This Inflatable Bike Helmet Just Might Change The Way You Ride

“It all started with a simple question: ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could have a helmet that could fold down like a piece of origami and fit in your pocket?’”

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

Some forms in design seem set in stone, like the cycling helmet, and they can be a hassle to transport. British design firm Ventete aims to solve that problem with an innovative new inflatable bike helmet.

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

The company saw a solution to a problem: The ease (or rather, lack thereof) of transporting or a bike helmet, especially for riders who tend to hop on micromobility solutions at a moment’s notice — and thus, without a helmet. The new Ventete aH-1 Helmet collapses by about 90 percent, and inflates in under 30 seconds, ultimately ending up about the same size as a laptop when not inflated. A turn of genius? Perhaps.

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

The Swiss-made helmet does all this as the result of a pneumatic structural system (patented, of course) and comes with a tire-compatible electric pump that weighs less than 200 grams. It recharges via USB-C, and compresses in a similar fashion to an accordion (a very stylish, sleek accordion). It does all this while featuring a high-tenacity, triple-laminated nylon structure that should prove highly durable and yet lightweight.

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

A Presta valve integrates seamlessly within the design of the helmet, which also features a customized fit, thanks to its collapsible retention system. The idea became something entirely its own, said co-founder Colin Herperger. “It all started with a simple question: ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could have a helmet that could fold down like a piece of origami and fit in your pocket?’”

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

10 years of development led to the innovative micro-helmet, which retails for about $456 online at Ventete. The company hopes it’s solving a problem that’s sprang to life since initial research began, Herperger added. “Within Ventete, we have a fundamental interest in where culture is moving to and what events trigger such movement,” he said.

(Photography by Dan Tobin Smith/Courtesy of Ventete)

“Intriguingly, we couldn’t have fully anticipated the societal shifts in transportation when we set out to design this helmet ten years ago,” he added, nodding to a massive rise in E-bikes, scooters and spontaneous hop-on, hop-off bike systems. Freedom of movement, as the company says, hopefully now becomes a little more accessible without a traditional bike helmet weighing down riders, instead now equipped with a streamlined helmet that defies convention in size, shape and design.

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