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review
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS.jpg (credit: road.cc)£219.99
VERDICT:
Pro-level lid with excellent ventilation, the latest Mips tech and an aero cover... a brilliant investment
Stylish
Light
Good ventilation
No-rattle aero cover
Weight:
338g
Contact:
At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.
What the road.cc scores meanGood scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.
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- Excellent
- Very Good
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- Quite good
- Average
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- Bad
- Appalling
The Uvex Surge Aero MIPS helmet offers excellent ventilation, lightweight comfort and an optional aero lid, all while looking stylish and delivering excellent safety credentials.
> Buy now: Uvex Surge Aero MIPS for £183.99 from BikeInn
The Surge Aero MIPS was available for the public to buy on 4th July 2024, just six days into the 2024 Tour. Biniam Girmay had his first of three stage wins in the bag already. The whole team were sporting said helmet. Several months post-launch, and post-Tour, I've been lucky enough to be able to test the lid worn by the green jersey winner, and indeed the entire team. It has not disappointed. You can check out more options in our guide to the best lightweight road cycling helmets, but the Surge Aero MIPS will hold appeal for any rider dabbling in performance riding, as well as those simply appreciating style and valuing safety.
Fit & comfort
The helmet is available in three different sizes: 53-56cm, 56-59cm and 59-61cm. I've been testing the smallest of the three sizes and it's a perfect fit on my 55cm head, though I'm not convinced an extra centimetre would be accommodated. Maybe consider opting for a size up if you are on the cusp.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - tension system.jpg (credit: road.cc)Adjustment, via a dial at the rear, gives a snug and secure fit. If you're interested in the jargon, the Surge Aero MIPS uses Uvex's 3D IAS (Internal Adjustment System). While it works like most adjustable cages, with a reassuring click for each millimetre of adjustment, the cage is actually integrated into the helmet. If you lift up the edge of the padding you can see this design.
2024 Uvex Surge Aero MIPS IAS.JPG (credit: road.cc)The chin straps are soft and flexible – comparable to a thick ribbon. You really don't sense them when they are in contact with skin. Anchored on the inside of the helmet, they sit plush to the face.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - clip.jpg (credit: road.cc)The non-adjustable splitters rested just below my ears, but if you are fussy about the positioning of splitters, you might want to try before you buy.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - strap.jpg (credit: road.cc)Ventilation & aero cover
Ventilation is superb in mild-to-cool temperatures. Air is channelled through wide openings that stretch from the front to the rear of the helmet (with minimalist cross-braces). I haven't experienced the head of sweaty hair that I get with poorly ventilated helmets, but then I've not been able to try it in extremely warm conditions.
2024 Uvex Surge Aero MIPS and cover.jpg (credit: road.cc)I have managed to use it in snowy ones, though, and I found that the aero lid doubled up as protection in full-on snow showers!
2024 Uvex Surge Aero MIPS SNOW.JPG (credit: road.cc)Staying on the theme of the aero cover... it's a solid design with a gloss finish (in contrast to the helmet's matt finish).
2024 Uvex Surge Aero MIPS and cover 2.jpg (credit: road.cc)It takes a firm hand to click it into place – be assertive as it will also sit securely even if it's not fully engaged, there will simply be a millimetre gap at the front.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - logo detail.jpg (credit: road.cc)Once in place, it blends seamlessly into the helmet – clean lines and no obvious joins. There's no extra noise generated when using it, and ventilation is better than with a custom aero helmet, making it perfect for any keen sprint-specialist road racer.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - front.jpg (credit: road.cc)We can't test for aero gains, but it's a competitive helmet designed to offer marginal gains to those competing at the top level. Surely a green jersey is testimony to this.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - side.jpg (credit: road.cc)It's very light, too: without the aero cover, the 53-36cm helmet weighs 267g; add the cover and it's 340g.
Safety tech
Mips is still a relatively new technology, so it's not surprising that new takes on it are appearing. The Surge Aero features Mips Air Node which, fancy descriptions aside, is Mips incorporated into the helmet's padding. It certainly looks an improvement on the Mips sliding layers that are often used – it doesn't dominate the interior of the helmet, and it doesn't work against airflow or ventilation.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - inside.jpg (credit: road.cc)As someone who frequently removes and washes padding, it's good to know that it's possible to wash the insert by hand.
You can read about Air Node on Mips' website, and watch the vimeo video that carefully guides you through re-installing the layer (if you've removed it for washing, or you are replacing it).
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - MIPS logo.jpg (credit: road.cc)Other features include a glasses port, which is exceptionally secure – you will need more determination to get glasses out than put them in…
…and two reflective patches on the rear of the helmet, leaving me with very little to find fault in.
2024 Uvex surge aero MIPS - back.jpg (credit: road.cc)Weather during testing has been cool to cold, so insects haven't been an issue, but there's no bug net in the Surge Aero, and with pretty wide vents it's likely a few beasts are going to end up hitting your head. The only consolation is that the continuous channels will work in favour of a direct exit for anything that happens to find its way in.
Value
It might sound it, but £219.99 for a top-end, two-in-one helmet is far from extortionate. Many helmets in the £200+ category don't offer the aero transformation. For example, Specialized's S-Works Prevail 3 offers very similar design features in terms of ventilation and Mips Air Node, but there's no separate aero cover, and it's £250.
Lazer's Vento KinetiCore offers aero gains and an alternative to Mips, but again its £249.99 price tag makes the Surge Aero MIPS look good value.
> Buyer’s Guide: The best aero road helmets
If you're willing to forgo the aero cover and latest Mips design, there are significantly cheaper options. For example, Giro's Syntax MIPS, which George reviewed back in 2020, is just £129.99.
Conclusion
I've been thoroughly impressed with this helmet. I love the clean lines, perfect fit, super ventilation and non-intrusive Mips Air Node. While I no longer race, the aero cover has come in useful for exceptionally cold conditions when I fear I would have been experiencing an ice-cream head. If you are on the lookout for a new lid, this is definitely worth considering, even more so if you dabble in performance riding and don't want the expense of a separate race-orientated aero helmet.
> Buy now: Uvex Surge Aero MIPS for £183.99 from BikeInn
Verdict
Pro-level lid with excellent ventilation, the latest Mips tech and an aero cover... a brilliant investment
road.cc test report
Make and model: Uvex Surge Aero MIPS
Size tested: 53-56
Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Uvex says: "The new uvex surge helmet is developed in collaboration with the pro-athletes from Team Intermarché-Wanty. The uvex surge aero MIPS impresses with its integrated Mips®-Air-Node safety system and standard aero cover for maximum aerodynamics and protection. It also offers outstanding ventilation and stability thanks to its open design and optional aero cover. The uvex surge aero MIPS sets new benchmarks in performance, ventilation, and safety – for riders who demand the best."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Uvex lists these details:
Lightweight yet stable multi inmould technology plus built-in Mips® Air Node safety system
TÜV Rheinland according to EN 1078:2012 and A1:2012
New ergonomic uvex 3D IAS Pro system
Lightweight SNAP buckle closure
Snap-on aero cover
Reflective detailing on the back
Practical sunglasses port
Rate the product for quality of construction:
10/10
Rate the product for performance:
10/10
Great ventilation, light and easy to adjust.
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
8/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
10/10
Naturally, this is going to depend on your head shape. For me, this helmet is spot on.
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Cheaper than rivals AND you get an aero cover.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
It felt stable and secure. Ventilation is good. Hopefully the Mips would do its job in the case of a wipe-out!
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Lightweight design and super ventilation.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's cheaper than comparable models from the likes of Specialized and Lazer, which don't include an aero cover.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, but like with shoes, try before you buy.
Use this box to explain your overall score
Well designed with clean lines and a classy look. Ventilation is first class, Mips technology is refined and functional, and a secure glasses port is the icing on the cake. If this helmet fits your head as well as it does mine, it's an excellent choice.
About the tester
Age: 42
I usually ride: Road My best bike is: Carbon road.
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, general fitness riding, Getting to grips with off roading too!
Emma’s first encounters with a road bike were in between swimming and running. Soon after competing for GB in the World Age Group Triathlon Championships in Edmonton in 2001 she saw the light and decided to focus on cycling.
After a couple of half decent UK road seasons racing for Leisure Lakes, she went out to Belgium to sample the racing there and spent two years with Lotto-Belisol Ladies team, racing alongside the likes of Sara Carrigan, Grace Verbeke, Rochelle Gilmore and Lizzie Deignan. Emma moved from Lotto-Belisol to Dutch team Redsun, then a new Belgian team of primarily developing riders, where there was less pressure, an opportunity to share her experience and help build a whole new team; a nice way to spend her final years of professional racing.
Since retiring Emma has returned to teaching. When not coercing kids to do maths, she is invariably out on two wheels. In addition to the daily commute, Emma still enjoys getting out on her road bike and having her legs ripped off on the local club rides and chain gangs. She has also developed an addiction to touring, with destinations including Iceland, Georgia and Albania, to mention just a few. There have also been rare sightings of Emma off-road on a mountain bike…
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