The Overade folding helmet is the product of a collaboration between engineer Philippe Arrouart and Patrick Jouffret of French design firm Agence 360, a company who've previously worked on Look's Kéo Blade pedal and 920/986 cross-country bikes.
According to the agency's Julien Primard, the lid is aimed at people using public bike hire schemes, and other urban cyclists. “This creation is the result of an observation," he told BikeRadar via email. “Very few users of self-service bicycle use a helmet.
“In urban areas, the main obstacle to the wearing of a bicycle helmet is that it becomes cumbersome after use. Thanks to its folding system, Overade can easily store in a small bag while providing comfort and a level of protection like a standard bicycle helmet.”
Overade is meant to fold and fit in a bag or purse, perfect for those who frequently use bike-share
The helmet started life as a design project, with working prototypes first emerging in 2010. It's now been decided to put it into production, for sale later this year. There's no word yet on price, release date or US/UK availability. There'll be a single, unisex model.
Overade say the lid will adhere to the same safety standards as a non-folding helmet. “The fact that it folds must be an advantage and not affect the design,” said Primard. It's already received design awards from the City of Paris (Grands Prix de l'Innovation 2010) and French industrial body APCI (Etoile de l'Observeur du Design 2012).