Hi @everyone, I am one of the Co-Founders of FEND,
We just launched FEND, the collapsible bicycle helmet that reduces to one-third of its original size and is fully safe. Whether you’re riding to work or to meet up with friends, you can slip it in your bag until you need it again. The beauty is that it doesn’t take up much room!
We’re happy to answer any questions.
Happy Hunting!
@raffanegro@bramdegeyter@everyone Great question. FEND is much more compact than the Carrera helmet. FEND reduces by 70%, where the Carrera helmet only reduces by 20%.
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@christianvonheifner@bramdegeyter@everyone Thank you Christian. I do like the product, you should mention that in the description :) Also, I'd love to have some kind of water repellent material that would cover my head :)
@raffanegro@bramdegeyter@everyone Regarding keeping your head dry in the rain, we are working on a number of things behind the scenes. If we hit our Kickstarter goal, stay tuned for what's to come!
Can you share some insight into the testing process you have to go through to sell a helmet in the U.S.? What tradeoffs have you had to make (if any) between portability and protection of the end user?
@automaticyes Hi Alexander, great question. We are following all US CPSC standards and are currently conducting safety tests in our factory with scientific prototypes along with FEA simulations. In terms of tradeoffs, we have had to optimize select materials switching from EPS to EPP for its high impact principles. We have also thickened the foam in certain areas as well as the ABS structure and have added metal rivets to ensure the nylon straps hold securely in place.
@nazlidanis Hi Nazli, great question. Both helmets are extremely portable, however, FEND is designed with a streamlined aesthetic allowing for maximum breathability. Also, FEND's resilient joint system allows the helmet to fold in one single movement.
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Love the design! I always found the traditional helmets too bulky and inconvenient to carry around. This is perfect. Great job guys!
You have reached the point of brilliance, when usability and look and feel merge together to form great product. Looks so damn stylish and futuristic. Thumbs up!
@aramiggs Thanks Aram, that really means a lot. @christianvonheifner is a very prolific industrial designer and most recently responsible for the design and mechanics of the FDA-grade HERO device (herohealth.com).
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I love it! Try to focus on out of states most bike-friendly cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin and so..
@neil_borden Thanks Neil! And great idea - cities with bike-sharing programs (like Citibike in NYC) are a big focus.
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@kutakdogan@neil_borden looks fantastic! And I agree, there's so many cities with bike sharing programs that offer no helmet options. If I were to check out a shared bike, I would definitely pay extra $$ to rent one of these helmets out of a vending machine. Or I would buy my own knowing it would be easy enough to transport in my bag.
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Definitely will buy one when it's released. I've backed way too many failed projects on Kickstarter to even consider backing one now. Good luck guys!
@si_pham Thanks so much for the support! Totally understandable, we've also been burned in the past as well. Just so you're aware our team has implemented well over a dozen products into the market within our timeframe. Thanks for reaching out!
FEND
Domino Spot
Sixties One Dot Com
