Specialized Propero III with ANGi
Who or what is ANGi? It stands for ‘Angular and G-Force Indicator’, and it’s a little crash sensor, about the size of a key fob, that Specialized are rolling out across many helmets in their range. This little nugget of technology is designed to detect an impact to the head, or even a harmful whiplash event, where the helmet itself is undamaged. ANGi works in conjunction with your smartphone: you connect the sensor to the Specialized Ride app by gently shaking the helmet to wake it up, and if disaster strikes while you’re out, a message will be sent via SMS and email to the emergency contacts you’ve listed. There’s a countdown on the phone screen before the alert is sent out, so you can cancel it if ANGi has
been triggered in error, but I found that this was quite hard to do. I had to jerk the helmet violently to trigger the ‘potential crash’ warning, which was delivered to my wife within a minute. I didn’t want to damage the helmet (or my marriage) by trying to trigger the more severe ‘impact alert’ warning. But I’m pretty sure that ANGi would work as promised in a real-world accident. There are a few drawbacks. You have to remember to activate the sensor and pair it with your phone before you set off, and its functionality is dependent on cellphone signal and your phone not running out of battery. ANGi can also run flat, although the replaceable battery apparently lasts for six months. When you buy a helmet with the technology, you get a year’s free subscription to the service; after that it will cost you US$30 per year (about R450). But enough about ANGi; let’s have a look at what else the Propero III has to offer. It’s not an ultra-lightweight helmet like its cousin, the S-Works Prevail; but it has a similar design, with excellent airflow. I found it very comfortable to wear, with a simple turn dial at the back to adjust the fit. It even has a removable peak, which makes it suitable for any kind of riding, from road to gravel and even mountain-bike loops. If ANGi wasn’t enough, the Propero also comes with MIPS, which stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. The technology was developed by neuro-boffins in Sweden, and it allows the helmet to slip slightly on your head under pressure in a crash, which causes your brain to experience less rotational force in your skull. Lab tests have shown that this greatly reduces the risk of concussion and more serious injury. Considering that it’s loaded with the most up-to-date helmet technology available in 2019, the Propero III feels like a bargain at the price. If you’re not a fan of gloss black and rocket red, it’s also available in more demure hues: matte black and matte white. R2 200 SPECIALIZED.COM