Cycling and skating with the same helmet: a safe, fast and cost-cutting solution

A helmet you can use for ice skating and cycling in summer and winter? It’s very possible and definitely cost-cutting. Remarkable for both sports, the Cadomotus helmets are the only certified helmets you can use for both skating and cycling, and whatever your level.

A good helmet is worth its weight in gold – safety wise of course, but also for aerodynamics, comfort and looks. Thus, apart from the current price increases that might force you to be more creative with your budget, a helmet you can wear in the summer as well as in the winter is a good thing on its own.

Watertight certification in both sports

To start with the – slightly boring but – undeniable facts: for cycling and skating (and many other sports) inspections and certifications are separate and specific: EN1078 for cycling and ASTM F-1849-07 for speedskating. If you want to participate in official events, an officially approved helmet is mandatory. The Cádomotus helmets are the only ones to have both certifications, and can therefore be used for both sports, at all levels.

Our collection starts with the Alpha-3Y children’s helmet, which may be slightly more expensive, but saves you the purchase of a second separate skating or cycling helmet, and goes up to the professional Omega helmet, which is used at the highest (Olympic) level.

Differences between skating and cycling helmets

It’s quite clear and simple: only Cadomotus offers speed skating helmets that are approved for cycling, and vice versa. However, you may wonder if the differences between these two types of helmets are not too big to allow such a crossover. To help you better understand the specifics, here is a brief explanation. First and foremost, the regulations for cycling helmets are not as extended as those for skating helmets, because of the nature of the sport. A skating helmet must follow the shape of the head and should not have any protruding parts. If a skater falls from a standing position, or because someone in the inner lane knocks them over to the outer lane in their fall, a protruding part may cause additional injury. Aerodynamic tips pointing to the rear are therefore forbidden, but also the simple pointed projection that you find at the back of a teardrop-shaped cycling helmet is not allowed either. Large air vents are also out of question with a skating helmet: in a group fall including several athletes, a skate blade could enter these openings, resulting in very serious head injuries.

The Omega helmet as the ultimate compromise

In addition, in colder conditions, those large air vents can be very unpleasant to both skaters and cyclists. In cold weather, riders prefer to opt for a more closed and aerodynamically advantageous helmet, the aero helmet.

If you take the closed nature of the helmet in consideration, all approved skating helmets are basically aero helmets. The long tail, which is common in time-trial cycling helmets, is a feature you will not find on skating helmets. After all, according to the ISU rulebook, helmets are supposed to follow the shape of the head. Therefore, the Cadomotus helmets have a short back tail, thus creating an optimal balance between aerodynamics and safety. Aero helmets can also have ventilation holes, so that they are still closed but also breathable. If these holes are strategically placed on the helmet, extra ventilation has no negative effect on air resistance, as proven with the Omega helmet. An important detail worth mentioning: The front holes have a plastic honeycomb design, which prevents a skating blade from piercing through in the winter and keeps insects out in the summer.

With these cleverly designed ventilation holes, the Cadomotus Omega helmet is ideal for summer and winter, and easily competes with any other cycling and skating helmet. For example, both the Japanese national speed skating team and part of the European triathlon elite are equipped with the same Cadomotus Omega model.

An appropriate look on both bike and ice skates

Of course, you also want to polish your look, whether you’re on bike or on skates. Cycling is most certainly a sport where appearance plays a role, but even if you don’t mind fashion, a speed skating helmet on a racing bike can seem a bit out-of-place. Every sport has its own style. For example, a short track helmet is typical of the sports culture that comes with it, but even short trackers themselves will think twice before getting on their bike with the helmet they wear on ice. As a comparison, it would be similar as rollerblading with a skateboard helmet on, which is not something many people will do.

Cadomotus has therefore carefully thought about designs. Our skating helmets catch the eye whether you are on ice or on your bike, so that you look the part in all situations, both in the summer on bike and in the winter on the ice rink.

Do you want to know more about short vs long trail aero helmets? Click the video below.