New POC Procen Air: a time trial helmet for everyday use

Optimized for speed, that's the new POC Procen Air helmet designed to bring the benefits of a time trial helmet to everyday road use while maintaining the comfort and necessary ventilation for conventional use. A helmet that has been tested by the cyclists of EF Education-EasyPost and that Alberto Bettiol has already managed to take to victory in the recent Milan-Turin.

Procen Air now available, POC's most aerodynamic helmet

It had been seen on the heads of EF Education-EasyPost cyclists since the beginning of the season and, finally, POC launches its new aerodynamic road helmet Procen Air for sale, whose name leaves no doubt that they have been inspired by the Procen time trial model but with the necessary modifications to make it usable on a daily basis on the road.

Like the homonymous model, the POC Procen Air has a wraparound design although, obviously, much less closed than the chrono version and with a much better field of vision for the cyclist. However, a feature that Kask also incorporated into its new road aero model is maintained: the side part of the helmet partially covers the ears to improve aerodynamics.

Covering the ears in time trial helmets has the detrimental effect of reducing the cyclist's hearing capacity not because they are covered but because of the sound generated by the air turbulence in that area. Of course, an essential condition when developing the POC Procen Air was not to compromise safety, so during the fluid dynamics CFD software study phase, intensive work was done to reduce turbulence in the area.

Unlike time trial helmets, the Procen Air provides a wide peripheral vision while maintaining a visor in the style of chrono helmets made with a POC Clarity lens that, as usual, has magnetic fixation, being able to be removed and attached to the back of the helmet when not in use.

Regarding ventilation, this POC Procen Air has three large openings at the front and the usual internal ventilation channels that take advantage of the Venturi effect to expel hot air most efficiently from the rear.

A helmet that, according to tests carried out by POC in the wind tunnel, provides a saving compared to the POC Ventral model of between 5 and 18 watts, depending on the cyclist's speed and position. In fact, the brand calculates that in Alberto Bettiol's exhibition in his victory at the Milan-Turin, the POC Procen Air gave him a 10-second advantage in the last 30 kilometers.

The POC Procen Air is now available for sale. It weighs 350 g and is available in two colors: Hydrogen white or matte uranium black with a price of 400 €.