Electric bicycle helmet 3.9 yuan "top priority" don't just look cheap
Since 2020, the “One Helmet, One Belt” safety protection action has been implemented nationwide to urge electric bicycle drivers to wear helmets.
The reporter found that although these helmets worn by cyclists are similar in shape, the quality is uneven.
Are these helmets effective in keeping cyclists safe?
The price varies greatly, the quality varies greatly
In the relevant sales market and online shopping platform in Taiyuan City, Shanxi, the reporter found that the price of electric bicycle helmets on sale varies greatly. The cheapest one is only 3.9 yuan, and the expensive one reaches several hundred yuan.
The reporter purchased two helmets from the market, priced at 40 yuan and 170 yuan respectively.
Among them, the helmet with a price of 40 yuan has a complete shape and a layered structure inside. When wearing it, the head does not directly contact the shell, which seems to be impeccable.
Another 170 yuan helmet has a stronger shell and more secure straps. In the middle of the two-layer structure, there is an additional layer of foam material buffer layer.
The reporter first conducted a drop test of a watermelon with a height of 1.5 meters "wearing a helmet" on the two helmets.
In the test, the second helmet protected the watermelon from damage, and the watermelon under the "protection" of the first helmet was directly split in half.
Later, in the education display area of an electric bicycle registration point of the Taiyuan traffic police, the reporter used the equipment here to conduct a simple test on two helmets.
In a miniature simple experiment with a drop puncture height of only 1 meter, the top of the first helmet shattered directly, and the head mold was pierced by a steel cone.
The second helmet was only punctured with small pits, not penetrated, and there was no visible damage to the head mold.
In addition, the second helmet remained in place at all times, while the straps of the first helmet disengaged during an impact, causing the helmet to drift.
Jia Yongfeng, an observer of the National Bicycle Standardization Technical Committee, believes that no matter from a simple test or an actual case, there is indeed a big difference in the quality of electric bicycle helmets currently on the market.
Poor-quality helmets are mainly manifested in inferior shell materials, weak straps, lack of foam material buffer layers, etc., which cannot effectively protect consumers' heads.
The market is large and there are many manufacturers, "over 70% of helmets are unsafe"
With the launch of the "One Helmet, One Belt" initiative in 2020, a large number of electric bicycle drivers began to buy helmets, and the market capacity exceeded 100 million.
Zeng Changlong, a member of the compilation team of the National Compulsory Standard for Motorcycle and Electric Bicycle Passenger Helmets, told reporters that since April 2020, the demand for electric bicycle helmets has soared.
In the past two years, my country's electric bicycle helmet manufacturers have soared from more than 100 to more than 500, and the daily production capacity of helmets has increased from 200,000 to about 1 million.
However, according to their market research, more than 70% of electric bicycle helmets on the market have potential safety hazards.
In a test conducted by the head protection equipment laboratory of the Shenzhen Institute of Metrology and Quality Inspection in 2021 according to local group standards, 4 of the 10 helmets were not resistant to falling, and 6 of the restraint straps were not reliable.
Some merchants in the electric bicycle sales market in Taiyuan said that if you want to cope with the inspection, "you can buy a helmet for 20 yuan"; if you really want to ensure safety, "you must buy a 3C logo for more than 100 yuan".
Some merchants "buy electric bicycles and send helmets", but in addition to the quality of the helmets sent by the two brands, a large number of merchants are sending cheap helmets without foam material buffer layers.
Among the many electric bicycle drivers interviewed by the reporter, only one bought a helmet of more than 200 yuan, and most of the other respondents' helmets were priced at 20 to 40 yuan. These cheap helmets have no foam material buffer layer. .
Yuan Jinhui, deputy secretary-general of Taiyuan Consumers Association, reminded consumers to effectively improve their safety awareness. When purchasing electric bicycle helmets, they should not be blindly cheap. It is recommended to buy brands with good reputation through regular channels; confirm the product name when purchasing , certificate, factory name and factory address, enterprise qualification and implementation standards, it is recommended to purchase products with 3C certification in accordance with motorcycle helmet standards; if you have doubts about product quality, you can log on to the website of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration Commission and enter the product code to query.
She also reminded that the service life of the helmet is generally 3 years for plastic material and 5 years for carbon fiber material, and it usually needs to be stored in a dry and ventilated place without direct sunlight to continuously maintain the material strength of the helmet.
Only in this way can the safety helmet become a "life-saving helmet" when a traffic accident really occurs.