The Smith Forefront is currently my favorite mountain bike helmet so I am excited to see that the company plans to now launch a road bike helmet. Dubbed the Overtake, the helmet features the same Aerocore construction that uses Koroyd in place of traditional EPS foam.
Koroyd is said to absorb 30 percent more energy than EPS foam. The material is porous, allowing air to flow through for ventilation, while reducing the helmet’s profile at the same time. The strength of the Aerocore construction enables more vents—the Overtake features 21 vents across the helmet. I have found with the Forefront that although the material is porous, you don’t get quite as much airflow as you would with a completely open vent, but definitely more than you would covered in EPS foam.
In addition to Aerocore, Smith with offer an optional MIPS lining. On the event of impact, MIPS allows a small rotation of the outer bike helmet shell relative to the liner, significantly reducing oblique forces to your brain.
The Overtake is lightweight at 250 grams with an aerodynamic profile that the company claims will rival any of the best aero road helmets out there. Couple that with better ventilation and superior impact protection and you have a winner.
Similar to the Forefront, the Overtake uses a dial-operated fit system and features an eyewear dock for safely storing your sunglasses both back and front-facing.
The Overtake will start shipping in late fall. The bike helmet comes in 3 different sizes and 12 different color options. The retail price is $250, or $290 with MIPS.