One of the more hotly anticipated product releases this year has been “Lances Helmet” – the new Giro aero helmet that we saw on the Pro cyclists in 2010 but had to wait an age for the consumer version.
That helmet is now available to the rest of us with the moniker ‘Selector’ – referring to the modularity of the helmets attachments.The most obvious component that you have to select is the clip on underside. The two options are shown here – a flat tail and one that tapers downwards. The coverage over the ears is the same in either case.
Clip on tails side by side
Removing the tail for the first time is a bit nervewracking, but the clip system is simple and the fear passes (somewhat).
The intent of offering these options is to allow riders to select the tail that works best with their physique and position.
You could even go sans tail on hot days if you wanted to improve the air flow.
It also comes with a very slick visor. I’d recommend thinking carefully about whether you want the visor before you start the swim in a triathlon as you’ll lose 20s in T1 if you then change your mind.
I’ve found the airflow through the ports at the top of the visor to be pretty good and haven’t overheated even on warm afternoons (though I wouldn’t call it cool inside either).
Apart from the aero add ons the box also contains a soft carry bag and some extra padding.
My rationale in choosing this helmet was fairly simple. Because of my large head it was either this or the Louis Garneau Vorttice and the aesthetic of the LG just doesn’t work for me. And I know that EastonBellSports (the owners of Giro) have a lot more money for R&D than Giro, so hopefully they’ve turned out something good here.
I don’t exactly have a good precedent for Giro aero helmets though. When I tested the LG Rocket against the Giro Advantage in a Windtunnel the Giro was slower by 0.8s per km.
That testing is why I use the taller tail on the Selector. As mentioned in the article linked above I suspected that the Spiuk Kronos outperformed the Uvex FP2 for a low head position because of the tapered underside of the tail. So I’m selecting the tail that matches that setup best.
Overall I like the smooth shape, the modular system and that they have multiple sizes.
My only real criticism is that it didn’t come with something to hold the loose end of the helmet strap. So the buckle came off in T1 at the first Tri I used it in. I sewed the end to the main strap straight after that race as losing a minute to something like that is not fun. Having sorted that, it’s been a great helmet.
