skydive69

Specialized started offering the TT2 helmet for sale in the states this year, but it has suddenly disappeared from their website. Does anyone know why they have apparently reverted to the decision to only sell the helmet overseas?

Blackdays

I doubt this, but it might not have met the US helmet "standards." Similar to the Catlike helmets (pre-US version).

skydive69

It was available for years in Europe before they finally made it available in the states. Now any URL pointing to it on their website no longer exists. They certainly had it certified prior to putting it on the market in that it was one of the issues that held it back for years.

Racer Ex 

Too bad Specialized doesn't have an email or phone, otherwise you could ask them.

Not a great helmet on most folks.

skydive69

Well Racer Ex, when I asked them years ago why they were for sale in Europe and not the USA, I got a bunch of bull**** from them and I had my dose of that lately. I know they are terrible helmets like the gal I met on my ride yesterday wearing one on her factory Shiv. She is seeded only second in the 70.3 world championship this morning in Clearwater. Had she not used such a crap helmet she probably would be seeded first. Those I know who use them love them, of course the true test is the wind tunnel where helmets test different on everyone, but the last test of helmets by a teammate of mine with John Cobb in the wind tunnel at Texas A&M showed the Uvex FP2 to be the fastest (and the Assos Chronosuit to be the fastest skinsuit).

alexvpaq

then why should you care about Spec. TT2 helmet?

skydive69

I guess we are going to get philosophical now - I love this forum. I care because I like the looks of the helmet and I want one. Also, I tried one on once and in the TT position, it rests perfectly flat on my back which my current Giro TT helmet does not and hence is a cause of needless aerodynamic drag.

kensuf

Bwahahaha. Sandy, I love your answer. Kill it at the Senior Games!

Ken
(for those who don't know, this guy is 70 and would probably crush 99% of the people on bf.net)

skydive69

Hey Ken, good to see you. I had fun on the club ride this AM coming back. Went off the front and was lucky enough to pick up a SUV to pace and I was able to hold 33+ for a considerable period of time. I love that chit!! Hope you had a killer ride in Gainesville!

Racer Ex 

When I was out at A2 testing I talked to Mike about the Specialized (they have about a dozen helmets on hand including that one) after we had run my custom fit Uvex and Giros. He'd never seen the Spec test out best on anyone. Noteworthy that when in my new, UCI complaint position the Giro was faster, prior to that the Uvex had worked better. Ran into the same thing working with a teammate.

You know the Giro has an internal adjustment that will allow you to rotate the shell back? If that's all the way back I'd consider taking a page from Davey Sprocket and fashion a block out of foam. I'm told they used a hard foam but if you go to a foam shop they could cut a match out of soft foam; I always thought that was a more elegant solution than the hard foam.

I'm lucky in that mine fits tight.

If you want a Spec there a fair number of places in Europe that would gray market you one in the mail, I've gotten several non-us helmets that way.

skydive69

Fascinating information! I was not aware of the adjustability of the Giro. I had a Louis Garneau Rocket that laid perfectly on my back. I crashed with it, and LG replaced it but I had been using a size S, which was very difficult to get on so I had them send me an size M, and I hate the way it fits. I bought the Giro because it was the most comfortable to wear, but with it, I wound up with a helmet that does not ride on my back.

I just checked it out for adjustability, and I noticed for the first time that the piece on top pops out when you push on the plastic tab internally. It's just not totally clear to me as to how to adjust it.

Of course there are a slew of European companies selling the TT2 - all seemingly at list price. I even found a couple of domestic companies still offering the item for sale on the internet.

Some of our club members have booked the wind tunnel with John Cobb for two days early next week. I wish the hell I would have had the resources to make the trip. I would have loved to have seen what helmet would test out for me in my rather non aggressive position on the bike. Since breaking my neck in a TT, my neck flexibility (or actually lack thereof) prevents me from being in my ideal aero position. Of course I can get very aero, I just can't see where the hell I'm going then!

I need to look some more at that Giro helmet! I sure love the way it feels when I wear it.

Racer Ex 

I don't have mine here otherwise I could give you a step by step on adjusting that. It's been a while.

Nate here on BF helps Cobb quite a bit in the tunnel, I'll have to send him a note and see if he's going to be there with those folks. A2 is right up the road from you in NC, their rates are good and Mike and Cobb talk back and forth a lot; both guys are top notch. I'm considering another trip there over the winter...if you know exactly what you want to test splitting some time might be a viable option. You can do a fair amount with field testing but nothing is as good as the tunnel. We only tested the helmets at zero yaw but the swings in wattage depending on head position and bike setup were noteworthy.

Specialized stuff is tough to get deals on if you're not tied in with a shop that carries their product. They keep pretty close tabs on pricing over the Internet.

Racer Ex 

BTW, I've done a bit of grinding, filing, and sanding on helmet liners to get a good fit, my head doesn't conform to most "one size fits all" helmets or to most standard shells. There's a lot of material in US approved helmets, my thought is a good fit with a little less material here or there probably equals or improves safety over a bad fit with more material. Just a thought. You could probably swap/sell/trade the Rocket for a small and do some whittlin.

skydive69

I thought I was going to get a trip to the NC wind tunnel. I would have found it particularly fascinating in that by schooling I was an aeronautical engineer (airline pilot by profession). I was in line for a potential sponsorship with Blue and a trip there, but apparently the 2011 model will not be available until March and another opportunity came up recently. BTW, I was sure impressed with the results with John with my teammate Dave Viney. He came back from there with his Cervelo and cranked a 50:46 40K TT at the age of 59! He went back again this year with his P4 and turned the top time of the day at the Huntsman World Senior Games by over 5 minutes and beat the defending champion in the 60-64 age group by a convincing 6 plus minutes. He was the one who tested best with the Uvex and Assos (mine coincidentally arrived about a half hour ago). The group going up there next week will include 3 gold medalists from the worlds. They have all been fitted by John in the past. John, BTW, as you obviously know is a fascinating chap. I had some interesting one on one time with him discussing wheels after he designed the Blackwell deep dish wheels a few years back. I think I want to try one of his new 170 seats. He loves his!

I need to hone in as to exactly what I want to do with helmets in that I have some very important TT races coming up and I want to break some TT records.

tombailey

I bought one a few months ago from my local Spec dealer. However, they were on the website at that time.

skydive69

That's what made me ask the question. They were there then, but not now - why?

curiouskid55

Out of stock? New models not ready for market yet?

skydive69

The reason I don't think that is that these clowns at Speciialized have had me waiting over 2 months for a replacement warrantied, cracked frameset. I was told that they have none in stock, but that doesn't stop them from advertising the bike on their website. I find it really amazing that a manufacturer does not have stock on one of their own items. It makes me wonder how the chap with only one bicycle would feel waiting months to have a warranty honored. But then I digress.

carleton

It does not have the CPSC sticker. Only legal in Europe. Not sure why.

carleton

This helmet, right?


This was allowed in this event because of something to do with the US National Championships being on the UCI calendar. Casco Warp III helmets were also used at this event.

skydive69

Yup, that's the helmet. The reason they did not sell in the USA prior to this year was the very reason you mention, but it was USA legal when they commenced selling them. They might have run into some unattractive potential liability issues. I assume that's you on the track. Is that the Mavic 5 spoke wheel on the front? One of my teammates runs one and much to my surprise it showed slower than the HED3 in the wind tunnel at Texas A&M yesterday. John Cobb was running the tests.

Racer Ex 

The new deep 3 is better than the older version.

skydive69

By deep 3, do you mean the HED 3D? The big difference between the 3 & the 3D seems to be at about a 5 degree yaw angle. As the yaw angle increases from 5 degrees, the performance becomes very close until a bit over 7.5 degrees is reached and then the 3 starts pulling away from the 3D exhibiting less drag as wind angle increases while the 3D stays about the same and always more drag than the 3. Between about 7 and 14 degrees, the Zipp 1080 kicks both wheel's butts, but is slower than both at 5 degrees of yaw angle. Wheel drag is a fascinating subject to me. I would say that if a world class time trial rider would probably be better served by the 3D in that if you can time trial at 30 mph and above, that would be some rather narrow effective yaw angles.

Nate552

I was there for your teammates test, tell him Nate said hi.

I just got back from this test session, it was good to see them again.


Spot on Kurt. Both are great options, Mike at A2 is top tier, as is Cobb with his years of knowledge. Sandy, if you want some insight to the ATM tunnel feel free to PM me. Field testing, while it has it's place, is just a piece of the puzzle IMO.

As for the Specialized helmet..... well, I've learned with helmets, without testing, you can't say what will or will not be fastest. Even 0 yaw can be deceiving. Sandy, ask your teammates when they get home. But, I wouldn't have the Specialized on my table to test. I'd have others.

Nate552

Sandy, perhaps you should consult Ken before you post the results of the tests he just paid for?