Protecting yourself, starting from the "top" -- How to choose a suitable helmet

With the strengthening of the “One Helmet and One Belt” Initiative, the national market surveillance of helmets for e-bikes and e-scooters is being increased across multiple provinces in China, with a relatively high sampling rate. The popularity of e-bike in China is booming, and the most important safety feature for driving a ride-on e-bikes is a helmet.

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If the key components of the e-bike helmet are impacted by quality problems or are used improperly, it prevents the helmet from protecting the head properly during an accident, resulting in serious personal injury.

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At present, there is no specific product standard for ride-on e-bikes helmets, so the common standard referenced is for regular motorbike and motor scooter helmets, covered under the scope of GB 811-2010 Helmets for motorcyclists.

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CTI have CMA approval and full capabilities for testing helmets according to GB 811-2010 Helmets for motorcyclists as well as GB 24429-2009 for Sports Helmets.

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So, what are the specific requirements of GB 811-2010 Helmets for motorcyclists and GB 24429-2009 Sports Helmets? Let’s explore this below.

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GB 811-2010 Helmets for motorcyclists and GB 24429-2009 Safety Requirements and Test Methods for Sports Helmets, Bicycles, Skateboards, and Roller Skating Sports Helmets both have requirements for product quality and safety, including the stability of the fastening device, the strength performance of the retention system, shock absorbing capacity, and puncture resistance.

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Let’s look at each element more closely:?

Helmet fastening device stability performance?

Stability is an important indicator that indicates whether the wearer can continue to effectively cover and protect their head, or the back of their head, in the event of a hook pull or simulated collision.

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The elements of construction include the block, the elastic band or strap, the reference plane, and the base.

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Helmet retention system strength performance?

The strength of your helmet focuses on the performance of the strap, the connecting parts of your helmet, and the overall construction. It is important to measure whether the helmet can avoid secondary collision to the head in the event of an accident, as this test often carries the highest failure rate.

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The most common failures of helmet strength testing include torn straps, loose connectors and loose of malfunctioning strap buckles. Furthermore, unqualified helmets all showed signs of excessive elongation.

There are three primary reasons behind failures in strength testing of helmets: firstly, the structures of the parts are insufficient or malfunction; second, the strength of the straps and connecting parts are insufficient or malfunction; third, the teeth of the straps are too small and brittle, and easily break from the connector. These tend to cause the helmet to slip off from the wearer's head and therefore cannot provide them adequate protection.

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Below are the components of helmet strength tests:

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Why you need to test shock absorbing capacity??

The performance of a helmet in absorbing kinetic energy simulates the protection of the wearer's head by the helmet when their head impacts the road in the event of a collision. The main reason for the failure of shock absorbance performance is the poor selection of materials.

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For example, performance is reduced when utilising ABS engineering plastics, PVC materials, or secondary recycled materials. When this type of material absorbs collisions, it is prone to brittle cracking and fragmentation, causing damage to the wearer, and even secondary damage to the wearer.

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Below are the components of helmet shock absorbance tests:

Puncture resistance?

One of the main performance indicators for evaluating the firmness of motorcycle helmets is the puncture test. It ascertains whether the helmet shell is easily penetrated and/or damaged when a sharp object impacts or pierces the helmet.

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A helmet with inadequate puncture resistance cannot provide proper protection when the occupant falls and encounters a sharp object, which may cause head injury to the occupant.

Helmet Purchase Precautions?

How to choose your Motorcycle, E-Bike, or E-Scooter Helmet??

1. A helmet bearing the CCC mark and evidence of complying with the standard GB 811-2010 Helmets for motorcyclists should be selected.

2. Children's helmets should be based on the size of the child's head circumference, with a gap of 2cm of space larger than the circumference. More or less of a gap will not provide the most effective protection.

3. When trying on a helmet, the helmet and the head should be kept parallel. From this position, the edge of the helmet should be approximately 1cm above the eyebrows. When moving your head while wearing the helmet, there should be no obvious movement side-to-side.

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How to choose your Sports Helmet?

1. You should choose a helmet that is lighter in weight, has a larger helmet lining coverage, with lining that is more firmly bonded to the inside of the helmet.

2. The ventilation holes on the sports helmet should be moderate. The larger and the more the ventilation holes, the more exposed areas of the head, and the protection coefficient will be reduced accordingly.

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Precautions of Helmet Using?

1. A helmet generally has a service life of 2-3 years under normal use. Motorcycle helmets made of materials such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, and ABS will suffer wear, damage and cracks as time flows, and the protective performance will therefore be greatly reduced. Even if the sports helmet has not suffered a collision, sun exposure and sweat erosion will cause the helmet and accessories to age, thereby weakening the structural integrity of the product, and reduce its protective performance.

2. If the helmet has been hit, even if the shell is not deformed, it would be advised to discontinue its use.

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CTI are a pioneer and leader in third-party testing and certification services in China. We integrate testing, calibration, inspection, certification and technical services to provide one-stop solutions for enterprises globally.

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