How the Pro Peloton Helped Shape the Development of Lazer's New Technology
Lazer has a long and influential history with professional riders. So influential, in fact, that Lazer General Manager Sean van Waes claims some responsibility for helping push the peloton toward wearing proper head protection in the days before helmets became mandatory.
As he tells the story, it was the late 1990s and most riders in the Grand Tours did not wear helmets, or only put them on for sprint stages.
After riding a flat stage of the Tour de France, Australian cyclist Robbie McEwen gave an interview where he was asked why he was wearing a helmet. In response, he simply pointed at Van Waes and said, "That guy makes me wear it."
Van Waes, seeing an opportunity to gain some press coverage for the company, compared wearing a helmet to wearing a condom. The ensuing attention, combined with Lazer's idea to start putting diamonds on the helmets of riders who had won a stage, helped change the perception of head protection within the professional peloton.
"We made helmets more chic."
- Sean van Waes
Today, the protective benefits of cycling helmets are well established. Professional riders also demand helmets that combine advanced protection with ventilation, low weight, comfort, and aerodynamic performance.
In the peloton, every gram counts. Reducing weight and unnecessary material was therefore a major consideration for Lazer's design team as they began developing what would become KinetiCore.
Pro Rider Input
Lazer worked with Team Jumbo-Visma during the development phase of KinetiCore.
As a supplier and co-developer of the team's equipment, Lazer was in a unique position to gain valuable feedback directly from riders about what they demand from a helmet and what a helmet needs to deliver during grueling multi-day races such as the Tour de France.
Lazer Commercial and Marketing Director Mike Smink says the Jumbo-Visma cycling team was in a constant quest for improvement, not just in cycling products and materials, but also in the development of its riders.
"They were looking for all kinds of developments in the way they approached food and nutrition, and one of the elements within our partnership was that we wouldn't simply supply helmets. We would be willing to invest in further development and help make the team perform better."
- Mike Smink, Lazer Commercial and Marketing Director
The pro riders challenged Lazer by using the team's existing helmets as a reference point and asking whether they could be made lighter, more aerodynamic, more ventilated, and more comfortable at the same time.
"The riders wanted to have a helmet that provided advanced aerodynamics for the final sprint in races. But it also had to be comfortable during the 200km of racing leading up to that point."
- Mike Smink
At that level of competition, small changes in aerodynamics, weight, ventilation, and comfort can all contribute to performance. The goal was to develop a helmet capable of supporting riders across the full range of demands they experience during a race.
From Pro Feedback to the Vento KinetiCore
The result of this research and development alongside professional riders was the Vento KinetiCore.
The Vento combines aerodynamic road performance, low weight, ventilation, and Lazer's KinetiCore technology, which is built directly into the helmet rather than added as a separate layer.
It's a helmet inspired and informed by professional riders, but designed for cyclists everywhere who want more than marginal gains. Riders also want comfort, low weight, efficient airflow, and a helmet that performs well across a wide variety of conditions.
The Vento KinetiCore features an aerodynamic shape optimized around a 15° sprint position. Its design manages airflow around the front of the helmet and uses a streamlined rear profile to help reduce drag.
KinetiCore impact protection is integrated into the helmet's construction, helping riders benefit from Lazer's protection technology without requiring an additional liner.
"The new helmet is really light and it also breathes really well. For me it's a good helmet for most race situations and weather conditions."
- Sepp Kuss, Team Jumbo-Visma
Tested at the Highest Level
"We use the peloton as a statement for our helmets, because if it's good for doing 250km riding and then sprinting and winning, then it's good for all of our customers as well. That's why at Lazer we're not working for the pro riders, we're using them to make sure our customers have the best helmets possible."
- Sean van Waes
That philosophy continues to shape Lazer's product development. Professional riders provide a demanding testing environment and a valuable source of feedback, helping Lazer refine helmet performance for riders far beyond the pro peloton.
