The helmet is the most important means of protecting you while riding an electric bike because it simply protects the most important part of your body which is the head. You can imagine how many cyclists have been able to save their lives thanks to the helmet.
A helmet, on the other hand, is mandatory when cycling in many countries.
For us electric bike riders, it is not optional because our electric bike can travel at a speed of up to 25 km per hour, and this speed is enough to cause serious damage in many situations, so choosing the right helmet for electric bike riders is very important.
In this post, we will answer your question about Are e-bike Helmets are Different?
Also, what are the most important features that should be in the helmet of your electric bike?
Are e-bike Helmets Different?
No, but you can choose a helmet that has higher protection features such as MPIS or 360 turbines to ensure complete protection from shocks, especially since the speed of the electric bike may reach 25 km
On the other hand, the helmet must have passed the safety tests in force in your country.
What are the features that should be included in your ebike helmet?
There are many models and designs of electric bike helmets and here I will not make recommendations for specific models or brands, it is up to you, but here we will explain the most important functions that should be present in your electric bicycle helmet.
Now let’s start with the most important features
1- Retention device
The retaining device is a very important feature of your electric bike helmet and what it does is keep the helmet stuck to your head even if the buckle is cut.
What made me put this feature in the forefront of the features that should be in the helmet of the electric bike is the nature of riding the electric bike and the speed that you may reach while riding the bike.
You can imagine if you were on a slope and cycling fast and your helmet fell while going downhill (I think it is an unpleasant situation for all of us) in that situation you will surely appreciate the importance of having a retention device in your helmet
2- Slip-Plan technology
The slip-plane technology is the ability of the helmet to distribute the impact force on your head and thus reduce damage to the brain.
There are many studies that have proven the effectiveness of this technology in protecting the head
Examples of this technology in the market are many, but the most famous are MIPS and 360Turbine.
MIPS
MIPS is the most common practice for slip-plane technology in the market which is a small sheet located inside the helmet and allows the helmet to rotate independently away from your head.
if you look in the above photo you will find the narrow pointing to a yellow sheet which is the MIPS.
360Turbine.
360Turbine are small, circularly rotating rings located inside the helmet that perform the same task of allowing the helmet to move in order to distribute the shock forces.
3-Certified Helmet
The helmet must have passed the safety tests for your country, each country has certain rules and tests in order for the manufacturer to be allowed to sell its products in the market, for example in the United States these tests are called CPSC-1203
Most of the reliable companies put a sticker on the helmet that proves that this helmet has passed the tests
4- Crash replacement schemes.
Some companies offer the service of changing the helmet in the event of an accident, and I prefer this service, not only because you will get a new helmet, but because it is always better to change the helmet if you have an accident, even if you did not break the outer cover of it.
Because under the outer cover there is a layer of foam It must be tight to protect your head, but if it gets sharp and the foam breaks inside the helmet, this will lead to serious damage in the event that you have any other accident.
So make sure to buy a helmet from a company that allows it to be replaced in the event of a collision
5-Venting.
All helmets in the private market have ventilation features, but when you decide to buy a helmet for your electric bike, you must make sure that there are ventilation holes in the back to allow air to flow outside the helmet
This will not only protect your head from overheating but will also maintain the speed of your electric bike because the airflow inside the helmet will help the air to pass in a way that does not reduce the speed of your electric bike
What are the things you need to consider before buying ebike helmet?
1- Price
Price is one of the first things that will come to your mind when thinking about buying a suitable helmet for your electric bike and here I have good news for you!
Increasing the price does not mean at all an increase in protection, but what you will get is an increase in comfort and also some additional features such as reduced weight, Bluetooth, and many other features.
If you have a limited budget, you can choose a helmet that has the basic features we mentioned earlier.
2- Helmet Must Fit your head.
The phrase that the helmet should fit your head size may seem like a basic statement, but based on my experience with my friends who are cyclists, not all of them choose the helmet that is exactly suitable for the size of their head.
They rely on that they will adjust the size manually, but on the contrary, if the helmet is not suitable for your head I won’t be able to protect you!
The best thing you can do before buying a helmet is to measure the circumference of your head and choose the closest suitable size for you (not more than 1 or 2 cm more than the size of your head).
Conclusion.
As a general rule, there is no difference between the helmet used in regular bikes and electric bikes, but to choose a helmet that has higher safety features, such as Slip-Plan technology, and also that you have passed the safety tests in force in your country.
There are also other features that are preferred for an electric bike helmet, which are the Retention device, Crash replacement schemes, and Venting.
