THE
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LAZER'S MONACO PURE CARBON HELMET
Test darkens automati-
High-tech material for ultra-light weight, without
exploding your budget. Is this impossible alchemy
for a flip-up helmet? Lazer takes on the challenge
with its Monaco Pure Carbon. Here you will find
the first test of this helmet which will upset the
established players in this segment, despite a few
minor quibbles.
After the JPMS fair
(yearly profession-
als’ fair in France)
where it won the
2011 prize for the
best urban prod-
uct in 2011, we
left with a Lazer
Monaco Pure
Carbon, a flip-up helmet on a severe diet. With a
promise of a weight barely over 1.300 grams at
less than €500, Lazer staked-out a huge claim.
Does it all hold-up? After several hundred kilome-
tres we can present you a first test.
Carbon, Lumino:
highly detailed finishing
Even if it exists also in mat black and in white,
the version with the visible carbon makes the
Monaco Pure Carbon come truly into its own.
Carbon helmets are rare in general, even more
so in flip-up versions. That carbon is an ultra-light
material is quickly verified on our scales. Our
model, size L with Pinlock and pre-cabling, rounds-
out at 1.370 grams (1.310 grams are announced
without Pinlock and pre-cabling). The impression
of lightness when handling the Monaco Pure
Carbon is real. It’s even very surprising, because
we have become accustomed to flip-ups being
much heavier than full-face helmets when using
the same material. Only the Schuberth C3 had
a limited weight at this level, but we’ll return to
that later. The ventilations are well integrated,
which is not always the case with helmets from
this Belgian brand. They conspire, with its general
compactness, to make for a design that resembles
strongly a full-face helmet.
Some of you will be surprised not to find an
internal sun screen in the Monaco, which is made
for GT-use. This is simply because Lazer equips it
standard with its Lumino.This photochromic screen
cally in function
of surrounding
UV intensity. In the
complete test we
have demonstrat-
ed the full poten-
tial of this screen
and can confirm
those results from this test of the Monaco. With
the Lumino screen the Monaco adapts itself to all
weather conditions and gives full protection to the
eyes. A Pinlock screen ensures efficient elimination
of condensation. One minor remark: those who
like to ride with the chin-piece opened and an
internal sun screen down to protect against the
wind will have to look for a different solution. The
Monaco Pure Carbon is comfortable to wear.
The padding keeps the helmet in place without
excessive pressure. Wearers of glasses will have no
problem in fitting them. Now we close the chin-
piece and are on our way for a live test!
Great qualities but
the chin-curtain can be improved
I m m e d i a t e l y,
the chin-piece
surprises. It’s
been taken from
Lazer’s Paname
model and locks
with two solid
metal hooks in a very reassuring way. But why was
the central unlocking button maintained inside?
In order to reach it, one has to pas one’s thumb
between one’s chin and the chin-piece and
therefore past the chin-curtain. The latter is cut in
the middle and quite rigid. It may happen that it
won’t come back to its original position. This can
make the chin-curtain less efficient in blocking-out
wind at high speeds. This is easy to fix with a chin-
curtain that is a bit longer.True, this can be helped
by pushing the chin-curtain back but in the winter
with gloves on this is not so easy to do. For some
this will be a mere detail, but for fans of flip-up
helmets this is a bit annoying. Let’s hope that Lazer
will fix this with a suppler and longer chin-curtain.
Because, except for the chin-curtain, the Lazer
Pure Carbon is near-perfect. It is silent. We have
ridden with the anti-noise cushions, which Lazer
POST
adds standard to the helmet. These can be
placed in the space left for the ears. They are
adjustable, also for users of intercoms, earplugs.
Good news for owners of G4, Q2 or other F4, you
will be able to install your communication system
without having to fiddle. While riding, the light
weight of the Lazer Monaco Pure Carbon is a
delight. The reduced pressure on head and neck
decreases fatigue. The field of vision is typical
for this type of helmet. But above all, the Lumino
allows for a variable darkening or lightening of
the screen in function of the surrounding light
circumstances. By fitting the Lumino which has
a retail price of €129 standard on the Monaco
there is a real chance that the Monaco will
establish itself as the new reference in touring
helmets. In the city or on tour it’s possible to ride
with the chin-piece open without suffering too
much from frontal wind. Please note that the
chin-curtain is made of reflective material, which
will add to security when riding by night, if you
ride with the chin-piece open. At the back, the
red reflective strip will greatly complement the
reflective stickers that are mandatory in France.
At €489 in the carbon version (or €349 in glass fibre
in the version Pure Glass), Lazer’s Monaco Pure
Glass clearly marks Lazer’s return to the segment
of flip-up helmets capable of being ridden for
many kilometres in great comfort. If its weight is
its greatest quality, the Lumino screen and the
comfort of the padding will seduce many bikers
who are looking for a (very) light helmet for daily
use. A better conceived chin-curtain would have
given the Monaco the best ratings and crushed
the competitors. So, it’s not perfect but Lazer has
made a product that, despite its light weight, can
already be considered a heavy-weight in the flip-
up segment. The Lazer Monaco has everything
to be a fierce competitor, especially relative to
the Schuberth C3. Incidentally, we are wondering
whether the price decrease announced by
Schuberth after the JPMS meeting was part of
a competitive repositioning. We have started a
comparison between the Schuberth C3 and the
Lazer Monaco Pure Carbon.
In a few days we will present you this contest at
the highest level, with some surprises in store!
Translation of the test published on 21 February
2011 by Ludovic Vidal in www.lequipement.fr