I've had two of these helmets. Bought the first one in 2015 and about a year after purchasing went down on some train tracks it the rain. My head bounced of the track pretty good and the helmet took the brunt of it. Got a replacement through Giro's crash replacement program, which at 40% MSRP. Went over the bars today landed hard, and cracked the second one in two places. Can't say enough about this helmet or Giro in general. I have been wearing them from 25 years as they just fit my head really, really well right out of the box so that's huge as far as protection is concerned. I have probably owned 20 Giro helmets (road and mountain) since 1992 and the Synthe is a great helmet, not noticeable when you wear it, very comfortable. I've wanted to check out POC and Kask but have had such good luck with Giro, there's really no reason for me to switch. Typically I'll average between 3-4000 miles a year on a bike, depending. Going to get another one of these or maybe an Aether.
Have been riding for 30 plus years and have had prior Giro helmets. This product is very light, almost to the point where when wearing it is not noticeable, does not move around the perimeter of the head, has little to no interference with the rider's view from side to side. The enclosure is very snug and well fitting, though without any need to overtighten to bind to the rider's head shape. Giro has finally figured out how to create a helmet that even after long rides of over two-plus hours, the unit does not feel heavy, cumbersome, or need continual adjustments - something I have had with other high-end helmets and gear. The straps are not too long and are easy to adjust, the same for the dials to set the inner enclosure.
I'm on my third Giro Synthe Mips. They fit me really well, are incredibly lightweight, and protect your head really well. I've had a couple of serious knocks in the head, serious enough to warrant a new helmet, and the Synthe Mips protected me head really well.
After 5years of use had to retire my trusty GIRO Atmos...Hello Synthe! Lightweight, good aero profile while very well vented and MIPS tech upgrade are all quite welcome. The interior is well cushioned and the straps are snug and comfy on your face. the dial ratchet is really adjustable and works better than the Atmos press-on system. Color schemes of all types avail..my white red orange gets plenty of nice lid remarks during training rides.
I ride between100 and 150 miles a week. My helmet is very comfortable and extremely light. The airflow helps keep my head cool. The interior lining is comfortable and the helmet can be easily adjusted. I recommend this helmet wholeheartedly.
This is the second Synthe mips helmet I have purchased for my wife. Last one was damaged in transit while stuffed in a suitcase. Inner fitting system broken and not replaceable I this helmet. Great style, fit, weight, and safety. I wear one also.
I spend 300 hours a year on my road bike. We've had a number of crashes in my club this year and it made me think about the MIPS technology. I'm in right on the cusp of medium and large. Did the measurement and went with medium, which turned out great. Have just enough room for head cover if needed.
I stick with Giro helmets as they always seem to fit me well, and this was an upgrade from my last helmet. It's light, fits great with or without hatsheadbands underneath, keeps nice and cool, and the color scheme I bought is a great match for my bike. Only has a couple of the removable inner pads, which frankly I like as there is less to lose, and there is no compromise in comfort. I couldn't be happier with this one!
This is the second Synthe I have owned. I tested my first one and competitors for cooling in a makeshift way at the Portland warehouse store. Cooling was a high priority for my selection since I ride hot in the summer. I use a Giro cap under it for cooler weather. On my first ride while going down a fast hill I had descended many times before, I had the distinct sense that my head felt more free in the passing air. My speedometer confirmed a small but noticeable gain. The other reason I chose this helmet was the very comfortable fit. The best I found for me.
So why am I on my second helmet in two years? It was the other reason for selecting the Synthe that I simply took for granted. I crashed at 18-20 mph. It seemed like a perfect 5 point landing and had the bloody scrapes on my knees, elbow, hip and shoulder to prove it. I thought I might have glanced my head, but the helmet seemed to have only minor cosmetic damage. I wore the helmet on the next ride and laid it on the table at the break. One of my fellow riders noticed that the helmet was now split at the back. It likely saved me from a concussion or worse, and I did not even know it. I am sold on this helmet!
This is the most comfortable helmet I've ever worn. It fits better than my old Giro Atmos helmet, which was pretty good in its own right. I suspect the MIPS helmet liner is the reason for the better fit. I have noticed a slight whistle at high speeds strong headwinds, but that is a minor issue.
I had been using a Savant MIPS, upgraded to the Synthe MIPS when there was a sale, and love it. It's so comfortable I hardly even think about it while riding, other than occasionally adjusting the micro adjuster, which I can do on the bike. The micro adjuster is extremely handy to compensate for the change when I put a skullcap on or off in the winter. I also like that the height of the rear band mount is adjustable, easy to get the fit snug but not tight. The sunglasses dock seems mainly useful for pros (who have sunglasses sponsors) or folks who wear cheap sunglasses. Me, I need glasses to see where I'm going so (a) I'm not going to take them off while riding and (b) even if I did, they are Transitions Progressive lenses, which are FAR too expensive to risk leaving perched on the helmet where they might fall to the ground if I forgot they were there when I removed my helmet. And if they fell off and broke, finding my way home would be a problem! So I just keep my glasses on and fasten the helmet straps over them.
While the helmet design, fit, and finish is fine. The solution to keep the sweat pads on the helmet doesn't last. It could be a flaw in a run or simply a storage related issue, but half the retainer fitted dots fail on one side. Even worse, Giro has customer support level that replies haphazardly if they even pick up the phone or respond to any messages.
For myself, Giro and the family of brands that are along with them doesn't meet the standards of product quality and support for what is being presented as a superior quality product. This particular helmet is the very first to give me such an issue and the support ensured that I would not purchase another one of their products in the future.
I ride 20 miles on the weekdays (2-3 days per week) and 35-50 miles a day on the weekends, so I am in my helmet quite a bit. I love the fit of the cage on this helmet - it is very snug. I also like the materials that are used for cusion - they are not absorbant and seem very durable. About the only negative I can find is that there is a structural band that goes from left to right across the helmet that limits attaching lights to your helmet if you do early morning or late night riding.
I use this helmet on road and gravel rides. This is the most comfortable helmet I have ever owned going back over 20 years. I wear a large Giro Synthe MIPS Helmet, and my hat size is XL or 7 58 - 7 34. I have had a problem in the past with helmets riding back on my head and exposing my forehead. I do not have that problem now and the helmet stays down and protects my forehead. I like the style look of this helmet. I always wear a cycling hat and they integrate together nicely. If I had to purchase another helmet, this would be the one. Perfection.
I am sold on MIPS after crashing and seeing how the impact force was distributed. Broke the helmet and didn't feel the impact as much as I had expected. I immediately replaced the helmet with a new Synthe MIPS. My prior helmet was a Giro Pro-light which was not as heavy as the Synthe, but I consider this a fair trade-off, though I do miss the lighter helmet.
