Lazer Introduces New Rotational Impact Protection System Called KinetiCore

Mar 30, 2022 at 14:36
by Alicia Leggett  
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Lazer has announced a new rotational impact protection system called KinetiCore, which aims to integrate rotational protection into the helmets themselves, rather than treating it as an optional bonus feature.

The new KinetiCore helmet lineup, which consists of six new models, covers not only high-end road and mountain bike helmets, but commuter and kids' models, too. The road and mountain models have all earned five-star - the highest possible - Virginia Tech ratings.

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Lazer has used MIPS for all its previous models that featured rotational protection, but Lazer said KinetiCore has a few key benefits over MIPS. For one thing, it uses crumble zones inspired by car technology to take the force of a fall so the wearer's head doesn't. It also weighs less and improves ventilation compared to other systems, since the protection comes from the helmet itself rather than an add-on liner, and that reduction in material used also helps Lazer use less plastic to manufacture the KinetiCore helmets. compared to Lazer's earlier models.

bigquotesIndependent tests confirmed that we had managed to pull off the same protection levels with built-in, instead of added-on, technology.—Guido de Bruyne, Lazer R&D Manager

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The models

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Vento KinetiCore

• 2.3% more aerodynamic than Bullet 2.0 MIPS
• 29% lighter than Bullet 2.0 MIPS at 290g
• 5.4% better cooling than Bullet 2.0 MIPS
• ScrollSys retention system
• Eyewear docking spot
• Five-star Virginia Tech rating
• Sizes S, M, L
• Oval & round fit
• $300 USD
Strada KinetiCore

• 1.3% more aerodynamic than Blade+ MIPS
• 6% lighter than Blade+ MIPS at 290g
• 1% better cooling than Blade+ MIPS
• ScrollSys retention system
• Glasses docking spot
• Aeroshell compatible
• Five-star Virginia Tech rating
• Sizes S, M, L, XL
• Oval & round fit
• $110 USD
Jackal KinetiCore

• 50g (12%) lighter than Jackal MIPS at 340g
• 5% better cooling than Jackal MIPS
• TurnSys retention system
• Magnetic buckle
• Accessory mount
• Five-star Virginia Tech rating
• Adjustable visor
• Compatible with glasses and goggles
• Sizes S, M, L
• Oval fit
• $220 USD

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CityZen KinetiCore
• 19% lighter than One+ MIPS
• Dual layer KinetiCore technology
• ABS outershell
• TurnSys retention system
• Rear U-lock hole
• Four-star Virginia Tech rating
• Sizes S, M, L, XL
• Oval fit
• $60 USD
Nutz KinetiCore

• 90g lighter than Gekko MIPS at 250g
• EZ Fit retention system
• No pinch side buckle
• Insect net
• Kid unisize 50-56cm
• $60 USD
Pnut KinetiCore

• 90g lighter than Lil’Gekko MIPS at 240g
• EZ Fit retention system
• No pinch side buckle
• Insect net
• Toddler unisize 46-52cm
• $50 USD


The Jackal, Strada, and kids' models are available now, while the CityZen and Vento will become available April 15. More information is available at lazersport.com.



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Member since Jun 19, 2015
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73 Comments
  • 39 19
 So this tech seems sound, now they need to hire someone to make their helmets look like something a person wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in.
  • 150 2
 Don't worry, your riding will do more of that for you than the helmet.Wink
  • 36 18
 @genericmk If you're more worried about how you look on the trail than just simply going out and having fun, you have missed MOUNTAIN BIKING. Don't forget to charge your batteries before your next ride
  • 4 0
 CrashCore
  • 5 11
flag dresendsit (Mar 30, 2022 at 20:10) (Below Threshold)
 @TheOriginalTwoTone: that was Chris Rock funny...
  • 6 0
 Look better than the big S’s latest offerings in my opinion.
  • 1 2
 @TheOriginalTwoTone:
Comment of the week (at least)
  • 1 1
 @KUNTHER: so did you assume he owns electronic components on his bike. Great deductions skills you should be a detective.
  • 1 0
 @mrfish: There's setting the bar pretty low then there's "I'ma gonna need some ground penetrating radar to spot that one"
  • 4 0
 I'll take the kids' designs but in adult size.
  • 2 0
 @charmiller: it's a frickin Lazer Shark on your head that keeps you safe. What more could you ask for?
  • 1 0
 @Riwajc: pretty sure he's saying he rides an ebike...

"Mr. Pot...Mr. Kettle holding on line two."
  • 1 0
 I'll admit the helmets in this article are pretty ugly, but I have a Lazer Impala and part of the reason I bought it over others was bc I thought it was much more stylish.
  • 1 0
 @ReformedRoadie: where in the original comment did he say he owns an e bike. The dude was trying ro punch below the waist even though i agree with him on his first point.
  • 1 0
 @Riwajc: It doesn't, explicitly. But this is Pinkbike. No one gets punched below the waist for, or could be embarrassed to own AXS, or Di2. Ebikes, however...
  • 13 0
 Virginia tech implements rotational impact measurement in their testing, so the fact this gets 5 star means it is in line or beats MIPS equipped helmets, impressive. There are a lot of MIPS alternatives, this one and wavecel are very believable solutions, but this is the best one yet! no added on parts, nice move Lazer.
  • 4 0
 Most of all I like that they've managed to offer this at a lower price. I can imagine there are more than a few who are considering helmets with rotational impact protection but are put off by the price. That has been solved now. They now only need a thick skin to cope with the likes who upvoted the top comment here, who apparently think the helmet doesn't look good enough. I'd say the Jackal looks fine and the kids helmets look pretty much the same as most kids helmets.
  • 1 0
 @vinay: yeah I feel like I'm taking crazy pills, these helmets don't look at all strange or out of the ordinary to me. Actually the Strada is one of the better looking road helmets IMO.
  • 13 4
 i am all for doing right by the environment but, and i cannot stress this enough, i do not care about "using less plastic" in helmet technology
  • 10 0
 this seems to be a side effect rather then a development goal. Hopefully it won't hurt....
  • 7 1
 KinetiCore a play play on Kinetochore which means movement place. Kinetochores are structures associated with the chromatids where the spindle fibres attach in order to pull sister chromatids apart during mitosis.
  • 1 0
 With my 56cm pinhead I can get the Nutz and fit an aftermarket peak.
  • 3 0
 The two most important things in a helmet to me are proper fit and how well it can protect my head
It looks like the rankings on VT's website got updated

www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

The Jackal MIPS is ranked at 29th vs the Jackal Kineticore is ranked at #74.

It is interesting tech, but the first generation does not seem to offer "more" or "better" protection than MIPS.
  • 5 0
 Poc pretty much dropped SPIN and went with MIPS, so i thought mips alternatives are dead.. this is a bit of a surprise
  • 19 0
 POC got sued by MIPS over SPIN, then MIPS and POC announced a "deeper partnership".
  • 7 0
 @genericmk: and aren't there still other alternatives out there, like Kali's octopus tentacles..?
  • 31 0
 Fox Fluid also tested higher in pretty much every way than MIPS and then MIPS bought out the rights at Fox and binned it.. now everything is MIPS. Kind of crappy to monopolize safety rather than allowing all to help develop and further progress head safety
  • 8 3
 @stormracing: hey MIPS, as someone who has received concussions before and wants to take care of my brain the best, f*ck you. I know you just like taking that sweet easy premium on a plastic shell that you say is worth $25. (However much the markup is, I dont know anymore.)
  • 4 1
 @stormracing: MIPS makes my head sweat soooooo much in the heat... i avoid any helmet with MIPS regardless of "ventilation" claims
  • 1 0
 POC is still using SPIN but call it "MIPS Integra" now. There is no liner and it looks exactly like this stuff in this article
  • 1 0
 Didn't Bontrager have something too which I recall was pretty good too.
  • 3 0
 Kali have this sort of "octopus sucker" like thing and Leatt have the 360 turbines.
I haven't had a big stack in one yet but in use the 360's are pretty comfy for me and I don't get the helmet moving sensation that MIPS gave me....Once I noticed it with MIPS, I just couldn't for the life of me un notice it.
  • 2 1
 @stormracing: Yeah questionable morals there I think. I've avoided MIPS on my last helmet and will continue to do so because of their shitty business practices, there are a good amount of decent alternatives
  • 1 0
 @TylerG96: Yeah I find the MIPS cradle in my Speedframe very hot, as it's pressed right against my head. Makes the speedframe about the same heat as my old no MIPS TLD A1
  • 1 2
 @Biologybossman: …..and nobody cares.
  • 3 1
 @KK11: You seem to care enough to reply
  • 1 1
 @Biologybossman: stick with Biology eh?
  • 3 0
 MIPS is a great idea, but regular MIPS liners – even in expensive helmets – tend to make my head sweat so much, even on cold days. If this tech can solve that, I'm going for a Jackal and a Strada.
  • 5 0
 Just wear your current helmet backwards already!
  • 5 0
 How much better than trek’s helmet is this?
  • 4 0
 Strange - I can't find these helmets on the Virginia Tech website. The only one that comes up is the MIPS Jackal.
  • 3 0
 Given its just released i suspect Virginia Tech would be waiting on Lazer to tell them when they can put it on the site so they dont break an NDA
  • 1 0
 The revised list has not been updated.
  • 2 1
 Tried one Lazer helmet and had to return because it was very uncomfortable, not the sizing but the actual shape of the helmet. I haven’t had that issue with other brands (Giro, Kali, Leatt, Bell, etc). The tech seems intriguing but I’d be worried to try again because of the fit.
  • 12 0
 Conversely my favourite helmet is my Lazer road helmet. I think I’ve read that Lazer typically make more ‘oval’ helmets, so perhaps they feel tight on the sides of your head, and loose front-to-back?

I think I’ve got an ‘oval’ head, and ‘round’ helmets press can put pressure on my forehead (eg the Fox Proframe, which I had to return).

Not surprisingly not all heads are the same shape, and helmets are definitely something that a review can only tell you so much about. Try before you buy if you possibly can.
  • 2 0
 @bykeco: what did you end up getting instead of the proframe? I'm in the same boat
  • 3 0
 my Lazer Century fit me like a glove. but also POC and Spesh helmets do NOT fit me (crush my temples). everyones head is different
  • 1 0
 @bykeco: Yea that's definitely it. Too bad it doesn't work for my big round noggin, because contrary to the top comment I think these look pretty sweet and technology looks good.
  • 2 0
 @bykeco: Absolutely. There seems to be a lot of variation in head shape and helmet manufacturers don't really address it. I really like the approach Kali are taking but they are very much designed to fit a "round" head, trying it on my very "oval" head, I could instantly feel that it was way too tight front to back and ludicrously loose at the sides.
There have been a few helmets designed to flex from TSG and Bell (and probably others) which seems like a really good direction to go. As more and more helmet manufacturers use dual density foams it seems like they should be able to do more to accommodate different head shapes.
It's also super hard to "try before you buy" most shops only stock one or two brands so comparing is very hard.
Maybe helmet manufacturers could list a front to back and side to side dimension range for their helmets (or an aspect ratio) as well as just a circumference based size?
  • 1 0
 @TylerG96: If you liked the fit of the Century, the Strada KinetiCore should be a great option. Aside from the KinetiCore, the two helmets are very similar. (I have both)
  • 1 0
 @G-Sport: what did you get instead of the Kali? I'm looking for something like the invader but I have a bulbous head.
  • 1 0
 @mechatronicjf: Fox Speedframe Pro. Still get front to back pressure and have two marks in my forehead as a result when I take it off, but not too bad.
  • 2 0
 "For one thing, it uses crumble zones inspired by car technology to take the force of a fall so the wearer's head doesn't."

Umm, isn't this how all helmets work?
  • 2 0
 Yes and no. These 'crumple zones' are being used to reduce rotational forced instead of MIPS. A typical helmet is designed to break to distribute impact force, but do relatively little for rotational forces (the kind that tend to be most dangerous for brain injury).
  • 1 0
 not quite. normal EPS crumples like old steel body cars. best comparison is the Bontrager wavecell which acts like a crumple zone like these say they do too, albeit with a different material.
  • 2 0
 @TylerG96: Doesn’t eps crumble more than crumple? Steel definitely crumples and doesn’t really crumble..
  • 1 0
 @mikealive: perhaps they should have mentioned "rotational" to add the correct context. That sentence just says "force of a fall", nothing about rotation.
  • 2 0
 When I see Lazer helmets I just think of that bloke from American Gladiators. I think I have a boner
  • 2 0
 A laser and a microwave got into an argument I heard it got pretty heated..
  • 2 0
 Connecticut hardcore scenesters filing a trademark infringement suit against KinetiCore in 3...2...1...
  • 1 0
 Took me a second.... but well done sir.
  • 2 0
 - Adjustable visor READ IT AND WEEP SPECIALIZED!
  • 1 0
 I would like to try this. The creaking and sweat build up in my Fox Speedframe MIPS is pretty crappy.
  • 1 0
 Less foam=better helmet. Huh.
  • 3 0
 We all know more foam is better right?
uwshop.com/media/catalog/product/cache/532ba7779a06e9abafb6b81ec5ec33c2/faomwif1001.jpg
  • 4 0
 @rodeoJ: bro its cheese
  • 1 0
 Toblerone has entered the chat
  • 1 0
 Full Face available??
  • 1 0
 As an #Ebiker I thought the same.
  • 1 0
 How about a full face?
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