Frequently Asked Questions

Hövding 3 is approved for a head size (circumference) of 52-59 cm (20.5–23.2”) and neck size up to 45 cm (17.7”) in circumference.

Collar size: Hövding is available in three collar sizes: Small (S), Medium (M) and Large (L). Your Hövding should be placed closest to you neck. We recommend your Hövding to fit as tight as possible but still feel comfortable around your neck.

Small is recommended for neck size smaller than 36 cm (14¼ inches).
Medium is recommended for neck size 34–42 cm (13½–16½ inches).
Large is recommended for neck size 38–45 cm (15–17¾ inches).

Head size: All the collar sizes (S, M, L) are adapted to heads that are 52–59 cm (20½–23¼ inches) in circumference. Measure around your head horizontally from the center of your forehead, where your head is widest.

Please note! Hövding 2.0 is adapted to and tested for neck sizes up to 45 cm (17¾ inches) and head sizes 52–59 cm (20½–23¼ inches) in circumference. Your measurements must therefore be within these dimensions. Thicker winter coats and jackets should be placed outside your Hövding. Make sure to keep the area of the split seams free allowing the airbag to inflate around your head in the event of an accident.

All the collar sizes (S, M, L) are adapted to heads that are 52–59 cm (20½–23 inches) in circumference. Measure around your head horizontally from the centre of your forehead, where your head is widest.

Hövding 2.0 is adapted to and tested for head sizes 52–59 cm (20½–23 inches) in circumference. A bigger head is also a heavier head, something that Hövding is neither tested nor approved for. Your measurements must therefore be within these dimensions.

No. Hövding is approved for cyclists aged 15 and over.

We would have liked for Hövding to work for kids as well. Because Hövding has been developed with adult stunt persons, it is based on data from the movement pattern of adults. Hövding also uses an activation and deactivation function that might be difficult for children to handle, since they are more spontaneous in their movements.

Here you will find the sound and light signals for Hövding 3.

No, Hövding 3 can be used without the app, but to get the best user experience and possible updates in the future we recommend you to use the app and register your Hövding.

• Get on your bike.
• Place the activation tab over the closed zip and press the activation system (male) into the activation system (female) to activate your Hövding. You will hear a signal and the front LED will light up (red briefly during the self-test, then a permanent green light that becomes a flashing green light) to tell you that your Hövding has been activated.
• Start cyckling.
• When you have finished cycling: first open the activation tab (by removing the activation system (male) from the activation system (female) to deactivate your Hövding. You will hear a signal telling you that your Hövding has been deactivated, and the front LED will go out.
• Now you can get off your bike.

Fit the included basic cover or seasonal cover (sold separately) before first use. Hövding must always be used with either a basic cover or a seasonal cover.

1. Start by laying the collar in its fully extended position.
2. Attach the longest zipper on the basic cover, with the zipper on the inside of the collar.
3. Then adjust the collar to the right size using the adjustment wheel (Boa).
4. Next, thread the basic cover over the rear casing and connect the other zipper on the outside of the collar.

NOTE: For safety reasons it is not allowed to use modified or self-designed covers. The Hövding covers are tested to work correctly in the event of an accident.

Adjust the fit using the adjustment wheel (Boa) by turning it clockwise until you get a tight fit directly against the neck during use. For a larger size, pull out the adjustment wheel and stretch Hövding to the desired size. Then lock the adjustment wheel by pressing it down again. Place Hövding around your neck with the rear casing down towards your back (between your shoulder blades) and the zipper centred at the front.

In exceptional cases, Hövding may inflate in incidents that are not considered accidents. A safety margin has been built into the product so that Hövding will more likely react than not (better for Hövding to register one accident too many than one too few). As soon as Hövding is activated, it will compares the cyclist’s movement pattern with the programmed movement pattern 200 times per second. Thousands of tests have been made in order to determine what is a normal cycling movement pattern. Hövding can interpret movements that differ from this pattern as an impending accident and will in such cases inflate in order to protect the cyclist.

Hövding should be placed around your neck with the zipper in front of the neck and with the triangular part resting between your shoulder blades.

No. Hövding is only intended to be worn when riding a standard two wheeled bicycle. (Riding a bicycle here refers to cycling in urban environments and on main roads and not extreme cycling such as BMX, off-road cycling, mountain biking and trick cycling.)

You can move in the same way as you usually do when riding your bicycle.

Your Hövding is designed to protect you while cycling and it must therefore be switched of when you are not cycling. We recommend that you activate your Hövding once you are on your bike ready to take off and deactivate it right before your get off your bike after completed bike ride. When Hövding is deactivated, the airbag can’t inflate. See also How Hövding works.

Hövding is designed to be used with two wheeled standard bikes, e-bikes and bikes with small wheels, including folding bikes. Hövding can be used with racer bikes but is ergonomically optimized for a more upright sitting position.

Hövding is not designed or approved to use with special bikes such as monocycles, tandems, BMX bikes, recumbents, cargo bikes, electric kick bikes, Segways etc.

You’ll hear a sound and LEDs will light up at the front of the collar to tell you that Hövding is activated. When you deactivate Hövding, you’ll hear a different sound and the LEDs will go out.

There is an activation button on the zip tag. Once you have pulled up the zip, attach the button on the zip tag to the right-hand side of the collar. Your Hövding is now activated. Similarly, Hövding is deactivated when you unclip the button. When Hövding is deactivated, the airbag can’t inflate.

Your Hövding is designed to protect you while cycling and it must therefore be switched of when you are not cycling. We recommend that you activate your Hövding once you are on your bike ready to take off and deactivate it right before your get off your bike after completed bike ride. See also How Hövding works.

Small earrings, such as studs or pearls, are fine. However, if you have big, dangly earrings, we recommend taking them off while you are riding your bike. Otherwise there is a risk they will come flying off if the airbag deploys. Big rings in your ears, where the ends are joined together, we also recommend taking of, as it may be painful if they are struck by the airbag.

Yes you can. However it is important that you always keep the area of the split seams free and don’t cover them with fabric. When the airbag is triggered, the pressure splits open the upper and front seams of the collar, allowing the airbag to inflate around your head.

Yes. You can either wear the hood down underneath Hövding, or up over your head inside Hövding if it is a thinner hood. You must not wear the hood lying on top of Hövding or up over your head outside your Hövding. When the airbag is triggered, the pressure splits open the upper and front seams of the collar, allowing the airbag to inflate around your head. Because of this it is important that you always keep the area of the split seams free.

Small in-ear headphones can be used with Hövding. For safety reasons, cycling with headphones is however not recommended, as there is a risk that you will not hear signals from the traffic or signals emitted by Hövding.

No.

It depends on the size of the turban. A large turban might get in the way and impede the airbag inflating around the head.

If you are uncertain, send us a photo at info@hovding.com and we will be happy to advise!

Yes. The veil should always be placed inside Hövding. You must not place the veil lying on top of the collar or folded up on the outside of Hövding so that it covers both Hövding and your head, because it is important that you keep the area above and in front of the split seams free.

A lot of headgears works perfectly with Hövding. For example, knitted winter hats, caps, soft hats and sun hats are no problem to use with your Hövding.
What might impede the airbag’s inflation around your head are big tassels on your cap or big and heavy headgear.

If you are uncertain about a particular hat or kind of headgear, send us a photo at info@hovding.com and we will be happy to advise!

Most hairstyles, such as short-cut, long loose hair or in ponytail, page, braids and smaller updos such as swirls or a small hair knot, work well together with Hövding.
The hairstyles that may impede the airbag’s inflation around your head are very large, rigid or heavy hairstyles such as a stiff and high mohawk, a very large afro and dreadlocks that cannot fit inside the collar when they are loose.

For dreadlocks: Measure with measuring tape around the neck and dreads. If neck including dreads has a circumference of less than 45 cm, you may use Hövding.

If you are uncertain about a hairstyle, send us a photo at info@hovding.com, and we will be happy to advise!

Yes.

Fit the included basic cover or seasonal cover (sold separately) before first use. Hövding must always be used with either a basic cover or a seasonal cover.

1. Start by laying the collar in its fully extended position.
2. Attach the longest zipper on the basic cover, with the zipper on the inside of the collar.
3. Then adjust the collar to the right size using the adjustment wheel (Boa).
4. Next, thread the basic cover over the rear casing and connect the other zipper on the outside of the collar.

NOTE: For safety reasons it is not allowed to use modified or self-designed covers. The Hövding covers are tested to work correctly in the event of an accident.

Adjust the fit using the adjustment wheel (Boa) by turning it clockwise until you get a tight fit directly against the neck during use. For a larger size, pull out the adjustment wheel and stretch Hövding to the desired size. Then lock the adjustment wheel by pressing it down again. Place Hövding around your neck with the rear casing down towards your back (between your shoulder blades) and the zipper centred at the front.

800 grams

Hövding 3 must always be used with either the base cover supplied or a seasonal cover.

Hövding 3 can be folded up and placed in your bag.

You can fold your Hövding up and put it in a bag. Just make sure it is not positioned in such a way that the battery button is kept pushed in for a longer period of time. That might result in Hövding being discharged. The on/off button contains a magnet that activates Hövding. Therefore, avoid that the activation button where the battery indicator is, comes in contact with other magnets (magnetic locks, speakers, etc.), since this could inadvertently activate Hövding.

No, that might damage the airbag inside. We conduct thorough tests on each of the products we produce to ensure the functionality. We can not guarantee the functionality of the Hövding if any changes to the collar or shell are made.

No. The functionality stated is only guaranteed with the original covers.

Yes. But we recommend using a cover, since the collar is not washable.

The collar can be cleaned carefully with a damp cloth. The cover can be washed according to the washing instructions shown on them.

Hövding can be worn in the rain, but it should not be washed or immersed in water. The removable covers are washable. The collar can be cleaned carefully with a damp cloth.

approx. 650 g without the cover.

Check the battery level by pressing the function button on the underside of the cover. The rear LED on the underside of the cover then indicates the battery level as follows:

Permanent green light – more than 50% battery life left
Flashing green light – 20-50% battery life left
Permanent red light – less than 20% battery life left

If the battery level is low when you are cycling, your Hövding 3 will emit a pulsating brief audible signal that is repeated every five minutes and an LED signal (soft green light interspersed repeatedly with a red flash).

If the battery level falls critically low when you are cycling, your Hövding 3 will emit 10 low-battery signals in quick succession. After 10 signals, your Hövding will signal that it is being deactivated and will be switched off.

Hövding’s battery lasts for 14-16 hours of use.

Always charge the Hövding battery fully (this takes up to two hours). Charge your Hövding 3 by gently open the cover over the USB socket and insert the USB cable supplied into the USB socket on the underside of the cover. Then insert the USB cable into an external charger with a USB port and plug it into a power socket. (The Hövding battery lasts for 14-16? hours of use.) Close the cover of the USB socket when you have finished charging.

Always charge the Hövding 3 battery fully (this takes up to two hours).

No.

Hövding 1.0:
It takes about 6 hours to charge the battery completely.

Hövding 2.0:
It takes about 3 hours to charge the battery completely.

LEDs at the front of the collar indicate the battery level.  An acoustic signal will make you aware in good time that the battery needs to be charged. From the first warning, you have approximately 1 hour of battery time left.

Hövding 1.0:
When activated, the battery life is approximately 18 hours.

Hövding 2.0:
When activated, the battery life is approximately 9 hours.

You charge your Hövding by connecting the USB cable supplied in an external charger with a USB port (such as the ones supplied with all smartphones/tablets).

Hövding 3 can be folded up and placed in your bag.

In accordance with the applicable transport regulations and transport classification of Hövding, it is not allowed to bring Hövding as hand luggage or checked baggage when flying. What you can do is to contact a suitable transport company that can help you transport goods by transport classification UN 2990. Click here to show our own declaration that certifies Hövding’s classification.

You can fold your Hövding up and put it in a bag. Just make sure it is not positioned in such a way that the battery button is kept pushed in for a longer period of time. That might result in Hövding being discharged. The on/off button contains a magnet that activates Hövding. Therefore, avoid that the activation button where the battery indicator is, comes in contact with other magnets (magnetic locks, speakers, etc.), since this could inadvertently activate Hövding.

No. If your Hövding is broken, please fill out our complaint form here.

The durability of Hövding depends on how much it is being used.

Usually the fabric on the collar has the shortest lifespan. You will notice this through visible outer wear, such as cracked seams, broken zippers or holes in the fabric. Such wear means we can no longer guarantee your Hövding is working properly.

The component with the second shortest lifespan, is the battery. It can be charged 300 times, before its capacity gradually decreases. You will notice this by the battery life gradually shortening.

All other components in Hövding have a significantly longer lifespan than the battery. This is a conscious choice we made, to ensure that you would always be safe with your Hövding.

If you need help determining whether your Hövding is worn out or not, please contact our Customer Service at info@hovding.com.

Some insurance companies will after an accident cover the cost of a new Hövding (minus the excess) through your home contents insurance. Contact your insurance company to check how they would handle your case.

In most countries, there is a Crash Replacement Program that offers a discount, ask your retailer for more information.

If your Hövding has been in an accident, it cannot be used again.

If your Hövding has been deployed, please contact us. In some cases, the accident data recorded in the black box inside the collar can be interesting and valuable to us in our on-going development work.

Hövding 3 meets the requirements of Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, the Swedish Ordinance (2005:209) on producer liability for electrical and electronic products, the Swedish Ordinance (SFS 2006:1273) on producer liability for packaging, and Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

The product complies with the EU directive RoHS (Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) 2002/95/EC, the collection and recycling of such equipment in European Directive 2002/96/EC, the Packaging and Waste Directive 94/62/EC, and the EU regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) EG 1907/2006.

An inflated Hövding should be recycled as electronic waste at your nearest recycling center. Hövding contains a battery and electrical and electronic components that must be separated as part of the recycling process. Please note that you should never try to dismantle a by Hövding yourself! Even if it is deactivated (turned off), Hövding still contains active airbag components. A worn out Hövding that hasn’t inflated needs to be recycled by us. For us to send you a return label we kindly ask you to complete our complaint form.

The new features of Hövding 3 are:

• Bluetooth for smartphone connection
• Size adjustment for optimum fit
• New activation for clearer communication with the user
• USB-C connection in accordance with industry standard
• Louder signals for better alerts in traffic
• New airbag system
• Ergonomic changes
• Thinner
• Better overall comfort
• The rear is shaped for better comfort

We have chosen to focus on the European market for now. Hövding is CE marked after undergoing an extensive process for approval by SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden. CE marking is required for a cycle helmet to be able to be sold in Europe and certifies that the helmet complies with the requirements laid down in the EU Directive for personal protective equipment. We haven’t, by our own choice, looked into other certifications yet but hopefully in the future Hövding will protect cyclists outside Europe as well, but we can’t say if or when this will be.

Since Hövding is CE marked only we are not able to sell or ship outside of Europe nor are we able to support you or your Hövding if you reside outside of Europe. We don’t recommend anyone using it outside of Europe since it is CE marked only and not approved for other markets.

During the years that Hövding has been used, we have only had a few incidents where we received information regarding charged, activated and properly used Hövdings that did not inflate upon accident.

Hövding 2.0 is adapted to more types of bikes, such as mini bicycles and folding bikes. It is also more comfortable and the design has been updated:

• The sizes have been adjusted and are now slightly bigger than before.
• The zip has been lengthened, which makes it easier to close it when you put on your Hövding.
• The mechanics and electronics have been optimised, resulting in a lower total weight for the product. Hövding 2.0 weighs 100 g less than Hövding 1.0.
• By pressing the rear of the activation button, you can see the battery level without first needing to switch Hövding on.
• The USB port has been moved from the front of the product to the back and is concealed under the basic cover, eliminating the risk of chafing.
• A built-in eye on the inside of the product allows you to hang up your Hövding when it’s not being used.

Here you will find the guide on how to use the Hövding 3 app.

No. Hövding 1.0 and 2.0 does not include the required components to communicate with your phone.

No. You can withdraw your consent to share data in the app’s settings. Tap ⋮ › App settings › Data sharing, toggle Location and/or Product logs off. (NOTE: Sharing your location data contributes to the Hövding community, with the long-term goal to make cities safer for cyclists. Sharing your product data also contributes to improving Hövding’s accident detection system. We respect your privacy and handle any shared data with care, and in accordance with GDPR and Hövding data Policy.)

If your Hövding 3 should inflate, a two minute countdown will initiate in the Hövding app. When the timer reaches zero, a message will be sent to your ICE contacts, informing them of your accident and location. If you manually stop the timer within the two minutes, no message will be sent.

No. You can only connect Hövding 3 to a single phone at any given time. You can however switch between phones by manually pairing your Hövding 3.

• Community: Keep track of your cycling habits and compare them to the Hövding community. See your number of trips, average cycling speed, distance traveled, time spent cycling, and calories burnt.
• In Case of Emergency (ICE): In the event of an accident, a message will be sent to your ICE contacts, informing them of your accident and location.
• Device update: Keep your Hövding 3 up to date with the latest firmware version.
• Data sharing: Share your location data and contribute to the Hövding community, with the long-term goal to make cities safer for cyclists. Share your product data and contribute to improving Hövding’s accident detection system.
• Device registration: Keep your receipt, device- and contact information in one simple place to receive the best support.
• Customer support: Get in touch with our customer support, report an accident or create a warranty claim.

Yes. Future updates of Hövding 3’s firmware will be made available through the app. (NOTE: Some updates may be required to be able to continue using the app.)

Hövding 3 and the Hövding app relies on your phones GPS and cellular capabilities to register your trips, you therefore need to bring your phone along during the trip. (NOTE: Please make sure that Hövding app always has permission to access your location, to ensure that your trips get logged.)

Yes. Hövding 3’s battery level is available on the home screen, and as a widget.

When connected to the Hövding app, trips will automatically be logged while Hövding 3 is activated. There is no way to log trips manually.

No. Hövding 3 and the Hövding app relies on your phones GPS and cellular capabilities to notify your ICE contacts and provide them with your location in case of an accident.

No. Hövding 3 and the Hövding app relies on your phones GPS and cellular capabilities to register your trips.

Open the Hövding app, then tap⋮ › Customer support › Create warranty claim and follow the instructions on your phone.

By registering your Hövding 3 it will be faster and easier to report an accident or create a warranty claim through the Hövding app, should you ever need to.

The Hövding app requires Android 8 or later, or iOS 11 on iPhone SE/iPhone 6S or later.

The Hövding app is available in English, French, German, Danish and Swedish. If your phone is set to any other language, the app will be displayed in English.

No.

No. You can only have one Hövding 3 connected to the app at any given time.