Aero helmets are very light in weight and feature a cutting edge or extremely round-shaped design that helps in cutting through the air drag. The aero helmet makes a rider ride faster by a certain percentage, and these helmets are used in road bike races, especially in the individual time trials. In this type of a race, the rider has to ride alone and fast throughout, thus having the best aero equipment and clothing is very important for such races!

How much time and power do aero road helmets save?

A properly fitting time-trial helmet compared to a standard road helmet is worth about a minute over 40 km, according to Michael Hutchinson, multiple national time trial champion and author of Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists. For slower riders, the gains can be even bigger. A fully-vented normal helmet is the least aerodynamic thing in the world you could put on your head,” says Hutchinson. “It’s about as aerodynamic as a sombrero. It’s designed to swirl air around your head, it’s designed to create turbulence. You’re better off without a helmet at all. And you’re certainly better off with a cloth cap.”

Aero helmets are best suited for a rider’s looks to reduce their aerodynamic drag in the ITT’s. A glance down at the computer or the sprockets sends the tail up into the airflow and all the advantage is gone. Short-tailed helmets such as the Bambino helps in such situations, they might not be the best option available or perform as good as the zero degree helmets but they certainly help in a wider variety of positions and wind angles.

Some of the CONS of Aero Road bike helmets

The biggest drawback of using an Aero helmet is the lack of breathability, and sometimes a slightly heavier obstruction. The aero helmet manufacturers generally achieve their motive of cheating the wind by providing fewer ventilation holes in the helmet. The Giro Synthe is an example of a rare breed of the aero helmet which offers good ventilation.

All cyclists have different opinions on using an aero-fit helmet, some prefer them because they feel that it helps a lot in cutting the wind drag, while others have a perspective that it does not matter much even if we use a normal cycling helmet without any aero specifications. The aero helmets are on a costlier end, therefore, it is based on personal preference whether or not to buy these helmets.

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