HJC Ibex 2.0 Road Helmet: First Look
By Stan Portus – 28 February 2020
The HJC Ibex 2.0 is a highly ventilated pro-level helmet. Perfectly suited to intense efforts and hard days in hot conditions, the Ibex 2.0 has already reaped success at World Tour level with Lotto Soudal.
Pros riders are capable of feats mere mortals can barely imagine, let alone exert themselves. Riding for 3 to 4 hours at 300 to 350 watts is for the vast majority is pure fantasy, but for a breakaway specialist like Thomas de Ghent is just part and parcel of a day out racing. For the statistics fans, in 2018 the Lotto Soudal rider spent a staggering 3000km off the front of the peloton out of a total 13,000km of racing.
What comes with such exploits is an incredible demand on kit and equipment. HJC has quickly established itself as a helmet company able to meet the needs of pro riders. The South Korean company’s Ibex 2.0 sits at the top of the company’s range. Having supplied helmets to Lotto Soudal since the beginning of the 2018 season the Ibex 2.0 has already been ridden to success by the likes of de Ghent at Grand Tours and even in the early days of the 2020 season.
The featherweight Ibex 2.0 is perfectly suited to hard days out. The helmet has 16 vents making it incredibly well ventilated and is great for temperatures from the mid-20s and up. HJC has its own bespoke wind tunnel testing facilities – a rarity for helmet manufacturers – and the Ibex 2.0 has been tested in a wide variety of conditions and velocities by HJC’s pool of engineers to ensure optimum temperature regulation and aerodynamics.
Like HJC’s semi-aero helmet the Furion 2.0, the Ibex 2.0 integrates Venturi Dynamics. As air passes into the vents on the front of the helmet it circulates round the helmet’s interior cooling the head. While air passes over the helmet’s exterior it increases in speed which, in because of the Venturi effect, means there is a drop in pressure by the time the air reaches the rear of the helmet. The difference in pressure between the helmet’s interior and the air that has passed over the exterior, means the air inside the helmet is extracted through the generous rear exhausts aiding the helmet’s cooling affect.
Inside the helmet traditional padding is replaced with HJC’s Coolpath technology further aiding cooling for the hottest days and overall comfort. The 55-degree chin strap angle also improves comfort by preventing unwanted strap twisting and ear interference.
The Selfit system on the Ibex 2.0 does away with fiddly thumbwheels and the cradle automatically adjusts to the wearer’s head. Above the Selfit system the lid has a cut away section designed to offer more space for a ponytail.
.
Founded in 1971, HJC has almost 50 years’ worth of experience developing some of the best motorcycling helmets in the world, and operating from its HQ in Seoul, South Korea, HJC has established itself as the number 1 motorcycle helmet manufacturer globally for 18 years.
HJC has drawn on the knowledge and expertise it has developed in this world to take the cycling world by storm and already reap many successes – something it will undoubtedly continue to do.
