Specialized Echelon II Mips helmet review

Aided by having their own wind tunnel, Specialized’s Evade helmet is a regular winner of our aero road helmets test.

The Echelon II is a third of the Evade’s price and it shows, namely in the 338g weight, clearly heavier than all of the lids on test. Some 25-45g of that will come from the additional MIPS liner, but the added weight was especially noticeable late in the day after much wheel turning.

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The Echelon does everything else superbly well, though. Ventilation is aided by 31 sizeable air channels, comfort comes from decent pads, multiple adjustment positions and solid straps. It’s also compatible with Spesh’s ANGi crash detector navigation system. Plus, we love the striking colour choice.

Verdict: Comfy, stylish and safe. But about 50g too heavy.

Score: 76%

Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.