Air Flow or Aero? Why Not Both? A Guide to Cycling Helmet Cooling Technology
Stay cool, stay fast, and stay safe with the best cycling helmets
As the heat of summer kicks in, staying cool on the bike matters more than ever. Most cycling helmets prioritize impact protection — and for good reason. But staying cool matters too, especially when summer temps spike. That’s why Rudy Project designs helmets that go beyond protection, combining advanced airflow with aerodynamic efficiency to help you perform at your best.
The Heat of the Matter
When temperatures rise, your body responds to cool you down. Your heart rate naturally increases as your body works to increase blood flow to the skin, where it turns into sweat, which then evaporates to cool you down. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to pull off this feat. Coupled with a hard effort on the bike, your body struggles to perform and cool at the same time. Because it’s hard-wired to protect you, it will allocate more energy to cooling you down than fueling your legs. This is why the same effort on a 60°F day feels exponentially harder on a 90°F day. Your body can’t redirect as much of its energy resources to your legs.
It’s common to hear trained cyclists report losing 10% of their endurance and top-end fitness when riding in hot temperatures exceeding 85-90 degrees. A 2002 study from The Journal of Applied Physiology showed that power loss can be even more dramatic in the heat.
In short, heat diverts energy away from your muscles. Staying cooler preserves performance.
The Aero vs. Air-Flow Balance
Considering heat’s negative impact on performance, the ideal solution is a cycling helmet that dissipates heat and slices through the air. The Rudy Project Wingdream is one of the most aerodynamically efficient helmets in the world. At the same time, it helps reduce body temperature with an intake vent that channels air over the top of the head (heat rises) and funnels excessive body heat out the rear of the helmet. Since testing repeatedly demonstrated that heat build-up on the head negated any aerodynamic advantage gained from the Wingdream’s sleek design, the air vent provides a significant advantage.
To a lesser degree, Rudy Project’s Nytron road-aero helmet was designed to balance aerodynamic efficiency and strategic venting channels that maximize airflow. Compared to a more traditional road bike helmet — see the Rebel below — the streamlined design of the Nytron offers a difference you can hear. (There’s less wind noise produced by the air flowing across the helmet.) This type of design allows the world’s best Pro Tour riders on Team Bahrain Victorious to race through triple-digit heat in the Tour de France and Vuelta d’España and stay protected in a crash.
Lightweight and Cool
For riders who want maximum cooling and superior safety, the Rudy Project Rebel is the answer. Its strategic air inflow channels draw hot air out of the helmet efficiently, making it one of the coolest helmets in the Rudy Project lineup. And when you add in its sustainable design and 5-star safety rating from Virginia Tech, it’s easy to see why the Rebel will be a road cyclist’s go-to lid when the heat turns up.
Ready to find the perfect lid for your riding style — whether that’s road, triathlon, mountain biking, or gravel? Click here to explore our full collection.
