Just a couple of hours ago we told you that we were done for the week. We were getting to watch the coverage from Kona. And then… we hear that a new helmet is out there on the island. One that was developed in collaboration with Swiss Side – in our opinions one of the gold standards of aerodynamic testing currently. So, we are back! At least for now to share with you Rudy Projects latest TT helmet – the Wing Aero Helmet.

The Rudy Project Wing Aero Helmet

The Wing Aero is the latest in a long line of aero helmets from Rudy Project. Previously sharp eyed viewers of the Tour de France caught glimpses of this helmet – but here are the details. The Wing Aero was designed utilizing the knowledge that throughout a race an athletes head is moving. Meaning that a helmet has to be aero in a variety of positions. Utilizing wind tunnels and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and engineering research with renown aerodynamic company Swiss Side, mastered with triathlon and road cycling champions, Rudy Project developed the Wing Aero for multiple rider positions without compromising performance. The result is a new geometry profile combined with Rudy Project’s safe ultralight In-Mold construction removable tail extension.

For your ventilation needs there are massive rear and front exhaust ports ensure a constant airflow inside the helmet. The combination of helmet geometry and air ports accelerate the internal ventilation to cool riders head while enhancing the sweat evaporation process.­­

Up front is a all-new Easy in- Easy out magnetic removable vent cover you can easily manage the helmet internal airflow choosing either from a fully open or closed configuration according to your performance needs.

To maximize eyes comfort, The Wing features an all new removable magnetic visor. Easy to mount and dockable, the visor boasts and ultra peripheral lens with enhanced deep horizon vision. Building on RP Optics advanced lens technology, the polycarbonate visor ensure protection against UVA and UVB rays and minimize eyestrain allowing athletes to stay focused on their performance only. The helmet ships with a smoke shield but transparent and multilaser orange are both available.

MSRP is slated for $399 US with availability online in the next few weeks. You can sign up to have your shot at one of the first available helmets at https://www.rudyprojectna.com/pages/wing-aero-helmet.

Aerodynamics

Aero helmets are hot and claustrophobic. And the reason we all wear them is simple – they help make us faster. The Wing Aero is no exception. Being this testing was done with Swiss Side we have an expectation for a quality methodology and Rudy Project was happy to share it. They created a truncated dummy (with cut off lower arms and lower legs). The dummy body position was set with a flat back and two head angles – 45 and 60 degrees relative to the road. All measurements were made at 45 km/h over a yaw sweep of -20 to 20 degrees.

The chart below is based on an average man weighing 75kg, riding an 8kg bike, at 200 watts over 70.3 distance including 500m of climbing.

One note found was there was no considerable difference between the use of sunglasses or an integrated visor.

Our Thoughts

Rudy Project continually wins the helmet count at Kona. And while part of that is aggressive promotion and advertising – their past work with John Cobb and others has left a lasting impression. This helmet at first look seems to be exactly what the modern triathlete is looking for. It achnowledges that we can get shifty on the bike. Has multiple ventilation options. And lets you choose between a visor or sun glasses. The only thing really missing is data against competitors and not just themselves – but we are sure that will come soon enough.

Wrapping Up

At $399 the price is right in line with what you expect (and $100 cheaper than what the Wing 57 first retailed for). The aero data looks good, but we will wait for independent confirmation to get too excited. And speaking of getting excited the real review can start when we receive our media sample in the not too distant future. Ok so this time we really are done with our Kona coverage. Have a great weekend and look out for our thoughts on the winning rides next week!