Mavic has a new Comete Ultimate helmet, and this time around, the iconic French brand is putting aerodynamics front and center. Mavic says its newest aero helmet saves 9 watts, thanks to a slippery design and small raised sections they call AeroFlow disruptors.
Mavic Comete Ultimate – What’s New?
The new helmet is Mavic’s fastest road helmet to date, developed using a mix of CFD and wind-tunnel testing against a selection of current WorldTour-level helmets. But rather than building something that only tests well with a rider locked into a deep aero position, Mavic says much of the work went into making the Comete Ultimate fast across the positions riders actually use on the road.
That means sitting up, climbing, attacking, and occasionally remembering that your elbows are supposed to bend.
And Mavic is putting some fairly big numbers behind it.
Mavic Says the Comete Ultimate Saves 9 Watts Upright
Mavic tested the helmet at 50km/h in both upright and aero riding positions, with yaw angles of 0, 10, and 20 degrees.
In the upright position, Mavic claims the Comete Ultimate averaged a 9-watt advantage over the helmets included in its testing. In an aero position, Mavic says it was up to 7.5 watts faster than the next-best helmet and 15 watts faster than the test-group average.
Those numbers come from Mavic’s own testing, so keep that in mind. The company also hasn’t named every helmet used for comparison.
Still, the upright number is probably the more interesting one.
Aero road helmets can put up impressive numbers when everything is perfectly positioned, but road racing rarely works that way. Riders move around. They look up the road, sit tall on climbs, attack, eat, drink, and generally spend plenty of time outside the ideal wind-tunnel-TT position.
Mavic says that broader focus could save around 11 seconds over a 50km race, based on a scenario where a rider spends 80% of the event upright at 300 watts and 20% in an aero position at 400 watts.
What Are Those Bumps?
Look closely at the shell, and you’ll notice the Comete Ultimate isn’t completely smooth. Mavic calls the small raised sections AeroFlow disruptors, and they’re there to manipulate the airflow moving across the helmet.
The idea is to energize the air before it separates from the shell, helping it stay attached longer and reducing the low-pressure wake behind the rider’s head. Mavic says the AeroFlow treatment alone can cut drag by up to 5 watts, and it’s not much of a visual penalty. Sometimes perfectly smooth surfaces aren’t the quickest, and sometimes it takes a reminder.
Mavic says development included more than 750 hours of CFD work, including 108 hours specifically dedicated to optimization. That was followed by 25 hours of testing in the HEPIA wind tunnel in Geneva.
Aero Helmet, Actual Vents
The challenge with making a fast helmet is keeping the rider underneath it from cooking while keeping airflow circulating. Mavic’s answer is its new AirChannel system.
Large openings at the front feed air through internal channels before pushing it out through the rear of the helmet. Mavic says it developed both the helmet’s updated shape and the AirChannel system together.
What about padding? Inside, Mavic uses Mips Air Node Pro paired with Coolmax padding. According to Mavic, the updated padding dries 23% faster than the previous Mips Air Node material. Sweat channels also direct moisture away from the forehead and, ideally, keep it out of your eyes. Hopefully it holds that sweat instead of channeling it down the forehead like some popular helmets.
Mavic’s RS360 retention system handles the fit, wrapping around the entire head instead of simply pulling from the rear. The goal is more even pressure and better stability without overtightening the retention dial.
Slightly Heavier Than Its Predecessor
The Comete Ultimate comes in at a claimed 300g for a size medium. That puts it roughly 40g heavier than the outgoing Comete Ultimate 2 MIPS in the same size.
The extra weight appears to be the trade-off for the new aero profile, internal channeling, retention system, and MIPS protection.
Mavic Comete Ultimate Details
The new Comete Ultimate is available in three sizes:
- Small: 51-56cm
- Medium: 55-59cm
- Large: 58-61cm
- Claimed weight: 300g, size medium
- Price: €239, $300 USD
Color options include matte black, matte white, and matte grey.
