 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(March 2017) |
Helmz (stylized as HELMS) is a sports bicycle from Bridgestone Cycle Co., Ltd. jointly developed with fashion brand narifuri. [1] [2]
Bridgestone Cycle's 60th-anniversary model was developed as a "bicycle to be a part of fashion" [3] with narifuri taking charge in frame design and concept establishment. It was created with a "focus on design." The model was announced in 2009 and was sold starting in 2010.
The name HELMZ is derived from the English term "helm."
Custom-designed original parts were made for HELMZ by Japanese cycle part brands such as NITTO, MKS Pedal, and Sugino. Japanese-oriented brand parts were selected carefully to minimize the use of Shimano parts. [4]
These original parts of HELMZ are sold as aftermarket cycle products. The entire sales plan, including the package design of selling boxes and POP, was awarded the Minister of Economy Award and the Planning Award at the 42nd JPM Creative Design Show in 2012. SR1 received the Good Design award in 2014.[ citation needed ]
The frame was based on a sloped, low-front, top tube design from Narifuri and was manufactured using superplastic forming which molds the frame by inflating high air pressure in the 7005 aluminum pipe. Bridgestone cycle usually used this manufacturing method to improve riding performance, but in HELMZ it was necessary to realize the design. [5]
The texture and rim height differ in front and rear wheels. The front wheel is silver with 35mm rim height. The rear wheel is black with 38 mm rim height. Models with high-performance sports wheels were launched afterward.[ citation needed ]
For models with gear shifts, a thumb shifter is used. This shifter is operated with the thumb, unlike the typical modern sports bicycle push bar mechanical shift. [6]
Helmz's original aftermarket parts were released in 2012. Stem, handlebar, saddle, wheels, gear cranks, and most other original parts were sold on the market as aftermarket parts. [7]
The belt drive equipped models, SR1 and S10, were introduced in 2013. These models were an update of Bridgestone's belt drive experience from 1980, "SSSD" (Selectable SS Solld Drive). The new belt drives were made out of carbon instead of kevlar making the belts lighter and more flexible. [8]
Frame shape and concepts have not been changed since its first announcement except for the new sizes being set.
| Model Name | Model Year | Composition |
|---|---|---|
| H1 | 2010 - 2011 | 9 speed, flat bar handle |
| H1X | 2011 - 2013 | 10 speed, bull-horn handle, original design parts, high-quality cyclocross wheels |
| H10 | 2011 - | 9 speed, flat handle, size 510mm added |
| H65 | 2012 - | 9 speed, size 650B wheels, flat handle, size 480mm (compact model) |
| SR1 | 2013 - | SSSD (Single Speed Solid Drive), high-quality cyclocross wheels, drop handle |
| S10 | 2013 - | SSSD (Single Speed Solid Drive), riser bar handle |
| H2X | 2014 - | 10 speed, bull-horn handle, original design parts, high-quality cyclocross wheels |
Collaborating with Star Wars, Helmz released two 5th anniversary models in different colors. The Galactic Empire model is black-based with blue, while the Rebel Alliance model is silver based with red. The bikes were hand-painted at the Bridgestone Cycle headquarters factory. [9]
2013 Planning: JPM Minister of Economy Award in 42nd JPM Creative Design Show for Year 2012 [10]
2014 SR1: Good Design award 2014 [11]
2016 SR1: Selected as "JAPANESE DESIGN TODAY 100" in Singapore [12]
Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd., also known as RGF outside Japan, is a human resources holding company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company was founded by Hiromasa Ezoe (江副浩正), then an educational psychology student at the University of Tokyo, as Daigaku Shimbun Koukokusha in 1960. It was a spin-off from the Todai Shimbun.
Keiji Fujiwara was a Japanese actor and voice actor.
The PC-9800 series, commonly shortened to PC-98 or 98, is a lineup of Japanese 16-bit and 32-bit personal computers manufactured by NEC from 1982 to 2000. The platform established NEC's dominance in the Japanese personal computer market, and, by 1999, more than 18 million units had been sold. While NEC did not market these specific machines in the West, it sold the NEC APC series, which had similar hardware to early PC-98 models.
The Suzuki Lapin is a kei car with a five-door hatchback body, manufactured since 2002 by Suzuki for the Japanese market only, and was also marketed in Japan only by Mazda as Mazda Spiano under an OEM agreement through their Autozam stores until 2008. It is based on Suzuki's popular Alto kei car.
Team Bridgestone Cycling is a continental cycling team based in Japan that participates in UCI Continental Circuits races.
Anna Ishii is a Japanese dancer, actress and model. She is a former member of E-girls and represented by LDH.
The Honda N-Box is a kei car produced by Honda for the Japanese market. Together with the N-WGN, N-One and N-Van, it is part of the renewed N lineup of kei class city cars from Honda. The use of the letter "N" in the name was previously used for the late 1960s and 1970s N360.
Manabu Ishibashi is a Japanese racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team JCL Team Ukyo.
Suzu Hirose is a Japanese actress and model.
Sho Hatsuyama is a Japanese former professional cyclist, who rode professionally between 2011 and 2019 for the Utsunomiya Blitzen, Bridgestone–Anchor and Nippo–Vini Fantini–Faizanè teams. His first victory in a road race as a professional was in the 2013 Tour de Okinawa, which he won after the first-place finisher was demoted due to rule violations. In October 2015, he won the ninth stage of the Tour de Singkarak. He became the Japanese road race champion in June 2016. In May 2019, he was named in the startlist for the 2019 Giro d'Italia.
Koichiro Shima is a Japanese creative director and Co-CEO of the Hakuhodo Kettle.
narifuri is a Japanese fashion brand based in Tokyo. Its main concept is "fashion + bicycle," and the product lineup includes a variety of clothes from casual wear and cycling jerseys to formal suits, as well as accessories such as bags, wallets, and belts.
Kinu Nishimura is a Japanese video game and anime concept artist and illustrator. Currently freelance, she is best known for her character design and promotional art for Capcom's fighting games during the 1990s.
POI SOFT Co., Ltd. is a Japanese game developer and publisher based in Fukuoka, Japan.
Janni Olsson is a Swedish TV host, model, actress and outdoor columnist. She is the creator, producer and host of the outdoor documentary series Getting Dirty in Japan which started streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Japan in April 2023 and is known for her appearances on Japanese television shows such as Trails to Oishii Tokyo(former Trails to Tsukiji), Cycle Around Japan, J-Trip Plan, Tokyo Eye 2020, and Journeys in Japan of NHK World-Japan. Olsson plays the character Alena Treasurehunter in the Amazon Prime Video series The Benza and its spin-off series Benza English and the video game The Benza RPG.
NMKV Co., Ltd. is a joint venture company between Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Motors in the Japanese market to design, develop, and manufacture kei cars under Nissan and Mitsubishi brands. The company currently produces Mitsubishi eK, Nissan Dayz, Mitsubishi eK Space and Nissan Roox for the domestic market. NMKV stands for Nissan Mitsubishi Kei Vehicle. Despite that, the abbreviation was never announced officially by the company.
CyberAgent Inc. is a Japanese digital advertising company, which was founded in 1998 by Susumu Fujita and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. It is owned by Susumu Fujita with 20.50% interest; Fujita is the representative director, while Yusuke Hidaka is the executive vice president.
Keiko Sugiura is a Japanese road and track cyclist in the C3 category from Shizuoka Prefecture. She changed her surname from Noguchi (野口) to her maiden name Sugiura in 2018. She belongs to Team Bridgestone Cycling. She has also been active under the name of Yoshiko Sugiura since around 2019. Sugiura won the gold medal at the women's road time trial, at the 2020 Summer Paralympics,
Mitsujirō Ishii was a Japanese politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1969. A member of the House of Representatives from 1946 to 1947 and 1952 to 1972, he served in several cabinet positions throughout his career, such as Deputy Prime Minister under Nobusuke Kishi.