How the evade 3 fits in Specialized’s Helmet Range

The S-Works sub-brand indicates that this is a pro-level helmet, indeed this exact model is used in the pro peloton.

The TT version is the most aero and low on the ventilation side of things. Obviously, it’s designed for time-critical TTs and, I would assume, ride durations of well under 90 minutes.

Prevail 3 is less aero and more ventilated. Perfect for a hot, hard day heading up several alpine climbs.

Propero III is a lower-level helmet and, in my opinion, nothing too special but a perfectly fine helmet.

Of the three S-Works helmets, Previal 3 is probably the best all-rounder for most people. However, I bought the Evade 3 as it is the best all-rounder for the kinds of rides I do which favour TT-like efforts and hard pulls. I do have a proper TT helmet but it has poor ventilation and it’s a tad hard to quickly put on thus Evade 3 would be my ideal choice for 10 miles and over on hotter days and for some triathlons. When it comes to group rides then I’m just satisfied that it looks better than the helmets of all my buddies ;-), although I have been eying up a rather nice POC one on someone else’s head. The aeroness of the Evade 3 helmet will make no material difference when riding in disturbed air in a group…when you’re setting the pace it’s a different matter.

The S-Works TT looks awesome. Feedback is welcomed from anyone who has one. I’m very tempted. Though having finally achieved my lifetime 10-mile TT goal last year the urgency of saving a few seconds from my time has gone away…to get to the next-minute market is going to be a significant effort that I’ll probably never achieve.

Evade 3 vs. Evade 1

I already had the first Evade helmet which I bought at the back end of 2016 (time flies!). If I’m brutally honest I bought the Evade 3 for myself for someone else to give me at Christmas as I was running out of things that I need. I don’t need the Evade 3 but it looked nice in the ads and I was generally happy with the Evade I already had! Another reason was that I had sometimes turned into one of those cyclists that wear an all-black kit; New Zealanders and my fashion-conscious partner think that’s fine but I’m not so sure and, in any case, I wanted something that errant car drivers are more likely to see….hence the red colour, which was also cheaper as a bonus.

Let’s get it out in the open. I’ve got a big head. The sizing suggests that the new Large helmet is a tad smaller than the Large Gen 1 Evade. The Gen 1 was a bit of a tight fit on me and often left a slight dent in my forehead. When the Gen 3 arrived and I realised it was smaller I was a bit concerned about the fit. However, bizarrely, it fits better. I put that down to it being more suited to my more oval-like head than to someone with a more rounded head of the same circumference.

Next, we come to the overall volume of the helmet which probably plays a part in the aero claims. The image above clearly shows that this helmet is less tall than the Gen 1 plus the air intakes at the side have been significantly reduced.

The top rear of the helmet is now devoid of air scoops. Probably great for aero…less so for ventilation. That said, one of the few issues with the Gen 1 Evade was that I found the ventilation sucked in insects onto my head several times. I was even stung once and talked to a fellow Gen 1 owner who had also suffered the same problem. Anyway, after a few weeks of winter use, unsurprisingly I’ve had not intake of wasps yet with the Gen 3 model!

Through extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics and Win Tunnel testing, we created a rear “diffuser” that helps minimize drag and improve ventilation. The diffuser helps optimize aero performance by allowing air to release easier and improves ventilation by drawing 10% more air through the helmet at a given speed. [Specialized]

Looking at the helmet from the front there is, again, apparently a similarly-sized area for air intake (apparently its slightly bigger). So how come the ventilation is still supposed to be good?

The answer seems to be to the rear where there appears to be significantly more space for outflow AND it is outflow into a more favourable location to avoid compromising aeroness too much. Also aiding this is the internal ‘cage’ structure which allows a degree of airflow over the head.

The new design of the S-Works Evade 3 increases ventilation by 10% while maintaining its leading aero performance. The rear “diffuser” helps minimize drag, and the larger front vents increase ventilation. [Specialized]

There’s much less to say about the underside of the helmet. The padding seems broadly similar and a strap is a strap. The new buckle seems a tad smaller but in a trivial way. The micro-adjustment to the rear does, however, warrant a mention. Adjustment is a tad harder to do than on the Gen 1 as the dial is smoother but there does seem to be a greater degree of micro-adjustment possible.

Finally, the comparison of the two helmets comes to aesthetics. The original Evade 1 was released in 2013 and I only bought one several years after that. However, I would say that even today the Evade 1 looks pretty cool with an intriguing and unusual look, especially from the side. I think it still looks great. That said Evade 3 looks good as well but probably more in a conventional way that perhaps won’t stand out as much.

ANGi Compatability

There’s not too much to say about a helmet.

I managed over a thousand words to say that it really does look good, is well ventilated and aero. I lucked out in that it fits me really well and the fit IS different from earlier models.

I bought this myself and am happy with the purchase. It will get a huge amount of use for many years to come, so I guess you can take that as a recommendation.

It’s expensive but the model has been out for a while and the cycling industry is in trouble (2023) so there may be bargains to be had.

Price

Price when reviewed: rrp/msrp: $300 or GBP275

I managed to bag a large red Evade 3 for just under GBP200 before Christmas. I think red is the slowest-selling variant and there was some deal on at the time. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to buy one for less than this.

The regular rrp seems to be $300 or GBP275 with limited stockists. You can’t get these at either Amazon or Wiggle AFAIK but Competitive Cyclist (USA), Backcountry (USA), Tredz (UK) and Sigma Sports (UK) do sell them here otherwise the Specialized Concept Store is the place to go to definitely pay the full whack. Good luck.

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