This year, two Grand Tour teams
sport that distinctive look on
their heads: Euskaltel Euskadi and Cervélo. How shall we define that
look? Brainy, perhaps? To me, the Catlike Whisper helmets make those tops look
like giant brains. Interesting.
With their Whisper helmets, the
Spanish manufacturer Catlike explored unknown design territory. This is the
case where indeed form follows function.
To a certain degree, most manufacturers
are still indebted to the tradition that began with leather helmets of the kind
worn by Fausto Coppi until the 1950s.
Let’s just say that they
were not the ideal form of head protection. Maybe the padding could absorb a
little of the impact, but head injuries were still frequent. Those helmets were
bulky and thick and offered little and inefficient ventilation. Most pros
dispensed with them most of the time. To an extent, the new carbon fiber and
styrofoam helmets have inherited the look of the longitudinal, streamlined,
padded strips of leather.
Not so the Catlike Whisper helmets:
they are different from the pack and exhibit no regard for tradition. Two main
concerns guide their design: efficient ventilation and maximum head protection.
The Catlike helmets provide 39
openings to take advantage of the flow of air during a ride. We all know how
important ventilation is and hate it when it gets hot and sticky under the
helmet. Furthermore, it gets extremely irritating when the noise of the air
flow gets so loud that we can’t think. The location of the openings and the air
stream inside and above the helmet address these two major sources of
distraction. The holes are designed to form several tunnels to facilitate the
passage of air, perhaps taking inspiration from the design of Formula 1 cars, a
big thing in Europe.
Even more importantly for our well
being, in case of a crash, the ridges and valleys formed by the ventilation
holes are strategically located to distribute the force of impact equally over
the largest possible area, which is to say that rather then suffering from a
blunt and painful blow in one particular spot, we may be able to feel less pain
over the entire head. No question, this is better for us—science tells us so.
Designed to provide maximum comfort,
the Catlike Whisper helmets introduce interesting details, such as this padded
chin strap.
The Catlike Whisper helmets come in
several colors and finishes. The matt black finish, shown above, is my
favorite, but that's just me.
With their distinctive look, these
helmets may please some but not all. Some may prefer the more traditional kind,
and BikeNüt carries those, too.
The important thing, however, is to
wear a helmet. I know, there is a debate going on between helmet doctrinaires
and free spirits. Immediately before, during, or after a crash, however, it is
too late to decide which side is right.
This point became painfully clear yesterday morning, while riding on the Golden Gate Bridge, when two cyclists coming from two opposite directions clashed on the East sidewalk. There were paramedics, fire fighters, and a few stretchers. Not a good sight.
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