The corona pandemic has further intensified the bicycle boom. However, only around a third of cyclists wear a helmet, the others instead have a higher risk of head injuries. The ÖAMTC subjected 14 bicycle helmets to a comparison test and also tested a special example out of competition: an airbag that inflates and protects itself over the head in the event of an accident.
Eight of the 14 helmets achieved the grade “good”, the rest is not significantly weaker with “satisfactory”. Even the models in the last places achieved satisfactory values in terms of accident protection.
“Our test also shows that security is not necessarily a question of price,” says ÖAMTC technician Steffan Kerbl. “The relatively inexpensive Urban Plus from Fischer offers the best protection against accidents at a purchase price of around 45 euros. It leaves behind some products in this category that cost three to four times as much. ”Overall, the best test candidate is the Uvex City i-vo MIPS, which is offered for around 120 euros and offers the second best accident protection and the best handling (together with the Models Cratoni Volo-X and Giro Register MIPS) scores. It also scores “very good” for both heat resistance and pollutant testing.
Here are the results at a glance!
But it’s not all bliss: “There is still a lot of catching up to do, especially in accident prevention,” the expert clarifies. One example of this is the “security against being wiped off”: Several models can be pulled back too easily and can therefore easily be lost in the event of a fall. And one more point is important to Kerbl: “The visibility in the dark can be greatly expanded with various helmets – especially with the € 160 Omne Air Spin from POC, which works entirely without reflectors or LED lighting.”
Airbag tested for cyclists out of competition
Because there are (yet) no standards for this, the Hövding 3 model was tested out of competition. Steffan Kerbl: “This is an airbag collar for which our standardized impact test is out of the question. So this time we used a professional stuntman to simulate one of the frequent dooring accidents. ”The result: The Hövding 3 offers excellent accident protection – at least when the airbag actually triggers. “That doesn’t always work, however. The system is not reliable, especially if the impact happens ‘bluntly’ and without any rotational movement of the cyclist. ”Also annoying: the high weight and the relatively low wearing comfort including heavy sweating in the neck area.
Most of them don’t even wear a helmet
In contrast to children, adults in Austria do not have to wear a bike helmet. A current survey by the club actually shows that there is a lot of catching up to do here: only around 35 percent of the 14,600 cyclists observed in all state capitals were wearing a helmet. Figures from the ÖAMTC accident research show how problematic this is: 57 percent of those who have had an accident without a helmet and who suffer severe or fatal head injuries are.