High-mile test

Carbon Shark Spartan GT

The claim

“The Shark Spartan GT is a fibre composite full-face helmet, featuring Shark’s latest innovations and expertise acquired over the years. The combination of fibre and carbon layers, associated with the multi-density EPS, offers the highest level of protection. The Spartan GT has extended boundaries in terms of both safety and comfort, with the aim of satisfying expectations voiced by the most demanding racers.”

The reality

Despite the blurb, Shark is pitching this helmet as an all-purpose lid for sporty road riding and touring — and in that situation, it performs well. Over the last ten months I’ve clocked about 7000 miles in it and it has always delivered when it comes to comfort and stability.

I was impressed when I first tried the helmet (RIDE June 2020) and since then it has continued to perform as I expected. When a helmet costs the best part of £500, it has to perform well and