Riding a bike without a helmet can be risky. There are now airbags for cyclists so that you are protected from careless and reckless drivers, but can still feel the wind in your hair. You can read what you should know about the topic here.
Airbag for cyclists: Head protection without a helmet
The idea behind the helmet alternative originally comes from Sweden. The scientists Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin formulated it after a master’s thesis and implemented their vision together. The bicycle airbag has been available in a market-ready version for almost 10 years. However, the invention is far from perfect, but it does offer a decisive advantage: a bicycle helmet protects your head, but not from neck injuries.
For this reason, the Hövding 3, the market leader in combined head and neck airbags, was mentioned in a study on neck injuries in cyclists that was only published in mid-2023. However, the researchers clarified that it was too early to test the airbag as serious alternative to the conventional helmet to treat (to study).
Bicycle airbag – this is how the helmet alternative works
The sensors in the neck brace, where the airbag is hidden, update the cyclist’s status 200 times per second. Capture the sensors a loss of balance, a gas cartridge empties. The airbag fills up with helium gas within a fraction of a second. The result is similar to an inflatable drying hood – style is clearly subordinate to safety here. The ADAC can underline the very high protective function in the event of a timely triggering (to the source).
All this is housed in a device that weighs just 837 grams. What sounds easy at first, can pretty hard all the time become. Motorcyclists in particular can sing a song about it: full-face helmets weigh an average of 1,500 grams, a bicycle helmet only up to 300 grams.
It is also practical that the airbag automatically friends and family to notify of an accident. The neck brace accesses your mobile phone via Bluetooth and thus notifies your emergency contacts.
Problems with technology & costs
As mentioned, the system is not yet perfect. It always takes a while for the airbag to fully inflate and cover your head and neck exactly 80 milliseconds. This is fast and sufficient for most accidents, but in exceptional cases your head is unprotected.
There are plenty of examples of such situations: If you are hit by a truck or you crash at high speed into a carelessly and suddenly opened passenger door of a car, could the airbag too slow be. In these situations, a bicycle helmet is much better suited.
Another downside are the acquisition costs. Coupled with the fact that the airbag can only be used once, the suggested retail price of 350 euros is not exactly cheap. After all, Hövding promises its customers that after an accident they can send in the used airbag to get a 100 euro discount on their next model.
This is a consolation for the wallet, especially if the airbag activates in situations where triggering would not have been necessary. This is the case, for example, if you accidentally tip over at low speed and fall into the soft grass. A helmet wouldn’t even suffer a microscopic tear, but the airbag is worn out.
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