Earlier this month, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab launched a memorandum explaining an replace to its STAR ranking rating thresholds for bicycle and soccer helmets. Seems, helmets are getting safer, and the helmet take a look at group felt “the 5-star label had turn out to be diluted.” So, they felt this threshold adjustment was wanted “to revive the flexibility of our system to distinguish.” Primarily, it had turn out to be too straightforward for contemporary helmets to earn a 5-star ranking beneath the previous scoring thresholds.
Virginia Tech Helmet Take a look at Lab
In case you are unfamiliar, the Virginia Tech Helmet Take a look at Lab has been independently testing and ranking bicycle helmets since 2018 and has turn out to be one of the vital trusted sources for comparative influence efficiency knowledge. Utilizing a standardized testing protocol, Virginia Tech has examined tons of of bicycle helmets — together with different sports activities like soccer, equestrian, and snow sports activities — to offer goal comparative knowledge to tell shoppers and producers alike.
I’ve examined dozens of helmets for evaluations and purchaser’s guides over time, and I’ve typically referenced Virginia Tech’s helmet scores. Not essentially as a result of its the be-all and end-all of a helmet’s protecting qualities, however as a result of they’re just about the one useful resource for one of these standardized, comparative influence take a look at knowledge. In line with Virginia Tech’s latest memo, “For shoppers, this method highlights efficiency variations that aren’t seen from worth or advertising claims. For producers, our take a look at protocols and efficiency thresholds provide a benchmark for innovation and enchancment.”
And enhance they’ve. Just lately, scoring effectively in Virginia Tech’s influence testing has turn out to be an enormous promoting level, with manufacturers seemingly competing for prime honors and one-upping one another’s scores and ranks. Prior to now 12 months alone, the brand new Fox Speedframe fashions launched with the highest rating, solely to be bested a month or so later by the brand new POC Cularis and Cytal helmets earlier than they had been even out there to the general public.
Safer Helmets
Over time, new supplies, applied sciences like Mips, and designs have improved the protecting qualities of bicycle helmets — and a few of that may doubtless be attributed to Virginia Tech’s impartial testing. Virginia Tech states that when it began ranking bike helmets in 2018, solely 4 out of 30 (~13%) earned 5 stars. In 2025, a whopping 167 of 272 helmets (~61%) had been rated 5-star.
Whereas beforehand the take a look at lab had predetermined, mounted rating thresholds, “when nearly all of helmets can earn 5 stars, the highest class not distinguishes the easiest.” In fact, it is a good factor because it signifies that helmet security is enhancing, however it additionally makes it tougher for shoppers to distinguish the great from the perfect.
Adjusted Star Ranking Thresholds
To treatment this, Virginia Tech has chosen to regulate its ranking threshold. In line with the memo, “To obtain a 4- or 5-star ranking, a helmet should carry out throughout the prime 50% based mostly on its general influence efficiency rating. To differentiate between 4- and 5-star helmets, we computed the midpoint between the median-performing helmet and the best-performing helmet. Helmets nearer to the highest performer obtained 5 stars; these nearer to the median obtained 4 stars.”
This shift has dramatically decreased the variety of 5-star bicycle helmets from 167 to 38. Virginia Tech can be fast to level out that simply because a helmet’s star ranking has modified, “this isn’t as a result of their efficiency has worsened, however moderately the bar for top-tier efficiency has risen.” And that “basically, we advocate any 4- or 5-star-rated helmet.” That stated, some beforehand 5-star rated helmets have dropped all the way down to 3-stars beneath the recalibrated ranking system.
Now, bicycle helmet producers might want to work slightly tougher to get into and keep within the prime 50% to earn these coveted 5-star scores. Typically talking, bike helmets are at present as secure as they’ve ever been, however slightly wholesome competitors on the prime ought to be sure that they simply hold getting safer.
Take a look at Virginia Tech’s bicycle helmet scores to see in case your helmet has been examined and the way it ranks. In any other case, click on via to the technical paperwork to be taught extra about Virginia Tech’s helmet testing protocol. It’s truly fairly fascinating.
Helmet Rankings: helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html
Helmet Lab: (For more information in regards to the lab itself, together with a video tour) daring.beam.vt.edu/BOLDLabs/HelmetLab.html
