DEER VALLEY, UT (BRAIN)—Cannondale unveiled a line of new helmets for 2012 at PressCamp that will give its dealers another choice when deciding which helmet brands to stock for the season. The new line will range in price from $109 for its top-of-the line road helmet to $39.95 for entry-level riders.
Cannondale’s Michael DeLeon said the company has spent the last 18 months developing the line and has segmented it into four categories: Teramo, performance road; Ryker, performance mountain bike; Radius, helmets for the weekend warrior; and Quick, helmets for entry level riders.
The helmets, in general, underplay Cannondale branding but are as attractive as many from Bell, Giro and other brands. They offer Cannondale dealers an opportunity to add a line that competes with other brands at attractive price points.
Higher-end helmets use a dual-density EPS foam, alloy cage reinforcements and a super-soft rubber occipital pad that uses material similar to that found on Crocs, the popular rubber-like footwear. The adjustable fit system lets users micro-adjust the inner fit band.
The Teramo features 23 flow-through vents and the Ryker is well-ventilated as well. All models meet current CPSC and European standards. Each segment offers only two sizes: large/extra large and small/medium, limiting the number of SKUs a dealer would need to stock.
—Marc Sani
msani@bicycleretailer.com
