Helmetless - Bicycle Helmet

View video, discuss:

"invisible" helmet

Interesting... But how comfortable is that thing around your neck? Looks like it might be more uncomfortable than a standard helmet.

Hmm what looks worse to people who care about this.

Riding a bike with a helmet? Or Being a dude wearing a scarf?

Saw that earlier on FB. I'll give them credit, it's a pretty clever idea and I can see it potentially being pretty useful for people who tool around in town and are otherwise dressed normally. Wouldn't be of much use to me though IMO since I'm usually in full biking gear anyway and a helmet doesn't stand out at all.

Hey somebody's invented the inflatable helmet from Snow Crash (also like the MotoGP rider airbags, but this is much closer to what was described in the book).

Reminds me of all the times I've slammed on my front brae and fallen into the crash test zone...

Who is going to turn this into their GIF avatar?

nocones wrote: Hmm what looks worse to people who care about this. Riding a bike with a helmet? Or Being a dude wearing a scarf?

I'm trying to figure out how the scarf that one has to ride would be more comfortable or less bulky than a helmet. Still have to fit it, and it's size isn't 0. Still have to store it when you are not riding- either is stays in a big bulk around your neck, or you have a bag for it. Just like a helmet. Oh, and one does have to remember to turn if off, so it doesn't go off.

I just don't see an advantage of that vs. a helmet.

If someone doesn't want to wear a helmet, then why would they want to wear that? If someone DOES wear a helmet, how is that better?

Two things-

1- it looks like Serpentors' cowl when deployed.

2- for some reason, this reminded me of the cannoli car from Demolition Man.

It would work for winter riding. Really hard to get a warm hat under a helmet.

Price! 399 euros. Thats about $536

A basic helmet is pretty cheap.

Might get some following, but I think pricepoint will keep it down outside of a niche market.

Nifty concept though, airbag for your head.

Kinda been done a bit for motorcycle body protection http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRJPnFgMyvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo9Vlt5tGwY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX_YIr5CkDM

I remember seeing this when it came out a while ago.

This would work ok in places like Sweden where it doesn't get quite as hot. Wearing something like that in the middle of July here in the US? Eff no... a decent helmet isn't that much hotter than without.

It's really marketed towards hipsters and the like; urban city commuters riding in a relatively upright position. I don't think it would work at all for the kinda of riding I do (road and mtn biking in a more aggressive, forward position).

Apexcarver wrote: Price! 399 euros. Thats about $536 A basic helmet is pretty cheap.

Also non repairable, once it blows its done, you got to buy a new one.

A few motorcycle companies have airbag like systems for there suits but they are rechargeable now which I am totally in love with.

How does it know when to deploy? 95% of offroad MTB/BMX stuff I do would have it pop within the first 2 minutes if its based solely on angle change or momentum shift...

I would rather not wear an explosive gas bag around my neck.

Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist to me.

In many parts of the world, bicycles are used for commuting by people in every socioeconomic class. I am wondering if this is aimed at giving protection to people who refuse to have "Helmet hair" when they get to work.

4cylndrfury wrote: How does it know when to deploy? 95% of offroad MTB/BMX stuff I do would have it pop within the first 2 minutes if its based solely on angle change or momentum shift...

Well duh... In the video, did we see anyone riding mtn bikes? No. They're all hipster commuters riding townie bikes. It's meant for that crowd. Not for the lycra wearing nut crowd (myself included).

After discussing this at length with SWMBO and several female and male friends, I've determined that:

Less nerdy guys: Think it is cool from a technological point of view but would never wear it because it is less good for their purposes than a regular helmet.

More nerdy guys: (I fall into this category and apparently so does GamboyRMH) Are holding off until they can get the full body big inflatable ball airbag that can have you bouncing along after you wipe out on your skateboard at 60mph after you've harpooned yourself to a passing highway car.

Less nerdy girls: Love it and want to get one because they don't like helmet hair and already wear scarves anyway.

More nerdy girls: I don't know... I haven't met one yet. (just kidding!)

That's been out for quite a few years now. I saw it for motorcycle riders.

ArthurDent wrote: It would work for winter riding. Really hard to get a warm hat under a helmet.

I just bought a Tek Gear hat on sale for $8 at Kohl's and it fit under my helmet great on last Saturday's ride.

That said, I wuss out below 40 degrees. If it's windless, I might go down to 38 degrees.

As for the helmet, I'll stick with a traditional brain bucket.

The helmet of the future would be great for commuting, though.

Ian F wrote: Well duh... In the video, did we see anyone riding mtn bikes? No. They're all hipster commuters riding townie bikes. It's meant for that crowd. Not for the lycra wearing nut crowd (myself included).

People keep throwing out the term "hipster" to describe these people. They aren't. They're called "Europeans". Getting around the city on a bike is just standard.

T.J. wrote: I would rather not wear an explosive gas bag around my neck. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist to me.

You obviously have no "fashion sense." There are some who would rather die than be seen in an unsightly helmet that spoils their hairdo. LOL.

Another chapter in the current technology fetish. Let's take a functional item, add complexity and expense, and (microprocessors and pyrotechnics) and see if we can con enough fools into plunking down big bucks to buy it.

I predict it will make millions for them.

T.J. wrote: I would rather not wear an explosive gas bag around my neck. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist to me.

Insert flatulence joke here.

1988RedT2 wrote: You obviously have no "fashion sense." There are some who would rather die than be seen in an unsightly helmet that spoils their hairdo. LOL.

Exactly. Hipsters can spend hours making their hair look like they just got out of bed...

Beer Baron wrote: People keep throwing out the term "hipster" to describe these people. They aren't. They're called "Europeans". Getting around the city on a bike is just standard.

True... but in the US, that would be the market, and since we'rein the US, that's how I view them. But yes, in Europe the bicycle has a completely different place in the culture than it does here.

Kinda pricy for something that isn't going to stop a tree branch from splitting my skull.

It works in that particular incident but how well in all of the other "falls".