Katherine Martinko is an expert in sustainable living. She has a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto.

I must admit: I hate wearing bicycle helmets. I hate it so much. Over the years, I have left my helmet at home on most short rides in the city and chose not to wear it. I like the feeling of the wind blowing on my hair, there is no strap on my chin, and I enjoy the scenery that is not blocked by the sun visor, and there is no extra thing no matter where I go. 

However, when I got an electric cargo bike last November, this habit had to be changed. It is illegal to ride an electric bike without a helmet in Ontario, Canada—not to mention unsafe—so I reluctantly wiped my dust off and put it on again. One day, when I drove my child home from BMX Park, it fell from the back of my car (the trunk was partially opened because a bicycle was hanging outside) and I couldn't find it. It's time to buy a new helmet.

This is an opportunity for me to invest in a helmet that I really like. I have realized that it determines the difference between despising helmets and really wanting to wear them. I started searching on the Internet, and a name kept showing up, a company based in Los Angeles named Qian. Not only do I like the stylish, urban, and simple appearance of its helmet, but I am also deeply impressed by the company's existence.

It was founded by Gloria Hwang, a long-time cyclist who hated wearing helmets until a close friend was killed in a fatal bicycle accident. She realized that she had to start wearing a helmet, so she designed a helmet that was completely different from the "sci-fi" helmets on the market. Huang said,

The company will obviously take this promise seriously because it offers an unusual accident replacement policy. If any rider has an accident while wearing a thousand-person helmet, the company will replace it free of charge. Talk about motivation for shopping.

I bought the basic, original Heritage model, which has an equestrian look; Qian described it as being inspired by "retro motorcycle covers and traditional color schemes from the 50s and 60s." It has a vegan leather strap that adds an elegant touch and two well-known features of the company-a magnetic, German-made clasp that allows one-handed fastening (when you always have a full hand It’s very convenient, like me) and the secret PopLock channel behind the logo, which allows you to add the helmet to the U-lock and connect it to the bike when it’s locked.

When I asked Lloyd Alter, Treehugger's resident bicycle expert and design editor, what he thought of a good and attractive bicycle helmet, he came up with some ideas. He told me that comfort is important. "If it's uncomfortable, you won't want to wear it. There is a dial on the back of my helmet, so I can adjust it to my head." Thousands of helmets have the same, easy-to-adjust fit system, but Allows you to adjust the helmet every time you ride.

Ventilation is also very important to Alter. He said: "I have two helmets, one is a fully ventilated racing helmet, which I wear in summer, and a rounder and fuller helmet, which I wear during the rest of the year." In terms of safety, he Think "full helmets may be better for racing helmets because it covers most of your head, not just sitting on it." Once again, Thousand won with its round, full shape-not to mention Speaking of vents with internal passages.

Other series include Chapter helmets, which are more sporty, advanced, and more expensive than Heritage helmets, and Thousand Jr. for riders between 5 and 11 years old. The children's series was just launched in April 2021 and passed safety certifications such as bicycles, roller skating, and roller skating. And skateboard. 

Part of what also attracted me was the nearly 2,000 five-star ratings for the Heritage series. People obviously like these helmets and they are full of praise. There are many comments about how attractive they are, which makes people more inclined to wear them-this is exactly how I feel. 

The best bicycle helmet you can buy is the one you want to wear, so don't be afraid to splurge on styles that appeal to you. If you keep peeking at a certain brand’s Instagram page and scrolling through the colors, this is a good sign. Let yourself be excited about the look, rather than settle for a style that will make you cringe whenever you wear it. 

Check out Thousand's cute helmets here.

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