Take a moment to reflect on how much the best time trial helmets have evolved in recent years. We've seen a shift from massive, heavy, and poorly ventilated aerofoils to the stubbier, lighter, and more breathable designs that rule the roost today. We are also seeing brands push the boundaries, highlighting the importance of helmets, with the UCI intervening on several occasions over the past couple of seasons to impose restrictions.
Alongside one of the best skinsuits for cycling or best triathlon suits, owning one of the best time trial helmets is a crucial component of any time trial or triathlon setup. While you may not be lining up at this year's Tour de France, an aero-optimised TT helmet can help save you vital seconds against the clock. However, that is all assuming you can hold a good position on the bike, which allows the helmet to work its magic. This is why here at Cycling Weekly, we test for much more than just speed. Holding a good position means you need to be comfortable, and your helmet plays a significant role in that, from the obvious like fit and weight to the often underestimated optics.
Quick List
It is no secret that the Specialised S-Works TT5 is fast, thanks to the exploits of World Time Trial Champion Remco Evenepoel. However, what Specialized has achieved is something that goes far beyond speed, with a comfort and fit that is unmatched.
The Drone Wide Body II takes things one step further, thanks to input and need for speed from Tadej Pogačar and the Team UAE Emirates-XRG. With that input, Met have created an incredible helmet for experienced TT and Triathlon specialists.
In true POC fashion, the fit of the Procen is exceptional, and they have matched that with superior optics. The short tail also allows for more freedom of movement in your position without sacrificing watts.
Riding in a Time Trial position is tough on your body, so a helmet with low weight and high-quality optics is essential - two things Lazer has nailed with the Volante Kineticore.
While the Giro Aerohead II might be fast, it's very much ‘function over form’ and a helmet designed for experienced time triallists and athletes who can hold a good position on the bike.
The Van Rysel XCR TT is by far the cheapest on test and has proven to be fast underneath team Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale this season. Despite being the budget option, it doesn’t skimp on details, particularly in terms of fit.
Best Time Trial and Triathlon Helmets
Best Overall
The Specialized S-Works TT5 eschews the long-tail blueprints of its contemporaries for a wider, short-tail design - something that was refined in the wind tunnel together with UCI World Time Trial Champion, Remco Evenepoel. The result is a new shape designed to work seamlessly with the head and shoulders, ensuring optimal drag.
What makes the S-Works TT5 such a hit among professionals and amateur athletes is its superior fit and comfort, which is a delicate balance to achieve at the best of times. This was achieved by the introduction of a MIPS Air Node liner, a refined strap management and retention system and a helmet shell that clears the face and ears - no restriction here.
With three sizes available (S, M, L), there’s enough variation in fit for most head shapes. The only real issue comes in the form of pricing and availability. It’s one of the most expensive options in the segment, and its popularity and reputation as one of the fastest time trial helmets available mean it’s often out of stock.
Best for speed
Met has stepped up considerably when it comes to helmet performance, largely thanks to Tadej Pogacar and the Team UAE Emirates-XRG. While the company has two other time trial lid options available - the Codatronca and regular Drone - the Drone Wide Body II takes things one step further by channelling airflow over and around the shoulders to reduce turbulence and drag. Owing to the design and low-drag head position, discipline is required for the best results, but if you can feel the long-tail design resting on your upper back, you’ll know if you’re maintaining a good position. If this is a struggle, you might be better off with the short-tail Met Codatronca.
In terms of optics, it comes standard with a clear lens, but two other options are also available - Fume and Mirror. The fit is on the racy side, and some may find it too tight around the ears, but is still comfortable around the brow and circumference of the head. That said, you will need to spend some time tweaking the retention system to find the best fit for you. The Met Drone Wide Body II is only available in two sizes, Medium and Large, so it may not be suitable for riders with smaller head shapes. Due to the specialist nature of time trial helmets, it’s always worth visiting a store and trying on the helmet to ensure a proper fit.
Best Fit
Compared to the wider, bulkier time trial helmets on the market, the POC Procen looks quite undergunned, but it’s still a top performer - especially if you’re a rider who struggles to hold position. The short-tail design means even if your head moves slightly over the duration of a time trial, you won’t be penalised, so you can just focus on driving the pedals.
In true POC fashion, the fit is exceptional, holding the helmet firmly in place with no pressure points or heat-related discomfort. What it lacks in rotational impact protection, it makes up for in optics - the Procen has one of the best visors in the game. In this case, the famed Clarity lens used an innovative two-position system to combat lens fogging.
Three vents are located at the front, which help with cooling. It’s not the most affordable helmet around, so it should be seen more as an investment than anything else - that’s if you’re a fan of POC’s distinctive styling. If the outlay is too much for your liking, the more affordable POC Cerebel might be a better shout as it’s similar and designed around the same principles.
Best Optics
Used by the UCI World Tour team Picnic-PostNL, the Lazer Volante KinetiCore TT helmet is built around advanced optics utilising the company’s KIneticore system, which provides integrated protection against both direct and rotational impacts. Available in two unoffensive swatches, black and white-silver, which should complement most kit and bike colour combinations.
It gets a magnetic, anti-scratch lens. Why does this matter? Well, any time triallist will know how dirty and sweat-crusted the inner side of the lens can get and when cleaning it, this often leads to unsightly scratches. Lazer’s anti-scratch coating means the lens should last several seasons before needing to be replaced, if ever.
Like many of the options listed here, it’s not what we’d call cheap, but these helmets should always be looked at as an investment rather than a reckless splurge. One of the great selling points of this helmet is the ability to use eyewear underneath the visor - a boon for riders who prefer racing without contact lenses.
Best for experienced time-trialists
The Giro Aerohead II MIPS may not be the most visually appealing time trial helmet on this list, but it prioritises performance and safety at its core. Utilising the mantra of 'form follows function' to maximum effect, everything about the Aerohead has been carefully considered - this includes its optics. The large, forward-facing visor, wide profile and elongated tail blueprint are quite radical when compared to its rivals. Still, the wind tunnel results prove it's the company’s most aerodynamic helmet ever - well, if you’ve got the discipline to maintain a rock-solid position.
The large fore/aft overhangs mean any lapse in concentration in the time trial position will outweigh the performance gains - any lateral movement of the head will act as a wind sail and ultimately slow you down. The Giro Aerohead II MIPS is best reserved for professional or very experienced time trialists. Despite its divisive aesthetics, the Aerohead boasts a feature-rich specification sheet, including a MIPS Air Node rotational energy management liner and top-quality optics courtesy of Zeiss.
Best Budget
Claimed to be the fastest helmet ever produced by Van Rysel, the XCR TT provides riders with an affordable that is proven at WorldTour level. Developed in collaboration with Swiss Side, the helmet was designed using digital simulations and subsequently benchmarked in a wind tunnel. Van Rysel, however, wanted to create a helmet that balanced aerodynamic, pricing and fit, and this means it has the potential to become a popular choice.
An area that the design team targeted was ventilation. As such, it benefits from a removable ventilation port. The helmet has also been designed to be used with or without the visor and, depending on the weather, you can pair it with sunglasses and not suffer a CdA penalty, granted you’re riding under 35km/h. There are two visors to choose from: a clear and a smoke option, which can be swapped out depending on the conditions.
The standout feature of the Van Rysel XCR TT helmet is its overall comfort and adjustable fit. The cradle and straps are unobtrusive and can be adjusted using the Tune-ring system, which features micrometric and occipital adjustments.
How we test the best time trial helmets
There are two main components to a time trial helmet. These can be split broadly into speed-related issues and practical ones. A time trial lid’s first function is to protect you. Secondary to this is speed, and then we have other issues like comfort, fogging, versatility, and others.
TT helmets are a significant investment, so we've strived to be as comprehensive as possible.
The helmets on test were worn for at least 200km each, and were also subject to aerodynamic testing using an aero sensor unit, such as Notio, Aerosensor or Bodyrocket, to measure the CdA changes compared to a baseline road helmet.
For the aero testing, we had a test pilot ride at 250W as smoothly as possible along a 3km stretch of road, then turn around and ride back. This was done twice in each TT helmet, as well as in a non-aero road helmet, which served as a control.
In analysing the results, we examined the speed at 250 watts, as well as the difference in CdA from the baseline.
Keep in mind when interpreting these results that aerodynamics are extremely individual - just because it tests fast in one position doesn’t mean it’ll be fast for you and vice versa.
The rest of our testing, as mentioned, focuses on how well these helmets fit, how easy they are to use, their overall weight, and comfort.
Meet the tester
Aaron has quite the palmares, aside from having travelled the world writing about bikes for the past 20 years, he has represented South Africa at the UCI Gran Fondo and Time Trial World Championships. Alongside this has been the captain of the national eSports team. In just the 2025 season alone Aaron has won 18 Time Trials of varying levels.
How to choose the best time trial helmet
Position is everything!
Position is everything on one of the best time trial bikes, and your position and ability to hold that position significantly affect your choice of helmet. Generally speaking, this determines the length of the tail of the helmet, but not always. Helmets like the Giro Aerohead II require you to keep the front in the correct position, which means that any horizontal movement affects performance, not just vertical movement.
The formula is simple, but it depends on your discipline. If you can hold a position for the entire time trial, then you can certainly consider a helmet with a longer.
This discipline is why we now have so many mid-length TT helmets now being used even at the top level.
Stay cool, comfortable and the speed will come
Ventilation when in the pursuit of speed is always a challenge, any venting or opening can create 'drag' and regardless of whether thats cool, an engine or a rider can cause real headaches for designers. Ideally, all time trial helmets would be enclosed entirely; however, we have seen in recent years the real effects of heat on even the world's top riders, like Tadej Pogačar.
We saw the comfort aspect come into play on stage 5 of the Tour de France this year when Jonas Vingegaard didn't look comfortable in his position at all and ended up losing significant time to his rival.
Consider carefully where the majority of your events will take place, including hilly or flat courses, and, of course, the climate and distances. Cool climates mean less venting might be necessary, but if you choose to tackle longer distances regularly, these factors need to be taken into account when making your decision.
Visibility is key
Most modern time trial helmets now have some kind of integrated visor system. They are largely there for protection and safety, of course; however, the advancements in lens technology can also play a key part in enhancing the road and furniture ahead of you, in a similar way to some of the best cycling sunglasses.
Which means choosing the right finish to these lenses is key. Some will choose a pair of sunglasses to dull bright light, but for those who may choose to get out on a winter morning or late evening, a clear or enhancing lens might be needed.
Many of the best time trial helmets offer various options, but they may not come with them, so an additional purchase might be necessary.
Try before you buy
Just like many things we write about here at Cycling Weekly, especially with time trial helmets, is the importance of trying before you buy. The relationship between you, your position and your helmet is so important, it is imperative you get the right one.
Head to your local bike shop or a bike fitter, and they can provide expert advice. They might even have one of the best smart trainers you can take your bike to, set it up and test out a few options.
At the very least, if you choose to buy online, check the return policy before making a purchase.