The result is not only a reduction in weight but also an aid to improved ventilation, as the air has one less layer to move through. There’s also a 10 gram weight, saving to be had on a like for like size, with the brand putting this weight saving is down to the Helios Spherical helmet having less technical ventilation structure than the Aether. Personally found it a barely noticeable difference having ridden both helmets, with the two equally as comfortable. It has Smith’s VaporFit retention system, which can be adjusted vertically and horizontally to allow for a snuggly fit for all head shapes, which is a rare feature especially in aero focused helmet options.
The frame is equipped with a MINO Link, allowing you to alter rear suspension geometry. Additionally, despite shipping with 29-inch front and rear wheels, you can swap out the back wheel for a 27.5-inch wheel to get some added nimbleness at the back. Lastly, Trek’s ABP suspension design is composed of a concentric rear pivot, allowing full suspension actuation under braking. In collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, we have rated bike helmets using the STAR evaluation system. Our impact tests evaluate a helmet’s ability to reduce linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head resulting from a range of head impacts a cyclist might experience. Helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with less stars.
While there are slightly lighter helmets, such as the Kask Protone helmet, it was still an impressively low weight at just 269g (for a size small). Trek’s Fuel lineup of mountain bikes has been around for several years now, and has proven itself as a formidable player in the all-mountain and enduro categories. The addition of an electric motor and battery to this bike only boosted its performance and appeal. This carbon-framed trail muncher proved to be quite the impressive bit of kit. Nowadays mountain bikes tend to be flatter and wider, however the Incline offers a more standard handlebar more like my hybrid bikes. The Equilibrium and Equilibrium Disc are also endurance/sportive-focused bikes, and come with a steel frame and carbon fork.
In contrast to the earlier bike though, it offers 7 speeds, with 1 on the front and 7 on the rear. I’m honestly not sure if it was just my bike, or if all of these bikes are that way, but it gave just enough, but not too much suspension in the rear. I must genesis bike say, a lot of people don’t like low end bicycles with a full suspension, as supposedly the rear shocks tend to bounce and it makes for a pogo stick affect. The Vapour is Genesis’ CX race machine and there are three models available (10, 20 and 30).
Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle’s hilly streets on a steel single speed, her progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist, a career she’s now had for 11 years. It’s not cheap however, although when you genesis bike discover that the version we tested is double the price it almost seems reasonable! There’s a new MIPS iteration that’s more comfortable than the original version and the helmet has a compact shape that fends off the weather without overheating. We found it comfortable for cooler weather riding and the enclosed design does work in the rain.
Its 1×9 drivetrain keeps things simple, while the swept back riser bars give the rider a more upright position. For commuters and city-dwellers, Genesis has several bikes to choose from. Genesis has a lot of bikes in its ‘other’ category, so we’ve broken them down into Adventure, Cyclocross and Urban.
The latest version of the Prevail helmet has very wide vents and uses a minimalist MIPS implementation for great airflow. Sure they are cheap, heavy, made with really crappy components, and can get you from a to b. But, being assembled improperly is half the battle when buying a “Big Box Brand” bike. That if you are not an avid cyclist with basic bike skills can cost you as much as the bike to get repaired.
But despite the minimal look of the Air Cage, safety isn’t compromised. Essentially the cage design acts like a suspension bridge, distributing the forces of an impact across the entire helmet. Specialized’s updated S-Works Prevail 3 helmet is designed to be both airer and safer than the outgoing model.
We found the fitting system to be really effective and comfortable with a good amount of adjustability. Perhaps due to the extra protection, the Bell XR isn’t the lightest in class – a medium has a claimed weight of 285g while our large test helmet tipped that scales at 317g. Bell’s XR helmet is aimed genesis bicycles at cyclists who like to ride both on and off-road and require a helmet to cover both terrains. At 280 grams, the S-Works Prevail 3 is light but certainly not lightest in class. But for those who ride often in hot climates the supreme ventilation is likely to make it worthy of consideration.