Bicycle Helmet Standards and Testing

Summary: This page has info on bicycle helmet standards, testing and more.

Bicycle Helmet Standards

Our quick summary of bike helmet standards.

Standards for bicycle helmets

The long version: CPSC, CEN, ASTM, ANSI, Snell and others.

Short helmet standard comparison chart

The short standards comparison chart.

Detailed Standards Comparison

Longer, detailed item-by-item comparison.

ASTM F1952 Downhill Mountain Bike Racing Standard

Comparison with CPSC standard.

Test Line Comparisons

CPSC, ASTM, Snell, Dutch

The ideal helmet standard

Our idea of the perfect bicycle helmet standard.

Making progress in standards

What is needed for further standards improvement.

Importing bicycle helmets to the US

Where to find US regulations for importing bike helmets.

ASTM improves bicycle helmet standard

ASTM adds variable mass headforms to F1447

Helmet performance limits

How much a helmet can take and keep on protecting.

Helmet testing

How helmets are tested in the lab.

Helmet test labs

Labs who test helmets or supply test equipment.

ASTM headgear subcommittee

Standards, meetings, background

ANSI Z90.4 Committee - Disbanded

History: ANSI replaced the Z90.4 standard with ASTM F1447

Correlation Anamolies Between Helmet Drop-Test Systems

George Henderson's famous 1974 study of twin-wire vs. monorail test rigs.

We opposed Hövding airbag exemption from CPSC standard

The product failed to provide the protection level required by the CPSC standard.

Paper on test anvil finishes

Dave Halstead's paper for the ASTM F8.53 headgear subcommittee on anvil finishes.

Study of effects of helmet positioning in European testing

Swedish Standards Institute study indicating that problems with the European test rig can affect helmet failures.

Test results of low velocity impacts on helmets

Dave Thom's test results for ASTM, impacting helmets at lower than normal velocities.

Investigation of Rotational Accelerations in Bicycle Helmet Testing

Biokinetics 1997 analysis prepared for PHMA.

Proposed Wording for Standard on use of Retroreflective Materials on Bicycle Helmets

BHSI and 3M collaborated on this proposal to CPSC to amend their standard.

Chin Strap Forces in Bicycle Helmets

Andersson et al study showing lower chin strap forces with slippery helmets.