Filippo Ganna and the INEOS Grenadiers give us a sneak peek on the subsequent era reshaping of the Kask Utopia aero street helmet. Its secret to extra pace seems to be extra protection. Much less further protection for further protection for improved security. However as a substitute, a cowl that smooths airflow over the rider’s ears, plus reshaped consumption & exhaust vents….
Sneak Peek: New Kask Utopia aero street helmet, coming quickly
Kask has not but given us any new details about a design reboot to their top-tier Utopia aero street helmet. In reality, they simply up to date the basic Utopia Y final spring, after half a decade of professional racing.
However the INEOS Grenadiers workforce has been prominently exhibiting off an all-new iteration of the aerodynamic lid throughout social media since they unveiled their new colours on January 1st. And the variations are fairly excessive.
Most notably, ear cowls.
What’s new? And is it actually a brand new Utopia?
Formally we don’t know for positive that the brand new aero street helmet will retain the Kask Utopia title. However the total profile – each from immediately in entrance or the aspect – is analogous sufficient, that I might exit on a limb and predict will probably be nonetheless be a Utopia, possibly with a special letter tacked on the top. Suppose Utopia X, possibly?
What Kask modified are: upgraded aerodynamics and smaller exterior vents. The brand new standout function is a small fairing that drops down a bit on the sides to cowl the highest of the rider’s ears. Presumably, the purpose like on their Bambino Professional TT helmet is to easy airflow off the bike owner’s face or sun shades, because it passes your bumpy ears. Apparently, SunGod eyewear sponsor INEOS, not Kask’s personal KOO. So maybe KOO will even debut particular sun shades designed for even smoother aerodynamics.
Wanting on the varied positioning on just a few of the workforce riders’ heads, these with a more in-depth match of the helmet seem to have this cowl urgent their ears a bit again towards their heads. Whereas riders which may have sized up on their helmet appear to have extra room for his or her ears.
We’ll actually be curious to see how comfy that is. And the way huge the aero beneficial properties are, as soon as the helmet formally launches.
What else do we all know?
The ear covers are probably the most hanging change. However Kask actually fully modified the vent structure, as nicely.
The three decrease front-facing vents are principally unchanged. However Kask shifted the highest vent additional ahead. And so they fully eliminated the two higher aspect vents. This fully shales up Kask’s ‘Hyvent’ idea. However presumably means a lot smoother aerodynamics, particularly because the rider adjustments head place.
On the again, there’s nonetheless a pointy pointed tail. However now unsurprisingly, the three rear exhaust vents have been pinched all the way down to a a lot smaller top, matching the lowered consumption vent space on the entrance. Kask at present charges the Utopia Y as 4/5 for air flow. We’d guess this new one is extra like a 3/5.
The INEOS workforce are additionally seen within the fully-vented all-rounder Elemento which debuted final summer time promising most aero advantages and 5/5 air flow. We additionally simply so occurred to publish a full evaluation of that lid right this moment, as nicely.
From a remaining particulars and security standpoint, this new model of the Utopia nonetheless makes use of an analogous 2-piece in-mold building like the present helmet. And it appears to be like like the identical adjustable Octofit+ dial retention. And there’s a spherical crimson WG11 sticker on the again. So it meets Kask’s personal rotational influence safety normal, too.
How quickly is coming quickly for a brand new Kask Utopia?
As for when will probably be accessible, how mild will probably be, or how a lot it’s going to value? We don’t have any concrete information.
We’ve reached out to Kask for remark, and can replace right here as soon as we hear again in additional element.
Kask.com
