PARTNERS IN SAFER STREETS
At FEND, we believe a bike is freedom, not just transportation. We partner with community organizations, nonprofits and ride organizers to expand access to helmets, push for safer streets and build cities where more people feel confident choosing two wheels.
WHY WE BUILT FEND
Behind every product is a market failure and a story. Here's ours.
A few years ago I was riding in New York City when a taxi turned in front of me without warning. I went over the hood and landed in front of the car. The driver stopped in time. I wasn't wearing a helmet. My head never hit the ground, but for weeks I kept replaying those few seconds, how fast everything happened and how differently the day might have ended.
I've been riding, racing and building bikes since I was a kid. In New York my bike meant freedom. No train delays, no traffic, no waiting. Did I wear a helmet? On group rides and long rides, yes. On short trips and quick errands, confidence convinced me I'd be fine. Apparently not.
After the crash I went to the end of the Manhattan Bridge and asked riders waiting at the light why they left their helmets at home. The answer was consistent: helmets are inconvenient.
Traditional helmets were built around cycling as a planned activity, gear you set aside for a route you map out. City riding works differently. A commute turns into errands, a meeting, dinner with friends, and the bulky helmet comes along for all of them. The market solved protection on the bike and ignored the rest of the day.
How do you make protection fit real life? We started FEND to answer this.
Christian Von Heifner - Co-Founder and Head of Product
We are proud members of 1% for the planet and have pledged to donate 1% of annual sales towards non-profit organizations supporting environmental solutions.
We believe in the future of cities and the idea of conscious mobility. Whether riding a bike, scooter, or skateboard, these modes contribute greatly to the impact on our environment. We aim to make it easier and safer to travel and to leave our environment better than when we found it.