Fizik has moved into the helmet category – launching four models simultaneously that cover all cycling disciplines from road to gravel to mountain bike to time trial. The Italian brand already makes shoes, apparel, bar tape and saddles – most recently launching its custom 3D-printed One-to-One programme – so head protection was a logical next step.
Senior product manager Alex Locatelli confirms: “We are a brand working not only on the functionality, ergonomics and comfort of a product but also on combining all those things together with a signature design. We think it’s a natural progression of the brand’s expansion. The helmet can allow us to create a good combination of the functional aspect, the safety, comfort, fit and the aesthetic.”
The Kudo and Kudo Aero are designed for road, gravel and XC while the Kassis is tailored for off-road trail riders and the Kunée is for TT and triathlon. All are compliant with CE EN 1078:2012 or CPSC 1203 safety standards, they come with the MIPS Air Node rotational impact system (except for the Kunée) and all have a five-star rating with independent test lab Virginia Tech.
Although the helmets serve different purposes, they all feature the same design language with Locatelli pointing out the diagonal line they all share. However, he explained at the press briefing: “This is important, not only in terms of the aesthetics of the helmet, but also in terms of the function to create these two axes where the air flows into the helmet and exits quickly.” Fizik deployed the Venturi effect, whereby a channel narrows, speeding up the fluid or airflow (frequently compared to a thumb over the end of a hosepipe) to increase ventilation and cooling.
Additionally, as is now expected of a premium helmet, Fizik wind tunnel tested extensively. The Kudo Aero has a shell that closes off the vents on the top and seems to be Fizik’s answer to the current trend for road helmets closely resembling time trial helmets – such as the POC Procen Air and the Kask Nirvana. However, says Locatelli, it is a helmet with no compromises. “Nowadays we see aero helmets with openings for ventilation, but they decrease aerodynamic efficiency. Even small openings on the front of the helmet can cost four, five, six watts depending on the rider’s body shape. If we want to work as providers of a WorldTour team, we know that having an aerodynamic helmet makes a lot of difference. So we wanted to create a helmet that is specifically designed for that purpose. It’s not a compromise. It's not a helmet that’s in between breathable, light and efficient. It's an aerodynamic helmet. So all the design efforts have been made in that direction.”
Locatelli clarifies that the shell is not removable, as with some aero helmets of the past: “If we wanted to use the helmet for a UCI road race, it is not possible to remove any parts.” Further, there’s a weight saving benefit to integrating the shell into the helmet’s construction: “We don't have an additional shell glued over three other shells, so it’s more efficient in terms of aerodynamics because it's more compact, but also in terms of weight." The Kudo Aero has the same claimed weight as the ventilated Kudo – 270g. For comparison, the POC Procen Air weighs 350g while the Kask Nirvana just beats it with 264g.
And finally, brands have experimented with integrated LED helmet lights and some are arguably more successful than others. Fizik’s – which comes with all except the Kunée TT helmet – is very neatly executed. It snaps into the rear of the helmet and is rechargeable, plugging directly into a USB-C port with no cable required. There are solid or flashing modes, and a runtime of three hours on flashing. It's interchangeable with a blank reflector (pictured above) that can be used instead of the light.
The Kudo and Kudo Aero are both priced at £269.99/$289.99/€290 while the Kassis is £189.99/$199.99/€200 and the Kunée £359.99/$379.99/€380
Fizik Kudo: first impressions
I’ve been wearing the ventilated Kudo for the last couple of weeks – here are my thoughts. First of all, Fizik was right to address the aesthetic right from the start. “What’s the first thing you do when you try on a helmet?” said Locatelli at the press briefing. "That’s right – look in the mirror." Fizik hasn’t done anything wild with the look of its first helmet – the design is actually fairly conservative – instead opting to give it a stylish, classic aesthetic. There’s a symmetry and balance with the evenly sized oblong vents all flowing backwards in parallel. The Kudo follows the shape of the head perfectly, with a flattering curve upwards across the brow, tracing smoothly over the ears and thankfully avoiding the so-called mushroom effect.
I found the Kudo fitted perfectly with just a couple of clicks of the dial at the rear of the cradle to get it snug. The straps are the type with a splitter buckle for adjustment around the wearer’s individual ears, but again I found this helmet could have been custom made for my own head. I didn’t have to change a thing.
I extracted the reflector and swapped in the integrated light. This was a bit of a struggle – at least compared with how easy everything else had been up until this point – because the two plastic prongs fit very tightly into small sockets at the rear. However, it’s understandable that the light mustn’t fall off unseen or even wobble, and I did develop a technique for pulling it out for recharging without digging my fingers into the EPS foam to brace. The light itself is excellent, highly visible, and runtime is as advertised.
The Kudo in use is surprisingly well ventilated. We’re only in April at the time of writing and I haven’t used it in genuinely hot conditions, but judging by the rush of air through the vents and through the horizontal slot at the front, it will be very efficient in high summer.
I don’t plan to put Virginia Tech’s five-star rating to the test, but judging by the good fit I do feel confident that the Kudo's ability to protect wouldn’t be compromised.
The Fizik Kudo feels very much like a pro-level helmet. At the moment Fizik doesn’t supply helmets to a WorldTour road team – Movistar wear its shoes but Abus is the helmet sponsor – but you can be sure the brand will be looking for an opportunity. And this excellent helmet would fit right in. For more details, go to Fizik's website.
