Helmet Wind Noise?

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SolidSnake03
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:09 pm

by SolidSnake03

Hey Everyone!

I'm looking for a new helmet for this upcoming season and was wondering if anyone had any real world wind noise experience with the couple of helmets I'm interested in. As a bit of background, I wore a Giro Aeon and found the wind noise to be borderline deafening for me and that drove me nuts! I switch to a Bell Gage and so far it's improved but still worse than I would like.

Helmets I'm considering are:
-Kask Mojito
-Specialized Prevail
-Specialize Evade
-Giro Air Attack

I'm really not too interested in the Aero helmets from a look perspective but I have heard they seem to have noticeable less noise. Looks wise the Air Attack is probably a no unless it gets a chorus of positive feedback...


Fit wise I have worn Bell, Giro and Specialized in the past and found all pretty comfortable so I'm not super worried about about a certain brand being really uncomfortable.

*Forgot to include*
Not overly worried about the heat part, I tend to "run cool" as it is and am usually colder than I am warm so that isn't a real concern
Looks like I made a new 90 Proof friend

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tinozee
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by tinozee

I switched from the Giro Aeon to Rudy Sterling, but didn't notice much wind noise change. Both of those are super venty. I'd like to know if there are any quiet ones, as I live in a windy area and the noise can drive you mental.

vinceflynow
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Location: Northern CA USA

by vinceflynow

If you think about it, you'll realize that very few bicycle helmets will reduce wind noise. To reduce wind noise, there has to be something to alter or block the wind from reaching your ears. Some aero helmets covers the ears, but most regular helmets do not cover the the ears. The helmet isn't so much making the noise as is the air rushing past your ears.

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bura
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by bura

Only partly agree with vinceflynow.
I have both the Aeon and the Air Attack Shield version.
It's even a difference in noise reduction if you have the shield on and further are in your dropbars.
Lot's of info on the AA here viewtopic.php?f=14&t=113410
Kuota Kom Evo
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=111825&p=955235#p955235" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
SOLD

Oswald
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by Oswald

A lot of noise comes from the straps. You can test this by grabbing the straps under your chin and pulling them tight when riding, you 'll notice the noise level drop instantly.

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SolidSnake03
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by SolidSnake03

vinceflynow wrote:If you think about it, you'll realize that very few bicycle helmets will reduce wind noise. To reduce wind noise, there has to be something to alter or block the wind from reaching your ears. Some aero helmets covers the ears, but most regular helmets do not cover the the ears. The helmet isn't so much making the noise as is the air rushing past your ears.


Personal experience indicates there is much more to it than simply covering the ears. Going from the Giro Aeon to the Bell Gage the wind noise went from deafening to just annoying. Still want to bring it down to the "mild/non-annoying" level but it was a significant change.

The strap thing is interesting but I'm not sure how big a deal that is if I always wear sunglasses over straps and have my chin strap done up pretty darn snug. Does this imply that a heavier strap *Kask* may not flap as much reducing noise?

The reason I specifically included the Aero Helmets is because in reviews of both the Evade and Air Attack I have seen multiple mentions of reduced wind noise and was wondering if there were any other real world examples or direct comparisons for people that own other helmets too *Kask Mojito or Prevail*
Looks like I made a new 90 Proof friend

mrfish
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by mrfish

If wind noise is a problem you can buy / make some little gurney tabs which fit onto your helmet straps. These reduce wind noise you hear without impairing general hearing. I do recall someone making them from plastic commercially, but have forgotten where.

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DMF
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by DMF

If anyone thinks helmets aren't the cause of most of the audible wind noise, then that person clearly hasn't been riding without a helmet for comparison. Most the wind noise in fact stems from the helmet. My Giro Atmos is horrible, got an Ar Attack in the mail today much for this reason. Haven't tried it out yet but I've also read a lot of praises for it on this subject...

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SolidSnake03
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by SolidSnake03

mrfish wrote:If wind noise is a problem you can buy / make some little gurney tabs which fit onto your helmet straps. These reduce wind noise you hear without impairing general hearing. I do recall someone making them from plastic commercially, but have forgotten where.



Really dont want to make ear fins....

Also totally 100% agree with the above that a HUGE part of wind noise is the helmet. Ridden helmet-less for a while and know what a difference (negative) helmets make.

Please report back on the Air Attack, have ridden the Atmos and Ionos and both were bad, not Aeon bad for me but still very nosiy. Actually to be honest, Giro have routinely been the worst noise wise for me but worn then due to good deals and nice fit
Looks like I made a new 90 Proof friend

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DMF
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by DMF

Will be out of town for work until the weekend, so won't get any miles in the Air Attack until then, but I'll report back on it. Might even do a back-to-back comparison if time allows for it as I'm very curious myself how it stacks up :)

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BRM
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by BRM

SolidSnake03 wrote:
Fit wise I have worn Bell, Giro and Specialized in the past and found all pretty comfortable so I'm not super worried about about a certain brand being really uncomfortable.


Not all models of brand-X have the same fit.
So when you had model a from Giro, maybe model b of Giro fits different.

headwind816
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by headwind816

I wore a LG Course for several days including days with gusts reaching 40mph. Thr first thing I noticed was the dramatical reduction in noise over my LAS Victory helmet. Unfortunately, the helmet did work with my Radars and back it went.

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SolidSnake03
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by SolidSnake03

DMF wrote:Will be out of town for work until the weekend, so won't get any miles in the Air Attack until then, but I'll report back on it. Might even do a back-to-back comparison if time allows for it as I'm very curious myself how it stacks up :)


That sounds great, thanks!

BRM, I know helmets can fit different model to model but what I'm mostly saying is that my head seems to be a pretty "middle of the road" type shape in that basically every helmet I have tried works fine for me. I think it's a combo of not being super picky fit wise and having a fairly "average" head or something. The only helmets that don't fit actually are Lazer and MET because neither have a small enough size in adult, I wear a small in every brand and still have to crank it down!
Looks like I made a new 90 Proof friend

jpanspac
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by jpanspac

I've got the pre-Prevail S-Works helmet. I've never noticed any wind noise with it. The Prevail is very similar, so I'd expect it be fairly quiet.
My favorite components are the ones I never have to think about.

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DMF
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by DMF

Re fit I can't for the life of me fit Bell, POC, Specialized, MET, Scott and a bunch of other helmets. But all mid- to high-end Giro's fit me very well and not just that, they actually seem to fit me "the same" too (and I'm way too picky)... Not just road and mountainbike but even the full face Remedy DH lid, it actually seems to fit the same as the Atmos and Air Attack. (...so does the Giro Advantage TT helmet...)

I can almost sense them clicking into place on my skull, haha, living the helmet dream, lol :)

That being said, the new suspended Roc Loc Air is a freakin' revelation comfort wise...

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