Bike helmets are made for safety purposes but there are also options that are designed to improve the performance of the cyclist such as Bell Javelin Vs Giro Aerohead. These aero helmets are made for the purpose of reducing the wind resistance which means it will allow for faster speed and more efficient energy in theory. Just like regular helmets, not all of the acclaimed aero helmets are going to be the same so before deciding the options, let’s see what they can offer below.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What are Aero Helmets
- What are Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead
- How are the Design of Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead
- How are the Build of Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead
- How are the Performance of Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead
- Are Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead Comfortable
- Bell Javelin Vs Giro Aerohead
Aero Bike Helmets
As a cyclist, there are probably various reasons to stay on the road besides the fairly safer environment. It is also because you can get a faster speed at a moderately safer condition as well. Downride cycling may pump up the adrenaline but it is not for everyone and when it comes to speed, there are various factors that can get in your way yet, the prominent factors will be the air resistance and if you are riding uphill, it will be the gravity too.
Pedaling faster can make the bike go faster as well but, as we are riding the vehicle, our body and bike are slamming into air particles and it gets compressed as our body hits them then becomes spaced out after they flow over our body. This difference from front and back of the object creates drag force and in aerodynamics itself the shape can reduce this pressure. This is why tweaking the shape can minimize the difference in pressure thus, allowing for air to flow smoothly over the front and reducing the low-pressure wake behind the body.
There is also skin fraction drag because our body is stationary while the air particles passing over the body are moving and fast. The transition between these areas are creating skin friction drag. It can be manipulated by designing the surface roughness as it increases the skin fraction and making the air more turbulent near the surface.
In general, the aerodynamics sounds like it will only benefit cyclists who are chasing over speed and it is true that the faster we pedal, the more aerodynamic drag will consume the energy in total. But, even though you are pedaling slower, there is still an amount of energy that goes towards overcoming this air resistance. It is also affecting the time you will spend on the road and especially noticeable for climbing because gears made to overcome drag will also consume less energy and time to work the same distance.
Does it make the helmet necessary for your activity? The answer will vary on how important this energy and time factors in your lifestyle because not all cyclists are paying attention to the same stats. However, it is a promising option to see how far you can go with the proper gear of both aero bike and helmet in real life conditions compared to regular road helmets. The number may seem negligible for some but it can be a serious improvement for those who are focusing on performance and trying to beat their previous goal.
| Bell Javelin | Giro Aerohead | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 14 x 10 x 6 inches | 14.61 x 10.28 x 9.33 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.48 Pounds | 2 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead
Because bike helmets are also made to meet the safety standards, the only drawback we see is their price point and styling. Because unlike most road helmets, the aero section can be a bit more unique to the eyes of common road users. Aero helmets were never cheap back then and now they are still among the most expensive models each company will offer from their collection. This is because there is lots of research and testing to make a working aero helmet.
While the amount of options are not as many as regular road or MTB helmets like Bell Spark Vs Giro Fixture, usually you can find a few from most popular brands such as Bell and Giro. Both are not strangers anymore in the market because they are also among the most popular choices when it comes to bike helmets. Besides carrying a wide range of regular and trail helmets, you can also find some interesting aero models from their collection that can be twice or three times more expensive than most daily helmets.
If you are interested to see how an aero helmet will affect the time and energy, Bell Javelin and Aerohead are two promising options from the two. Coming from two different brands makes these helmets quite different as well and if you are willing to spend the budget, they are surely an interesting investment for the performance. It seems that many also like how these helmets perform but they are not exactly the same and different cyclists may look for different types of experience.
In comparison, aero helmets are not well-known for their comfort but we do think Javelin is a bit better here and price wise, it is also among the most affordable aero helmets out there and as the successor of Meteor. Bell and Giro share the same parent company Vista Outdoor so the Javelin is often said to be the more affordable cousin of Selector from Giro but it is also worthy of its own because it works good as an overall helmet and as an aero gear.
Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead Design
Before checking what the Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead can offer, let’s see the unit first. Aero helmets come in various different shapes and sizes but many of them have this tear-drop like shape to optimize the air flow. What you can notice is that Aerohead is shorter on the tail compared to many other similar helmets including Javelin. These helmets have minimum vents which is common in order to minimize the resistance as well but do have visor to protect your eyes as you speed up.
The Aerohead is available in two different variants, the regular and the Ultimate which is 30 grams lighter but the one we compare today is the regular version weighing at around 480 grams while the Javelin is not far apart at 463 grams. You will also find several sizing available for both helmets from Small to Large and in addition Javelin has a universal youth as well for convenience.
Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead Build
Now for the most important part, let’s see what Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead can offer first on the build quality. Both of them are very robust just like most road helmets but, among many other aero helmets, Aerohead is quite unique because this helmet is also featured with MIPS which are mostly gone from the segment. This is an extra safety measure if you are always worried about the safety of aero helmets because now we have an option that also provides the more common feature.
Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead Performance
It is quite difficult to test the performance of an aero helmet because there are so many factors that affect the speed and resistance both from the cyclist and external factors. In comparison between Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead, the shape of Aerohead makes your head stand lower due to the design and the weight itself. It is not an issue for a short time but can be uncomfortable for a longer ride. Javelin surprisingly not as pressuring and also working well when in head-up position.
In head-down position Javelin somehow doesn’t feel as fast as the previous testing but Aerohead seems to work well on any occasions. If you are aiming for the absolute lowest drag, we do think the Ultimate will be a better choice here as it is lighter and also will improve the comfort over prolonged ride. Do note that this can be very subjective to all external factors as well because none of these are tested in a controlled lab and the condition in our place can vary widely.
Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead Comfort
We also want to talk about the comfort of Bell Javelin and Giro Aerohead which is equally important, especially for road application. Just like most aero helmets, the visor on both of them are detachable and there is no issue about field of view or clarity as well because they have a great optic for the two. Air flow and cooling will be much better when you remove this visor but depending on the cyclist, dust and debris are factors to consider when you ride at high speed.
There are actually a few small vents above the visor to help dissipate the heat and here we do think the Javelin performs slightly better; both only have two vents and Aerohead Ultimate has none. In moderate temperature we do think they are fine as an aero helmet but you will have to deal with buildup sweat too.
Bell Javelin vs Giro Aerohead
Both helmets are great options if you are chasing over time and speed but they are not the same. In comparison the Javelin is lighter and this helmet is great when in head-up position while the Aerohead is more versatile for different positions. None are a breeze to ride with unless you remove the visor but Javelin is lighter so it will be less stressful to the neck.
Conclusion
You can go amazing with any of them based on which seems to fit you the most. Personally we will recommend the Javelin because it is more affordable, has a moderate weight, and also decently comfortable but still works reliably.
