Axium runs a dark anthracite-and-carbon base with a red accent along the top of the shell and a thin red line tracing the chin bar -- restrained rather than loud, the kind of graphic that reads as a shape from a distance and only shows its detail up close. It sits mid-pack in this range on price and equipment, sharing the same carbon-fibreglass Sport-GT platform as every other decor here.

The test this decor passes: ECE 22.06

Nothing about a quieter graphic changes the certification: UNECE R 22-06. The move from 22.05 brought more impact points on the shell, tested at several speeds each, and a rotational-force reading the earlier rule never included in its scoring.

Shell composition, and the honest name for it

Shark's catalogue entry classifies this shell as "Fibre": carbon fibre woven into fiberglass, not poured as a solid carbon-aramid shell, built in two separate moulds around EPS graded across several firmness stages. It is a genuine, moderate step up from the plain-fibreglass Spartan GT Pro, not the heavier-duty material used in a track-only carbon lid.

What 1,465 g means over a long ride

The smaller of two shell sizes weighs 1,465 g, per Shark; the bigger sizes, on the second mould, carry a bit more. Alone, that number says little -- spread across hours in the saddle, it is the difference between a neck that stays comfortable and one that starts to ache well before the ride is half done.

Ventilation, and what actually shuts off

Front intakes number three, rear extractors number two, both part of Shark's double-Venturi airflow system built to keep working under motorway speed as well as above it. An independent Visordown test confirms both sets genuinely close, so this shell vents freely in summer and locks down for a cold ride -- airflow that same review rates decent, not exceptional.

Visor: central lock, standard Pinlock, racing-only tints

Spartan RS, Spartan RS Carbon and this helmet all draw from the same VZ300 visor. Glazing rated optical class 1 tapers from 2.8 mm to 2.2 mm, secured centrally rather than at the side, arriving with a clear Pinlock 120 insert already mounted. Daytime roads suit blue, pink and red iridium; smoke, silver and rainbow stay for track use only.

Sun visor and daily details

One external slider operates the UV380 anti-fog sun visor, gloved hand included. Cleaning or a tint swap means lifting the mount off tool-free, the shell has a cut groove for glasses arms, and Shark lists both Sharktooth and SENA comms as compatible.

Safety fitted, stated without embellishment

Firmness-graded EPS absorbs impact energy under the shell, and the strap closes with a double-D ring, resistant to the loosening a quick-release buckle can suffer under load. A first responder frees the cheek pads through Shark's own Emergency Release hardware without twisting an injured rider's neck -- functionally an EQRS whatever the branding. MIPS does not appear anywhere in Shark's documentation for this helmet, and none is claimed here.

Interior comfort and sizing

ALVEOTECH antimicrobial fabric lines the interior, shaped into 3D morphological cheek pads per Shark's own collection copy rather than flat pads relying on foam bulk. Independent review confirms the pads, neck roll and skull cap all come out for a wash. Six sizes span XS to XXL across the two shell sizes used throughout the range.

A graphic built to age well

Axium's restraint is deliberate: a dark base with a single accent colour rather than a busy multi-tone pattern tends to read as current for longer, without a specific season or event tying it to a particular year the way a replica livery does. It is a decor built to still look right several years after purchase, not just on delivery day. A design this plain also tends to hide scuffs and minor wear better than a busy multi-colour print, one more small reason it holds up as a daily-use graphic rather than a special-occasion one. It is worth saying again for clarity: nothing about the graphic changes the certification, the shell, or the equipment list documented above -- only the accent colour differs from its sibling decor.

Where Axium sits on the Spartan price ladder

Shark's own price data shows four real steps: Spartan RS Fibre at entry level, Spartan RS Carbon above it, the non-carbon Spartan GT Pro adding Sport-GT comfort without carbon, and Spartan GT Pro Carbon at the top. This decor sits in the middle of that top step, the same price as the graphic Mekarium and Silicium 2 finishes.

Wind noise, without an invented figure

No independently measured decibel figure exists for this helmet, so none is stated. BikeSocial's road test of the 22-06 generation credits a tighter, elasticated neck roll built specifically to reduce wind noise, at a small cost to how easily the helmet goes on; Visordown separately describes wind noise in normal riding as kept to a relative minimum. Neither is lab data, and neither is treated as such here.

Spare parts

Shark bundles the RS and GT Pro visor stock into one page, titled "SPARTAN RS & SPARTAN GT PRO compatible visors," and the Range Book confirms this VZ300 part fits three Spartan builds. A scratched visor is a spare part, not a reason to replace the shell.

What this helmet does not have

No MIPS or comparable rotational-impact liner is fitted, and none is claimed. This visor platform is not documented as tear-off compatible. SHARP's own 4-star, August-2021 result names a distinct, older helmet with no "Pro" anywhere in its listing, and that rating is not carried over here.

Specification

• Model — Spartan GT Pro Carbon Axium
• Shell — Two-size fiberglass-carbon shell, EPS graded in firmness
• Weight — 1,465 g, smaller shell, Shark's own count
• Homologation — ECE 22.06, UNECE R 22-06 NCO
• Closure — Double-D ring
• Ventilation — 3 intakes, 2 extractors, double-Venturi, close fully
• Visor — Optical class 1, 2.8-2.2 mm, central lock, Pinlock 120 standard
• Sun visor — UV380 anti-fog internal drop-down sun visor
• Interior — Removable washable ALVEOTECH lining, 3D-shaped cheek pads
• Warranty — 5-year cover
• Country of origin — Thailand
• Sizes — 6 sizes, XS through XXL