Giro Tyrant helmet review

The Giro Tyrant arrived unsolicited, in a brown box, with no delivery note, and no idea of the contents – it reminded me of the final scene from Se7en.

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Turns out it’s the Tyrant; Giro’s new ‘progressive trail’ lid, designed for trendy jumpers and jibbers.

You see I’ve always liked the extra protection and feeling of security that comes from an over-the-ear helmet design, such as the Giro Switchblade. In fact that particular helmet is my go-to model for winter riding, where it offers increased warmth as well as better coverage in a fall (I’ve seen people’s ears almost ripped off in crashes before). But it is far too hot to wear in the summer, so the new Tyrant now fills that seasonal window perfectly. Considering its size and weight, it’s actually pretty well ventilated. I’ve ridden it for the last couple of months in temperatures over 25°C without feeling uncomfortably hot. In fact it’s better ventilated around the forehead than Bell 4 Forty and Troy Lee Designs A1 in my opinion. Fit and comfort is excellent, too, with a wide range of height adjustment for the 360°Roc Loc DH retention band, so it’s really stable without having to cinch down on the ratchet dial. Wearing goggles helps really lock it in place, but there’s also plenty of room to wear glasses – not always the case with this type of helmet.

Inside is MIPS new Spherical liner, with two separate layers of foam joined by elastomers so that they can move independently. These are also dual density EPS/EPP optimised to absorb impacts at different velocities. There’s quite a lot of movement between the two, and the friction generated does make a kind of creaking noise when you move your head and put the helmet, although on the bike, I only ever heard it while climbing.

I’ve had some big crashes in my old Giro Switchblade, and really trusted its added protection. However it’s just too hot for year round use. The new Tyrant, gives me that extra peace of mind, without cooking my brain.