Bike Helmets of Today and Tomorrow

Before the 1970's a safety standard for bicycle helmets did not exist. If riders even decided to wear a helmet, their choices were limited. One popular design available, was a helmet made out of leather strips. The leather strip helmet was called a hair net. It provided some protection against road rash, but offered no impact protection.

A Bicycle Helmet Safety Standard Was Set

In 1970, the Snell Memorial Foundation set a standard for bicycle helmets. There had never before been a standard for bicycle helmet safety and Snell Memorial Foundation realized the need for a safe bicycle helmet to help minimize head trauma injuries.

In 1970, the only helmet that could meet the Snell Memorial Foundatiion safety standards was a motorcycle helmet. The motorcycle helmet was heavy at two pounds and hot for the bicyclist to wear because it did not have any vents.

The First Bicycle Helmet to Meet Safety Standards

In 1975, Bell Auto Parts designed a bicycle helmet called the Bell Biker. The Bell Biker was the first bicycle helmet that met the safety standards set by Snell Memorial Foundation. The outside of the Bell Biker was made out of a hard Lexan shell. Lexan is a highly durable polycarbonate plastic. The inside was fully lined with crushable EPS foam. The same foam used to make picnic coolers.

Other manufacturers followed the design of the Bell Biker. Throughout the next ten years, Lexan hard shell lined with crushable EPS foam was the standard for bicycle helmets.

Helmets in the Eighties

In the mid 1980's practically all bicycle helmets were made with Lexan or ABS hard shells and lined with crushable EPS Foam. Most helmets had straps that were a simple design with a y shape on each side and plastic buckles.

In the early eighties, Bell designed a helmet for toddlers called the Little Bell Shell. To keep the helmet light in weight the Little Bell Shell did not have a hard plastic outer shell. The helmet was made out of a thick EPS foam. The thickness of the foam gave the helmet high impact protection.

In 1986, Jim Gentes designed a bicycle helmet called the Giro. The Giro was popular with racers because of its' lightweight design. It was made out of EPS foam and used a cloth outer lining instead of hard plastic shell. The solid EPS foam helmets proved to not provide adequate impact protection. The foam helmet would break apart upon impact. A few years later, Pro Tec introduced an all foam helmet with nylon mesh reinforcement that reduced the chances of the helmet breaking apart during impact.

Helmets in the Nineties

A new kind of molded bicycle helmet was designed in the early nineties. ABS plastic was put in a mold and the EPS foam was put inside of it. The molding process heated the ABS and EPS together creating a solid and safer helmet with no gaps between the inner foam and outer shell. Molded helmets can be made thinner and more vents can be added without losing impact protection.

New Law States Bicycle Helmets Must Meet Safety Standards

The United States made a law in 1999 stating that all bicycle helmets must meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standards in order to be sold in the United States.

Bicycle Helmets Today

Since the nineties the basics of bicycle helmet design has not changed much. Different shaped helmets have been experimented with, as well as different foams. EPS is still the most common foam used in helmets. In the late nineties and early 2000's helmets have been made in more sizes. More focus was put on better helmet fit with the use of pads inside the helmets.

The Future of Bicycle Helmets

The future of bicycle helmets most likely will focus on added safety features. New foams are constantly being tested, but at this time EPS seems to be the popular choice because it is works well and is cheap. The addition of lights on helmets for night safety seems to be the new trend of some manufacturers.

Source: Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute