Advocacy & Safety - Could bike helmets provide more protection?

Hi my name's Graham, currently studying Product Design at DeMontfort Uni in Leicester. I'm currently in the process of researching into cycle hemlets for competition use, and could really do with some feedback on what you think of the current situation of bike helmet safety. Are they too bulky? Why would some people be put off from wearing them? what direction do you see head safety equipment going in the future? Have you ever fallen foul of head safety equipment in the past?

I'd be really grateful for any feedback on this issue to help me design a new helmet which could be marketed in 5 years time.

Any other info, stories, or stats would be most welcome.

Thanks for your time

What kind of competetion? There's cyclocross, criteriums, single day road races, multi day road races, single track, down hill, etc.

Are they too bulky?
Some are, some are not. I depends on what you buy, you get what you pay for in terms of comfort & style. The safety rating should be the same or similar in terms of how well it protects the head.


Why would some people be put off from wearing them?

Some are just dead set against them because the idea of using any type of safety protection equipment is appaling to them, these people are usually & probably the same people who do not wear seat belts as well. Some don't wear them because they are not comfortable, no matter what style they try. Some think they do no good at all & you will suffer the same type of head injuries as you would with out a helmet despite numerous stroies & absolute proof to the contrary. Some believe a helmet will not protect you from death because they believe when the good lord wants he will take you & when it's your time, it's your time. Nothing can be done to change that. Some think a helmet actually makes an injury worse if one is worn then going with out.


What direction do you see head safety equipment going in the future?

I hope to see improvments. Maybe if some of these myths about why people will not wear one can be busted then maybe they will wear one. If a helmet is designed to protect the head regardless of what kind of impact & at what speed occurs & be comfortable on whom ever wears one more people would wear one.


Have you ever fallen foul of head safety equipment in the past?

Not yet. Every time I have hit my head in the event of an accident, though it has been a long time the helmet did it's job & kept my head protected. Even with damage to the helmet I basically walked away from every one.


I'd be really grateful for any feedback on this issue to help me design a new helmet which could be marketed in 5 years time.

Why do we have to wait 5 years? Why not sooner? Also why wait until a new helmet is tried out in competition before it trickles down to use by non-competitors? When that happens the general public often has to wait even longer. So 5 years could turn into 10.

Some people think helmets are uncool. If you could in some way make it cool, then people may be more inclined to buy them. People also feel compelled to rebel against an authority that forces them to wear the helmets. Therefore, despite data to the contrary, they don't wear a helmet. It seems that helmets need to have their image overhauled not the design.

not the design.
I disagree. I think that with modern design analysis and materials a helmet could be designed that is not much different than current sizes/weights but provides better protection, not to the levels needed for many accident scenarios, but better than the fairly low protection they do currently provide. A new standard could be defined perhaps.

Al

Jaw and mouth protection badly needed

Gimme a helmet that is pretty much the same weight, look and feel of a cycling cap and can prevent head trauma from an impact of say 25mph.

If that isn't feasible, show me ANY helmet that can PREVENT accidents.

Jaw and mouth protection badly needed
I thought about that in writing the above in terms of 'same size'

Al

Wearing a helmet is safer than not wearing a helmet. No question about it.

That being said, I used to wear a helmet religiously. If I was on the bike, I had a helmet on and properly buckled.

These days I only wear one at night, and that is primarily because the one I used to wear, my old commuter helmet, has reflective tape all over it and a headlight mounted to it. During the day I wear a ballcap.

What price range do you expect to target when you make your helmets available commercially? Someone like me, even when I wore a helmet all the time, is not going to shell out 200 bones for one. I don't think I've ever spent more than $40 for a helmet. Much more than that, and all you're paying for is style and a name.

Gimme a helmet that is pretty much the same weight, look and feel of a cycling cap and can prevent head trauma from an impact of say 25mph.

If that isn't feasible, show me ANY helmet that can PREVENT accidents.

Prevent accidents, no. Prevent injury, yes.

I don't believe we'll get much further in the protective aspects of helmets, just weight and shape. There's only so much a helmet can do.

I don't believe we'll get much further in the protective aspects of helmets, just weight and shape. There's only so much a helmet can do.
Really? Is there no material better per volume or weight than stryofoam at absorbing energy? Is there no material better at resisting puncture and providing structural ridigity to the energy aborbing foam inside than molded plastic?

Al

the lighter and cooler the better. I don't wear a helmet when the weather gets really hot because it's just miserable to wear one.

the lighter and cooler the better. I don't wear a helmet when the weather gets really hot because it's just miserable to wear one.
Seriously? Every bike helmet I've ever worn from $15 Target to $120 Giro has kept my head cooler in the summer sun vs. no helmet at all. The helmet shade is part of what makes it possible to ride midway in the summer. (a good ventilated hat would work too)

Al

seriously! I don't know if it's just me or what, but my head gets so hot I just wanna rip the thing off.

Hi my name's Graham, currently studying Product Design at DeMontfort Uni in Leicester. I'm currently in the process of researching into cycle hemlets for competition use, and could really do with some feedback on what you think of the current situation of bike helmet safety. Are they too bulky? Why would some people be put off from wearing them? what direction do you see head safety equipment going in the future? Have you ever fallen foul of head safety equipment in the past?

I'd be really grateful for any feedback on this issue to help me design a new helmet which could be marketed in 5 years time.

Any other info, stories, or stats would be most welcome.

Thanks for your time

At this point, my anecdotal experience is that people who are motivated to wear a helmet have already choosen to do so and others will not change their behavior unless the protection provided by a helmet increases dramatically.

Kids, however, have been conditioned to wear a helmet so without making any changes, I expect helmet use to increase over time.

That written, if you could design a helmet that could protect a rider from head injury at relatively high cycling speeds--say Chipcom's 25 mph--without simply redesigning a motorcycle helmet, then you might be able to motivate the helmetless holdouts.

I do think that you have a difficult problem, however. My understanding is that rigidity of the helmet surface is not the problem; but dissipating all of the energy before my brain gets smushed is the problem. Although I will point out that I am neither a physicist nor an engineer.

+1 face/jaw protection, w/o being obtrusive. I would say something like a football quarterback guard, but that might end up breaking your neck if it snagged on something pokey.

How about a little beanie cap you wear with 360 degree sensors. When it detects an imminent crash (w/ distance and acceleration sensors) it deploys a swarm of nanobots which destroy everything in your path. or they could just form a barrier to protect you.

more seriously, what about using some type of gel instead of a static foam, which would help the pressure/impact to be distributed over a larger area. It could also have the added benefit of causing the helmet to become snugger once impact began, helping it stay on your head.

Gimme a helmet that is pretty much the same weight, look and feel of a cycling cap and can prevent head trauma from an impact of say 25mph.

If that isn't feasible, show me ANY helmet that can PREVENT accidents.


How about this helmet?

http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/10/images/helmet_mirror.jpg

seriously! I don't know if it's just me or what, but my head gets so hot I just wanna rip the thing off.


It's you. I forget the thing is even on my head. Frankly, I can't understand why anyone complains. What helmet do you have that gets so hot?

Jaw and mouth protection badly needed


They already exist. Just buy one.

http://www.mbaction.com/archive/3%20%20DEVIANT.jpg

How about a helmet that deploys an airbag for your head when it senses you are falling toward the ground? It could be integrated into a cycle cap & have sensors that cause it to deploy when you are falling to the ground in the event of an accident. Light, cool & protective all at the same time.

I could see a market for bicycle helmets utilizing this technology:
http://www.cardowireless.com/index.php

As per what I said above, I wouldn't want one, but someone who likes to yap a lot (like my wife and daughter)........

I used to use a Bell V1 Pro. Had a thick hard shell, rounded edges and the usual foam inner liner with soft foam pads.

http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/images/history/V1pro.jpg
"...the first helmet developed specifically for bicycle racing..."

That was the height of bike helmet technology as far as I am concerned.

Everything from there is downhill... especially the microshell technology, and the odd aero helmets with the strange protrusions out the back... that can grab pavement and tourque your neck as you roll and slide down the road.

I could see a market for bicycle helmets utilizing this technology:
http://www.cardowireless.com/index.php

As per what I said above, I wouldn't want one, but someone who likes to yap a lot (like my wife and daughter)........

I would like to see more technology put in current helmets. In fact, I have a wishlist I have been thinking of (no particular order):

#1. Less bulky yet more coverage (make them so they don't look like something is just sitting on the top of your head)

#2. Inclusion of some sort of speaker system to interface via bluetooth to phone or mp3 player. Speakers, while not ideal, would be safer than headphones if played at a reasonable volume.

#3. More styles available. There are basically 3 types of helmets for bicycles right now: the Bell Metro, the skateboarder/x-games style, and everything else that looks exactly the same.

#4. Included rear view/side view mirrors thus helping to avoid accidents.

That is all for now. Otherwise you can run over to the stickied thread on helmets and read about 2000 posts of helmet opinions.

I don't know if it's just me or what, but my head gets so hot I just wanna rip the thing off.

It's not just you. I normally wear a helmet almost always, but on hot days my head drips buckets of sweat unless I remove the styrofoam insulation and let the wind cool my head.

I don't buy the top-of-the-line 5 gram helmets with 300 vents, but they are pricey mid-range helmets with good ventilation and reasonably light weight.

RFM

How about a helmet that deploys an airbag for your head when it senses you are falling toward the ground? It could be integrated into a cycle cap & have sensors that cause it to deploy when you are falling to the ground in the event of an accident. Light, cool & protective all at the same time.
Where do you keep the deflated airbag and compressed gas?
Airbags inflate and deflate almost instantaneously.
The reason they work in cars is because the sensors detect collision and immediately deploy the airbag, so it inflates right as the body is accelerating relative to the car. Plus, there is room for the bag to deploy - between the body and the dashboard.

For your idea to work, the sensors would have to detect when the helmet is about to collide - that's much harder to do. Also, how is it supposed to differentiate from being suddenly launched into the ground from suddenly entering a low tunnel - the tunnel ceiling could appear to the sensors to be a hard surface the helmet is about to collide with. And, where do you fit all those electronics anyway?

Really? Is there no material better per volume or weight than stryofoam at absorbing energy? Is there no material better at resisting puncture and providing structural ridigity to the energy aborbing foam inside than molded plastic?

Al

Better materials would allow changes in the helmet, but remember the links on here where it said that most deaths are from the brain rotating inside the skull? Helmets won't stop that. While we can protect the head in case of collision, the body is still decelerating with the neck between the body and the head.

I'll put in my 2¢.

1) I sweat a lot, and the pads inevitably disintegrate. I could remove them and rinse, but then the velcro tears the pad apart. Once they disintegrate, it is very difficult to obtain exact replacement pads. At least it was for my Giro helmet.

2) My Bell helmet has two problems. One is that I cannot manipulate the buckle system with a single hand, either to loosen it or tighten it.

3) The second problem with the Bell is that my sunglasses ear piece interferes with the helmet retention system. To give you an idea of my problem, the sunglasses are Native Nano 2's and the very end of the ear piece interfers with the plastic part of the retention system.

I present these problems, not as something that can be fixed, as newer models probably have some of the fixes incorporated, but as issues a helmet designer has to be aware of. Most cyclists wear sunglasses, so the helmet cannot interfere with that. Most cyclists wear something under their helmet for sweat control, as the pads are nearly useless for someone who sweats a lot and rides for more than a half hour. During a long ride, straps swell and loosen, so the adjustable retention system must be adjustable from the bike, as the group is definitely not going to stop to let someone adjust their helmet.

Where do you keep the deflated airbag and compressed gas?
Airbags inflate and deflate almost instantaneously.
The reason they work in cars is because the sensors detect collision and immediately deploy the airbag, so it inflates right as the body is accelerating relative to the car. Plus, there is room for the bag to deploy - between the body and the dashboard.

For your idea to work, the sensors would have to detect when the helmet is about to collide - that's much harder to do. Also, how is it supposed to differentiate from being suddenly launched into the ground from suddenly entering a low tunnel - the tunnel ceiling could appear to the sensors to be a hard surface the helmet is about to collide with. And, where do you fit all those electronics anyway?


There is no compressed gas. It is a chemical reaction. There is no other way to inflate a bag that fast.

We would need to know why people die despite wearing helmets. Is there a second impact? Is it other injuries? Was the helmet insufficient? If it was a second impact to the head, then maybe the airbag thing makes sense. But really it doesn't have a practical usage. There would be more burns and injuries from the air bag than it would prevent.

How about a helmet that deploys an airbag for your head when it senses you are falling toward the ground? It could be integrated into a cycle cap & have sensors that cause it to deploy when you are falling to the ground in the event of an accident. Light, cool & protective all at the same time.
Make it a full bodysuit. So that as the cyclist is going down, the suit inflates and sends him bouncing down the road careening off cars like an errant beachball.:D ;)

That might actually be kind of fun and create a new X-sport.;)

It's you. I forget the thing is even on my head. Frankly, I can't understand why anyone complains. What helmet do you have that gets so hot?

one's a Giro riviera and one's a back trails. both hot as ****. I hate 'em and don't wear em in hot weather.

Make it a full bodysuit. So that as the cyclist is going down, the suit inflates and sends him bouncing down the road careening off cars like an errant beachball.:D ;)

That might actually be kind of fun and create a new X-sport.;)

Apparently that has been invented for motorcyclists...
http://www.bikebone.com/page/BBSC/CTGY/AT


The "Hit Air" jacket uses CE certified armor to protect the shoulders, elbows and the spine but most importantly, the "Hit Air" jacket also incorporates an air cushion system. In the event of an accident and a rider is thrown from the motorcycle, the air cushion instantly inflates (within 1/2 second) to protect the rider's body. Activation is simple and automatic. A coiled wire is attached to both the motorcycle and the jacket. Once the rider and the motorcycle are separated, the coiled wire pulls a "key" out of a gas release system and inert gas inflates the air cushion. The inflated jacket provides the necessary impact protection. After a few seconds the gas is automatically released through the gas release valve.

Jaw and mouth protection badly needed

Yep. Something along the lines of a full face motorcycle helmet. Or at least a thin bar, like Bart Star's football helmet from the 60s.

I used to use a Bell V1 Pro. Had a thick hard shell, rounded edges and the usual foam inner liner with soft foam pads.

http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/images/history/V1pro.jpg
"...the first helmet developed specifically for bicycle racing..."

That was the height of bike helmet technology as far as I am concerned.

Everything from there is downhill... especially the microshell technology, and the odd aero helmets with the strange protrusions out the back... that can grab pavement and tourque your neck as you roll and slide down the road.

I agree. A good example of why today's helmets are more about style and comfort than they are about safety.

Make it a full bodysuit. So that as the cyclist is going down, the suit inflates and sends him bouncing down the road careening off cars like an errant beachball.:D ;)

That might actually be kind of fun and create a new X-sport.;)

I like this idea, user activated, you just need to remember to activate it, in the 1/1000th seconds between realizing your going to crash, and actually hitting the ground, the point when most cyclists think "OH CRAP". Better yet, it works when you leave the saddle, without deactivating it first.

sorry I made it a little unclear. It's for road races/ training.
I just also like to say a massive thanks to you and everybody else for all the feedback!! it's of great use and i'm sure i'll come up with an awesome design for a helmet. i'll keep you posted on my progress, and hopefully have your thoughts on what i produce. keep the feedback coming in!!

... It's for road races/ training...

Really. You might be interested to know that the standards to which cycle helmets are made were never meant to protect riders in high speed or competitive events.

http://www.cyclehelmets.org/papers/c2023.pdf

I'm wondering if you're expecting a change in trends for the future of helmets, because it seems the growth of use has passed and competing with established manafacturers would be difficult.

As a long time motorcyclist, I'd say bicycle helmets are "better than nothing." But, not a lot better. They offer no eye, nose, ear, or jaw protection. And, it would not be hard to get them to slide around on your head in a crash. When I am out on the road on my Masi wearing lycra and a hemet, I am so incredibly vulnerable to impacts and those sliding/tumbling contacts with pavement and objects. Anyone who thinks that a helmet and fingerless gloves are a major safety improvement is fooling themselves.

bruce19

Where do you keep the deflated airbag and compressed gas?
Airbags inflate and deflate almost instantaneously.
The reason they work in cars is because the sensors detect collision and immediately deploy the airbag, so it inflates right as the body is accelerating relative to the car. Plus, there is room for the bag to deploy - between the body and the dashboard.

For your idea to work, the sensors would have to detect when the helmet is about to collide - that's much harder to do. Also, how is it supposed to differentiate from being suddenly launched into the ground from suddenly entering a low tunnel - the tunnel ceiling could appear to the sensors to be a hard surface the helmet is about to collide with. And, where do you fit all those electronics anyway?

Ever seen the movie Demolition Man? Remember the scene where the car John Spartan is in launches through the air & crashes through the San Angelos Police Dept. glass sign & into the water fountain? As he is flying through the air the stuff called Secura Foam deploys to keep him protected. Maybe something like that could be implimented with bike helmets to surround the head & face in the event of an accident.

Did you see the show 2057 on Discovery Channel? I missed it, but from what I've heard about it the technology to design & create a bike helmet such as this is not that far off. I don't think bike helmets were a part of the show, again I did not see it, I am talking about using the the technology side of it. With the improved designs in micro-technology that we have today it already is or will be possible very soon to do something like this.

Ever seen the movie Demolition Man? Remember the scene where the car John Spartan is in launches through the air & crashes through the San Angelos Police Dept. glass sign & into the water fountain? As he is flying through the air the stuff called Secura Foam deploys to keep him protected. Maybe something like that could be implimented with bike helmets to surround the head & face in the event of an accident.

What a dream. Just think, no personal responsibilty of the road users to use the road responsibly. Just drive, and if you crash, well that's OK, you'll be fine. Fantasy, yes? Too bad that's the way too many view road safety. Mitigation over prevention. Maybe that's why the death tolls are so high and people turn a blind eye to it. They're too busy dreaming.

When I put drop bars on my bike, I found the helmet visor restricted my view when in the drops. I would like a tinted visor that I could see through.

Jaw and mouth protection badly needed

For road racing? YOu are kidding, right? Following your logic, we might as well have airbags mounted in the stem.

What a dream. Just think, no personal responsibilty of the road users to use the road responsibly. Just drive, and if you crash, well that's OK, you'll be fine. Fantasy, yes? Too bad that's the way too many view road safety. Mitigation over prevention. Maybe that's why the death tolls are so high and people turn a blind eye to it. They're too busy dreaming.

But this IS the path that auto designers ARE taking... from automatic seat belts to multiple air bags and side impact crash protection... they are removing the responsibility for safe driving from the driver and making the auto a protective coccoon in which a driver will likely survive even the stupidist motorist stunts.

what a sad direction. Easy sell, but not nearly as effective as being responsible.

They already exist. Just buy one.

http://www.mbaction.com/archive/3%20%20DEVIANT.jpg
Way too heavy. I'd love to see something that is lightweight and intended for road rash prevention, not impact.

It's not just you. I normally wear a helmet almost always, but on hot days my head drips buckets of sweat unless I remove the styrofoam insulation and let the wind cool my head.
RFM

So maybe one of the suggestions should be a helmet with some kind of wicking system to draw sweat away from the head and forehead, this couyld also make the retaining bands in helmets a lot more comfortable into the bargain.

So maybe one of the suggestions should be a helmet with some kind of wicking system to draw sweat away from the head and forehead, this couyld also make the retaining bands in helmets a lot more comfortable into the bargain.

A good design would wick the sweat to a vented area to allow evaporation of sweat to act as an "air conditioner."

Imagine a "fuzzy" helmet with microfiber wick evaporators using a capillary action to draw the sweat away from the user and the headband...

what are peoples take on the use of new/future materials technology in head protection? For example i'm looking at ferrofluids.....A liquid form of protection that uses the concept of shear thickening on impact (becomes rigid). advantages would be its light weight. I'm just going on info i have researched by the way. would you be confident in wearing a light weight, liquid filled liner, with a toughened shell?

alternative materials i've looked at is aerogel. it is 99.8% air, silicon based, and act like a cushion. would you have confident in using a material like that?

Please tell me your thoughts on the use of new materials in a helmet, or should I stick with good old EPS?

Thanks for all your feedback, i'm getting a better insight into the subject of crash helmets and what people think of them.

You look like a troll graed8.

If this really is some market research for a new product, it seems you don't have much of a grasp on your product or target market.

If you are genuine, you need to learn a little more on what you're attempting.

Some think they do no good at all & you will suffer the same type of head injuries as you would with out a helmet despite numerous stroies & absolute proof to the contrary. You have to be very ignorant and stupid to say such a thing. Stupid for the "numerous stories" part and ignorant for the "absolute proof" part.