MET STRALE

£79.99 › New more affordable aero from Italy

MET’S RANGE-TOPPING COMBO of the Rivale and Manta were the result of a collaboration with its design team and riders from Team Dimension Data/Qhubeka, including Mark Cavendish and Steve Cummings. Both of these range topping lids come with an equally high price tag, but for 2017, Met has brought us the Strale.

The Strale uses the same wind tunnelsculpted, compact low-volume shaping and air channels designed to pull cooling air through the three large forward facing vents and channel hot air out through five equally substantial vents at the rear, using large sculpted internal channels.

At 269g (L) the Strale is respectably light for a helmet at this price and very well finished. The rear three pointmounting cradle offers a four-stage height adjustment and the dial adjuster offers a massive range of adjustment in small enough increments to really dial in the fit. Met also offers a clip-on rear LED safety light called the Duo, which at £8 and only 6g is a very worthwhile upgrade. Thick straps are the only sign this is a lower grade model, but a quality set of quick-release adjusters elevate it overall.

The rounded-ovalised shape suited our tester well and the minimal pads and plenty of space between helmet and head makes it feel light and airy. The channelling of air as you move along at speed is similarly impressive, feeling not dissimilar to the £30 more expensive Rivale.

The only downside is exposed EPS foam around the rim, so you need to take care when transporting it off the bike, but overall what you’re getting is 95 per cent of a premium aero road helmet’s performance at less than half the price of some of its rivals.