Our #1 Cyclist Rule to Avoid Being Hit By a Car? Be SEEN. Here’s the Best Way How…
Any cyclist (or concerned mother) will tell you: a regular bike helmet has a great chance of saving your life in an accident. But the FARO smart helmet can keep you from having to take that chance in the first place by taking a simple precaution: making it inevitable for the driver to see you.
Being hit by a car is the most frequent source of injury while cycling. And especially in this new world of blazing-fast e-bikes, one wheels, and electric scooters… staying visible to the steel behemoths we share the road with is more imperative than ever. Thankfully, a team of design geniuses is making sure that’s possible.
Meet UNIT 1’s FARO, the award-winning smart helmet with 500+ lumens of powerful integrated lights, turn signals, automatic brake lights, crash detection, and the Mips safety system. FARO has found its way into the hands of 20,000 riders and into the pages of Forbes, Discerning Cyclist, and Cycling News—showing that, after raising over $1M in crowdfunding in less than a year, UNIT 1 delivered on their ingenious idea.
With large, high-positioned lights that make you visible to drivers at all times, FARO is reimagining rider safety by preventing accidents before they happen. So you can stay 100% safe in broad daylight and in the low light after hours of winter. Talk about a 5-star safety rating.
The Team Leading the Helmet Safety Revolution
UNIT 1’s founders knew that sharing the road with cars and buses on outdated infrastructure can be more than just a little sketchy. The reality is that bikes are getting faster at the same time that drivers are becoming more distracted (when’s the last time you saw a driver not look at their phone?)—and our approach to rider safety needs to adapt.
FARO was launched in 2021 to kickstart this adaptation. Since then, UNIT 1 has been getting major hype and is even starting to build out an entire suite of safety accessories for bikes, scooters, e-bikes, etc… solidifying themselves as leaders in the conversation around safety and visibility on the road.
But the FARO Helmet Offers Much More Than Just Safety…
And they’ve got an average review rating of 4.9 stars to prove it. Winning the Red Dot Design Award and the 2023 iF Design Gold Award doesn’t hurt their case, either.
Coming in at $249.80 with Turn Signals and Automatic Brake Lights and $209.90 without, both options come with the Mips safety system, an IPX-6 dust and rain-resistant exterior, and a magnetic buckle. FARO comes in small, medium, or large and 4 sleek colorways: Maverick (blue), Stingray (light gray), Blackbird (black), and Juniper (green).
While $200+ may sound like a lot for a helmet, it starts to sound like a bargain when you realize what you’re paying for. Here are our top 5 reasons why any cyclist needs to add this helmet to their arsenal, immediately.
1. Visibility, Visibility, Visibility—There’s No Excuse to Not See You.
FARO features fully customizable LED lights of 500+ lumens in both the front and back for a full 360° of visibility. If you’ve ever been on the car side of the equation, you know those tiny reflectors clipped low on the bike’s back frame are pretty easy to miss. But with a glaring (literally) light footprint at eye level, you’re almost impossible to miss.
You can also add on Turn Signals and Automatic Brake Lights via the Navigation Remote. Connecting to the helmet via Bluetooth, the Nav Remote mounts right on your handlebars and makes your helmet capable of turn signals and automatic brake lights, allowing you to communicate with drivers using their own language. It also helps you not get hit from behind.
There’s a reason the majority of cycling accidents occur at night—in low-light conditions, cyclists can be nearly invisible to drivers. But by making yourself overly visible and predictable, you’re dramatically reducing your chances of being hit by a car.
2. The Highest Standard of Crash Protection + Mips Safety System
Even with all the precautions in the world, unfortunately, accidents still happen. But if they do, FARO’s still got you covered. The helmet is fully CPSC and EN1078-certified and combines up to 3 layers of impact and rotation absorption to absorb as much energy as possible and keep your head safe.
FARO also features the Mips safety system, a low-friction liner that allows for multi-directional movement on rotational impacts. Essentially, by factoring in rotational forces, Mips largely reduces the risk of concussions and brain injury.
3. A Super-Sleek Helmet You’ll Actually Want to Wear
Let’s get something straight here. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t wear a bike helmet because they don’t actually believe that it’s safe. Generally, people opt out because most helmets are clunky, hot, and ugly. FARO is none of those things.
Utilizing a keen eye for design, sleek colorways, and a modern touch, FARO is a quantum leap from the old tin buckets we used to wear as head protection. The heavy-duty fabric liner features hidden lights as well, making this really look like it came from the future, and the helmet cleverly conceals a ventilation system so your head doesn’t get hot and stuffy.
4. Calls For Help When You Can’t: Crash Detection and Safety Check
FARO’s crash safety feature comes in three layers: crash prevention, crash protection, and crash detection. In the event you do end up in an accident, FARO is equipped with accelerometers and sensors to detect it. FARO will ask you via the accompanying app if you’re alright, and if you don’t respond, it will send a text with your location to a predetermined emergency contact.
With measures to address a wide range of outcomes, what FARO really offers you is peace of mind. It makes it possible to trust in your own safety or that of a loved one, then it actually delivers that safety. And everyone who has ever lived knows that’s no small thing.
5. Free Shipping, Free 30-day Returns, and 1 Year Warranty
There’s a reason the reviews on customer experience with UNIT 1 are so raving—these guys built an incredible product, and they stand by it. FARO comes to you with free express shipping and no hidden fees or shady sales tactics. If you try it out and decide it’s not for you, you can get a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.
Bonus Round: The UNIT 1 App
The accompanying UNIT 1 app offers one place to control and customize your FARO helmet and Navigation Remote. The design, like the helmet, is top shelf and allows you to track battery levels, manage performance, tweak light colors, and even explore programmable animations. The customization is endless.
There’s No Need to Be Afraid of (Riding in) the Dark Anymore.
Because with this life-saving and accident-preventing helmet, you’re constantly putting yourself out of harm’s way. The world is speeding up and, as cyclists, we need to ensure we’re taking all the necessary precautions to stay protected. FARO is more than just a bike helmet, it’s a new and revolutionary way to think about road safety.
So whether you’re a city commuter or a backroad cruiser, the FARO Smart Helmet is the ultimate accessory for riding high-tech, safe, and comfortable. Plus, you’ll look pretty damn cool while you do it.