An unreleased POC helmet — that we suspect may be an updated SPIN-equipped version of the Octal — has been spotted at the Tour Down Under.
The new model shares similarities from the brand’s Ventral model and is being used by riders on the WorldTour team, EF Education First Pro Cycling.
The overall shape of the new POC helmet is almost identical to the POC Ventral, which was launched in March last year and joined an ever-increasing number of high-end, semi-aero race helmets.
- POC Ventral Spin aero helmet review
- New lightweight Specialized climbing shoe spotted at the Tour Down Under
The original POC Octal was first released over five years ago, and aside from introducing multiple new colour options and a MIPS version of the helmet, the essential design of the helmet hasn’t been changed.
MIPS is a helmet technology used across the industry to reduce the rotational forces that can sometimes occur in a crash. In 2017, POC developed its own technology to counter the same effects in a crash, dubbed SPIN.
POC has implemented the SPIN linings in some of its models but has yet to introduce it to the current Octal.
The new helmet has the same blue SPIN linings as seen in the current Ventral helmet.
No details have been released about the new helmet, and the new model was not included at POC’s 2019 line-up at the Eurobike trade show last summer. POC has been contacted for comment.