1%er Number 12 - buy an Aero Helmet

I thought it was time that I wrote a 1%er about actual equipment, after all, buying gear that lets you go faster for no extra effort is one of the most common ways that people make their 1% gains. One could say that most triathletes focus too much on equipment based 1%ers, spending too much money on trying to 'buy speed' rather than just focusing on the thing that will actually make them quicker such as training. however, that is probably the subject for another post. This post is all about buying a bit of speed and in particular one of the most cost effective ways that you can do it which is Buying an Aero Helmet.

Now funnily enough I wrote a blog all about choosing an aero helmet a little while ago. So rather than me retyping it all again here, I will point you in the direction of here:

Choosing a TT Helmet

I just had another read of it, and while it is over 3 years old and has a couple of typos, it still makes pretty good reading, even if I say so myself.

Without repeating the above post too much, the reasoning behind why this is a great 1%er still holds true. When it comes to aerodynamic benefit, wearing an aerodynamic helmet is one of the best bang for your buck ways to make a tangible gain in speed. I say aerodynamic helmet because these days there is a great range of both TT and aero road helmets and for the purposes of this 1%er, either will do.

Now, if you are new to triathlon, I am not necessarily saying you should run out and buy an aero helmet right now. If you are new to triathlon I wouldn't recommend rushing out and buying any specialised equipment other than a bike, some running shoes and maybe a trisuit. However, if you have done a few long course triathlons and you think you might do a few more, then getting an aero helmet is a very cost effective 1%er than you should give some consideration too.

As with anything aerodynamic, the benefit you get from an aero helmet is proportional to the speed you are going. This proportional relationship is because drag increases as you go faster, so at higher speeds the helmet will make more of a difference, ie eliminate more drag. However, even if you aren't flying along at mildly subsonic speeds, an aero helmet will still make a tangible difference. If your average speed in a race is down in the region of 25km/h or below then you may start to question the helmet's benefit, but up around 30km/h+ the difference is measurable. 

As I spoke about in the blog linked above, there are numerous things to consider in your purchase, such as fit, cooling, price etc, but if you find a helmet that fits your needs, then it is definitely worth considering as an effective 1%er for your next race.