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Re: [RC] Helmet Quest - Jon . Linderman






Some musings:

It  is interesting that while helmets for cycling and horse back riding
continue to come in all kinds of cool colors and designs the fact remains
that they are all still made form expanded polystyrene beads.......a very
fancy coffee cup.  Polystyrene can dissipate a blow, usually just once &
the materials are sensitive to heat, light, chemicals such as paint and
other solvents.  Years ago a guy developed a patent for expanded poly
propylene which looked the same as polystyrene and weighed on average about
an ounce more per helmet.  It was a much more difficult process to work
with that polystyrene but he perfected it over years of work.  Repeated
blows to the helmet did not diminish its impact resisting qualities as
tested repeatedly w/ANSI and ASTM procedures, and the force it dissipated
was way higher than anything on the market, and it was not sensitive to
light, heat, or chemicals. It was virtually indestructable.  It also did
not develop the typical foul odor that polystyrene develops over years of
use.  But, like a light bulb that doesn't wear out or a car that doesn't
need to be serviced, no one in the industry would pay him much for the
design.  He marketed the product himself & eventually lost his shirt.  I
have several of them still at home when he sponsored our bike race team and
you can beat on 'em w/a mallet and the helmet suffers no ill effects.  In
fact I'd put one of those "old" helmets up against any fresh out of the box
helmet built today.  Its too bad we have such a disposable mentality to
many of our industries.  Helmet company's like so many industries do not
want to sell you a product that'll last, they simply can't make money at
it.  Basically one blow and the thing is shot in terms of dissipating
energy to your melon.

Jon



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