Time Frame
Before the 1970s, helmets were made of padded leather. They offered only minor protection. They were often called hairnets.
Wake-up Call
In the early 1970s, the Snell Foundation established basic criteria for head protection and found that none of the helmets on the market met their criteria. This foundation has since become one of the major standard setters for helmets.
Prevention/Solution
Bell Auto parts invented the first real helmet for cyclists in 1975. It consisted of a hard plastic shell padded with a foam-like material. This was the beginning of the modern helmet.
Development
The American National Standards Institute introduced standards for helmets that were widely accepted in 1984, the same time that Bell introduced an EPS foam helmet for children.
Benefits
In the early 1990s, structural improvements, such as embedded nylon mesh, and a process of combining the shell with the foam lining made helmets lighter and more aesthetic.
More Technology
By 2006, helmets were even lighter, and more vents were added for more comfort. Better nylon type straps were also developed, making them easier to wear. Newer and lighter helmets were reduced in cost to as low as $10.
Article Written By James Jordan
James Jordan has been a writer and photographer since 1980. He has worked for newspapers in Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Kansas, winning state press association awards for writing, photography and page design. In 1995 he received his master's in Christian education and completed two years of Ancient Greek at the graduate level. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
