Giro is undoubtedly one of the first choices by many as evident in the number on show at any local race or on the box watching the recent Tour de France. And of course the Atmos was the choice of seven times TdF winner Lance Armstrong. Initially what's remarkable about the Atmos is its size: it seems to be very parred down and almost minimilist compared to other manufacturer's helmets.
All races these days report at least one crash per stage and sometimes several. Bearing in mind that there are around 500 top level continental pros and around the same amount of races, it's a stupidly high probability (someone's worked this out I'm sure...) that at some point you are going to hit the deck. Giro have always asked for feedback from the pros and often ask for helmets back, that have been mashed up so they can check stuff works and stuff that doesn't.
So obviously Giro are keen to state that safety is paramount and this expertise and experience with pro-peloton riders shows. An In-Mould Carbon Reinforcement (I.C.R) insert across the helmet integrated with an internal Roll Cage add structural integrity and will ensure the helmet holds its shape in an impact. In-Moulding bonds the outer plastic shell with the foam liner further adding strength. All this technology ensures the Atmos meets the CE EN1078 standard.
Once again we can't impact test, but we do know a few fellow racers who have fallen off with an Atmos on and the results have been pretty impressive (well they're still around to tell the tale!) best thing is that they do seem to stay put and not roll off, the very stable and snug fitting Roc Loc 4 insures that they stay close to your bonce and this seems to be the priority when stacking.
Sizing is good with 3 options [see spec below for details] the smallest head it claims to fit is 51cm, so even smaller heads are catered for well, many women have proportionately smaller heads to go with their smaller bodies so it's good to see we are well catered for here.
A staggering 26 vents means that ventilation is more than adequate, and they've all been designed in a wind tunnel and do an excellent job keeping your head cool, even on the baking hot slopes of Alpe d'Huez. The high number of vents also helps to keep the weight down; at just 240grams it's one of the lightest on the market. With the lack of weight it's a very comfortable helmet and you'll be hard pushed to notice it's there sometimes. As we've already said, the latest Roc Loc 4 keeps the helmet very snug, and is adjustable not only horizontally but also vertically, so it'll fit a larger range of head shapes, impressive stuff.
Verdict
Not only does the Atmos look good, the vents keep your head very cool and the safety features give a lot of peace of mind. Perhaps it is expensive but it's on a par with comparative helmets. The price also includes a nifty hard helmet case perfect for travelling abroad and to races.
- Price: £125
- Sizes: Small [51-55cm], Med [55-59cm], Large [59-63cm]
- Weight: 240gm
- I.C.R In-Mould Carbon Reinforcment
- In-Mould technology
- 26 vents
- Supplied with hard case
- www.giro.com - www.ultimatepursuits.co.uk
- Pro: Fantastic styling, as worn by the pros, ventilation, compact fit
- Con: Expensive
Performance: 10
Value: 8
Overall: 9
Lucy
