This means that the helmet has passed several tests that look at the helmet’s construction, field of vision, impact absorption, retention system, chin strap and buckle. In order to ride in races, sportives, gran fondos and triathlons it is often a requirement genesis bicycles to have a helmet that adheres to the relevant local standard. A recently developed safety system called MIPS, Multi-directional Impact Protection System, will often be referred to when discussing the level of protection provided by a helmet.
There are strengthening gussets where the down tube and top tube meet the tapered head tube and the seat stays are an old school wishbone style, the lack of a bridge gives ample mud clearance. The wind-cheating silhouette of the Giro Ultimate Aerohead will maximise your performance with its excellent aerodynamic design which also boosts plenty of ventilation with its four Wind Tunnel vents. The XR uses Bell’s Float Fit system, which we found simple to use and is paired with a comfortable strap and magnetic buckle. Combined, they allow for a stable fit that we found added to the helmet’s high level of comfort – as did the great ventilation. The Prevail 3 also uses MIPS AirNode, which integrates the MIPS system, designed to protect against rotational forces during a crash, directly into the helmet padding to reduce weight and improve ventilation. Bridging the gap between road and off-road adventures, the lightweight helmet uses the same Spherical MIPS protection as the Giro Aether, which isn’t the only way this lower price offering challenges its more expensive sibling.
As we touched on before, a top priority is to bring in a lower mountain, beginner shuttle experience similar to Dirt Surfer at Maydena, which offers 200m of elevation and a green flow trail. French tells Flow this would ideally be serviced by ATV uplift though further investigation is needed to see if that last part is feasible. “Ultimately, we’re trying to provide the best riding experience, and that’s not a cheap thing to do.
“From a high level, there are a couple of things we really want to achieve on the site, not just offset the loss of trail that’s coming up,” says French. French said they are also looking at creating some definition of a multi-park pass where a Mystic membership would offer a benefit at Maydena and vice versa. “There has certainly been a lot of water under the bridge, and Mystic has a long history in various management iterations. Dirt Art had previously put together a master plan for Mystic and, through that process, had conducted quite a bit of community consultation with locals and all the various stakeholders to gauge the situation. Elevation will take on everything, working with a contact manager who works for the council to make everything work.
Its large air ports mean that it also doesn’t take the usual guise of an aero helmet, which tend to have a more solid appearance. The aero lid uses POC’s own SPIN (Shearing Pad INside) safety feature, which combines silicone bladders and pads to help dissipate rotation impacts. Weighing just an incredibly 220g/ 7.7oz for a size medium, the Kask Protone helmet offers, according to the brand, one of the lowest drag and fastest heat dissipation options on the market. On test we called it a game-changer of a road bike helmet due to its unrivalled all-around performance. Likewise, having tested hundreds of helmets over the years, we’d always recommend trying a few options on to see which suits your head shape and size.
This comfort is further boosted by the addition of thick interior padding, which is very soft against the skin. The helmet is definitely towards the more expensive end of the market and is also not the lightest at 291g for size medium. The helmet looks rather good too, having quite a low profile and not being too bulbous. It was also very comfortable and the new retention system is a massive improvement on Lazer’s previous design – although still not as easy to use as a regular dial. The glasses port, sadly, is not particularly good as it is too wide to accommodate most sunglasses.
Helmets with fewer or no vents are usually considerably warmer, though the latest crop of aero lids has shown the value of well-designed internal channelling. This might not be obvious when you try one on in a shop, but once you start working up a sweat climbing a big hill when hot weather cycling, it becomes invaluable. It has Smith’s VaporFit retention system, which can be adjusted vertically and horizontally to allow for a snuggly fit for all head shapes, which is a rare feature, especially in aero-focused helmet options. The featherlight and comfortable Lazer G1 Genesis helmet feels secure when on and boasts a simple, stylish look.
Kit wise the Genesis is sensibly specced, Shimano Deore takes care of transmission duties with a SLX rear derailleur, brakes are Deore too. A combination of clean lines and an eye pleasing Cyan Blue paint job make the Core a very pretty bike and at a price that is pretty attractive too.
Make note of your budget, willingness or ability to repair your bike or accessibility to a bike shop, and how the material’s weight will impact your riding and the rest of the components on the bike. As the price goes up, so does the quality and performance of the components used, with more specialty customized bikes and e-bikes taking up the higher ranges from $3,000 and up. The greatest restriction on how fast you can go when pinning singletrack is the tyres, yes they are fast rolling but they lack bite, genesis bicycles something with greater cornering grip would certainly show off bikes handling better. Once rolling the true nature of the Genesis started to shine through, a lively agile ride that encourages you to push on and flick the bike through singletrack whilst looking for roots and rocks to bunny hop and pop off. If you suffer the misfortune of falling off your bike and taking a head impact, the chances are that the damage to your helmet will be visually obvious, leaving no question about the need to replace it.