Giro Nine.9 Audio Helmet

Part of Giro's brand spankin' new Audio Series, the Nine.9 Audio features TuneUps ear pads with a premium quality set of specially designed headphones built seamlessly into the pad. Now you can dial in your favorite tunes anywhere on the hill without the hassles of earbuds or extra cords. Just plug in your iPod, Nomad, or any other player and let 'er rip. Designed for tough riding (your style, right?) and cold weather endurance, the Nine.9 Audio features a coiled cord for extra mobility, an in-line volume/mute control for adjustment on the fly, and it doesn't compromise fit or feel of Giro's traditional ear pads. TuneUps ear pads are removable and can be swapped for a regular pad anytime (but why would you do that?!). Here's the low down on the Nine.9: a super lightweight, bomber injection-molded shell. Equipped with 12 huge vents, removable vent plugs, and soft, removable earflaps that detach in seconds for springtime sessions. A wide-angle cut offers awesome peripheral vision, and Giro's trademark deep Goggle Notch keeps eyewear securely in place.

$124.95

Nice Helmet
Just as comfortable as their last helmet. Audio earpads are very stiff and can cause discomfort to the ears when the straps are too tight.

Training Tips

When buying a new pair of running shoes, bring your old ones with you. You will get a better fit if you know if you supinate or pronate.

Heart monitors are useful for knowing when you are in the right zone for your training efforts. If you understand what your maximum heart rate is, you can set up your monitor to beep at you when you exceed the high or low range of your heart rate for the type of workout you are doing.

Cross training gives your body a chance to recover while still exercising. If yesterday has a hard run day up and down hills, then today's bicycle ride gives your aching knees a well deserved break.

Anaeroic threshold is when lactic acid starts to build up in your body as your muscles are not getting the oxygen they require. This threshold is typically expressed as a percentage of your VO2 max - the amount of oxygen per kilogram of weight that a person can use in converting fuel to energy. Elite athletes threshold might be as high as 90% of VO2 max.