Manufacturers Be Warned: Spiuk Kronos
InsideTri.com is ramping up the gear reviews. Check us out each Tuesday, as our tech guru tells you what products rock ... and which ones flop. Now, how 'bout that Spiuk Kronos ...
SPIUK KRONOS
The Spiuk Kronos may very well be the speediest aero helmet out there. Wind tunnel tests have shown that aero helmets are fastest when the tail of the lid comes close to contacting the rider's back, and the Kronos is the only aero helmet with a tail that points downward to meet the rider's back. Not only do other popular aero helmets, namely the Giro Advantage 2 and Louis Garneau Rocket Air, have tails that sit higher than the Kronos, Spiuk's model is the only helmet of its kind to feature a fully closed tail. The open underbellies of rival TT helmets allow wind to sneak into the open spaces and generate drag.
Clearly, Spiuk has chosen to design the Kronos for aerodynamics rather than ventilation. There are only two small slits at the front of the helmet that allow a slow trickle of air to pass over the rider's head. The large mesh-covered vent at the rear of the helmet ventilates the tail, but not the rider's head. Air passes within the space between the protective foam and the aerodynamic fairing, but it never reaches the rider. Therefore, while the Spiuk Kronos is the most aerodynamic helmet for many triathletes, this minimal ventilation may make the lid the wrong choice for athletes worried about overheating.
In addition, the Kronos feels like a Saran-wrapped road helmet. The entire external section of the helmet is a flimsy non-structural fairing that is raised off the protective body of the helmet. The chintzy cover doesn't hinder performance, but a $230 helmet should feel solid and dependable.
The bottom line is aero helmets are all about speed, and sporting the Kronos can shave seconds off your bike split that competing helmets leave on the course. Therefore, despite the ventilation hang-ups, tawdry cover and high price tag, the Kronos is well worth the money for the speed-crazed tri-geek.
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Aaron Hersh is the Technical Liaison at Colorado Multisport in Boulder, Colorado. He has been competing in endurance sports for the last seven years. Hersh has a B.A. in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado, focusing on biomechanics.
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