Skip to main content

Ditch your bulky commuter bike helmet and ride smarter with the foldable Lid

LID Helmets
Cycling without a helmet isn’t advisable for obvious reasons. Then again, having to carry around a bulky bike helmet with you all day can make it a tempting option for commuters. That’s where a smart new helmet, currently raising funds on Indiegogo, comes into play. Called Lid, the helmet is able to fold up when you’re not using it — courtesy of a neat design boasting separate movable parts, a bit like sliding tectonic plates, and some well-placed magnets. The result is a helmet that will comfortably fit into a bag when it is not being used to safeguard our noggins.

“Our research told us that ‘helmet hassle’ is the No. 1 reason why cyclists opt not to wear a helmet, and also that safety concerns prevent many commuters from cycling altogether,” creator Sam Terry told Digital Trends. “We went about changing this and developed an eco-friendly helmet which would bring ‘safety with convenience’, by folding to a size and shape which would slip easily into a backpack, satchel, or handbag. We’ve designed Lid with clean lines and an urban profile, so we think it also looks great too.”

In terms of protection, Terry said the helmet has been extensively impact-tested and has passed the necessary standards. Each of the helmet’s five segments boasts its own impact absorption capability, so there’s no compromise in terms of safety versus a traditional, single-piece helmet.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

“In 2011, I began commuting to work in London by bike,” Terry continued, explaining the project’s origins. “At first, cycling in London was pretty intimidating to me. London’s bike-share scheme had recently been launched, and I could see the potential for cycling, but it shocked me at how few of the users were wearing helmets. I saw a guy take a hard fall from one of the bikes and crack his head, which got me thinking. I knew that the short journey times on the bikes of 20 minutes meant that users weren’t willing to carry around a helmet with them all day. That’s where the idea for a helmet that could compact to fit into a bag, but also look great too, came from.”

Clearly, there is a demand for the project, since it raised 50 percent of its funding target in just two hours on Indiegogo. If you want to get your hands (and, eventually, your head) on a unit, you can pre-order one now. Prices start at $70, with shipping set for May.

Editors' Recommendations

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Latest version of Closca’s collapsible bike helmet is made for urban explorers
Closca Helmet Loop

Previous

Next

Read more
Competitors question Trek’s claims about its new bike helmet tech
Trek Bontrager WaveCel Helmet

Last month, Trek and Bontrager unveiled a line of new cycling helmets that are reportedly a significant upgrade in terms of safety. In fact, according to Trek the helmets are 48 times more effective at preventing concussions as compared to traditional models using EPS foam to provide protection. These improvements come courtesy of a new technology known as WaveCel, which is said to be highly effective at absorbing and redirecting the energy that is created as a result of an impact.

It didn't take long for competitors to begin calling Trek's bold claims into question, however, with two companies that make competing helmet technology seemingly unimpressed. Both MIPS and Koroyd have published their own thoughts on what WaveCel brings to the table, with both saying it isn't a major upgrade over the tech that they've been using for some time.

Read more
Add futuristic AR to your bike helmet with the Argon Transform
argon transform ar bike helemt ces 2019 stills 0449

Motorbike riders have been clamoring for an augmented reality (AR) enabled bike helmet for years, hence the long-running and infamous Skully debacle. But now Singapore-based startup Whyre have come up with a simple way to make any bike helmet smart, using an attachment which can overlay AR information on a helmet's visor. They showed off the Argon Transform, as its known, at CES 2019 this year.

More CES 2019 coverage

Read more