POC has announced its latest time trial helmet, the Procen.
Taking inspiration from POC’s existing time trial helmets, the Cerebel Raceday and Tempor (which will remain in POC’s range), the Procen combines them into a more conventional form than we’re used to from the Swedish brand.
POC says its objective for the Procen was to improve the cooling characteristics of the helmet, without giving up aerodynamic performance compared to the Tempor or Cerebel Raceday.
The Venturi effect
POC says it has used the Venturi effect – the reduction in pressure that occurs when a fluid (or the airflow, in this instance) passes through a choke point – to improve the Procen’s cooling and aerodynamics.
The three large vents on the front of the helmet enable air to flow through it, over the rider’s head and out of the rear of the helmet, taking excess heat with it.
POC says the placement of these ventilation holes also serves an aerodynamic purpose.
According to the brand, these holes are “designed to drain the high-pressure zone at the front of the helmet”. This reduces the build-up of “stagnant air and additional air resistance” that riders would otherwise need to overcome.
CFD modelled shape
As with the Tempor, Cerebel Raceday and recently launched Propel aero sunglasses, the POC Procen was designed using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelling and analysis.
POC says it performed 3D scans of a number of athletes from its sponsored men’s and women’s WorldTour teams, EF Education-EasyPost and EF Education-Tibco-SVB.
These models were then used to optimise the Procen for a range of time trial positions.
The truncated trailing edge of the helmet is similar to that seen on the Kask Beluga.
POC says it has been shaped to reduce turbulence and enable the airflow from the outer edge of the helmet to combine cleanly with that coming from inside of it.
The Procen also uses a very subtly flared edge on the rear side edges, which POC says helps to direct airflow over the rider’s shoulders.
This shaping is much less radical than on the Tempor, though.
When asked “which helmet is fastest?”, POC said it would “depend on the rider” and their position on the bike, but that it is “extremely happy” with the aerodynamic performance of the Procen.
It also noted that getting the best out of the Tempor typically “requires a precise body position and technique”.
Indeed, when we reviewed the Tempor back in 2014, it proved extremely fast in a wind tunnel and the real world.
Our tester also found it to be very sensitive to changes in head position, however, making it tricky to recommend as an option for riders who couldn’t optimise their bike fit around the helmet, or hold a consistent head position while racing.
POC says the Procen takes knowledge gleaned from the Tempor (and Cerebel Raceday) but puts it in a package that's better ventilated and less sensitive to changes in head position.
Adjustable visor, one size, no fluorescent orange
The final trick up the Procen’s sleeve is an adjustable, detachable visor.
POC says the Clarity lens can be positioned to sit “around 10mm” away from the helmet to prevent fogging while a rider is waiting to start their race. It can then be quickly pressed into place just before starting.
The POC Procen comes in a single, medium size (54 to 60cm), but includes different-sized pads to fine tune the fit.
It costs £350/$400/€400, and is available in 'Hydrogen White' or 'Uranium Black Matt'.
POC’s signature fluorescent orange colourway is not an option at launch, however.
The helmet was given its race debut with EF Education-Tibco-SVB riders at La Vuelta Femenina on Monday, and will be available to purchase from September 2023.
