if you want to get ahead get a hat...

I said at the start of this experiment I would be trying some new equipment and I have talked about the benefits of some equipment. I have just bought the above aero helmet, there are some great bargains out there at the moment, this was half price. I'm still not sure how I feel about wearing it, I will probably test it first in the New year but at the prices they are selling for it will make a nice ornament for my shelf. I chose the giro for a number of reasons, 1; it was a bargain, 2; giro are one of the few companies that make a 63 to fit my big head, 3; I didn't want a visor I wanted to wear my glasses and have a cooling effect, 4; it has exceptional ratings in most magazines and in the more important discussion blogs. So more on it once I use it,

Before I write more about the helmets I have found a bit more about equipment this week and in particular bang for buck. The below picture shows times (approx) saved for each piece of equipment over a 40km TT. It's interesting to note the skin suit can offer the biggest saving, followed by the aero bars, the wheels and frame are actually quite low for overall savings though frames have apparently jumped this coming year. If you add the below up you can buy a whopping 7.5 minutes off your time. With 67 seconds saved through the helmet perhaps I will have to just go for it...

 

 

 

The question is what saves you the most for your money? I have touched on this before but here it is in table format.

 



The skin suit is an amazing saving, especially as I am looking at the bioracer suit at around £100.  The wheels and frame are clearly an expensive item for limited savings and the theory is that you will get diminishing returns on both. In other words beyond a certain cost you receive minute savings for much more money. More on that when I cover wheels and frames. I haven't mentioned tyres above which can make a significant difference for a reasonable investment though they tend to need frequent replacement.

So having given some thought to equipment what about the hat?

 if you’re a time triallist, your number one enemy is aerodynamic drag. It is always present and will always be working against you as you try  to go quicker.

Your bike accounts for around 20 percent of the aerodynamic drag that you encounter, the rest is down to your shape and your frontal area or the lump that hits the air.So what the equipment above is doing is buying you free speed.  They optimise air displacement and minimise the low pressure area formed in your wake, resulting in less drag in much the way a sail works on the water.
Having established the helmet is one of the most cost effective ways of saving time it really comes down to personal preference, do you want a visor? What shape is your head? How much money do you want to spend?
The following helmets have been taken from a number of tests, they vary in price but all have scored high points across the board
Specialized TT2
£169.99


The large channels and vents do a decent job of keeping the heat down without sacrificing aerodynamics. It’s easy to put on in a hurry, and a long, sweeping tail and close-fitting sides help keep the drag down to a minimum.


Bell Meteor II
£129.99


This Bell Meteor II has an easily adjustable cradle with decent pads, 10 vents mean you don’t overheat and it’s light enough (410g for a medium) that you can hold your head up to get the helmet tail against your back without extra strain.


Limar Speed Demon
£144.99


For hot weather racing, the Speed Demon is an excellent option. There are six front vents, three exhaust ports, and even the ear fairings are ventilated. It’s a light helmet, too, weighing just 359g.
The range of adjustment is another strong point, thanks to a cradle which can be rotated as well as tightened. That’s just as well as there’s only one size available (54cm-61cm). Downsides? The ear fairings feel flimsy and if you have a very large head the Limar is a squeeze. Good to go when the going gets hot.


Lazer Tardiz
£169.99


It’s easy to forgive the Tardiz its somewhat daft name when it’s packed with features. The Rollsys dial on the top of the helmet makes for quick and easy fit adjustment, tensioning a cable around the whole of the head, not just a cradle at the back.
The chin strap uses a quick and easy magnetic fastening, and there are enough air vents to take the edge off when you’re out on a hot bike leg. A golf-ball-style dimpled finish on the back of the helmet is claimed to deliver further aero gains. An innovative and comfortable aero helmet.

BBB TriBase
£119.95


It shouldn’t count for much, but the TriBase certainly looks fast, with its long tapered tail and smooth lines. For an aero helmet it’s impressively light, weighing in at 333g for in the large size (55-61cm),. Four front vents provide some cooling for hot days, but don’t expect much air to get through such narrow slots.
A rotary dial adjusts the cradle to fit the back of your head, and a padded flap stops the clip rubbing under your chin – a nice touch on a basic but good value helmet. A light and inexpensive aero lid.

LAS Chronometro
£129.99


It’s unusual to find a visor on such a reasonably priced lid – a feature which should help the Chronometro cut through the air smoothly. Fit is adjusted by moving the straps and the rear cradle along stretches of Velcro. It seems rather unsophisticated compared with the likes of the Laser Tardiz, but it does the job.
However, the LAS is relatively heavy (524g) and with no front air vents you’ll soon be sweating hard on a hot day which may make longer races uncomfortable.


Bell Javelin
£179.99


It comes with a detachable visor with small breathing holes in the top, two main front vents and one rear, a stubby tail (open underneath) and a fully adjustable internal cage. The range of options that gave us: three different tilts plus the ability to loosen or tighten on the fly.


Catlike Chrono Aero Plus
£149.99


 While many of the latest aero lids are full of groundbreaking features, this one is more basic – but no less effective.

Louis Garneau Vorttice
£159.99


Louis Garneau have started adding all manner of innovations to stay ahead of the competition. The Vorttice is light, breathable and easy to adjust, although it’s one of the most bulbous aero helmets  and it comes with a visor, which also saves watts.

Kask Bambino
£299

 

The Bambino is a very nice helmet in many ways. It's one of the most comfortable we've ever tried, fitting snugly but not too tightly, and covering most of your face, including your ears. The leather chin strap is a classy touch and if it's good enough for sky it's good enough for any one. the only downside it's very hard to get hold of one.


Anyway if you are still reading what about my week? Well I'm still in the building zone, steady miles and building distance. This week was a straight forward two hour zone 1 ride on the Monday, followed by two four hour rides Wednesday/Thursday, With the cold weather i only did just over an hour on day one, 4 hours in very cold wet weather on the Tuesday then with the weather warming on the Wednesday I pushed 41/2 hours at 1.5 mph faster than my normal average by holding my heart rate at a high level. Thursday was a 2 hour easy ride while Friday was a 90 minute zone 1. So far so good, I was on target to hit over 16 hours riding and 240 miles.
On the Saturday I was invited to the opening of a cycling cafe at the edge of Manchester not far from Saddleworth Moor with a 30 mile ride thrown in. having planned to ride 4 to 41/2 hours I decided to do two laps. I knew it would be hard with plenty of hills between 11 and 22%. So I set off at 7am in temperatures of 2.5 - 3 degrees and joined about twelve riders at Polocini's new cafe. Quick pause the cafe is well worth the visit, the best coffee, cycling themed and right in the middle of some great cycling country.
So heading into slippy leaf covered lanes we quickly dropped down a rough 25% descent, fortunately we didn't go back up it. This was the theme of the day, lots of climbs and fast drops down narrow country lanes. I loved it and if I wasn't on a time limit I would of achieved my plan. Unfortunately there were people struggling on the climbs, four punctures and some slow riders. I didn't know my way round so I was stuck. (The plan was to convert the course on the garmin before going round again). In the end I ran out of time, enjoyed coffee, cake and the company and rode home. What i did find though was the hard climbs felt a lot easier than normal and I felt I was playing and enjoying myself even with my 39/53 crank even powering over a 10% in my 53. Of course the coach won't be happy with the heart rate zones induced by over 2000 feet of climbing in the 25 miles.

So having gone through rain, freezing temperatures and long solo rides excited to hit 250 -260 miles I lost over 40 miles on the Saturday. With just a tacx turbo session through Paris on the Sunday I actually achieved the lower end of the planned scale and 8 miles less than my highest weekly miles at 213 miles and 13hrs 42 mins of riding. I had some sore legs after the hills but over all loved the weeks riding and wish this week wasn't going to be a recovery one.

• Anyway lesson this week? Sometimes you need to keep to a solo ride to achieve your goals.... keep pedalling....... soon be summer