The Giro Eclipse launched in March 2022. Like the recent trend to create all road road bikes capable of tackling the road and gravel equally well, the Giro Eclipse is intended to straddle weight, ventilation and aerodynamics in a one helmet does it all package.
This is our third bike helmet review and I'm sure the format will evolve over time and I will come back and update the reviews as new information or my extended ride feedback requires. My goal in this post is to provide information unavailable in other reviews, particularly around fit as so much of a cyclist's experience is impacted by the fit. Perceptions of overall comfort and helmet sizing will naturally vary. However, ventilation and wind noise will also vary based on the air gap between a cyclist's head and the helmet. If a cyclist fits in on the smaller side of the range in a helmet's circumference range, there is more room for air flow around the head, for example.
The safety and protection of a cyclist is also impacted, no pun intended. The industry emphasizes oblique impacts and angular accelerations during those impacts. And while it's difficult to quantify, it's straightforward to imagine how a looser fitting helmet allows the helmet to pivot on your head easier than a tightly coupled one. In fact MIPS depends on a tight fitting helmet to produce its results as the impact tests are done on a rubberized head form.
Aerodynamics is the final area impacted by fit. If a cyclist is in-between sizes and has to upsize, than the larger frontal surface area creates more drag. Since drag is defined as the drag coefficient multiple by the frontal surface area, the additional effect is predictable and linear. In any circumstance other than a custom fit helmet, there is some additional drag associated with using an off the shelf, injection molded helmet.
What's new in this helmet?
What's unique with the Giro Eclipse is the Spherical MIPS system. Honestly, this is the way to implement MIPS. In every other implementation the slip plane inside the helmet moves to reduce angular accelerations. However, the cyclist's hair and sweat do that anyway. And the helmet can only rotate as much the helmet fit allows. By having an external shell, the Spherical MIPS system increases the amount the helmet can shift.
How's the helmet on the bike?
More to come. got some ride testing to do.
How's the helmet fit and sizing?
More to come
What are the helmet specifications?
Coming soon.
What other reviewers have to say?
The following reviews are coming from different publications that have tested the Giro Eclipse bike helmet. To provide an unbiased result, I evaluate, synthesize, and provide the top three Google results for "Giro Eclipse review" and exclude any reviews in which the helmet wasn't tested and the content was simply a repetition of the product press release from the manufacturer. I don't discriminate between the mainstream media and the cycling media since anyone can ride a bike and give a decent review.
Road.cc gave Giro Eclipse helmet 4 out of 5 stars and commented: “Giro says its Eclipse Spherical Helmet is both the fastest road helmet and the coolest aero road helmet it has ever created. We can't verify the aero claims Giro makes, though it provides data to back it up, but I did find it very effective at cooling, and really comfortable to wear.” They were impressed by its cooling effect and claimed that it appears to be more aerodynamic compared to many wide-vented road helmets on the market. They mentioned how comfy the bike helmet is, with many padding, adjustable straps, and a ratchet at the back to tighten the fit. They also commented that although the cost of high-end aero helmets with Mips technology is high, the Giro Eclipse is comparable to similarly priced models from other brands. The only downside they found when cycling was that the sunglasses and the helmet occasionally collided against each other, requiring them to shorten the glasses' arm lengths to prevent any contact.
BikeRadar gave a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars to the Giro Eclipse and stated: “Giro’s new flagship road helmet, the Eclipse Spherical, delivers on the brand’s pedigree as a top-spec road bike helmet with aero credentials.” According to them, the benefits include a small aerodynamic design, outstanding ventilation, a comfortable fit, and spherical protection. The padding and fit are impressive – offering plenty of comfort and wiping up sweats. They cited: “The Spherical and MIPS combination ticks the safety boxes, while the plush padding, ventilation channels, and secure retention system have produced a helmet that should feel at home across a variety of conditions, locations, and distances.” The cons are its high price, non removable straps for washing, and a chinstrap isn't provided.
CyclingWeekly gave Giro Eclipse helmet full score 5 out of 5 stars and commented: “Anecdotally, we can agree with Giro's claim of this being the fastest and most aero helmet on the market, but it was the ventilation that impressed us the most.” They confirmed their claim when cycling: ““All of my riding was in hot, sweaty conditions, with the mercury often above 35 degrees. Despite this, I don’t recall a time having sweat constantly dripping and my head stayed cool throughout, aided by the 17 vents in the helmet that allow air in and out. It has to be said that the ventilation was the thing that impressed me the most, as the helmet responded to intense heat with a breeze.” They stated that it is one of the best cycling helmets, providing excellent ventilation and comfort, and that it let them hit their highest speed ever. The downside include the fact that it costs more than its top competitors on the market and that it's not that stylish according to their opinion.
Overall, the press gave positive comments about the Giro Eclipse bike helmet. They constantly praised the ventilation for its performance. The biggest critique is of its excessive price. There are differing opinions on its design (stylish or not), however, each person has their unique style.
How's it feel after extended ride testing?
This is a placeholder for future helmet testing of this model.
Is the Giro Eclipse the best bike helmet for you?
As I always say, the best bike helmet is the one that fits you. The Best Bike Helmet Finder is a good place to start. Helmets are a very personal decision both for reasons of sizing and fit but also style and performance preferences. You aren't going to ride with it if it's uncomfortable.
If you got more questions about helmets, the best bike helmet finder or just want to say hi, feel free to contact me.
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