Davide Ballerinis 2026 Giro d'Italia was an emotional rollercoaster. In a span of just a few days, the 31-year-old XDS Astana Team rider soared to the highest of highs in stage 6 by becoming the first Italian stage winner of this edition in Naples, only to be brought crashing down to earth on stage...

Lazer has a new all-around helmet that can handle any ride without draining your funds. Be it road miles, gravel cut-throughs, dusty farm roads, or after-work loops that turn into where does this go? situations. The new Lazer Blade KinetiCore is a midrange helmet that punches above its weight and weighs less than more expensive designs. The real kickerits only $99.(All Photos/Jordan Villella)What is it? Lazer Blade KinetiCoreThe Lazer Blade KinetiCore isnt trying to be a featherweight WorldTour lid, a full aero TT missile, or a chunky adventure helmet. It sits in the middle: sleek enough for the road crowd, relaxed enough for gravel.It has a clean, streamlined shape with Lazer dual-shell construction. Its the same construction that youll see on the more popular helmets in the Lazer lineup. Visually, it gives the helmet a pronounced line where the two shells meet, breaking up the shape and giving it a little more character than the usual smooth commuter blob.Understated & ClassicThe Blade looks modern without screaming race day only, or I take myself too seriously, which is probably the point. Lazer says the helmet is designed for riders splitting time between quiet roads and dusty paths, and the shape backs that up. It should look at home with bibs and a fast road bike, but not completely out of place with a handlebar bag, tan walls, and some Lemmy-style super-short cut-off jean shorts.Inside, Lazer uses soft, dense padding aimed at long-ride comfort. The fit is handled by the brands Advanced TurnSys system, which allows both horizontal and vertical adjustment. Its super easy to use with or without gloves and has a satisfyingly deep click.Theres also a new strap divider designed to keep the straps sitting clean and consistent. Small thing? Absolutely. But anyone who has spent a ride fiddling with straps that creep toward their ears knows it matters.KinetiCore Comes Built InThe big tech story is Lazers KinetiCore protection system on a $99 do-it-all helmet. For those who are new to Lazer and KinetiCore, let me catch you up. Instead of adding a separate slip-plane liner, KinetiCore is built directly into the helmet structure using internal crumple zones designed to help redirect impact energy away from the head. The crumple zones are super easy to see on the inside of the helmet.That integrated approach is central to Lazers current helmet lineup. The brand says it reduces material use, helps keep weight down, and improves ventilation compared to designs that rely on extra internal layers.For the Blade KinetiCore, the claimed weight is 250g for a medium, and ours came in at 245g, 5 g under. That puts it in the pointy-end for an all-road helmet, especially at this price point. Its light enough that it shouldnt feel like a budget lid, but not so gram-obsessed that it forgets what most riders actually need: comfort and protection.Eyewear Docking and LED CompatibilityLazer also added integrated eyewear docking, something that seems to have been an afterthought on more modern helmets.The Blade KinetiCore is also compatible with Lazers Universal LED, which mounts to the rear of the helmet using the built-in Direct Mount.Seven Colors, Three SizesThe Blade KinetiCore comes in S, M, and L sizing and seven colors: Flash Orange, Matte Black, Matte Clay, Matte Cobalt Blue, Matte Deep Grey, Matte Sage Green, and White (tested).(Studio photos/Lazer)That color spread is pretty solid. Flash Orange for the please see me crowd, Matte Black for the I own five black helmets already crowd, and Matte Sage Green/Matte Clay for riders whose bike, kit, and cell phone case all match. I, however, chose white because, like black, it matches everything, and like most roadies, it matches my shoes.Pricing and AvailabilityThe Lazer Blade KinetiCore is priced at $99.99 / 99.99 and is available through Lazers website and select retailers worldwide.Ride Impressions: Lazer Blade KinetiCoreAs a former bike shop employee, I get excited to see helmets that look nice and are affordable. Because nothing is worse than selling a bike and having the customer put off by either the style or the price of something thats pretty much mandatory for what theyre purchasing.The new Lazer Blade walks the line of all-around and gravel lid pretty well. I can firmly say that it doesnt fit into one camp; its for sure not an aero helmet, and thats a good thing. Its a solid all-rounder. Coming from mostly wearing performance headwear, during the season, checking out the Lazer Blade was a nice change of pace.The fit is excellent, and I wear a medium, just like my Lazer Z1. The biggest difference I noticed compared to my other Lazer lids was the new strap divider. It feels similar to the Specialized Evade 4 that we just reviewed. They fit over my ears nicely and stayed very close to the face, but not uncomfortably.But Not EverythingThough the new Lazer Blade offers a ton of value for the price, some aspects left me wanting. The first thing I noticed when switching from my Lazer Z1 was the middle line airflow. The center of the Blade is slightly underserved for ventilation. There are ample vents, but none seem to channel to the middle of the head. Its not uncomfortable, but its notable when switching from a helmet with better-designed ventilation.Sweat retention was another issue. The padding, though comfortable, didnt hold sweat as well as the Z1s thicker, more absorbent padding. This again wasnt a huge issue, but it can be when you look down at your head unit, and its like the dam broke. However, the good impressions outweigh the little nitpicks. After a month in the Laser Blade, I like it. I reach for it when Im going out on mountain bike rides or gravel rides. Its lightweight, comfortable, and I can easily put a rain cap under it when the weather is foul. Bonus: it matches all of my kits.Take AwayThat price is probably the biggest win here. Helmets have gotten expensive fast, especially once you start adding rotational-impact tech, wind tunnel testing, and better ventilation. The Blade KinetiCore keeps the feature list practical and the price under control.No, its not the top-tier race helmet in Lazers lineup. Thats not the job. The Blade KinetiCore feels more like the helmet you grab for everything: road rides, gravel spins, travel bikes, first events, rides with the kids, or the daily loop.For $99.99, thats a pretty complete package.Lazer.com The post Lazer Blade KinetiCore Cuts Across Road and Gravel for $99 appeared first on Bikerumor.

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