Like the CE EN 1077 does for ski and snowboard, the CE EN 1078 applies for bike helmets. In general tests are the same and the three major requirements a helmet needs to surpass to get the certification are: Design requirements, shock absorption, and retention.
1. Design requirements
Making sure the helmet design does not interfere with the user’s field of vision and the area of coverage.
2. Shock absorbing capacity.
The most important is the shock absorbing capacity of the helmet. This is tested in a specialized instrument where the helmet is dropped at a speed of 5,42 m/s onto a solid metal anvil with a metal head inside.
Inside the metal head there’s an accelerometer that measures the forces within the impact. The helmets are tested in three conditions: High temperature, low temperature, and after UV aging. Each helmet is tested on several areas (crown, side, rear & front). The peak acceleration must not exceed 250G for any of the impacts.
3. Retention system performance
This test covers the strength of the retention system (webbing), as well as its effectiveness, i.e. the webbings ability to keep the helmet securely positioned on the head.
