BikeBiz

Helmets

Madison

The all-new, Bell Drop full-face helmet, was designed by the same team who designed the legendary MX Moto-8 helmet. This entirely new design will be available from March 2008, retailing at £99.99 in five colours. Those attending Madisons house show, IceBike, will get one of the first glimpses of the Drop.

Also new, The Giro Xen brown is for the style conscious rider. The helmet offers all round protection, but now with a matt brown fabric covering. This limited edition helmet will be launched at IceBike and will retail for £89.99.

Madison will introduce the x3, new limited edition Giro Remedy colours, during Feburary. Gold/black, red/black, and blue/white, all priced at £99.99, will be available in the fiberglass shell model only.

Ison

TSG launched their 2008 range at Core Bike, during January and the range is now available to order, via Ison.Among the new range is the Sam “Leopardhead” Pilgrim Signature Evolution helmet. This makes Sam the first UK dirt jumper to get a signature helmet. Further new additions to the Evolution range include the Skyline and Graveyard designs, which also have very distinctive graphics.The list of Signature helmets has increased and now features new designs for Timo Pritzel, Cam McCaul, Ricardo Laguna, Cameron Zink as well as the aforementioned Sam Pilgrim.Two new “special” surface models have been introduced to the range – the Disco and Carbon. The Disco has a prism effect covering and the Carbon looks as though it is made out of carbon fibre.The worlds lightest potty style helmet, the Evolution Superlight, has received a small make over with new feather graphics and still weighs only 300g.For riders with larger heads TSG have produced an XXL version of the Evolution, which now gives riders a wider choice of sizes to ensure they get the best fit.The Evolution Kids range includes the popular Captain design, for all wannabe super heroes as well as the Green Tag design for all budding graffiti artists.A very new addition to the range and a slight detour from TSG’s traditional designs is the Road Helmet. The model is lightweight (only 270g) and comfortable Road/Trail Helmet with great ventilation carrying a retail price of £49.99.TSG has also updated their Full Face range with two new designs – the Dragon Stealth and the District Flames. The Stealth has a lightweight glass fibre shell with good venting and vision and is perfect for Freeride, while the District is an MX style helmet built tough for DH and more burly riding.

Scott sports

The 2008 range sees Scott expand on its helmet range, which was first introduced in 2007 with the Fuga in-Road and Off-Road versions. Added to the list this year is a specific women’s version of the Fuga. The Fuga Contessa Off-Road retails for £89.99 while the Fuga Road and Off-Road models retail for £89.99 and £99.99 respectively. All helmets are available in S/M/L and feature the Scott Micro-Adjust System, plus the Fuga Magneto System, which allows the rider to attach a visor magnetically. Also new for 2008 is an off-road helmet, the Karma, to cater for the lower price range retailing at £69.99 and featuring the MAS systemAs well as Cross-Country, Scott also introduces the Spectre Freeride and Downhill helmets. The carbon-fibre shelled DH has already been well received and has a price tag of £249.99, while the Glass-Fibre shell of the Freeride sees it chip in at £149.99. Both helmets available in four sizes; S/M/L/XL.

Stash

Stash has been working on a few innovations within this sector for the past year and has come up with some clever answers to helmet storage. The multi-sports helmet, when not in use, can be easily folded for quick storage. It is a very simple yet innovative, patented concept, where the sides of the helmet invert making it smaller to put away when not in use, whether that be in a lap-top bag or rucksack, car glove box, office drawer or handbag. It reduces in width by 30 per cent and instantly transforms to a convenient crescent shape.Attractive, organic styling is used for the injection-moulded, ABS outer shells, bonded to EPS liners. These exo-skeletal shells are structural, both ultra-strong and light-weight with integral pivots and click mechanisms – at first sight it is not even obvious that the helmet folds away. Stash helmets conform to the stringent EN1078 safety standards having impact absorption over 45 per cent below the maximum permissible level. Stash was a winner of the prestigious International Forum Design Award at the Euro- Bike 2007 exhibition in Friedrichshafen.The idea behind the product is to make it easier for people to use bicycles and other modes of personal transport safely, conveniently and with vital helmet protection.

Bellelli

The Bellelli range of kids helmets come in very bright colours in order to make safety more attractive to kids, exciting graphics are present on many designs too. With various colours for girls and boys all helmets exceed CE, TUV and GS standards. The Bellelli helmet range comes with six airflow vents and in various sizes.

Universal cycles

A licensed Disney Cars design is worked onto Universals latest safety offering. A second model, the Lazy Town Safety Helmet is also available. Both models retail for £14.99 and come in all sizes from 48-52cm. The new designs come with removable foam pads and two spare pads, which are secured with Velcro to the inside of the helmet.The headgear weighs in at 240grams and both are CE standard qualified as well as meeting the European standard EN1078. Both are secured with the four-point straps and an easy-to-use chin clip.

Raleigh

The Raleigh helmet 2008 ranges sees the launch of several new models, graphics and technologies. The Raleigh brand portfolio now provides answers for all sectors of the market young to old, extreme to leisure.The all-new Raleigh X-treme has undergone a transformation with an all new shape, and phenomenal specification. 14 vents give great breathability on this helmet, which comes in sizes from 54 to 61cm and weighs in at 275 grams. The moulded helmet has sealed inner pads and a side lock strap adjuster. The X-treme will retail for £24.99.There are women's, city and urban specific models in the new catalogue, ranging from a budget friendly £19.99, for the Women's 'Style' helmet to £21.99 for the City XL, for the commuter looking for a helmet in sizes 60 to 65cm.

The established Rogue childs helmet has developed in 2008, with new vibrant graphics and colour matching pads and straps. The new designs come with an integrated peak and ratchet buckle as well as containing sealed protection pads. The Rogue comes in sizes 52 to 57cm and has eight vents, all for £19.99. For the toddler, the Little Terra helmet, complete with eight vents, comes in sizes 48 to 54cm. The Little Terra retails at £12.99.With 30th anniversary of Diamondback in 2008, to commemorate this we have a completely new range of BMX & Free ride helmets. The helmets come in both lid and full face form and each is designed with airflow paramount to its design. Three size options are available for all models in the range. The helmets weigh in at 280 grams for the Ultra Light model, and 380 grams for the rest of the range.Also under the Raleigh label, the launch of RSP helmets. The new Flow all mountain helmet and free ride helmet, are made by a fused in-mould construction, that wraps under the rear for extra protection. Coolmax sealed pads fill the interior, while 21 vents keep airflow constant. The helmet costs £34.99.

The Uvex helmet range is designed and manufactured in Bavaria where all helmet moulds are cast from aluminium, which is sculpted to exact tolerances. The outer shell is made of Scratch resistant Makrolon, therefore the finish of a Uvex helmet is extremely durable. For 2008 Uvex have invested in two new in-moulding machines at their plant in Bavaria to cope with the ever-increasing demand. Finally from Uvex, the Supersonic RS continues to be Uvex’s best selling model Europe wide. It benefits from a double in moulded micro shell, the lower section of which fully encloses the EPS meaning that this helmet will take the day to day abuse better than most. Available in two sizes, the Supersonic will fit head sizes from 52 – 63cm.

SilverfishSilverfish UK have recently become the exclusive UK distributor for THE products. THE manufacture both full face and half lid helmets and have plenty to offer from £24.99 to £189. Top of THE line comes a full carbon fiber, full face helmet, containing a dual EPS liner for increased comfort as well as generously sized double D rings for strap adjustment, minus the need to remove gloves. 15 vents provide more than adequate ventilation all the while exceeding CPSC and CE standards. The same model is also available in a composite shell for £129. Sizes range from 54 to 62 cm. 17 different designs are available from the brightly coloured ‘Vegas’ to a more plain carbon look.THE Industries also have a lid retailing at £24.95. Ten vents and four air channels provide cooling, while the ABS injected shell is padded out and incorporates steel mesh vent protection.