Full-face helmets definitely aren’t new – I wore one within the bikepark testing an enduro bike this morning – however The Beam Virgo is adapting that very same further safety for the town streets to make ebike using and commuting safer, too. This wild-looking commuter full-face helmet remains to be formally only a Kickstarter venture, however it’s been developed by an organization we’ve already seen flip another progressive concepts into actual merchandise.
And this commuter full-face has already smashed via its funding aim in its first day of crowdfunding… actually within the first hour!
The Beam Virgo MIPS, a safer full-face helmet for commuter ebiking
The Beam is looking the brand new full-face Virgo helmet venture “the most secure biking helmet for e-bikes”, and it’s arduous to argue with their logic. With low protection within the again, an built-in chin-bar up entrance, built-in visors, hi-viz lighting, and MIPS safety & dial-retention inside… the concept of a full-featured full-face helmet for city ebike commuting merely makes quite a lot of sense.
The one actual draw back to the additional safety lent by a full-face helmet even off-road used to solely actually be that they have been too sizzling and too heavy. However fashionable helmets -full-faces especially- at the moment are a lot lighter and higher ventilated that these aren’t pretty much as good excuses any extra. And in case you are getting ebike pedal help, you may as nicely get the additional safety in case you are much less more likely to be totally working up a sweat.
OK, so who’re The Beam & Virgo Transfer once more?
The Beam is a younger French commuter biking product start-up with established manufacturing ties in South Korea for a couple of years. We’ve already coated their easy bar finish plug Corky flip-out rearview mirror that they partnered with CloseTheGap to get out to an even bigger viewers. And there was additionally their light-weight Corky X, a contemporary replace to the basic randonnerdy but purposeful clip-on mirror to your glasses.
Keep in mind the Ventoux street full-face idea a couple of years again from Studio-Accent? Yeah, that’s the designer behind the brand new Virgo Transfer venture, too. He simply now’s working along with The Beam to step issues up a notch with the Virgo.
Why an ebike full-face helmet?
No beating across the bush, ebikes imply extra folks using on two wheels, usually many who aren’t essentially skilled cyclists. Extra folks on bikes is nice, however statistically, it means extra folks getting in bike accidents, too. Plus, whereas regulated ebikes don’t actually make you a large number sooner, they’re heavier, a bit tougher to handle, and do make it simpler for inexperienced riders to go sooner than they’d pedal in any other case. And everyone knows there are many ebikers using round city within the grey areas with their pedal-assist pace limiters bypassed.
So let’s make them, and ourselves, safer.
Tech particulars
So, the brand new Virgo full-face ebike helmet presents as a lot safety as you may ask for. The Beam calls it the “final steadiness of safety and luxury combining lightness, optimum airflow, and full safety of head and face“. That’s clear, proper?
The Virgo full-face helmet options basic in-mold development with an ABS plastic shell over a light-weight EPS foam core. Then, a extra versatile construction of the skinny strengthened chin bar can be in-molded between the ABS & EPS, for a easily unified design providing added safety to the rider’s face with out obstructing airflow or being wherever close to as cumbersome as an off-road full-face.
Inside, an elective MIPS Evolve Core liner beneath the helmet’s pads helps soak up non-linear impacts, but additionally integrates a rear dial-retention system for a safe match.
The commuter full-face helmet is described as well-ventilated with 5 forward-facing openings linked via inside air channels to 4 rear exhaust ports, plus giant openings at your ears to assist dissipate warmth away from the rider’s head.
And it additionally comes with three totally different magnetically hooked up visors to guard your eyes whereas using in all circumstances – mirrored, smoke shaded & clear lenses. The Virgo additionally has a magnetic attachment on the again to snap on or off a detachable, USB-C rechargeable taillight with an accelerometer brake mild operate for added visibility day & evening.
The tip result’s a safer full-face helmet that “presents multi-impact safety zones within the areas most certainly to be hit in a fall in case of a frontal crash” with claimed weights from 600-650g for the 2 sizes XS/S & M/L. The Virgo helmet is designed to fulfill the higher-speed pedelec (45kph/28mph) necessities of European regulation NTA-8776, and likewise complies with customary EN 1078 / CPSC bike certification.
The Beam x Virgo full-face – Crowdfunding pricing, choices & anticipated availability
The Virgo ebike full-face helmet is offered to again now on Kickstarter, via the tip of June. The Beam x Virgo helmet is offered both with out the additional anti-rotational safety from 99€ with super-early-bird pricing, or in what appears like one of the best deal, with an built-in MIPS Evolve Core liner from simply 129€.
The helmet contains the detachable visor & mild, and is offered in 4 matte colours – black, white, midnight blue, and heat sand tan – in sizes XS/S or M/L. The Kickstarter marketing campaign anticipates first deliveries as early as August 2023, though The Beam suggests extra conservatively that they are going to have full manufacturing inventory out there in the midst of autumn.
