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Bell unveils aero road helmet at Tour

Published July 7, 2014

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Bell Helmets has unveiled a new aero road helmet. The Star Pro features "Active-Aero" technology, allowing riders to regulate airflow, temperature and aero efficiency on the fly with a simple slider mechanism that opens or closes its vents, the company says.

The Belkin Pro Cycling Team is equipped with the Star Pro during this year's Tour de France, which kicked off Saturday.

"Our intention with Star Pro was to eliminate the either/or choice cyclists have long been faced with when it comes to being faster or cooler," said Azul Couzens, director of marketing, Bell Helmets. "We believe we've delivered a truly game-changing helmet that will impact and influence the industry as riders' demands for user-adaptability and performance-driven design continue. We've already seen it perform well with the United Healthcare Pro Cycling women's team domestically and look forward to watching Team Belkin wear this throughout the 2014 Tour de France."

Bell said it conducted extensive research and testing on the Star Pro along with a full range of competing aero helmets at the FASTER wind tunnel facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, and found that the Star Pro, with vents closed, is the fastest helmet on the market when compared to other well-known aero competitors. Its cooling efficiency proved to be near equal to a traditional road helmet and "cooled faster than a bare head" during the initial five-minute period.

The Star Pro features overbrow ventilation, multi-density progressive layering, and a magnetic Zeiss shield for integrated eyewear on select models. Overbrow ventilation draws cool air into the intake ports and circulates it through air channels that push out warm air through the exhaust ports. The progressive layering includes a two-layer liner that has softer density EPS foam on interior sections and stiffer EPS foam on exterior zones. A magnetic Zeiss shield provides protection and visibility, but removes and stores on the helmet exterior when not in use.

The helmet will come with an all-new Float Fit system. It will come in three sizes, is CPSC and CE EN1078 certified, and be available in six colorways, including two high-visibility options.

Retail price is $240 ($280 with shield) and will become available at Bell dealers in October.

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