Here at BikeRadar we’ve got our hands on the latest aerodynamic road helmet, from Canadian firm Louis Garneau. Part of the limited edition, high-end apparel Course range, the helmet is aimed at the everyday cyclist.
The shape was chosen after extensive use of fluid dynamics software and wind tunnel testing. Claimed figures show a time saving of 2min 40sec over a distance of 40km, compared to an undisclosed ‘regular road helmet’, and a 1min 58sec saving over the same distance with an undisclosed aero road helmet.
These are numbers determined using a mannequin within a wind tunnel, of course, yet Louis Garneau are keen to stress that the requirements and additional variables of real life cyclists have not been ignored.
Take cooling, for example – 31 vents should go a long way to keep things from getting too warm. The reason that the company can use so many large vents and still produce a strong helmet is down to the Course’s construction – a lot of its strength comes from an internal frame. Meanwhile, quick-drying antimicrobial padding has been used to fight off the inevitable odours of perspiration.
The Spiderlock Vision rear light is included with the helmet
The Spiderlock Pro II retention system uses a large turn wheel that makes single-handed adjustment a doddle, so it’s easy to tweak fit even on the fly. Also included is a nifty little rear light that attatches to the click wheel of the retention device – called the Spiderlock Vision, it’s waterproof, features three illumination modes and is bright enough to get you noticed.
The straps also use a cam-locking device for further fast and fiddle-free fitting. It’s not the lightest, though; our large sample tipped the scales at 333g. It’s available for £159.99/US$239.99, in three sizes covering 52cm to 62cm heads. Three colour schemes are available, each featuring different amounts of red, black and white.
For more information on the Course range see www.louisgarneau.com.
