WHAT IS RATED THE SAFEST ROAD CYCLE HELMET?

Why Rate Helmets?

It’s not actually compulsory to wear a helmet while riding a bike in the UK. However, some race organisers or biking facilities may require you to use a helmet.

Minimum safety standard specify requirements and test methods for helmets worn by cyclists, which cover:

• Construction – the helmet should absorb impact and stay on your head during impact. It should also be light, ventilated, easy to remove, and you should be able to wear it with glasses. Additionally, it must not harm you in the event of a crash.
• Materials – the helmet must be made of materials that don’t react with sweat, skin or substances commonly found in cosmetic products.
• Field of vision – the helmet must permit reasonable visibility when in use.
• Shock absorption qualities – the helmet must protect all sides of your head in the event of an impact.
• Effectiveness of chin strap and fastening devices – the strap must not break from the impact.

Although all cycling helmets currently being sold satisfy minimum safety requirements specified by standards organisations, not all helmets are created equal. Two helmets that pass the same standard may offer different levels of impact protection. How do cyclists know which helmet is better than the other?  Given a helmet is a safety product we decided to find out if we could identify one of the safest cycling helmets out in the market.

Our investigation led us to USA based Virginia Tech researchers who have been providing unbiased helmet ratings since 2011, and are 100% independent of any funding or influence from helmet manufacturers. In collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Virginia Tech cycling helmet tests are more comprehensive than the standard test that all helmets must pass before they are put on sale.  They have rated over a 100 cycling helmets using the STAR evaluation system. The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 10 years of research on head impacts in sports and identify which helmets best reduce concussion risk. Virginia Tech rating system consists of a 5-star rating. A cycling helmet given the 5-star rating was determined to be the safest while a 4-star rating and below would show a lower level of safety. 

Helmet debate – should they be ‘compulsory’ for cyclists?

How are ratings determined for helmets?

Through a series of impact tests, helmets are evaluated using 2 fundamental concepts: 

1) each test is weighted based on how frequently cyclist experience them and 

2) helmets that lower head acceleration reduce concussion risk. 

The impact conditions and weightings are sport-specific, and inclusive of the broad range of head impacts that cyclists are likely to experience. These methods have been published as peer-reviewed articles in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering.  See the YouTube video below courtesy of IIHS-Virgina Tech on how test ratings show some bike helmets protect heads better the others.

Out of the 100 plus helmets Virginia Tech have tested there are now 21 road cycling helmets that have received the highest possible score of five stars. An interesting point to note, all road cycling helmets that receive top scores either use Multidirectional Impact System (MIPS) or WaveCel protection technology.  

Whilst the select group of 5-star designated helmets will all have top road safety protection features, for this article our 5-star pick is the:

Bontrager Specter WaveCel Cycling Helmet

In early 2019, Trek and Bontrager announced a new safety technology called WaveCel which is a collapsible cellular material designed to disperse direct and rotational forces from a crash reducing the chances of a head injury. Bontrager claims the technology is 48 times more effective in preventing concussions than a traditional EPS helmet in a test they deemed was representational of a common cycling crash. In that simulated test, the helmet would have prevented a concussion in 99 of 100 impacts. The technology is bolstered by a top rating from Viginia Tech with the mid-range Bontrager Specter WaveCel receiving a 10.8 safety score.

Buy from: www.TrekBikes.com from £116.99 (choice of colours)

This really is a stylish lightweight road helmet, best in versatility and comfort, great fit – vented beautifully with advanced WaveCel technology that balances comfort and performance for all riders who value safety. Take your protection to the next level with a helmet that has disrupted the safety standards the industry has accepted for over 30 years. You may find you will never want to ride in anything else.

What is WaveCel?

WaveCel is a collapsible cellular material that, when used to line bike helmets, is incredibly effective at preventing concussions caused by common cycling accidents. This Bontrager-exclusive material is the brainchild of a biomechanical engineer and an orthopaedic surgeon who wanted to solve the problem of traumatic brain injuries in active people. It’s the first advanced helmet technology ever to receive funding from the US National Institute of Health.

Check out the video below of the Bontrager Specter WaveCel Helmets courtesy of www.trekbikes.com to learn more about WaveCel and the biggest advancement in the protection against cycling concussions. 

Will a 5-star helmet prevent me from sustaining concussions?

No helmet is concussion-proof. Any cyclist can sustain a head injury, even with the very best head protection.  Probability of injury in an actual accident depends on numerous factors, including the nature of the impact and individual health. The helmet ratings identify the helmets that best reduce your chances of sustaining a concussion. With that stated, helmets are only one piece of the equation to minimising concussion risk.