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Quick Spins – January 15, 2008Edited by James Huang Got Tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads.
The first thing you notice when you pick up Specialized's new top-end helmet is the weight, or more appropriately, the lack of it. The Morgan Hill, CA-based company claims its first-ever S-Works level helmet to be the lightest in the world, and with an actual weight of just 190g (size small), it may very well be. Specialized can now argue that point with Limar, though, who has now also laid claim to that title with its new Pro 104 which supposedly undercuts that figure by 10g. 'Lay-deez and gentlemen… BING! Round One!' Gram-counting aside, the S-Works still comfortably holds the technological advantage with its co-molded dual density EPS foam liner. Specialized uses a higher density foam on the sides where it says it is needed most, but substitutes lower density (think lighter) foam elsewhere to reduce the weight. Coincidentally, this is also where the helmet gets its name: 'Dual Density,', two-dee… get it? Further weight saving measures include a hand-laid Kevlar 'InnerMatrix' reinforcement structure, a new pared-down Pro Fit 360 retention system, and even slimmed-down buckles, hardware, and lighter webbing. Whether for function or fashion, the top of the 2D is also liberally smattered with woven carbon fiber. [Recent events force us to clarify something for our readers, though. Due to a recent North American recall (since resolved), this helmet will be dubbed the 'S-Works 2D' in most of the world, but simply called the 'S-Works' helmet in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Reintroduced helmets sold in North America will also get a different buckle and webbing borrowed from the Decibel. 2D helmets elsewhere are not recalled and have been unchanged since the introduction. - Ed.] Specialized equips its top-of-the-line helmet with an abundance of vents, including an updated, and newly massive, Mega MouthPort, as well as enormous exhaust ports out back. According to Specialized, the in-line vent layout delivered the most effective cooling in its wind tunnel testing. After wearing it while riding in 30+ degree heat (that's in Celsius for the metrically challenged), we can attest that it works as this helmet certainly did the job of keeping our heads cool and safe. On the flip side, the helmet's efficient ventilation also means that users should be more careful when using it in colder temperatures. The new Pro Fit 360 retention system worked great, evenly distributing the pressure and firmly keeping the helmet in place, so much so that the straps were hardly required. The straps on the helmet are mounted directly to the side of the helmet, which reduces their length and supposedly also improves comfort by pulling them off of your face. Unfortunately, the fixed mounting points also somewhat limit how you can position the straps. In one case, the rear strap tended to cover the rider's ears rather than sit behind them, forcing frequent strap adjustments. This could be attributable to the helmet's design (or rather one of our heads), but thankfully the straps are quite soft so it wasn't much of an issue. The helmet's astoundingly light weight does raise issues with day-to-day durability, though. The new Mega MouthPort is clearly quite fragile and the lower density foam noticeably less rigid than the norm, so a fair degree of care needs to be taken in transport. As it turns out, Specialized now offers a hard case accessory, and we'd definitely recommend using one or at least something similar for frequent travellers. Overall, recall or not, this helmet is up there with the best: it offers a great look, fantastically light weight, and excellent comfort. It doesn't exactly hurt that a huge number of ProTour team riders are using them, either. Price: US$210 (AUS$275) PhotographyFor a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by Paul Henderson-Kelly/Cyclingnews.com
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