Two new POC helmets stand out on the recently updated rankings page of the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings site. These as-yet-unreleased Cularis & Cytal models now claim the top slots as both the ‘safest’ MTB and road helmets in their respective categories based on Virginia Tech’s broad independent testing protocols. The photos on the VT page suggest an all-new mountain bike helmet design, but the new road helmet looks almost identical to an existing aero road helmet in POC’s lineup…

Unreleased POC Cularis & Cytal set helmet safety benchmarks (All images/Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings)

Let’s start off by saying that any detail on these two unreleased helmets remain very slim. But the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings lab has become the gold standard for comprehensive independent safety testing. So it’s interesting to see one company come with two new helmets at the same time, both of which top their category.

Now, POC hasn’t yet provided an official statement about these results, but we expect to hear more very soon. The fact that they’ve already been tested and published in Virginia Tech’s ratings confirms these are production helmets, so likely to be released in a matter of days or at most weeks.

What does the Virginia Tech testing include?

While the current regulatory bodies in most parts of the world use a straight dropping impact test at a single impact level, the VT system adds a series of tests. And instead of a pass/fail system, VT measures the energy absorbed from each impact to give a performance rating in each test. Helmets are subjected to six different types of impacts, mostly impacting an angle surface to better approximate real cycling crashes and to introduce rotational forces as well. Plus, VT tests at two impact levels, what they describe as lower speeds that correspond to most cycling crashes, and higher speeds to evaluate energy absorption in the type of impacts that tend to result in worse outcomes for the cyclist.

What do we know about new POC helmets?

An unassuming and unreleased Cularis MTB helmet is now the top-rated helmet across all categories, overtaking that title from the recently introduced Fox Speedframe. It’s performance rating is just a little better than the Fox, but it appears to absorb impacts more than twice as well as the average 5-star rated helmets, which themselves are thought to be the best available to cyclists.

Upcoming POC Cularis MTB helmet gets top Virginia Tech safety rating

To be honest, the Cularis doesn’t look all that extraordinary. And POC appears to have given it large, open ventilation. We’ll be curious to hear how it achieves better safety results than many MTB helmets that appear more substantial and offer significantly more coverage.

Then, significantly outperforming the Giro Aries Spherical that has held the safest road title for more than two years, there’s a new Cytal road helmet. While the Cularis performed just incrementally better than the Fox MTB helmet, the new Cytal gets a rating more than 10% better than the previous Giro.

Upcoming POC Cytal road helmet gets top Virginia Tech safety rating

The new POC appears to simply be a more affordable version of the Cytal Carbon aero race helmet that POC debuted last summer. The naming suggests that it drops the carbon wing across the top of the helmet that helped keep it incredibly thin to allow for great through-ventilation. But overall the shape appears unchanged, even that top wing, so it’ll be interesting to learn more about its construction.

Even more interesting, VT rated the existing Cytal Carbon 119th overall, just under the their 5-star average. But now this new helmet is significantly safer, while outwardly appearing almost unchanged. There must be some interesting material updates inside that help absorb more energy in an impact.

Well, for now, that’s all we know. We’ve reached out to POC for more info, and expect to learn more about these safer upcoming bike helmets very soon.

helmet.beam.VT.edu