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TECH NEWS

Kranium cardboard helmet goes into production + video

London project that claims to be light, stronger, and greener than conventional helmets is now being made

We’ve told you about the Kranium helmet, made from cardboard, several times before, most recently when we reported from Eurobike that it was being included in the Abus 2013 range. Now you can check out a new video that explains the development of the helmet from initial idea through to production.

The Kranium was designed by London student Anirudha Surabhi after he was involved in a bike accident. Ani was wearing an expensive helmet at the time of the incident but he still suffered a concussion.

After first looking at anatomical features of the woodpecker, Ani came up with a new helmet design - nature often knows best. Rather than the usual expanded polystyrene, the Kranium is made from dual density honeycomb board which, in turn, is made from paper.

The claim is that the Kranium is lighter, stronger and safer than a standard helmet. Plus, the paper is recycled and it's produced without the use of electricity, so the helmet has some major green cred too.

This interesting video – 7mins long – tells the story of the Kranium from first sketch through to reality.

Ani has been travelling between the UK and China for the past few months in order to get the paper helmet produced, and it’s being made right now.

For more info go to www.kraniums.com.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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11 comments

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Mr. Rossi | 11 years ago
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The base of the helmet is still EPS though?

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vinnychoff | 11 years ago
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Great product. I believe that helmets need all to be like this but also with more protection and to look good. I have a road bike and think this looks more like it is for the bmx style rider.
vinnychoff

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CharlesMagne | 11 years ago
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I'm guessing the plastic cover is melted over a fire before vacuum forming, and that the air is draw out by someone with a straw... Maybe the lights in the warehouse are all paraffin lamps?

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Nick T | 11 years ago
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Check my second post  3

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Nick T | 11 years ago
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"...produced without the use of electricity..."

What do those laser cutters run on then?

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Some Fella replied to Nick T | 11 years ago
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Nick T wrote:

"...produced without the use of electricity..."

What do those laser cutters run on then?

Probably the same stuff the lights in the studio do - magic moon beams and fairy dust.

Regardless of that - a nice product and a very interesting take on a design solution.
I wish him luck.

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pisserenden replied to Nick T | 11 years ago
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Nick T wrote:

"...produced without the use of electricity..."

What do those laser cutters run on then?

If you slow down and actually read what is written, no-one says that the helmet is made without the use of electricity. The statement only relates to the recycled paper.

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Nick T | 11 years ago
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That'll learn me to post a comment before watching. I do wonder how he's waterproofed the cardboard though, there must be some chemicals involved there.

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Nick T | 11 years ago
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Not to be worn in the rain, presumably.

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seanieh66 replied to Nick T | 11 years ago
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Nick T wrote:

Not to be worn in the rain, presumably.

If you'd watched the video you'd see that the structure is covered by a plastic lid  3

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notfastenough replied to seanieh66 | 11 years ago
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seanieh66 wrote:
Nick T wrote:

Not to be worn in the rain, presumably.

If you'd watched the video you'd see that the structure is covered by a plastic lid  3

Person 1 makes error due to not checking out the available content.

Person 1 then retracts error.

Person 2 notes that person 1 made an error due to not checking out the available content, and in doing so makes error due to not checking out the available content.

Lovely.  4

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