This Micro Helmet Transforms in 30 Seconds, Should Be Your Super-Stylish Biking Companion

Common sense says that an extra layer of protection on your head as you're riding can't do any harm in a worst-case-scenario situation, especially if that layer of protection is a certified and industry-standard one. Even so, helmet wearing is not mandatory and remains, at best, wishful thinking for campaigners pushing for a wider adoption.

In the city, especially with the rise in number of sharing platforms for e-bikes and e-scooters, helmets make a very rare appearance. Even with those who own and regularly use their two-wheeler for the daily commute, helmet use remains limited for a variety of reasons ranging from inconvenience with transport when you're not riding to aesthetic considerations. No one likes getting to work and being stuck with bad hair for the rest of the day, isn't that so?

So, no matter how may times studies, actual figures, and campaigners say differently, people refuse to wear helmets when they're out biking in the city. But what if there was a helmet that would almost disappear once you parked your bike, which guaranteed the same level of protection and even looked good with whatever fancy outfit you had on that day?

The idea is not new, of course. In recent years and especially with the boom of the e-bike market, we've seen an increasing number of more fashionable headgear meant to attract the sophisticated city rider who cares for the planet but also for his or her style, while focusing on safety.

Neither is the idea of an inflatable bike helmet new since a more compact form is destined to attract the same type of commuter. When you no longer have to worry about a bulky helmet you have to store after you've parked your bike, it becomes easier to bring one along on an everyday basis.

This new "micro helmet" is both these things: it's an inflatable piece of headgear that adds convenience to safety, and it's super-stylish – or stylish enough to attract the fashion-savvy commuter.

It's called the aH-1 micro helmet and it comes from London-based startup Ventete. It's being billed as the next big revolution on the cycling market, solving the number one issue with safety headgear in urban environments. If you keep in mind ongoing discussions in countries like The Netherlands about making helmets mandatory, it might be just that.

The aH-1 remains a mystery as of this writing, in the sense that it doesn't have a full established spec list or estimated MRSP as of this writing. It's being slow-launched in its hometown London, where it went up on display at the VIA bike shop, hooked up to a "breathing installation" that keeps it in perpetual motion and, quite obviously, showcases the easy deployment of the helmet according to your needs.

The "get" with this micro helmet is that it "disappears" when you don't need it. Fitted with a small valve, it inflates into a helmet before your ride and then goes back to its super-slim shape once you're done. In deflated form, the helmet resembles a boomerang and is slim enough to fit into a handbag or even a laptop case, which makes for a very convenient carry.

The aH-1 features inflatable ribs, so it would be ideal for city riding, offering protection and proper ventilation. Offered in sleek black or stark white, its minimalist design should appeal even to the trendiest of types, though it's the patented pneumatic technology that should get even those who oppose helmets to give it a try. At least, that's Ventete's hope.

The company says that the "transformation" happens in 30 seconds, so it won't be perceived as an extra chore that goes with your daily rides.

On the downside, Ventete doesn't go into specifics, promising only that details will be revealed when the micro helmet goes into production later this year. It's eyeing a summer introduction of the product, which has apparently been in the making for over a decade and will be "crafted in Switzerland."

By that time, the company will have finalized the spec list and settled on pricing, one media outlet says. The aH-1 was recently shown at the Outdoor by ISPO show, where it scooped up a couple of awards for the "original take on inflatable helmet design," as per the same outlet.

In short, there isn't enough data available right now to be able to tell whether Ventete's claim of taking the cycling industry by storm holds water (or air, better said). But there's enough here to get us intrigued. An inflatable micro helmet that does what it's supposed to do, looks good, and is super-convenient? What's there not to like?