Thousand, creators of vintage-inspired, innovative bicycle helmets and safety accessories, has launched its Heritage 2.0 helmet, the next evolution of the brand’s flagship model.
Thousand prioritized diversity and inclusivity in designing the new helmet. It hosted a comfort study performed on a large group of diverse individuals to develop a hybrid headform that more comfortably fits riders of all backgrounds. Implementing eight years of customer feedback, Heritage 2.0 also will include performance enhancements like 70 percent more ventilation and magnetic tail light compatibility.
“An often overlooked component of increasing diversity, inclusivity and accessibility in biking and riding communities is product design,” said Thousand’s founder, Gloria Hwang. “There are real barriers — functional, emotional, financial and cultural — standing in the way of people choosing alternative modes of transportation. It’s our hope that the inclusive design of our Heritage 2.0 helmet serves as a welcome to customers who have not felt accounted for in the cycling space.”
Thousand Upgrades
Heritage 2.0 has a re-engineered headform, new internal padding and an updated proprietary fit system. it is intentionally constructed to minimize pressure points and hot spots for riders whose head shapes are not typically designed for in the United States and Europe.
Large market manufacturers predominantly model helmets for those of European-descent, resulting in a more oval head shape in circumference. This can leave individuals of Asian-descent, which have more round head shape in circumference, with ill-fitting helmet options. Thousand’s Heritage 2.0 boasts a hybrid headform — between Asian and European head shapes — and a fit system that allows for more customizable comfort for all riders.
The Heritage 2.0 will also feature two key technical performance enhancements. One is active cooling with more ventilation channels. The other is higher visibility, as the helmet is now compatible with a Heritage 2.0 specific magnetic tail light. The light is set to launch in early summer. Fan-favorite innovations in the Heritage helmet, like Thousand’s PopLock and no-pinch magnetic buckle design, will carry over into the Heritage 2.0 helmet.
The Heritage 2.0 (MSRP $99) is available today on explorethousand.com in eight colors signature to Thousand’s Heritage helmet. Four more new colors, including a Moto Collection and Super Bloom Collection, will debut in spring. The Heritage 2.0 compatible tail light will be sold separately (MSRP $25), launching online in June 2023.
