NSN Cycling Team and Uno X-Mobility are wearing concussion sensors at the Tour de France. Riders’ helmets are equipped with technology that issues an alert when it detects a significant head impact.
The small device also records data on the severity of the incident to inform post-crash recovery efforts.
In recent years, the Tour de France has seen some nasty crashes, particularly during the lead-out phase before a sprint, and this kind of technology is designed to help team staff identify anomalies and improve rider safety across the board.
At the opposite end of the cycling spectrum, downhill mountain bikers have been using the HIT Connect impact sensor (a wearable head-impact device designed for mountain biking) that mounts to the back of the helmet and measures forces on the head. Considering the speeds associated with the discipline, it’s become a no-brainer.
NSN and Uno X are using the ProMD impact sensor, which fits into a band of blue foam between the cradle and dial, in helmets from their respective sponsors, Ekoi and Sweet Protection. On the road, concussion protocols have come under scrutiny in recent years amid growing awareness of the risks of head injuries.
We’ve asked Dr Jack Hardwicke, senior lecturer in the sociology of sport at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology, about how he thinks cycling is dealing with concussion and how concussion sensors could improve that.
Luca Viano, Ekoi’s helmet product manager, has answered our questions on this safety innovation.
ProMD impact sensor fits into a band of blue foam between the cradle and dial
(Image credit: NSN/Ekoi)
How is elite cycling dealing dealing with concussion?
“It’s improving, but still has a long way to go,” says Dr Hardwicke.
Currently riders who are assessed for head injuries after a crash are penalised because they lose time. He would like cycling to consider a rule change that, for example, lets riders draft back to where they were in the race.
But the main problems are cultural and economic.
“Elite cycling, like most sports, still has a strong culture of ‘getting back on the bike’ following crashes and injury,” he says.
“This culture is encouraged by many coaches, mechanics, medics, athletes, journalists their glorifying reporting of ‘heroic’ riders competing with injury etc.
“There are also strong economic pressures on athletes not to withdraw for fear of letting the team down and/or jeopardising sponsorship.
“There needs to be more efforts placed into shifting this culture so cyclists have less pressure to compete following a crash.”
To negate this pressure, he’d like to see independent doctors have the power to rule on whether a rider carries on.
“Until there’s greater cultural change, policies and protocols will always be bent and broken in practice,” he adds.
“Adam Yates’ recent concussion in the Giro is a prime example.”
How does the impact sensor work?
In its R2 carbon helmet, Ekoi’s best road bike helmet, the company has incorporated an impact sensor developed by Meditech’s ProMD.
“It is an intelligent crash detection system designed to enhance rider safety by monitoring both linear and rotational impacts in real time,” says Viano. “Using advanced motion sensors and proprietary algorithms, it distinguishes genuine crashes from normal riding vibrations, reducing false alarms while providing reliable impact detection.”
When it senses a head impact, it sends an emergency alert to notify people of the incident if the rider cannot call for help themselves.
“The sensor also records impact data that can support post-crash evaluation and help riders make informed decisions after an accident,” adds Viano.
Although ProMD claims its device provides lab-grade data from its G-force sensors, Viano says: “It is intended as a safety monitoring tool and should not be considered a medical device for diagnosing concussion or other head injuries.”
Dr Hardwicke says concussion sensors like ProMD’s could help by providing an “objective measurement” that determines whether or not a rider continues racing after a crash.
“This would help move away from having to use roadside assessments of riders showing signs and symptoms,” he adds.
The sensor is described as an intelligent crash detection system designed to enhance rider safety by monitoring both linear and rotational impacts in real time
(Image credit: NSN/Ekoi)
Why has Ekoi introduced this technology to helmets?
Many brands include MIPS in their helmets or have their own anti-concussion technology, but why does Ekoi think helmets should also have impact detection?
“Triggering an alarm will allow a faster response when medical intervention is needed,” says Viano. “This is extremely important when riding alone in particular.
“Secondly, collecting precise impact data, such as on linear and rotational acceleration, duration of the impact, and direction of the impact, will help medical assessment and the recovery plan.”
Ekoi also says the data will be beneficial for research and development of safer helmets.
“This data will also help us develop better helmets by combining the information from real accidents, laboratory impact tests, and damages directly visible on helmets tested in a laboratory or crashed in a race,” says Viano.
“We collect all crashed helmets by our teams and study them to understand what can be done better in future products.”
The sensor is held within impact-absorbing foam and attached to the dial on the back of the helmet
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Are there any downsides to the technology?
The sensor is held within impact-absorbing foam and attached to the dial on the back of the helmet. According to Viano, this has no adverse impact on the helmet.
“It weighs a few grams and does not affect or reduce the helmet’s safety performance,” he says.
The same applies when similar sensors are inserted into the EPS, the helmet’s protective foam.
“In that case, several impact tests are performed in different conditions (high and low temperature, UV exposure, water exposure) on every helmet size to confirm that it does not alter the safety performance of the helmet itself,” he adds.
The impact-absorbing foam has no impact’s on the ergonomics and fit of the helmet
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Who is using the ProMD impact sensor and how good it it?
NSN is trialing the sensor at the Tour de France, and Ekoi’s goal is for all its sponsored teams, including Lotto-Intermarché and XDS-Astana in the pro peloton, to adopt it. After Torstein Træen crashed wearing the yellow jersey on stage six, Uno X-Mobility said analysis of data from his helmet sensor informed the decision to withdraw him from the race the next day with concussion and multiple rib fractures.
Besides indicating when a rider crashes and hits their head, which, in the shock of the incident, they may not necessarily recall themselves, the ProMD can better educate doctors.
“Medical staff can use the information from the impacts over time, and assess, for example, if there is a stress overload, or even combine the impact sensor data with any other smart sensor,” says Viano.
It could help them understand the interactions among, for example, training score, sleep score, recovery score, BPM, HRV, and the accelerations caused by one or more crashes over time.
“In short, doctors can help riders to build a better recovery plan after a crash, and make sure there are no spikes in any parameters that can cause any risk to them.”
Dr Hardwicke says: “Concussion sensors could provide an immediate indication of the extent of impact a rider has sustained, as this is often missed in big bunch crashes or those that occur off camera.
“This is useful additional data to make a call on removing a rider. But for them to be most effective, independent doctors will be important.
“There are also still issues around how accurate the sensors actually are and where they are placed.
“For example, if sensors are placed in helmets, then the helmet slipping can produce false readings.
“But they are still a useful addition and the approach should still always be on the side of caution when it comes to brain injuries.”
Uno X-Mobility said analysis of data from Torstein Træen’s helmet sensor informed the decision to withdraw him from the race the next day with concussion and multiple rib fractures
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Will impact detection sensors catch on in road cycling helmets?
It’s no surprise that Viano believes they will.
“Technology should be used to improve both safety and health, and impact-detection systems can provide very valuable information,” he says.
“Any tool that helps riders, their families, or emergency contacts make faster and more informed decisions can contribute to a better cycling experience for everyone.”
But in a sport where calls for better safety are growing louder, his argument is hard to dispute.
Explore More
