Ever wondered how a MET (from helMET in case you were wondering) helmet is made? We went to the company’s Italian headquarters to find out…
Founded on the shores of Lake Como, Italy in 1987 by Lucianna Sala and Massimo Gaiatto, the MET helmets factory now sits in the heart of the Alps in Talamona. The state-of-the-art facility is capable of producing 3,000 lids a day.
MET pride themselves on the fact they design and manufacture helmets on one site, enabling them to innovate and develop new products much more quickly than their counterparts.
Birth of a lid
Each new helmet begins life on a computer screen, where the shape and venting is designed. Exhaustive testing on every new model is carried out before any physical helmet is made.
Structural impact simulation testing is done to find any weaknesses, and geometry modifications can be made following 3D computer model testing.
Once the helmet has passed this stage, a 3D printing machine is put to work and creates a life-size model of the helmet.
When the helmet gets the go-ahead, it can be produced in bulk in the company’s own factory.
The outer shell of each helmet is created from a polymer sheet which is heated and then blow-moulded.
The robot then gets to work, using a fine drill bit to cut the venting holes, strap anchors and any other incision needed on each helmet with absolute precision. The completed shell is removed from the mount, ready for the next process.
The robot then gets to work, using a fine drill bit to cut the venting holes, strap anchors and any other incision needed on each helmet with absolute precision. The completed shell is removed from the mount, ready for the next process.
Any waste from this stage is recycled and turned into, among other things, coat hangers – it's MET’s aim to be as environmentally friendly as possible.
Poly injection
The next stage in the manufacturing process is to fill the shell with polystyrene – the stuff that will protect your head if you hit the deck. The polystyrene is melted and injected inside a large machine, and the shell is then cooled with water. This is later recycled and used in the building’s toilets. After three minutes, the helmet comes out of the machine and is ready to be tested and finished.
Rigorous testing
MET distribute their helmets worldwide, and the headwear must conform to the standards of each country it is sold in.
All testing is carried out in the on-site laboratory using a range of punishing apparatus. The machine we were shown simulates a 60mph crash onto flat ground. There’s another anvil they use to simulate hitting the corner of a pavement.
Because high-end helmets like MET's new Sine Thesis have less material (polystyrene) in them, they’re more aerodynamic, will keep your head cool more efficiently and will be lighter.
The process of creating a top-end helmet is far more time consuming, intricate and requires more energy than producing a cheaper model, as we found on our visit. More venting on a helmet requires more cutting and therefore more time, which equals more money.
A low-end model can be created in mass quantities using a mould which is capable of producing helmets six times as fast as a £134.99 Sine Thesis, for example. The Sine Thesis has a more complex design and therefore needs more time and attention paid to it.
The production process for each helmet is the same, however. “We combine all features in every helmet: first safety, then design, then ventilation,” said product manager Matteo Tenni.
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How do MET make their helmets
Rachel Atherton Update Condition
Downhill world champion Rachel Atherton will be out of action for the next three to four months after she sustained nerve damage to her left shoulder in a road accident during a pre-season training camp in America.
The Animal Commencal star is undergoing surgery, and hopes to recover in time to defend her title at the World Championships in Australia in September.
In the meantime, she'll be joining Freecaster.tv as a commentator on the Nissan UCI World Cup Series. You can follow Rachel’s recovery on her blog.
Team director Dan Brown said: “The nerve in Rachel’s shoulder has seen little improvement over the past four weeks so the surgeon has taken the decision to operate. We’re hoping Rachel will be back in training in around three to four months so there’s still a chance she will compete at the World Championships."
Fellow Animal Commencal riders Dan and Gee Atherton are looking to stamp their authority on the 2009 season. Dan will be looking for his first 4X win of the season this weekend (1-3 May) at the World Cup round in Houffalize, Belgium. World champion Gee will be looking for top spots in the next downhill rounds in France and Andorra.
With Rachel out of the running for this year's women's World Cup title, all eyes will be on Brit Tracy Moseley and Frenchwoman Sabrina Jonnier. Moseley is on a new, lighter bike this year (Trek Session 88), and returned to form with a win at the first World Cup round in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Jonnier is always a strong contender, and she's also on a new bike
Tour De Singkarak Result
Tour De Singkarak Race Result
STAGE2 Padang-Bukit Tinggi
1. Stage Individual Classification stage 1
2. Individual General Classification Stage 1
3. Start Lish of Stage 3A (Bukit Tinggi - Sawahlunto)
STAGE 1 Team Time Trial
1. Stage Individual Classification stage 1
2. Individual General Classification Stage 1
3. Start Lish of Stage 2 (Padang - Bukit Tinggi) Read More..Tour De Singkarak 2009
Race Previews
RACE CATEGORY :
* 2.2 Category
* Asia Tour 2009 Constitute combination
* Registered in UCI (Union Cycling International)
Total Distance 462 Km
Concerned Area :
•Solok Regency•Solok City•Padang City•Padang Panjang City•Agam Regency•Bukit Tinggi City
•Payakumbuh City•Limpapuluh Kota Regency•Tanah DatarRegncy•Sawahlunto City
•SawahluntoSijunjung Regency
Route
Stage Summary
Merida HFS XC 2000D
"The Merida is a light and fast race-ready MTB bike with the easygoing personality of a trail bike"Merida’s HFS 2000-D sits one step down from the top of the HFS (Hydro Forming System) range. It’s fast, light (24.2lb) and adaptable enough to be far more than just a purist race bike.
If you’re looking for a sharp-handling, high-speed race bike that’ll be more than happy in as a fast trail bike, the HFS 2000-D will serve you as well as anything else we’ve tested at this price.
Ride & handling: Fast and sharp, but without feeling race-bike nervous
Not everyone will appreciate the flat bar and bar ends on the 2000-D, but they’re easily changed at point of purchase if you don’t – and it’s worth mentioning that the bar is fairly wide and there’s an inch of stem height adjustment.
The Merida’s handling is sharp without feeling race-bike nervous. The tyres are just cushy enough to mute the pinball effect as you flow your way through rocky, rooty sections, but you never feel that speed is compromised for comfort.
On the contrary, the comfort adds enough confidence to boost speed potential, and the 2000-D climbs and accelerates as a race bike should, with only the board-hard saddle reminding you how stiff the back end is as it skips through dodgy lines made possible by the superb performance of the fork. The fork, plus the long ride position, makes it a confident descender too.
Frame: First class detailing and minimal weight
Merida are good at building hydroformed frames, as they make them for a lot of other manufacturers, and proudly display state-of-the-art methods in their own structures.
While the resulting aesthetics are a real talking point, the weight, strength and performance advantages are far more crucial to the frame’s true value.
Every tube on the 2000-D is formed to create the ideal blend of durability, minimum weight (just over 3lb) and the sort of sharp trail feel that sets this apart from the lower-budget hydroformed offerings out there.
Equipment: Great RockShox SID fork and Mavic wheelset
An 80mm travel RockShox SID Race is the ideal fork choice – it’s beautifully controlled and has a handlebar switch for lockout duties. The drivetrain mixes SRAM X9 and X7 with a Truvativ Firex crankset.
The Mavic Crossride blade-spoked wheels are a highlight, but the Maxxis CrossMark 2.1in tyres make a bigger difference in terms of trail performance. An almost constant centrestrip tread means they are very fast in all but slippery conditions, but widely spaced side knobs make for decent cornering traction and the profile is big enough to noticeably boost comfort over the bumps.
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