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The Invisible Bicycle Helmet?

Aug 14, 2012
by Karl Burkat  


Pretty impressive design, could it catch on?


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260 Comments
  • 1023
 The one cool thing she said was: "cars are so oldschool - bikes are the future"
The idea is pretty nice for the urban rider, but I guess it doesn't really work for FR/DH/XC etc.
Pretty impressive in general.
  • 241
 The design is really good! And I guess its more for the urban rider as you said. but I think most FR/DH/XC riders don't mind wearing a helmet and most bmx'ers too. And the people who don't ride with helmets while riding DH or BMX because it looks silly, are imo not gonna wear a giant sort of neckbrace looking thing, still really nice idea though!
  • 560
 hands up for real life testing???
  • 200
 Yeah I don't see it working for MTB. Because would this thing go off when you're railing a berm? I'm guessing it would seeing as it's gyro based.
  • 292
 yeah it all seem a bit silly but a cool invention. but i don't quite get what the trigger is. what if you lunge in to a chair after a cycle because you feel tired and this bloody thing blows up round your head?
  • 150
 Who needs a Leatte, this is a neck brace and helmet. I know you are supposed to replace a DH helmet after every fall but who does that, with this you have to. Great idea thinking out of the box, just not offroad applicable.

Also does this feel like a Parks and Rec episode to anyone else?
  • 70
 I cant see many of the too cool for helmet people wearing these...looks like a huge scarf...summer time biking with a huge scarf?...not for me, ill stick with my so comfy i dont no its there helmet
  • 242
 I could see a leatt brace style adaptation helping for sure! For now, my D3 is plenty safe and I feel dope commuting with it
  • 61
 I think this would sell better for harley/cruiser riders who hate wearing helmets...if it could even withstand an actual impact that is.
  • 33
 you shouldnt wear a leatt without a helmet... something about it creating a pivot point to break your neck if you fall as the helmet isnt there to stop you. think it was mentioned in the leatt brace review on pinkbike
  • 40
 Uhm, who said anything about wearing a leatt without a helmet? Leatt brace style adaptation meaning an inflating neck brace/brace addition
  • 30
 ohh okay, sorry misunderstood you there, i thought you meant like an integrated leatt airbag to replace the helmet
  • 31
 this could defiantly catch on for street/urban riders, but for DH or FR i think not. like some of the previous comments say it would go off when railing a berm or hitting a drop or large jump. but then there is the thought of make it so it needs a lot more force or you need to reach a steeper angle for the giro to trigger it. but then when it comes to reaching those angles or forces the inflation time may not be quick enough also it appears as a one time use thing, and in mountain biking that would become way to expensive way to fast. Also i think it might tear on a root or sharp rock.
  • 10
 Yea it looks like it would rip on something sharp, and what about when your just brushing past a tree or something? and plus i think i would feel alot safer with a helmet than a possibly faulty airbag.
  • 150
 it is targeted for commuters...
  • 42
 i'm a commuter, this is dumb. I can sort of understand not wanting to wear a helmet if your a chick with some hairdo you dont want messed up, then you see that it costs more then most commuters bikes...oh look a $100 bill on the ground!(bends over to pick up) BOOM there goes my one time airbagscarf, time to fork out $800 for another...sigh
  • 40
 Re-inventing the helmet for commuters is re-arranging plants on the deck of the titanic. Commuting by bike in a city like Amsterdam, helmet or none, is really safe compared to, say, L.A. If there were no cars, or more realistically, decent bike-only paths, I probably would ditch the helmet for commuting. Of course, it's pretty different here in the U.S. A helmet is pretty inconsequential when cars are going 65mph. It would just take one pissed-off or distracted driver on highway one to end it for me, helmet or none. I can't say the same about pissed-off trail riders, never mind distracted.
  • 150
 So they're too cool to wear helmets, but will wear this stupid scarf looking thing? Hipsters.

This is all good and well IF it deploys when it should, and IF it doesn't deploy when it shouldn't. A regular bike helmets is ALWAYS going to work if it is worn properly.

All in all, it's a device for people too damn lazy or trendy to wear a helmet.
  • 40
 Yea, perfect for hipsters on fixies.....and roadies too, the chicks could fabricate some glove deployment system so when some dude with shaved legs crashes on a high speed decent somewhere in the Alps, the finger padding will deploy from their fingerless gloves and protect their electronic shifting digits.

On a serious note, I wonder if this technology translates to shin/elbow/spine protection??????????
  • 20
 ya i like the idea of a shin/elbow/spine protection. but if it where shin protection with that air bag type thing how would it with stand a pedal to the shin or how would it know when you slip a pedal and still be able to handle jumps and stuff with out going off. with knee or elbow protection, if you going down on some rocks would probably pop the air bag. but its would be a cool idea though.
  • 51
 @SIGINT I ride DH/FR without a car. you have to earn your downhill. builds character among other things.
  • 10
 i know im dreaming but if it could be integrated into the sleevesof ajersey thatd be awesome, i never ride with elbow protection but id ride with the sleeves
  • 20
 Looks like a good idea for urban riders maybe, but that thick thing wrapped around your neck will get sweaty pretty quickly and prevents cool air being able to get to your shoulders and neck. I also don't agree that helmets are uncomfortable. I quickly forget I'm wearing mine being modern helmets are so well designed. I'm always skeptical of new ideas, but I can see some benefits to this. I guess it prevents helmet hair...
  • 30
 nice thing about riding DH is that a full face and goggles always looks sick and is actually pretty comfy.
  • 30
 @rangemaster - So true man. I can't even access the trails with the car so I always push my horse up the hill. Plus it is good exerciser too.
  • 30
 this wont work off road (or on road to a degree) as it assumes the g-forces in a fall will trigger it. fast riding - berms, popping jumps, landing them, even taking repeated big hits while still in control could equally generate the same level of g-force, but more importantly many offs have no extreme g's applied to the head untill its too late, like clipping a something stationary - a pole, tree, bolder etc
  • 10
 would not protect you if you banged your head on a tree overhanging a trail. If you ask me it could use some refining. That big colar would retain alot of heat and is just as unstylish or more than a regular helmo. Might be appealing to people that worry about helmut head...........Plus your buddies would be slapping it and making it go off all the time...lol
  • 651
 i think i'd just wear it inflated all the time, and when i got off the bike id say "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"
  • 85
 Awesome Halloween costume! Now I want one!
  • 102
 Hilarious. Best comment yet. ROFL.
  • 20
 I live in NYC will this thing help with pigeon poop bombings ? if so then even people who dont ride will give you buisnes
  • 20
 Dude, still laughing my ass off. My wife thinks I'm an idiot but I can't stop laughing. One small step... Classic.
  • 290
 that looks more inconvenient and uncomfortable compared to helmet. plus at least with a helmet, as long as its worn properly, you don't have to do anything for it to work. with this, there is a possibility it wont deploy, there is a possibility it will deploy when you don't want it too. there is a reason why helmets haven't changed much and that's because you cant fix something that isn't broken.
  • 572
 yah. this is made for girls on fixies.
  • 20
 Could i have something who looks like half of a egg-shell please ??? I broke my other half.... last weekend !
  • 70
 im betting this thing aint cheap either.
  • 20
 £380(ish) based on their website
  • 61
 ^^^ WHAT!!??

We all guessed it would be expensive but not THAT expensive. So not only do you have to be a stupid narcissist to wear this, you have to be rich as well. And this contraption is too hot to wear in LA to where many stupid narcissistic rich people gravitate.

Good luck girls - you'll need it.
  • 10
 That is a lot but I'm sure once it's more refined the price will come down a bit, plus it would probably give quite a bit of neck support in a crash, like a Leatt for the road but I don't see many people wanting to spend that much on a collar
  • 200
 If someone who can't be convinced to wear a "conventional" helmet can be convinced to wear one of these then they are worth it as some protection is better than none.
  • 113
 Helmetless rider is just another form of natural selection. If you are stupid enough to ride without a helmet or drive without a seatbelt then you deserve to die from a minor, preventable accident. Hopefully you die so we dont have to use tax dollars to support your vegetative ass! A full face motorcycle helmet saved my mothers life. I ski, bike and white water canoe with a helmet. anything less is asking for it.
  • 80
 @rover, I agree, tough but fair, unfortunately, those people are reproducing faster than they are dying, pretty sure NOFX wrote a song about them - the idiots are taking over...
  • 21
 Fuck yeah!!!!! NoFX! Seeing them in september! Darwin's rolling over in his coffin,The fittest are surviving much less often,Now everything seems to be reversing, and it's worsening,Someone flopped a steamer in the gene pool,Now angry mob mentality's no longer the exception, it's the rule And I'm starting to feel a lot like Charlton Heston, Stranded on a primate planet,Apes and orangutans that ran it to the ground,With generals and the armies that obeyed them,Followers following fables,Philosophies that enable them to rule without regard
  • 10
 wtf? i hope you guys are joking cuz that gene pool stuff is kinda f*cked, ya theres natural selection but wheres therest of that coming from?
  • 11
 or you could just wear a helmet
  • 10
 Its some of the lyrics to the song he mentioned, if you're referring to my comment^^
  • 32
 screw you rover i love helmetless freedom, i dont feel like dying. most ridiculous thing ive ever read that you think people should die for not wearing some safety equipment. I hope your helmet doesnt fit.
  • 40
 Hahahahaha "I hope your helmet doesn't fit" ooh he's gunna have to check into the burn ward for that one Razz
  • 11
 (d)evolution. As long as there are stupid people in the world, I will never be out of work. Simple.
  • 160
 Its not quite invisible haha. It looks like a fanny pack for your neck.
  • 101
 Lots of people are asking, "What's wrong with a helmet?" Well, those of us who wear helmets obviously are ok with helmets. But if you stand on any urban street corner and start counting people riding by, I'll bet that somewhere between 25% and 75% are NOT wearing a helmet. I can't speak for why they don't wear helmets. Uncool? Too hot? Nowhere to put it?

But obviously they have a reason for not wearing a helmet, and perhaps this will answer their objection to helmets, whatever that is. The bottom line is, you can't ask someone who wears a helmet what's wrong with a helmet. You have to ask someone who doesn't wear a helmet.

With that out of the way, I do lknow that some people who don't wear helmets do so becaus eof price. I wish I was joking. But they buy a bike, and they put all of their money into the bike and plan to get a helmet "later." Those people aren't going to buy one of these!
  • 11
 in many places in europe people will laugh at you for wearing a helmet on the road so I grew up road cycling without one there and coming over here to vancouver they give you shit for not wearing one, yes they're hot but if you spend over 150 on a road helmet its fine and for dh you don't notice... just wish more would follow me in those footsteps
  • 21
 I will only wear a full face helmet or none at all I look retarted in any helmet other than full face. So when I ride around my town were there isn't any hard sections I'm not wereing a helmet also haveing 9 inch tall liberty spike mowhawk doesn't like to fit in a helmet
  • 20
 I have to admit that road style helmets without lycra just look weird, yes downhillers I know you don't understand but lycra people think they look cool in their lime green tight shorts, provided they race anyway
  • 121
 Now the ladies will never have helmet hair again.. a game changer for the fashionable commuter! Awwww Yeaaa!!
  • 21
 this is actually a truer comment than many would give you credit for....
  • 20
 instead they run the risk of wearing a sudden inflated up comb over.imagine flirting and someone makes you laugh then a literal Elvis pumpadoo suddenly appears pooof!
  • 31
 Y'know what? I'm a girl and I spend a lot of time riding around covered in bruises, with my muddy hair plastered to my sweaty head. If, for some bizarre reason, I ever decided to get a job and ride my bike there, I would like to think that I looked fresh and lovely when I got there (if I survived the commute through the city) and having one of these inflatable neck-mounted head-protectors just might do it.
  • 71
 Sure, this is fine for the cool weather of Amsterdam, but try wearing one of those in Australia or or lower USA.

It's a little sad that the world is so vain they can't put a helmet on, and the end result is this contraption.

"I'd rather die than mess up my hair." Hello natural selction.
  • 50
 It is by no means an elegant alternative to the helmet, but I do like the idea. From the posted video, it appears to be a single use prototype (co2 cartridge perhaps) and designed to be triggered via a gyro sensor to detect orientation and speed. I'm just afraid that a low speed collision or fall would not launch the safety mechanism which would nullify it's usefulness. One could argue that you'd brace for the fall with your hands and legs in a situation like that.....
  • 162
 Ill stick to a proper helmet thank you very much.
  • 51
 There are a lot of negative comments about this but I would suppose that after 7 years research 10 million dollars of prototyping and testing and development funding, which i'm sure isn't easy to come by, that they have something which works and addresses all the negative "it wont work" comments on here...

This is a bit of a game changer and makes perfect sense... well done.

Oh of course it;s not meant for DH it was proposed as urban biking!!! Normally we crash off road because we are going too fast and loose control by our own making, this is about someone else also crashing into us!
  • 20
 It might "work" in whatever specific case(s) it's designed for, but it definitely won't do everything a regular helmet ( i.e. one that is always covering your skull will ). What about a direct impact from debris or another foreign object?

The prototype is very bulky looking and seems like it would be way hotter and less stylish than most any modern XC type helmet. I have a hard time believing there's a market for this for commuters... but good luck.
  • 10
 would it work if rain hits it? if this is the cast then the umbrella problem is solve too
  • 10
 this would be something everyone would say no to if it was on shark tank
its impressive because it can detect the object, but it only works conceptually- if people dont like wearing a helmet

roadies would not use it because it cant protect them when theyre going 45 mph
it doesnt offer enough protection for mountain bikers
most urban riders/commuters care more abut their safety than looking cool
bmxers most often wear one, and it wont offer enough protection for those that dont if they crash
  • 70
 I think most of yall are taking this a little serious. It's a concept of people who commute on a bike. Not back flip a set of stairs on their way to work
  • 32
 Backflip a set of stairs on there way to work! HAHAHAHHAHAHAH that made me laugh so hard!!!
  • 10
 and then you get the douchey boss who fired you because you broke something...
  • 11
 Yeah becuase getting run over by a car is not a serious problem..
  • 50
 Whether or not it catches on with the riding community or not, forward thinking is always a good thing, maybe this technology will find a better application. I laughed when she said a normal helmet is so bulky and uncomfortable and looks like a hard mushroom, but she is wearing what is quite possibly the ugliest hat I have ever seen!
  • 91
 sound's like a not so smart idea
  • 50
 i know! where the f*ck are you supposed to run a gopro with that shit?

also, it will work there, that city looks kinda cold, but no one will ride with that thing in warm weather
  • 92
 Just wear a proper helmet! Seriously, whats so bad about wearing one. I don't get it.
  • 41
 I don't either. In today's world there are so many different styles of helmets and for someone to say a helmet is uncomfortable clearly hasn't researched what is out there. They just can't admit they feel it's "uncool".
  • 81
 Agreed. She lost me at "I've always thought bicycle helmets are extremely uncomfortable." I barely notice mine because I've taken the time to choose the right one and get the fit perfect.

I swear two days ago I saw a guy with a very expensive Spcialized roadie helmet on backwards. I'm sure he thinks helmets are uncomfrotable too.
  • 20
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq5fUG2FILk That is a somewhat graphic video, fast forward to 2:30 for the incident. I wonder if this "invisible helmet" would help or even deploy under these circumstances. What did she mean by "it's chicken to be a realist"? Sounds dumb to me.
  • 10
 Dude that is one of the most horrible things I have seen on youtube...
  • 10
 I warned ya lol
  • 10
 Was the guy ok ? I didn't have the guts to watch the rest of it incase they shown a replay of that crash :/
  • 10
 There was no replay but they said he was responsive and moving around. That's why you always pay attention to everything when there's a traffic stop cause there is ALWAYS some "rubber necker" that's gotta know whats going on.
  • 30
 The mixed responses here are funny. LOL add sarcasm. But, yeah, I would rather wear a helmet. Hey maybe they could implant an unobtainium plate in my skull so I don't need a helmet. That would be the best. Hey someone tell those chicks to start working on that.
  • 41
 10million dollars and seven years later a bulky, hot, useless scarf that hopefully turns into a helmet when you need it too, female hipster invention at its finest, great job wasting seven years of your life ladies when you could have put all those resources you had to something useful that could actually help someone, what a disgrace.
  • 31
 Sick concept. Obviously not for mountain biking, but for commuting or booting around town. They could be integrated into jackets or backpacks maybe. I know it's different, but the ABS Avy backpacks are gamechangers, so maybe these could be too, in that they appear like they might protect a larger area than your typical cross country style helmet.
  • 20
 Nice idea, great innovation but I'll stick with a helmet thanks.. A helmets function is absolute providing its worn correctly and if you pay a decent price and look around until you find one that fits right I neither think they are bulky or inconvenient. there are too many areas of failure for this design or areas for undue deployment. I can see it maybe working for the daily commute rider at most but I fail to see how its going to be cheap. Also cars aren't old school at all madam, they're essential for modern life.. I love riding my bike and think more people should but not everyone lives in a city, some of us live miles away from anywhere worthwhile, a bus comes every couple of hours and there are no trains.. how else are we meant to get around? Rant over..
  • 41
 Don't wear a helmet but wear a huge neck brace looking thing. Really? What if it fails? My TLD never fails. Sorry I think this is stupid. If the chick came with it topless I'd buy 2.
  • 20
 i like the consept of them! exept what happerns after you crash? can you repack the air bag? do you have to get a hole new system? how secsitive are they? i really like it so that maybe the nuff nuffs in the city will be safe!
  • 20
 This kind of helmet isn't for us guys. Have you ever seen a air bag in a rally car? Our protection is far more strong and secure than this air bag helmet, because in a good day you will fall 5 times and in a bad more then 50, I think this thing will open every 20 m of a DH track Big Grin
  • 20
 Unbelievably revolutionary! The traditional helmet is so dated and has basically stayed the same for decades! A big bulky styrofoam dome on your head! Of course they've created "speed holes" and channels for ventilation but the overall concept is old and dusty. Every new idea starts with an awkward design, in this case it's a big ol' scarf looking neck brace thing, but eventually it will turn into a sleek package that can be built into camelbacks or built into a special race jersey! Imagine what the first airbag in a car looked like, probably some weird contraption that took 5 minutes to inflate but look at them now, the latest luxury sedan has 50 of them that inflate in 0.00001 of a second! Good job girls, keep it up!
  • 50
 So if your riding along and say hop off a kerb the helmet opens!
  • 20
 Not a smart idea for aggressive riding but for people just riding around town that won't wear a normal helmet it's a pretty cool idea. Not sure how I feel about their's yet but the idea is pretty cool.
  • 10
 This is quiet nice idea for urban riding. Remember not all bicyclist are DH/FR riders. I know alot of people that don't want to use helmet when goign to work, school downtown ect because they think they look silly. So i think this product is aimed at them rather than hardcore mtb bikers.
  • 21
 I'm not sure how this will work, i can just see it blowing up when you don't want it too and failing to do so when you need it to but on the other hand IF it does work successfully i think it could be a very smart idea for urban riding & commuting.
  • 20
 That looks like an Air Neckbrace. How do you know that the Bag is going to pop out on a high speed crash? What if it pops? Ill just stick to a normal helmet. Really cool thing to make though....
  • 10
 It's great to see designers and engineers pushing the product envelope, because having more consumer options keep this whole industry afloat. This, however, is an attempt to re-create the wheel. Nice try, ladies. I'd be very surprised if this actually caught on with the general cycling public.
  • 10
 For those of you who feel it will go off going over a bump or riding through a rock garden, think of how often vehicle air bags go off when you slam the brakes. Or shuttle your bikes up the washboards and potholes to the top of the trail. It may be bulky around the neck but the technology exists to make it work for more than commuting.
  • 10
 they may have legitimate concerns tho dadOF4... vehicle air bags are not designed to do anything Before a collision starts. they are activated by the force of the hit itself and deploy so quickly that they fill up before your body even has time to travel within its reach.. the difference here is that the inflato helmet deploys during the fall but before the impact (hopefully, or else they would be useless) im sure there are some situations during downhill or FR/XC riding that to a sensor would look very much like a fall is occuring.
  • 10
 vehicle airbags often require sensors in 2 or 3 panels to be 'activated' before they go off, my concern with this is you will clip it up to store or carry it, and then accidently drop it and it will go off... then its simply a bin job! :-/

this seams like a really expensive throw away alternative to something that does the job much better, also only useful in cold countries where the designers come from, as who wants to wear a big scarf in summer!?!?

also in Nz/Oz, you will constantly get pulled over by police as its the law to wear a helmet while riding and they obviously won't be able to see this scarf, it would simply be an annoyance
  • 21
 In the Euro/Commuter environment which, with 90% ( I just made the number up since I don't know the PB readership stats) of us driving our cars and trucks around North America are not familiar with, is a completely different horse than we are used to. I think the idea is brilliant and the evolution of the design could have applications in off road/moto as a integrated neck brace to stabilize ones neck/head.
  • 20
 I'm sure they're still in prototype designs, but instead of having a bulky something on your head, its now around your neck. Don't know if this will catch on or not, but good luck!
  • 10
 the d3o beanie looks better although not nearly as safe... it's great they invented this its truly unique but people dont wear helmets and d3o beanies because they're safety equipment and being safe is uncool according to most teens, it's a cool idea but it won't have a huge following
  • 10
 I don't see how that thing wouldn't do one of the following with agressive FR/DH/SS riding:

a) explode non-stop and constantly need new airbags or
b) not know when to explode and allow my head to hit a tree

The G's are stronger when entering a berm than they are when i'm airborne ready to hit a tree. So gyro won't cut it. Also, proximity won't cut it either because I want to be able to get close to a tree in tight trails. This will never replace a helmet for DH/FR/SS
  • 10
 Its quite good idea, but i think that the final product will be very complicated and expensive! And "normal urban riders" dont want to spend too much for helmet. I think that whole concept is for people how feels silly in helmet.. and statements like "Helmets are so uncomfortable..." are so lame! We have milions of helmets on the market.. go to the shop and if you dont have squeare head you will find some that fits you perfectlyWink
(sorry for my englishWink )
  • 10
 interesting idea... but yea sorry dont see it catching on. and as for whether it works as good as a helmet i have a feeling the puncture resistance is not so great. and what if the accident your having is not a fall and you just smack your head into a pole, sign, or tree while riding??? the sensors would have no way of seeing that coming, and there for you would crack your head open while wearing an akward robo scarf, regretting being Too Cool for helmets..
  • 20
 helmets are all big and bulky on your head... so put this giant bag thing around your neck? Cool idea and technology but I don't think it's a better option than an actual helmet.
  • 10
 That's kind of a 1 time deal. 2nd time it wouldn't work properly unless sent to factory. Just like a car airbag. Also very bulky around the neck, but a very fascinating invention, good luck and hope to see these in bike shops around the world.
  • 10
 This reminds me of an avalanche airbag!

But as far as mountain biking goes, I agree with most of the previous comments about the idea of an "integrated" neck brace/airbag. It's hard to see how this product could be successful in it's current application, but maybe in a different sport such as skiing, bobsled/luge or heck maybe even skydiving to reduce possible trauma to the spinal cord!

Definitely intriguing though!
  • 10
 that's spectacular, well done to the designers. Some may think that 380 pounds is too much but when the first car came out they were a luxury item. Now everyone has one, fingers crossed it works out for the helmet. I'd love one for the city.
  • 10
 interesting engineering for sure, it could possibly catch on with fixie hipsters... of course if something falls on your head your f*cked...

i personally would rather have something like a real helmet that cannot malfunction... i don't like trusting my life with devices...
  • 10
 I'm assuming the airbag deploys via a shock sensor set to a certain G-force. But unlike a car that has it's sensor in the bumper that's designed to go off when it's hit. This thing will go off unintentionally while going off a kerb per se because it's not in one specific place. Also, what happens if you hit your head 2 or 3 times in an accident? The effectiveness is rendered useless. Because of the unintentional deployment, you'll have to replace it a few time before you realize it's not so brilliant.
  • 10
 Ignore my comment, I accidentally hit reply to your's by mistake.
  • 10
 It's a very good innovation, but only for commuters. Road cyclists would prefer an aerodynamic helmet or something like that (a conventional helmet is most likely lighter as well) I'm guessing, and every off road rider would be better off with a proper helmet. Not saying its not good, but its not a replacement for the helmet. I know I would want to have a real helmet on my head...
  • 10
 I'm assuming the airbag deploys via a shock sensor set to a certain G-force. But unlike a car that has it's sensor in the bumper that's designed to go off when it's hit. This thing will go off unintentionally while going off a kerb per se because it's not in one specific place. Also, what happens if you hit your head 2 or 3 times in an accident? The effectiveness is rendered useless. Because of the unintentional deployment, you'll have to replace it a few time before you realize it's not so brilliant.
  • 10
 suicidedownhiller
"I think this would sell better for harley/cruiser riders who hate wearing helmets...if it could even withstand an actual impact that is."

i wouldnt wear one of them on my harley and i dont think many would . id allways wear a lid on it though, but a neck brace in the collar of a jacket would be of ok if it was not noticeable , like in moto gp there leathers have air bags incorporated in them.
  • 10
 The idea for road and possible lite trial riding is great, but in the even of a small crash, like hitting a pot hole and you go over the bars, a helmet will still protect you and afterward is still useable, where as this looks similar to how an airbag works in a car and thus when they go off the car is pretty much immobilised, surely this is a one time firing, I dont want to have to buy a new head protector everytime i have a slight fall or crash. But the whole concept to design to actual the product is awesome.
  • 20
 She complains about wearing a helmet but is ok with wearing a huge airbag around her neck?! This is dumb. Its bulky, probably heavy, expensive to buy and repack, and will probalby misfire.
  • 10
 From a marketing standpoint, the product just isn't gonna fly. It is equally as gay as a helmet (for those who think helmets are), it will cost more than a helmet while being disposable, and if it doesn't work it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. Technologically, it's kinda cool, but I think that is where it ends.
  • 10
 This is about pushing technology forward, not about hipsters or girls who don't want to mess up their hair. You can find plenty or arguments for and against wearing a helmet, but the more safety measures that are available that people will actually wear will only help get more riders on the road. Here's an interesting article about the correlation between cycling injuries and the number of riders on the road (Full disclosure: I commute by bike and ride DH and never ride without a lid):

bicycletouringpro.com/blog/bicycle-helmets-proven-not-safe
  • 10
 I think this is great for the most part. Im thinking that maybe one of its biggest only? flaws are that it couldnt protect you from getting hit out the blue, as we would say. Like a cars side/wing mirror hitting you in the back of the head when your innocently riding along the side of the road. Somwthing that needs addressing I think.
  • 10
 I remember them saying, that there's still too many "accident launches" due to user just dropping it. This included with the fact they cost more than higher end fullface helmets and that they are single-shot only will eat away helmets popularity pretty quickly.
  • 10
 that might protect you from somthing flat like the ground or a car hood or a window but as soon as you hit the corner of a sidewalk or a root sticking out of the ground the you better pray you have a normal helmet on. its a cool idea but i would have to stick with a normal bike helmet... so in the end i would have to say no thank you
  • 10
 I think its a pretty genius idea IF its done right. For commuting at least, Imagine that built into the collar of a jacket, Superdry do loads of jackets with huge collars and they look sick, build thus into it and I'm sold. This is just prototype stage, but I reckon the each itself is pretty damn good, looks shite in its current form, but with a bit of work it could be great for road use
  • 10
 Yeah fashion first, your life and health second. Way to go. This i retarded, and seriously no need for protecting "brains" of those retarded girls/guys who support that. Just buy a helmet or sell your god damn bike to somebody who can use it.
  • 10
 wont work for fr/dh where just going through a rock garden could possibly set it of or just landing harsh and i dont know if it has a reset button so that would be a problem, tbh whats wrong with a normal full face?
  • 10
 Sounds like they are designing it for urban bikers, commuters and so on.
  • 30
 I thought this was a joke at first that might be a crash reel of people who don't wear helmets Razz
  • 10
 sounds like the concept could work for urban/road but the technology would have to be so advanced for doing anything with a decent jult for example if someone were to hop a curb ect
  • 10
 I laughed so hard when it came to the end and it deployed. Would never catch me putting my head in the hands of an electronic device that could fail or not react in time. Personally, i think it's a dumb idea.
  • 10
 i see lots of girls maybe wearing this.. because it doesn't mess their hair dos to put on.. and because it does look like it would fit in with the current fashion.. so. Might catch on with some of the females out there.
  • 10
 imo this is a really dumb idea because some of the impacts on your helmet don't always come from hitting the ground. for example tree banches. I would NEVER wear one of these instead of a helmet.
  • 10
 just be a man, if u dont what to get owned in the face/head when u fall off/get hit and face plant then wear your helmet end of story they are there for a reason like seat belts.........
  • 30
 better watch out for those Saabs, they keep hitting cyclists who don't wear helmets
  • 30
 Are you serious?! That neck bag/brace thing looks 10x as rediculous as a helmet.
  • 10
 Yea I think so too. This air bag of a helmet idea is going to give commuter bikes a vehicle safety rating.
  • 20
 I no longer doubt that girls could create something this technical. I'm just still unsure if they can create something useful. I enjoy wearing a helmet it makes me feel safe.
  • 30
 I'll keep my regular helmet thanks...If it aint broke, DONT FIX IT!!! for the love of christ......
  • 30
 I can't believe they convinced anyone to contribute 10 grand, let alone 10 mil....what an epic waste of money.
  • 10
 my helmets saved my live more then once, they r comfortable light and take a great amount of impact, great idea not particle for the trail rider. and there designed by women what the .... Smile
  • 20
 Personally I find having bits of my brain sprayed on the road to be more of an inconvenience than wearing a conventional helmet.
  • 11
 LMAO!!!!!!! an air bag for your head? that's about as useful as a condom & a parachute. on another note, it's awesome to know that there are women out there who dare to be innovative & turn their ideas into realities.
  • 10
 I figure this is for cold conditions, cuz I'm from Puerto Rico, and if you think a helmet is hot, Imagine riding with that thing on your neck at a 105 degrees, with High humidity and no wind...
  • 10
 id sooner wear a good helmet than this, what happens if it fails? you might aswell not wear a helmet as to wear one of these!
  • 30
 Wouldnt work if you ride on anything where you move your head a lot :/
  • 41
 2nd best solution to a problem that was already solved.
  • 30
 you guys are missing the point. Ironman's suit fits in a brief case!
  • 20
 Great concept. Elegant urban riding for those not in the mood for a helmet. Let's applause progress !
  • 30
 meh, my helmet works fine.
  • 10
 I wonder how much they will cost to replace after it has deployed and what causes it to activate? Could something cause it to just go off? Very interesting though.
  • 10
 ya if u used it downhilling or dirtjumping u would be screwed
  • 30
 I think she prefers the hard mushrooms somewhere else...
  • 30
 Screw that. I like wearing my full face. It covers my ugly ass face.
  • 10
 In cold weather this kinda makes sense (if you have a lot money to spend per crash),BUT in hot weather ......??,
seeing this my biggest fear is "leatt AIR brace"?
  • 20
 I can't believe they got $10,000,000 to invent that!
Why try to reinvent the wheel?
  • 10
 Where is the gopro mount. I would love to see a handlebar mounted gopro pointed at someone's face while this thing goes off. Sssssmmmmmuussshhh
  • 10
 Jezz people give them some credit. Most inventions area usualy laughed at in the beginning. No more helmet hair! To some people that alone is worth it.
  • 30
 but a normal poc helmet looks WAY COOLER!!!
  • 30
 Its like a portable airbag that turns into a Turban upon impact.
  • 20
 no thats stupid what happens when your dirt jumping or downhilling and you hit a jump does it pop up
  • 21
 "You're going to be millionaires!"
No, you're not.

"I always thought bike helmets were extremely uncomfortable"
Stop buying rubbish helmets. Problem solved.
  • 10
 Cool concept for urban riding...I can see a smaller version that inflates into a leatt brace catching on for dh use if the sensors work well enough.
  • 30
 Just pop a wheelie *BANG*
Whoops
  • 10
 seems like some thing to wear while smoking a clove cigarette or drinking an expensive cup of coffee on your fixie. def not my cup of tea, helmets are way to reliable.
  • 10
 For urban biking, Cycling to shops, work, bike messengers etc i think it is a option. Great design and idea, Not for Off road use though.
  • 10
 Great, no helmet hair! Girls can now have wind-blown, tangled, hair-in-the-face while riding their bikes. That look that is so much more fashionable.
  • 20
 Everyone is wearing neck braces. Now, enter the neck bag.
  • 10
 Thats actually pretty cool. I might not be wearing one anytime soon, but cool nonetheless.
  • 20
 you can't do a flip with this helmet..
  • 20
 Meh, I'd rather just wear a helmet
  • 20
 whats wrong with a normal helmet ?!
  • 81
 "They're so uncomfortable" Even though i thinkk its more comfy to wear a helmet than not..
  • 31
 dont they worry the wind is going to mess up their hair??
  • 10
 Can you imagine hitting a sharp rock with this thing, quickest lobotomy on earth!
  • 10
 its not for mtb
  • 10
 Seriously, car air bags are made so that the inflating of the air bag offsets impact, also the distance between the air bag and your body is minimal; in the inflating helmet application the time between inflation and impact is longer and not vented, the rebound would tweak your neck.
  • 20
 Good for urban commuters.
  • 20
 And the price of this is going to be what? :s
  • 10
 How much would one of these cost? and would they be re-usable? Great idea for a commuter.
  • 10
 Those are the most important questions to me.
  • 10
 Better check the battery in the Gyro....that would be a sad oversight for someone
  • 10
 It took long time for people to start wearing helmet,So I wonder how long would it take to wear this
  • 20
 I think it's a brilliant idea. Two thumbs up for innovation!
  • 10
 But I don't want my helmet to be invisible :S I want it to be invicible ! Plus I like the look of a full face !
  • 10
 It's not invisible when it deploys.
  • 20
 The rock that it's supposed to protect me from would just puncture it.
  • 20
 But if you like your teeth i guess your screwed.
  • 30
 Is this a joke??
  • 20
 thinking outside the box....innovation at its finest.
  • 20
 Quite possibly the worst idea ever...
  • 20
 great idea, but sorry I look stupid without a normal helmet!
  • 20
 hit a jump and you look like the michelin man
  • 20
 Can't hate for trying to improve the biking world in general. Kudos!
  • 20
 this is more of an airbag than an actual helmet
  • 10
 i agree
  • 10
 Even if they don't work out, I'm sure they could be sold to NASA as space helmets
  • 10
 good luck girls! i think its a great idea. but personally it needs to be smaller!
  • 10
 i am against non full face for gravity riding or free ride so i wouldn't get one
  • 10
 Am I the only one who likes wearing a full face helmet?. Great idea though.
  • 10
 I would wear that if the design was made more compact, at present time it looks ugly :/
  • 10
 so what happens when you ride over a large pothole on a ridgid bike..does it go off?
  • 20
 Why do girls need a helmet from going to the kitchen to the bedroom
  • 30
 The path from the bedroom to my kitchen is like an american gladiator course.
  • 10
 This thing will cost about 600$ . I think you can buy a "SKULL" life insurance with this money. Helmets for the wealthy...
  • 10
 its a good idea but they mentioned helmets being uncomfortable and to me that look even more bulky and uncomfortable.
  • 45
 not even a helmet is it really!

terrible design, what if your doing some FR or DH and it "thinks" your fallin off? you'll look like an astronaut coming down the mountain
  • 51
 Its obviously not meant for dh fr. its urban. Notice their testing facility.
  • 11
 They even said it's designed for urban bikers. Notice how it doesn't deploy until the biker is past 45 degrees angled. No urban biker's going to have that normally happen unless it's a crash.
  • 23
 CaptainLip, what if I told you that maybe some products aren't designed to be used for FR or DH?
  • 40
 I just laughed picturing an astronaut bombing down the mountain.. haha
  • 31
 Guys its called sarcasm, all but wolfe38 go and learn what sacasm is as most americans dont understand it.

Clearly this product isnt for DH/FR
  • 11
 You suck at sarcasm.
  • 20
 I think Americans do have trouble understanding British sarcasm. British comedy and humor seems a bit drier than American humor. Having said this I was amused by CaptainLip's comment.
  • 20
 I think taking a DH run dressed like an astronaut would be hilarious.
  • 20
 I'm gonna do it now
  • 10
 You should. Race one of your friends in 1960s space suits, USA vs the Soviets.
  • 10
 genius
  • 20
 Worst attempt at sarcasm EVER.
  • 12
 if your american or a wannabe in the north with thewhite and red flag you will never understand good sarcasm. dry humor you yanks
  • 10
 Ya know, fish chips, cup o tea, bad food, worse weather, mary f*ckin poppins!

Ya i'd rather live in Canada any day.

Carry on with your "sarcasm" bro.
  • 10
 So tell us what good sarcasm is Captain Dick.
  • 10
 hit a nerve yankee scum?
  • 20
 holyfuckingshitbricks
  • 10
 it reminds me of popcorn popping
  • 10
 What does set the inflation of the airbag/ helmet off? A shock detector?
  • 20
 I imagine there is some electronics that constantly measures the vibration, accelerometer that sort of thing, and compares it against normal riding patterns. then when a "crash scenario" pattern is found deployment would initiate. A very reliable system if done correctly, would love to see it up close!
  • 10
 i think will be very hot neck in really summer day!?
  • 21
 we laugh, but they claim they raised 10 million in capital!
  • 10
 Reminds me of the avalanche backpack shoots.
  • 11
 Great job girlss.. It seems it protects better than a normal helmet from the video during urban biking!!!
  • 10
 im sure it will be good for something.
  • 10
 that thing wouldnt fit my fat head!
  • 12
 this is exactly for my Girlfriend - she says helmets are so ugly and for urban biking is awesome protection I say hell yeah that's a innovation!
  • 10
 Keen to get my hands on one !!
  • 10
 They say helmets are bulky though, isn't the invisible helmet also bulky?
  • 10
 what happens when you go over a speed bump ? :L
  • 10
 Looks fantastic for winter commuting. Hello proper toque and ski goggles!
  • 10
 So your going to replace the bulks bike helmet with a bulky neck ring?
  • 10
 helmets are not unconfortable.. the half lids
  • 10
 I don't get what's wrong with just wearing a helmet? haha...
  • 10
 Great idea for commuting but WHAT did I just watch?
  • 20
 i think helmets are cool
  • 10
 good luck!!!! seriously just wear a helmet.........
  • 10
 Lame!!! But nice try lady's!
  • 11
 this is the stupiest thing ever cant garentee seftety from faling probably 3 outa 10
  • 10
 So technically it's an airbag for your head
  • 10
 what if it doesn`t deploy due to malfunction??? huh-oh...
  • 10
 or what about falling off you bike a slow speed, and with not enough force for it to deploy and then you smash you skull on the sidewalk cause you couldn`t catch yourself falling...
  • 10
 Nice... But traditional helmets are OK aren't they??
  • 11
 n does this make anyone else wanna go downhilling on the moon or Mars?
  • 10
 Haha I can totally see the nasa curiosity turning into a total shredder on mars! Probably kind of like utah...
  • 10
 amaising idea..
  • 21
 not for downhill !!!
  • 10
 That´s cool!
  • 10
 Great bit of design.
  • 10
 thats genius!
  • 10
 great.
  • 10
 that is amazing!!!
  • 10
 Where do I get one?
  • 11
 so cool!!
  • 24
 Yes I would totally wear that!!
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