After three consecutive years of winning the title for ‘Most Worn Aero/TT helmet’ at the GoPro Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, and on the heels of being named the Official Helmet of Ironman for North America, Rudy Project has launched its new, highly anticipated Aero/TT helmet, the Wing 57.
At an exclusive party in Kailua-Kona just days before the 2013 race, media and key business figures of the triathlon world were in attendance to witness the helmet’s unveiling and pre-race interviews from several pro triathletes.
(For helmets in the annual Kona Bike Count by Lava magazine, Rudy Project built on its number one position. Rudy Project also managed to increase its share from 35% of all helmets counted in 2012 to 38% in 2013.)
USAT Vice President Barry Siff announced and lead the evening for the official introduction to the new Wing 57 at Kona, along with speeches from Paul Craig, President and Co-Founder of R.A.C.E., exclusive distributors of Rudy Project in North America, Cristiano Barbazza, President of Rudy Project, and interviews from several Ironman pro athletes including Pete Jacobs, Meredith Kessler, Amanda Stevens and Andy Potts.
“We listen to our athletes, and that’s our biggest strength,” said Paul Craig. “We’ve taken their suggestions and combined them with the best technology on the planet, all in a package co-engineered with aerodynamics master John Cobb.
“Rudy Project’s uncompromising quality can be seen in every facet of this new helmet, and we’re more excited than ever to watch pros and age-groupers alike benefit from this advanced design.”
Building on the success of the award-winning Wingspan, the new Wing57 looks to once again revolutionize the Aero helmet industry with several new patented features, all within a superior lightweight protection architecture. These include a fully integrated and removable optical shield, a dorsal ridge ‘to change sideways wind force into forward momentum’, and the new patented Vortex Killer System which ‘straightens air flow and significantly reduces drag.’
“The Wing 57 is really fantastic,” remarked 2012 World Champion, Pete Jacobs. “I first got to ride with it back in Frankfurt and went for using the magnetic tip on the back. It rode beautifully out there and here in Kona. It’s very well ventilated and even feels cool in the hot conditions of the Queen K Highway. From the light weight to how it sits on my head, it’s just super comfortable.”
“It feels like I don’t even have a helmet on, but I know I’m protected,” said Andy Potts, first American at the 2012 Ironman World Championships. “I love the visor and how everything fits together so easily. Besides, it has some awesome style… it looks really cool while racing.”
Aerodynamically engineered by John Cobb
Designed with the aid of legendary aerodynamics guru John Cobb, the new Wing57 has undergone extensive wind tunnel testing with an aim ‘to become the best TT helmet on the market’. Through this testing, Rudy Project and Cobb developed a unique tail geometry that works best for all TT positions and back profiles.
According to the company, the new helmet is proven to beat out most competing aero helmets in time simulations; ‘the Wing57 will be, without question, the best aero helmet on the market throughout the triathlon and cycling worlds.’
Vortex Killer System
A major breakthrough from years of research combined with new design principles, the Wing 57 incorporates two side vents to aid in the straightening of airflow over the rear of the helmet, thus managing Vortex and eddy low pressure points which create drag. Instead of letting these air patterns build up, a proprietary and patented channel system over the neck and shoulder area create air movement at different rates and volumes than the oncoming free air.
Rudy Project calls this invention the Vortex Killer or Air Straightener system. By eliminating these pressure systems before they occur, the system claims to reduce drag and add significantly more ventilation inside the helmet to keep riders cool.
Jet Stream
The Wing57 is equipped with an additional and removable magnetic aerodynamic tail that can be added to the Air Director as its extension point, improving its performance depending upon the rider’s back aero position. Riders who tend to have a ‘flat’ back may leave the tail attached, while riders who have a ‘curved’ profile can easily remove the extension and obtain the same ‘vortex killing effect’.
Removable optical shield
The fully integrated and removal shield will ensure maximized protection and enhanced aerodynamics while eliminating annoying glare and eye fatigue. Building on Rudy Project RP-Optics advanced polycarbonate technology, the Wing57 visor combines cutting-edge coatings with superior optical protection against harmful UV rays – thus minimizing eye strain.
The all new Wing 57 Aero / TT helmet is open to a limited number of pre-orders at e-rudy.com and will become widely available through dealers in early March 2014.
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