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TECH NEWS

Kask launches limited edition Dubai Tour Protone helmet

Limited run of 333 helmets marks next week's race in UAE

Helmet manufacturer Kask has launched a new design of its Protone race helmet for the Dubai Tour.

The company, which is a sponsor of the Dubai race, has developed the artwork for the limited edition of its Protone helmet in collaboration with the race organisers and we have been given exclusive shots of the new design.

A limited run of 333 have been created. Why 333? Apparently, the Crown Prince of Dubai’s favourite number is 3. It is understood he will been awarded helmet 003 at the opening ceremony at the start of the race.

We first saw the £195 Protone worn by Team Sky riders at the 2014 Tour de France and it will be available to buy from February.

We gave it a very positive review earlier this month. We were particularly impressed by the coolness and level of comfort it provides, especially considering that it’s a helmet designed largely with aerodynamics in mind.

Kask say that the helmet was designed using computational fluid dynamics to improve both aerodynamics and thermodynamics. The Italian manufacturer boasts that the helmet has one of the lowest drag coefficients of any ventilated helmet and one of the best thermodynamic performances too, although it hasn’t released its data for this.

You can stow your glasses securely in the helmet’s vents when you’re not wearing them. Kask say that this does not increase the drag.

High profile riders like Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quick Step) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) are expected to compete in the Dubai Tour which includes 10 WorldTeams and runs from Wednesday 4 February until Saturday 7 February.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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9 comments

Avatar
gum51 | 9 years ago
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Yes, vero impressione. One white for me, please!  36

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fenix | 9 years ago
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Maybe they wouldnt charge so much for the helmets if they didnt sponsor the tour of wherever ?

(I do like Kask helmets - but why would you have a race stickered one - unless Castelli are doing ToD limited edition race kit to go with it..)

You've got to match eh ?

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KirinChris | 9 years ago
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I imagine their target is mainly in Dubai as a commemorative but functional item.

Why that would cause so much knicker-twisting here is beyond me. Get over yourselves and accept that not everything in cycling is aimed at you and maybe that's not all bad.

There is a big cycling community in Dubai and a lot of official support for it . Many people will be watching the tour and taking part in events.

Things like this, especially with the nod to the Crown Prince, are very well received.

The government has recently extended the existing 85km traffic-free cycling course into a 125km course which is free to use. In addition they are investing in city cycle routes and transport links. Bringing big events like the Dubai Tour helps cycling to be seen as a prestigious sport worth developing and investing.

I'm disappointed that people seem to begrudge that.

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Jimmy Ray Will | 9 years ago
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But.... they'll sell a tonne of them despite these protestations.

I'm not mentioning the brand, but I know that the UK price for a certain helmet brand new aero helmet was decided by looking at the market, finding the most expensive competitor out there simply and adding £10 to that cost.

Good times

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pmckeown | 9 years ago
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Agree, taking the p. How much do the materials cost for helmets? They are such simple things no matter how much design and fluid dynamics.

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Cycling creeps ever closer to vacuous fashion obsessed nonsense where 'limited edition' means 'the same as all the rest but with stickers on'.

What do I wear next season?
What shall I wear when this helmet is out of style?
Will my friends think I'm cool if I buy this helmet?

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DeanF316 replied to crikey | 9 years ago
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Spot on with this comment.

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jimmycrc | 9 years ago
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be nice if you could actually buy the bloody things

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Yorky-M | 9 years ago
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only 333 sets of stickers available to go on to the stock helmet. sticker famine .Donate to the kask helmet sticker shortage. For just 195 of the queens own pounds you can help a small corner of the kask factory, stay functioning for nearly a day.

One helmet for free for every spectator at the dubai tour

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