Custom helmets

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David Goldsmith

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Aug 15, 2022, 8:53:07 PM8/15/22
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Hi, everyone,

In spring of 2021, I signed on to a Kickstarter put on by a company (KAV Sports) that wanted to do custom bicycle helmets made using 3D printing technology. It was expensive, but I was intrigued by the idea. The helmet finally arrived just in time for a minor injury in late spring. I started using it about a month ago when I got back to riding, and I have gotten a lot of comments about it on rides.

The President of KAV, Whitman Kwok, reached out to me last week to ask me how I liked the helmet. It's the most comfortable bike helmet I've ever worn, by the way. We chatted, he asked who I rode with, and I told him about SF2G and Different Spokes (SF-based LGBT bike club).

He asked me if I thought there would be any interest in either club for a group buy (5 or more) or even a custom design. I told him that given the price point (something like $400 or $450), maybe not, but I would mention it. It might be the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned, but it's also about double the price of any helmet I've ever owned. (Those of us who were in on the Kickstarter got a "discounted" price of $300.)

So I'm passing that information on to see if anyone might be interested in either a group buy or an SF2G design.

Another thing that Whitman offered us was a factory tour. I visited their factory last fall when I got fitted; now they've moved into a greatly expanded facility, and I'd like to see it. (I blogged about my visit to their first facility and about the fitting process; if anyone wants to read it, have a look here.) If others are interested, maybe we could do a ride down there sometime. The process they are using to make these helmets is pretty cool. The factory's in an industrial area of Redwood City, pretty close to Bayway but on the other side of 101.

If there's any interest, let's do it. It's been so long since I've done an SF2G ride, it would be great to have a little reunion and see some folks.

David

PS - any other SF2G riders in on the Kickstarter?

Scott Crosby

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Aug 16, 2022, 8:31:14 AM8/16/22
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sounds cool, how about a selfie so we can check the aesthetic on a known-handsome rider?

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d chang

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Aug 16, 2022, 1:43:16 PM8/16/22
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> I signed on to a Kickstarter put on by a company (KAV Sports) that wanted to do custom bicycle helmets made using 3D printing technology.
...
> I visited their factory last fall when I got fitted;

did the factory tour include this sort of footage?

\p

David Goldsmith

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Aug 22, 2022, 10:43:17 AM8/22/22
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I forgot, can we insert/attach photos on this list?

Scott Crosby

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Aug 22, 2022, 10:52:33 AM8/22/22
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ridiculously good-looking.  

Darrin Ward

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Aug 22, 2022, 12:13:19 PM8/22/22
to Scott Crosby, d...@dgolds.com, SF2G
thanks for the forward.
i admit i am intrigued considering the issues i have had finding a proper fitting helmet.
i am roughly a 64/65cm and the options are few.
curious about safety (cause the front and side cuts are high) and ventilation (cause it looks thick/heavy).

David Goldsmith

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Aug 22, 2022, 2:43:51 PM8/22/22
to Darrin Ward, Scott Crosby, SF2G
Here's their blurb, Darrin: https://kavsports.com/products/kav-portola-helmet. They do have CPSC but not MIPS. There's some information about why no MIPS on the site.

I've ridden with it 6 or 7 times now and ventilation feels fine to me. I haven't been out with it in really hot weather yet, though.

If there's interest - I've had some communication with Whitman at KAV and he offered a factory tour to SF2G if we could get enough folks who wanted to swing by their place in Redwood City. It's not that far from Bayway, maybe a mile away. Been told that coffee and pastries could be on the table for that :-)

David
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