Tag Archives: Bicycle helmet

Inflatable helmet lets you carry it around conveniently when not in use

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If you ride a bicycle or a motorcycle regularly, one of the most necessary but cumbersome things is to carry your protective helmet with you at all times. Of course you need one for safety and legal purposes but they’re usually bulky, heavy, and a pain to bring around. We’ve seen several start-ups attempt to come up with an inflatable version and this is one of the latest ones to be announced.

Designer: Ventete

The Ventete aH-1 bicycle helmet is designed to be flattened and portable when not in use but with just a few pumps of air, it is inflated into an actual protective helmet. It comes with an electric pocket pump so you don’t need to worry about running out of air to blow it up, so to speak. When it’s time to pack it up, you can deflate it and fold it like an accordion then put it in your bag.

The ribbed design of the helmet gives it a texture that lets you fold it like an accordion but flattened to fit into your bag or to carry it lightly around. When deflated, it actually looks like a boomerang but they say that the thickness is that of a laptop. When inflated, it looks like a cosplayer’s crown with its ribbed design that sometimes looks like spikes. So you also have that unique and interesting looking factor.

They have not yet announced the specifications and pricing of the Ventete aH-1 bicycle helmet but they are already promoting it heavily so details may come out soon. It would be interesting to see how it can compare to other startups that have their own inflatable helmets starting out in the market as well.

The post Inflatable helmet lets you carry it around conveniently when not in use first appeared on Yanko Design.

Hilarious-looking Bicycle Helmet Gives You Bullet-like Aerodynamics… But Is It Worth it??

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“When you see how fast it is, you won’t laugh anymore,” says Jonas Vingegaard, who can be seen adorning the Aerohead II helmet. However, those gains in speed do have a trade-off… you end up looking as if someone designed a Daft Punk helmet for unicorns. And that’s me being very charitable.

Professional cycling, much like any competitive sport, is a constant dance between innovation and tradition. While aesthetics often hold a certain allure, function reigns supreme, which is why we have that viral video of a man who lays down stomach-first on his bicycle and cruises past all his opponents. Here, every component, from the frame and wheels to the rider’s clothing and even posture, is meticulously optimized to shave off precious seconds in the pursuit of victory. Helmets, however, have traditionally occupied a somewhat unique space, balancing safety with aerodynamics and maintaining a familiar, rounded form. The Aerohead II, however, pushes the limits of aerodynamics so far, that it’s worth discussing on a design blog. The one-of-a-kind design focuses solely on reducing wind resistance and redefines the future of time trial helmets.

Designers: Giro and Team Visma

Developed in collaboration with the Dutch racing team Team Visma/Lease a Bike, the Aerohead II looks like it materialized from a futuristic vision board. The most striking feature is the undeniably unconventional, long, wedge-shaped “nose cone” (yeah sure) that extends far ahead of the rider’s head. This design choice, coupled with a tapered tail section, aims to create a smooth, aerodynamic profile, minimizing the drag caused by the rider’s head and neck.

While the helmet’s appearance might bewilder some and inspire some nasty memes, its purpose is undeniable. Time trials are races against the clock, where even the slightest reduction in drag can translate to significant time savings. Unlike traditional helmets designed for everyday riding or commuting, the Aerohead II prioritizes pure speed, making it a specialist tool specifically crafted for the unique demands of time trialing.

It’s worth noting that the Aerohead II isn’t the first foray into aerodynamic headwear for cyclists. Back in 1986, Giro’s original Aerohead, designed for cyclist Greg LeMond, helped him secure victory in the Tour de France. However, the Aerohead II takes things a step further, adopting a more extreme design and incorporating a wider, wraparound visor for improved visibility when the rider is in the low, tucked position crucial for optimal aerodynamics.

The helmet has already undergone extensive testing and made its competitive debut in the opening time trial of the prestigious Tirreno-Adriatico race in Italy. While some riders might have been initially surprised by the unconventional design, Team Visma/Lease a Bike’s head of performance, Mathieu Heijboer, reports that the focus on performance quickly won them over. Heijboer states, “The riders did look up a bit when they first saw the helmet, but in the end that didn’t last long. After a few tests and seeing the gains, everyone was quickly convinced.”

Beyond its immediate impact on the world of professional cycling, the Aerohead II also raises interesting questions about the future of helmet design in general. Could similar aerodynamic principles be incorporated into everyday cycling helmets, offering marginal gains for recreational riders? Or will the focus on pure speed remain exclusive to the high-performance realm of time trialing? Only time will tell, but until then, let’s spend some more time figuring out how to design this helmet so that it makes its wearer look less like a phallus-head?

The post Hilarious-looking Bicycle Helmet Gives You Bullet-like Aerodynamics… But Is It Worth it?? first appeared on Yanko Design.

Leave your helmet on your bike securely with this prototype contraption

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During the pandemic, one of the things that became a “trend” and has actually continued to this day is that more people are biking their way to and from their place of work. We’re seeing a lot of products catering to this market segment and there’s still a lot of room to grow as we look towards more sustainable ways of commuting. Safety is also a major concern for those riding bicycles and motorcycles so we see people carrying helmets around but it’s not always the most convenient thing.

Designer: Eliès Hamzaoui

To solve the problem of carrying around a bulky helmet, an engineer created a prototype for something called an OBH or an On Board Helmet system. The idea is to leave the helmet with your bike so you don’t have to carry it around but also without fear of it getting stolen. It is made up of the helmet itself called the Unicity and a Jorj unit which is bolted to your bike frame. The unit also has a built-in anti-theft alarm, hence the secure part.

The locking and unlocking of the helmet is actually made through an app. You don’t have a physical key so the unit needs to have Bluetooth and battery power, adding to the bulk. It is technically more secure but also a bit inconvenient for times when your smartphone may not be working. The alarm itself is activated only with prolonged movements and not the mere jostle of the bike so you don’t have to worry about accidental alarms.

While it may be more convenient to leave the helmet on your bike, it can also add to the bulk of it since this contraption seems a bit heavy because of the features mentioned. There’s always room for improvement though so hopefully we can get a better prototype for this eventually. The initial target market for this are the bikeshare companies but it can eventually appeal to the general bike-using public, provided the design is improved.

The post Leave your helmet on your bike securely with this prototype contraption first appeared on Yanko Design.