GIRO AGILIS MIPS

Review

U.S. cycling and snow gear manufacturer GIRO has been in the business of making helmets since 1985. Starting out in California, GIRO has become one of the world’s most popular cycling brands which was evident at the recent Tour de France. This year, at the world’s greatest cycling race, GIRO supplied 3 racing teams with their helmets as well as supplying the AEROHEAD time trial helmet to two other teams.

For those of us that couldn’t make it to the great race, there’s a range of GIRO road bike helmets to choose from, to imitate those that could. At the bottom of the range in terms of price is the GIRO AGILIS MIPS. This helmet is ideal for the fiscal-riders as it’s priced around $US100. That makes it the cheapest road bike helmet in GIRO’s great range but it’s surprisingly packed full of features.

Safety

One of the best elements of this low-priced helmet is its safety features. It comes with a 4-Piece Polycarbonate interlocking Hardbody shell as well as MIPS or Multi-directional Impact Protection System.

The MIPS safety system has a low-friction layer built inside the AGILIS helmet between the padding and the EPS foam. This layer allows for multi-directional movement of around 10-15mm on certain angled impacts. The movement helps reduce the transfer of rotational forces to the brain which are believed to be the cause of concussions and other severe brain injuries. No helmet can prevent all injuries but the severity can be lessened by reducing the energy transferred to the brain.

Value

GIRO has a great range of road bike helmets costing the riders between $US100 and $US350 and a lot more for the AEROHEAD ULTIMATE. The lowest-priced helmet is the GIRO AGILIS MIPS which is a good price considering how well it’s designed and the safety features that come with this helmet.

The MIPS technology is an excellent addition to the AGILIS giving it even more value to an already cool-looking helmet. However, adding MIPS doesn’t necessarily double the value of the helmet. The safety technology has been added to helmets half the price of the AGILIS including Giant’s Rev Comp MIPS ($US65) and the Specialized Align II (MIPS) ($US50).

Weight

In cycling, there are weight-conscious riders and then there is everyone else. For the weight-conscious rider, this helmet may not be for you. At 300g it’s a heavier lid when compared to others at a similar price, like the BELL FORMULA MIPS which weighs in at 285g. All of the KASK helmets used for the road are also lighter.

When weighing in, the 300g applies to those countries where the AGILIS is made differently from the European model. In the US and AUS/NZ, the weight is 300g but in Europe, you can get the lighter model which GIRO says is 285g. That’s not a bad weight.

Ventilation & Comfort

There are so many vents to count on this helmet that when you get to the back you’ll ask yourself, “did I count this one”? I think there are 32 which makes it a well-ventilated lid. They are also positioned well for the cool air to travel in through the front and expel the hot air out the back.

Inside the helmet, there is a little bit of padding at the top and a big piece at the front forehead area. This is great for catching the sweat before it falls into your eyes but for the top of the head, it could do with a bit more padding. With so many vents there is not much helmet area left to add padding too. However, less padding means more your head is exposed to the cool air allowing it to flow in and draw the heat out.

When preparing to purchase a helmet you need to make sure you know your head shape and size, especially when considering the acquisition of the GIRO AGILIS MIPS. Most medium-sized helmets have a range from 52-58cm. However, the medium-sized AGILIS is 55-59cm. I’m used to wearing 52-58cm but when I put the GIRO AGILIS MIPS on my noggin, I thought it was the smaller size. The helmet has a slightly oval shape rather than a rounded shape which some manufacturers seem to favor.

The inside walls seem to rise up at a steep angle compared to other helmets that have deeper sides to them. With a round-shaped head, you’ll feel the pressure on the side of your head so you might need to try a larger size than what you’re used to but more likely try a round-shaped helmet.

Appearance

In some countries wearing a road bike helmet is optional which makes it even more challenging for manufacturers and designers to produce a quality-looking lid. But when making the GIRO AGILIS MIPS the planets were aligned helping the manufacturers to create a cool-looking helmet. This helmet may actually sway a non-wearer but for the rest of us that have to wear a helmet, it’s not such an issue when brands make lids that look as good as this.

I’m not sure which part of this helmet I like more. It could be the:

• smooth lines
• intelligent design
• matt finish
• reflective brand name and logo
• extended covering at the back
• lower shell thats wrapped around the brim and hides the EPS foam

….. actually, I think it’s the matt finish in white. It’s such a good look.

Just going back to the logo for a minute. I know some riders like to peel them off but when I compare the raised GIRO logo to the KASK sticker on my other entry-level helmet, the RAPIDO, the AGILIS looks like it’s twice the value. Even though they’re the same price, the sticker makes the KASK RAPIDO look like an entry-level helmet.