It seems to be the season for bike helmets on Kickstarter! The Unit AURA is finishing up, and today we are going to cover the VIRGO – a dedicated Class 3 full-face e-bike and scooter helmet with a visor.
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VIRGO E-Bike Helmet Details
- Designed for NTA-8776 for e-bikes up to 28mph and standard EN 1078/CPSC
- Single shell with jaw and chin protection
- A visor that can rotate or be removed with different tint options
- Removable rechargeable red tail light
- MIPS and non-MIPS options
- 3 Sizes: 51-54cm, 55-58cm, 59-64cm
- 650 grams
- Kickstarter pricing: $99 for non-MIPS, $129 for MIPS version
Thoughts on the Virgo E-Bike Helmet
For normal “cyclists,” this helmet may seem like overkill. As someone that grew up on motorcycles, and having hit the ground a few times due to cars and my own errors, there are many times that I feel a bit exposed on a bike. Especially as I ride more and more Class 3 e-bikes going 25-28mph near traffic since it is proven that injury rate increases significantly over 20mph.
I really like how the Virgo provides some face protection but has a lot of ventilation, a removable visor, open ears, and weighs only 650 grams. I am super interested to see how the helmet fits. The way a good motorcycle helmet fits is padding to kind of “pop” on the helmet to your head, and a robust chin strap. Can they achieve a good fit for a full-face helmet without the weight?
Who’s the Virgo E-Bike Helmet For?
I think there are a lot of cautious cyclists that will love this helmet and I’m a big fan of this helmet for scooter riders. There are also many custom e-bikes that go way above the 28mph intended cut-off that really should be thinking more like a motorcyclist!
Finally, my guess is that some diehard cyclists are going to say this helmet gives the impression that cycling is dangerous, or blurs the lines of motorbikes and bicycles. In response, I would say that cycling is dangerous. Until the US has more dedicated separate bike infrastructure we all need to be mindful that we are the most vulnerable road users when put next to cars and I’ll take whatever additional safety I can give myself!
Back the Virgo E-Bike Helmet
Personally, I backed the MIPS version. Go check out the Virgo e-bike helmet and let me know what you think!