Icon Airframe Construct exposes weave

May 6, 2010

Instead of covering the Icon Airframe Construct in cheesy demons, the company has opted for the surprisingly classy, understated approach of exposing the carbon/fiberglass/Dyneema weave under a layer of clear coat. Doing so gives the helmet’s shell a three-dimensional depth and texture, both of which combine to evoke the usually mutually exclusive properties of strength and lightness, a visual effect exposed carbon never really manages. Another image below.

Icon

http://greatjoballweek.blogspot.com/ Case

Does this clearcoat expose the fiber to UV rays and hasten it’s degradation?

I remember something about CF and fiberglass being susceptible to UV damage if exposed to prolonged sunlight. It might be negligible if, for example, helmet life is planned for 3 years and the fibers start to become brittle at 5 years, but it’s something to consider.

3 years of use out of a $300 helmet? That’s pretty good.
- http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler
  
  Typically with exposed structural carbon a special clear coat is used that blocks UV rays, slowing down or eliminating that problem.
http://www.thisblueheaven.com Mark D.

Very classy. They look like these guys’ helmets, though: http://ohsuplauren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/rguard1.jpg

I agree with Case about durability, though; I’d worry about the clear-coat bubbling/cracking with extreme temperatures.
- g31
  
  where do you ride dude…to the sun? What’s an extreme temp anyway? ….and where do you find it?
  - http://www.thisblueheaven.com Mark D.
    
    Ha, point taken, but I was thinking more about the cold than the heat (New England) :)I had a pair of CF burton snowboarding bindings whose clearcoating cracked after a particularly cold day, is the only reason I bring it up.
Machinist

Cool, they are using the logo from the Dutch railway company..
http://historiek.net/images/stories/ns-logo.jpg
Tim

no snell approval?
Icon Moto

All, thanks for the comments and questions.

We use a UV resistant clear coat on the Construct helmet.

The Airframe Construct is AWS (All world Standard) – ECE/DOT in North America, SAI in Australia, and SG in Japan.
- g31
  
  dude, i skipped over your answer, sorry for the redundancy on the UV dealio
  anyway…this helmet killer rocks the bang bus
  jsn
http://www.urbanrider.co.uk Urban Rider

Yay exposed carbon fibre. Boo cheesy demons!
Tim

So the helmet meet the minimum standard for multiple countries but not BSI (europe) or Snell. So what is the difference between this and a $75 THH?
- http://www.urbanrider.co.uk Urban Rider
  
  BSI is the British Standard which is lower than ECE European approval. This helmet is ECE approved.
meatsmasher

Really Tim? A THH?

Tell you what, you go bonk your noggin a Icon helmet or any other MAJOR brand helmet at a good rate of speed then go do the same with a THH. If you can still move your appendages after that please learn how to use the internet and research this stuff yourself.
meatsmasher

EDIT – …in a Icon helmet
g31

all current automotive clear has UV protection in it.
JL

All Icon Airframes are Snell approved, so you’re comment about standards is completely wrong.
JL

edit-* your comment
Icon Moto

JL – As of 09 Fall we switched helmet standards to the All World Standard.

There is a mixed inventory on the streets of Snell and AWS helmets but all “new” Icon Helmets, such as the Construct, are AWS (ECE/DOT) in the US.

That said, you can still purchase a Icon Domain helmet if you want a Snell M2005 certified helmet.
Mitch

ECE instead of Snell cert is often a sought after feature.

Are Euro Shoei XR-1100 helmets lighter than our RF-1100?