A mountain bike helmet is the type of thing that you expect to do its job but really don’t want to think about too much. In the case of a helmet, its “job” is to protect your head and a poor fit or uncomfortable design can limit its effectiveness (as in, if you don’t wear it because you don’t like it, it won’t work). Fortunately I found a helmet almost any competitive mountain biker can love in the Giro Athlon.
Design and technology
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know I’m into lightweight bike gear and up until now I’ve been wearing an expensive road-specific helmet on the trails because it was the lightest lid I could find. The Athlon (without visor) is a scant 8 grams heavier than my fancy road helmet and would probably weigh the same if my old helmet still had all its padding. At 330 grams with visor, I barely notice the Athlon is even on my head.
The Athlon features something Giro calls “In-Mold Technology” which means the outer shell is fused with the liner. This exo-skeleton design makes the helmet more durable than helmets with similar weight and ventilation characteristics. There are 3 sizes to choose from which makes it easy to find the right fit (some manufacturers only offer 2 adult sizes).
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Speaking of ventilation, the Athlon has 23 vents and internal channels to route air flow. If you look closely at the inside of the helmet you can see the internal channels that route hot, stale air away from the head and out the back of the helmet. Even riding in the hot desert outside Las Vegas I found the ventilation to be more than adequate and my head and hair were virtually sweat free after taking off my helmet.
The Athlon sports a removable “low profile” visor that can be adjusted 15 up or down to adjust for changing lighting conditions. Giro uses a unique mechanism that limits rattle no matter what position the visor is in and in my experience the visor stayed put even through rough terrain. I’m still not completely sold on the utility of a helmet visor but the good thing is that it’s easy to pop on and off.
Performance on the trail
I’ve been wearing this helmet for a couple months now and I have to say it’s the best fit I’ve probably ever had. The Roc Loc 4 fit system can be adjusted with one hand and felt super comfy even on long rides. My old helmet felt like it fit well but after reviewing helmet cam footage I could clearly see the difference in stability between the two helmets (more on that later).
Padding inside the Athlon is strategically placed and did a decent job at sweat management. Fortunately the pads attach with velcro and are removable making them easy to rinse out after a particularly hot ride.
In addition to protection and comfort, mountain bike helmets these days need to serve as a mounting point for various electronics like lights, cameras, and for some, MP3 players. Although I don’t think the Athlon was designed with this in mind, I found that mounting my Stella 120 light & battery on top was a breeze. Mounting the VHoldr Contour helmet camera was not quite as smooth since the included mount is designed for helmets with flat surfaces. I’m hoping helmet designers will keep these types of uses in mind for future revisions – perhaps a simple flat mounting surface could be added to one side?
Appearance and replacement
On the surface it might seem like a helmet’s appearance shouldn’t matter but if you think your helmet is ugly, you’re less likely to wear it. The Athlon is offered in 6 color schemes including “lime green flames” and “gloss titanium” so there’s really no excuse for not finding a style you like.
Helmet manufacturers like Giro recommend replacing cycling helmets every 3 years, even if they’re not involved in a crash since the protective properties of the helmet can break down over time. And just so you know this recommendation isn’t some clever marketing ploy to get us to buy new helmets, Giro offers a free helmet inspection for your old lid (for details contact Giro at 800-456-2355 or [email protected]).
Overall impressions
The Giro Athlon is a solid choice for anyone who likes to ride light and fast. I found the Athlon to be stable and comfortable in a variety of conditions and give it high marks for aesthetics. Although I didn’t crash test this one (yet), I rest assured knowing this helmet is durable and meets or exceeds US CPSC Safety Standards. A helmet you don’t even notice wearing is the most effective helmet of all!
Thanks to Giro for providing this helmet for review.
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Dec 4, 2009