Crash protection, with added convenience

Commuting safely by bike means finding something to do with your helmet when you reach your destination. A British company thinks you should simply deflate it

- by JAMES WITTS

According to the World Health Organization, around 41,000 people die each year while cycling. How many of those weren't wearing a helmet is unknown. What is known, is that helmets are a deterrent for many.

Cycling UK, a charity promoting bicycle use, suggests that if helmet use were to be made mandatory, it would prompt a drop in the numbers of people choosing to go by bike. For evidence of that, look no further than Australia - after New South Wales and Melbourne introduced mandatory helmet laws, cycling in the two states dropped by 36 per cent.

Studies suggest people’s reluctance to wear helmets is due to, among other things, scepticism about the protection they offer, the difficulty of storing them and cost. Ventete, a British start-up, thinks its new helmet, the aH-1, might just solve those problems.

STORAGE ISSUES

The aH-1 is an inflatable helmet. Designed in Britain and made in Switzerland, it was 10 years in the making.

There have been other inflatable helmets, but they were like a car’s airbag — only inflating in the event of a fall. The aH-1 is inflated before use, via an electric pump, and takes about 30 seconds to reach the recommended 32psi. After use, the aH-1 can be deflated down to a package that’s less than 4cm (1.5in) thick, making it easy to store almost anywhere.