the sign of a good helmet if you ask me. 

The size adjustment system is a real stand out. Extending from temple to temple around the back of the head, the system offers a fuss-free and easy to secure fit. It's incredibly easy to adjust and allows ample room for a ponytail. Part of this system is a wire that connects around the head. This looks very thin, but I had no issues and would go as far as to say the adjusting system offered the best fit of any helmet I have tried.

That said, the helmet only comes in black, a colour which absorbs heat, which begs the question why POC decided to only offer the consumer this shade. 

"We chose to release the first edition in black only as it worked well with the Carbon Wing," said Phillips. 

"We have made versions in different colours for our teams (check out the EF pink versions) and events, and we are open minded to new colour ways in the future. But the helmet’s main goal is to create enhanced ventilation and improve aerodynamics." 

Verdict

At £360 the POC Cytal Carbon is in the higher price range bracket compared to other helmets in the elite aero market. 

I would like to see the helmet with an integrated rotational impact technology and come in a variety of colour options, rather than just black. 

Look past this and the Cytal Carbon is a gloriously lightweight, cool, and comfortable helmet, with an utterly brilliant adjusting system for an outstanding fit.