Mad As A Hatter Part 2: The Dapper Cyclist's Topper

One of the many things that catches the wandering eye of a spectator at a triathlon can be a bike helmet. My first mountain bike helmet was a Bell Sweep XC in ice blue. I loved how I looked like Goku from the Japanese anime "Dragonball Z", with the spiky points and all. It was an excellent helmet...until I crashed into a natty tree branch that caught me straight across the forehead. I did not see said branch because I was too busy trying to keep vertical, watching for jutting tree roots. Even with the crash, the only major thing that the helmet suffered was that the chin strap pulled hard and cracked the styrofoam.

I had to retire my poor helmet.

So I bought myself a nice Giro Atmos, a rather reliable helmet and nice looking (though I did prefer my Bell....).

The helmets that get the most attention, however, are the time trial helmets. Those helmets that look like something that could be out of Aliens Revisited, they are elongated and have a bit of a tail so that the rider can cut through the air. Obviously, you'd have to be a pretty good rider to really see the difference in times but you can't help but think they do kind of look sweet.

The biker ain't half bad, either....

Case in point, the Giro that Armstrong wore.

And obviously, if you really want to look badass, there area a couple of options. There is this new Rudy Project Wingspan Time Trial Helmet that's quite fetching.

You may also want to consider the Giro Advantage 2, especially with this check detail in the back. It offsets the norm in the sports world of using stripes or bolds. Save for soccer jerseys that look like the chuck wagon and those colorful downhill skiing jumpsuits, I believe the biking world is seeing something unprecedented. You have to love Italian design. 

The final decision, as always, is yours. Not looking good this season is unfathomable. Next post: your run choices.