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Video: The ultimate helmet hair? Playmobil-inspired lid goes viral

Danish firm 3D printed a prototype – creator challenges LEGO and Playmobil to put idea into production

An idea for a cycle helmet based on the hair of a Playmobil plastic figure, devised by a partner in the Stockholm office of one of the world’s biggest ad agencies as part of an MBA project, has set the internet abuzz this week with calls for it to be put into production.

Simon Higby, who undertook the project as part of an MBA thesis at the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, and a colleague from the firm’s Copenhagen office, Clara Prior Knock, contacted Danish 3D printing specialist MOEF to turn the idea into reality.

The result is the prototype helmet shown in the video above, aimed at encouraging children to wear a helmet while riding their bikes by using a design familiar to them from the toys they play with.

But comments on Reddit, where user Silamtao posted a picture of the helmet on Sunday gaining more than 1 million views suggest it also appeals to many adults.

The picture on Reddit was captioned “Lego hair cycle helmet,” although a close look at the video of the prototype being made, shared by MOEF on YouTube last year, shows that rather than the a figure from the Danish company, it was one from German rival Playmobil that was the source of the plastic hairdo.

Higby yesterday challenged the two toy manufacturers to come up with a production model, tweeting a link to coverage of the helmet on Mashable.

He wrote: “Hello @LEGO_Group & @playmobil check out our idea here. Who can be first to do this?!”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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3 comments

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Leviathan | 8 years ago
6 likes

Python, just give it a rest for one day. Your freedom of choice isn't effected by this gimmick. What are the odds you've an awful hypocrit who regularly wears a helmet? Or maybe your head is just protected by an aura of smugness.

Avatar
Matt_S | 8 years ago
1 like

I notice there's no shot of anyone actually wearing it.

Probably looks like melted chocolate orange on your noggin.

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Bristol Bullet | 8 years ago
0 likes

Kids brains will boil in that. 

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