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More powerful, more features, quieter, maybe lighter ...
That's actually a clean looking frame IMO. Obviously fk the headset routing though
got a PR today about Release Layer helmet tech. looks really interesting with breakaway panels and a ball bearing system. deets below - www.releaselayer.com
the official PR
INTRODUCING RLS (RELEASE LAYER SYSTEM) - THE FUTURE OF HELMET TECHNOLOGY THAT REDUCES CONCUSSION RISK
RLS is proven to reduce the risk of concussion by 4x on average compared with conventional helmets
Designed and manufactured by engineers based in East London, UK
Canyon Bicycles will be the first brand to include RLS in their helmets
There are around 55 million* cases of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) reported globally each year. This can lead to a wide spectrum of health outcomes, from mild concussions to long term cognitive disabilities.
With the growing increase of e-bike usage alongside the increase of e-bike injuries- (incidence of head trauma from e-bicycle accidents in 2022 was approximately 49x higher than in 2017. A growth rate that outpaced overall e-bicycle injuries).** - it’s never been more important to develop a solution that reduces TBI, not only for e-bike riders, but cyclists, motorcyclists and safety workers.
Introducing RLS (Release Layer System). RLS is a new patented technology that reduces concussion risk by enabling panels on the exterior of a helmet to roll and release upon impact, significantly dissipating rotational force that can cause life-changing brain injuries.
The brain - our most vital organ, and the source of our character, personalities and being - is highly sensitive to rotational motion, which is present in the majority of head impacts and a leading cause of TBIs. RLS is so effective, that in an independent study, RLS was found to reduce the risk of concussion by 4x on average compared with conventional helmets***.
Within the layers of a helmet with RLS technology, RLS panels are connected to a lightweight polycarbonate bearing layer that is designed to activate when a significant impact force has been detected. Upon impact, the technology is designed to work in a matter of milliseconds. The bearings are free to roll in any direction to allow the RLS panel to release, thereby redirecting concussive forces away from the brain.
React: The patented RLS adhesive layer is engineered to react instantaneously to specific impact force, releasing its grip and allowing bearings to roll.
Roll: The RLS Panel is now free to roll on lightweight polycarbonate bearings in any direction, to redirect rotational energy from the brain.
Release: The RLS Panel releases to further dissipate rotational energy, which can help better protect helmet wearers from concussive force.
Helmets with RLS technology are independently tested by experts in the field. And the data speaks for itself. Tests conducted by ICUBE at the University of Strasbourg - a world leading research centre in biomechanics - found that helmets with the Release Layer System reduced Peak Rotational Velocity by an average of 57% - 66% across different impact locations, compared to the same helmets without RLS. This corresponds to a 68% - 86% reduction in the probability of brain injury as estimated by the Abbreviated Injury Scale - Level 2.
Conventional helmets are designed to address linear impact forces, despite the fact that most real-world accidents generate significant rotational forces. Some technologies, such as Mips, aim to mitigate these rotational forces by allowing the helmet to rotate independently from the skull. These technologies, which are generally located on the inside of the helmet, offer a limited range of motion during the critical milliseconds of an impact. RLS addresses rotational motion through the free-release of panels located on the outside of the helmet.
As with many great innovations, this technology was discovered almost by accident, by the founder of RLS, Jamie Cook. Jamie, who was working in the helmet industry as co-founder of HEXR, the 3D printed custom helmet company, noticed that the outer shells of his colleague’s 3D printed helmet released in an accident, and this action was found to significantly reduce rotational forces and the risk of concussion. Jamie and his research team began exploring the most efficient ways of releasing panels which led to the use of small lightweight bearings between the shells.
The first helmet available to consumers with RLS will be the Canyon Deflectr RLS Helmet due for release later this Autumn. Canyon Bicycles, based in Koblenz, Germany have been working closely with the RLS team to build the technology into their new helmet, and as so, the Deflectr Trail helmet is now number 1 on the Virginia Tech helmet ratings (as of 22/9/25).
“RLS is first and foremost designed to protect what makes you, you”, says RLS founder and CEO Jamie Cook. “Your memories, your personality, your loves and hates are all in the most fascinating part of the body - the brain - and RLS has been developed to protect what matters most. We are incredibly excited to launch this technology today, especially with our launch partners at Canyon as we share a passion for safety and disruption technology.”
Over the coming months, RLS will announce further leading brands and partners that will incorporate RLS technology.
For more information on RLS, head to www.releaselayer.com
About RLS
RLS is the world’s only release layer system. RLS makes helmets safer by enabling external panels to roll and release upon impact, significantly dissipating rotational forces that can cause life-changing brain injuries. RLS is designed and manufactured in East London, UK and currently holds numerous granted patents across key markets — including the U.S. and Europe.
Sources
*https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/traumatic-brain-injury-remains-a-major-global-health-problem-say-experts&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1757345152377658&usg=AOvVaw1YRUAf_MI59KqXPYO8_vql
** https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10882498/
*** - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676402v1
#BMXtechRumors - Huffy drops a pro-level bmx frame - the sledgehammer! will a mountain bike be next? (doubtful)
Maybe they'll figure out something to do with Niner? Maybe a Huffy branded DJ frame?
Never thought I'd see reactive armor for the brain... but here we are.
I'm all for brain safety, but I have to wonder about how safe it is for your face to have your helmet literally grenading on impact. Like, what's going to happen if your face hits one of those breakaway plastic panels? That can't be good.
I’d rather cut my face open than be a vegetable
Me too, but I'd also rather take a #3 or #4 ranked helmet and not slice my cheek open or cut my ear off.
I can assure you better plastic panels than a rock to the face.
Not going to lie, if this works as well as they say then I'm buying one immediately, along with a full face if they ever make it. This is incredibly cool tech.
“RLS is first and foremost designed to protect what makes you, you”, says RLS founder and CEO Jamie Cook.
--->Image from RLS site 😆
Yo Dawg, I heard you liked Mips, so I put a Mips on your Mips, so you can have a helmet in your helmet on your helmet.
Probably no worse than if your visor breaks off and goes into your face?
I too am seriously going to consider getting one of these on day one. Half shell is due for an update.
Hmm but does this mean the helmet is toast after the first little crash, or can I put the pieces back together?
I know helmets should be replaced after a crash, but if I'm forced to do so just because it disintegrated this tech sounds a bit less cool.
Edit: Actually bothered to read their FAQ, it mentions panels should be reattachable, along with the urge to use "common sense" in doing so. So probably like any other helmet... Their animation made it look like there's a million tiny balls releasing upon impact😅
RLS is so effective, that in an independent study, RLS was found to reduce the risk of concussion by 4x on average compared with conventional helmets***
Yet the study linked is
1) Not peer reviewed
2) Not actually published yet
3) Is hugely biased. Quote from the study: "Competing interests: This work was funded by HEXR Ltd. All authors are employees of HEXR Ltd or Dropmatics Ltd, which may benefit from the findings."
HEXR is the company behind RLS, so they directly benefit from a study about increased safety from RLS. Also, canyon supplied the helmets for the control group, but the press release says Canyon will be another manufacture to use RLS. So they, too, benefit from this study and are directly involved in it. I'm not sure how this can be claimed to be independent?
The results could be accurate, but honestly with that much bias I'd be taking the whole thing with a large pinch of salt.
Edit: I see that it is ranked number one in Virgina Tech's ranking, so maybe I should go put that salt on my hat and eat it.
It's all ball bearings nowadays.
I also want to point out the use the term “conventional helmets” quite a bit. What defines that? Something without mips? A helmet without anything and its just foam? Because I feel anything with the goal of concussion and TBI prevention will outshine a standard foam helmet. Kind of like saying that your offroad purposed built vehicle is 99% better off roading than conventional vehicles (Conventional Vehicle: Your Moms Prius.)
Fun unique find
gonna come around the corner with my conventional helmet and low-side on spent RLS helmet marbles I can just feel it
Ceramic bearing upgrade for my helmet, please..
Enduro Max bearing helmet next...
Can we assume this is a v2 commencal supreme, carbonated and tucked?
I don't know why, but if Scott didn't hide the shock, I think it would look something like this..
this thread is good again
good job everyone and thanks ball bearing helmet for making it happen
I don't know why, but if BOLD didn't hide the shock, I think it would look something like this..
That RLS system seems perfectly effective as long as long as nothing else than the deflect panels are touched during the impact. Which will be the case in a vast majority of situations, especially on road and smooth surfaces.
But during a mountain bike crash on rough surface a pointy rock, small root or branch can potentially catch the edge of one of the helmet vents or EPS in between panels. In that precise situation, the RLS have no effect. In that situation MIPS still allows the helmet to deflect a good part of the rotational effect.
So, to my eyes, for mountain biking helmets the RLS should not replace the MIPS or similar systems but be used as an additional security. RLS solo in road helmet is perfectly fine.