Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings
Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings are quickly becoming one of the most reliable ways to accurately gauge bicycle helmet safety. This rating system stands out from other lists, as it tests a variety of impacts, rating each helmet on how well it will protect against concussions. Other lists use a pass/fail model which can be useful at times, but do not provide a clear ranking of which helmet will outperform others.
WHY TRUST VIRGINIA TECH
All the research compiled into this list is done by the Biomechanics Lab at Virginia Tech University. The lab looks into the human body's tolerance to impact, and more importantly, how to best prevent injuries. The lab's main goal is to learn how to prevent concussions, and to do so, they have partnered with athletes in many action sports to combine lab data with real-world data to build accurate test models. The staff working on the ratings are Virginia Tech faculty and students, ensuring an unbiased and honest representation of the helmets. Research in the lab has been directly responsible for updating NFL helmets and changing rules to protect players from concussions.
WHAT DOES THE RATING SYSTEM MEAN
The Virginia Tech system looks at the most common impacts and crashes when wearing helmets and tests each helmet in six different places to get a comprehensive rating scale. The helmets are tested at medium and high impact velocities giving data that reflects real-world conditions. The system measures the helmet's ability to slow linear acceleration and rotational velocity of the head, two figures directly correlated with concussion risk. These scores are combined to give each helmet a ranking out of 5 Stars to indicate safety.
Bland et al. (2018). Figure 2. Impact Locations [Photograph]. Vtechworks. https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/items/6d20e999-4180-4040-ba77-a4eef66ad1fa
Virginia Tech provides the medium and high impact scores for each helmet which are important resources for consumers looking at new helmets. If you are shopping for a Trail MTB Helmet, you should be more concerned with the medium velocity impact scores than the high impact scores, as your average speed is lower on a mountain bike. Roadies, should be concerned with the high-impact scores, as you need to be sure your Road Helmet will protect you in the event of a high-speed downhill crash.
DRAWBACKS WITH THE RATING SYSTEM
No helmet ranking system is perfect, but the Virginia Tech rankings will be as close as you can get. One failure of the rating is that it doesn’t test the coverage of the helmet, just the impact protection. Using the Giro Aries and Manifest as examples, the Aries scores better on the Virginia Tech than the Manifest, but we still recommend the Manifest for mountain riding, as it has much more coverage than the Aries. As you see below you want to make sure you are filtering down to the category of helmet you are after.
Consumers should avoid buying the highest-rated helmet in each category. While they are fantastic options, trying on a helmet and ensuring proper fit is paramount to having a safe helmet. If a helmet is uncomfortable or cannot be securely fastened, it won't be as safe as a properly fitting one, even if it ranks higher. With a wide selection of helmets from top brands like Giro, Lazer, POC, and Specialized, finding a properly fitting, highly rated helmet at Contender Bicycles is simple.
KEY POINTS
Helmet safety is important to look into when you are purchasing a new helmet, but you should always remember no helmet will protect you from everything. Be sure to invest in additional safety gear, such as pads, back protectors, or even non-protective items like high-visibility apparel or lights.
It's important to note that you should replace your bike helmet every 3-5 years or immediately after any crash that dents or cracks it. Over time, exposure to sunlight and temperature extremes causes the foam to degrade, increasing the risk of head injury in the event of a crash.
If you have additional questions on finding the right question feel free to contact us, or visit us in-store and we would be happy to help.