Bell Super 2R helmet - worth it or not?

[Saag]

Looking at buying said lid. I do a lot of mixed riding, XCM and lately love doing technical sections such as Hakahana SP stages, Van Gaalen etc...

 

Doing these at way more speed than my skills probably allow.

 

Question is, is this worth it at R3500???? 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'd grab one if I had the cash for sure. And IMO yes, it is worth it. 

['Dale]

It's awesome looking

Good brand and features

If you're gonna roll with it for a few seasons and still like it, do it. 

[dirtypot]

Can you ever spend too much on good protection?

[Samurai Pizza Cat]

Looking at buying said lid. I do a lot of mixed riding, XCM and lately love doing technical sections such as Hakahana SP stages, Van Gaalen etc...

 

Doing these at way more speed than my skills probably allow.

 

Question is, is this worth it at R3500????

 

No, it's not worth it...until you fall your face open. After seeing Cor at the last Hakahana race, I'm not racing without a full face. If guys like Rupert in CT, ( who has insane skills btw), find it necessary to use his Super 2R on almost all his rides, it is definitely worth it.

The great thing about this helmet is that you can leave the chin guard in your backpack, and only use it if and when it gets gnarly. It also gives you a lot of confidence in tricky sections.

 

Just a shame to local distributor only brought in 3 /4 of them.

[popcorn_skollie]

Bell has a crash replacement warranty. They offer a large discount on a replacement helmet should you crash your existing one. The details of which are vague but its certainly helps justify spending that kind of money

[G00SE]

I'd grab one if I had the cash for sure. And IMO yes, it is worth it. 

 

+1

I would def get one if finances allowed, it beats carrying a full face and an open face around with you on rides.

I mostly just use my fox flux when I ride, as I just cant be bothered carrying my full face too.

With the Super 2R you will always have the chin guard handy

[G00SE]

Bell has a crash replacement warranty. They offer a large discount on a replacement helmet should you crash your existing one. The details of which are vague but its certainly helps justify spending that kind of money

 

And they are pretty good with replacements, just ask nofearnofun - He has tested their replacement program extensively

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

+1

I would def get one if finances allowed, it beats carrying a full face and an open face around with you on rides.

I mostly just use my fox flux when I ride, as I just cant be bothered carrying my full face too.

With the Super 2R you will always have the chin guard handy

100%. I also generally ride with my fool face, depending on who I'm riding with. Lop it on the backpack on the way up, descend with it on. 

[trailjunkie]

Can you ever spend too much on good protection?

+1

 

you only have one pip

[Shebeen]

Can you ever spend too much on good protection?

I think you can. there comes a point very quickly in the range where spending more doesn't get you more safety, but increased comfort(or looks). 

[popcorn_skollie]

The 2 helmets in one is a huge plus. I ride with my full face only these days. But sweating buckets has me opting for slow jeeptrack ascents with my fullface strapped to my camelback instead of the more fun single track climbs. I don't feel like carrying 2 helmets. If only I could afford the 2R

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I think you can. there comes a point very quickly in the range where spending more doesn't get you more safety, but increased comfort(or looks). 

that is 100% correct. 

 

My pisspot - Bell Faction - was only R 450. It's light, but it's only got about 6 holes, and small ones. It's just as strong, if not stronger, than some of the R 2,000 helmets you get from some of the other mamnufacturers.

 

The only reason that the other ones are more expensive is because they're lighter, and more vented. That means that the designers have to get very creative with trying to retain structural integrity of the helmet whilst stuffing it full of holes and fancy venting arrangements. That means many hours sitting in front of CAD and testing blanks etc, just to ensure that their standards are kept. Doesn't mean that they're safer than a R 400 helmet. Unless it's one of the new fangled cellular jobbie things. 

[NicoBoshoff]

I'm not convinced, as is the case with a lot of the commenters on this:

 

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-bell-super-2r-helmet-impact-testing-2014.html

 

Full face situations call for a full face helmet.  Not a flexy piece of plastic where your teeth are.

[Saag]

Thanx All

 

Wow, almost unanimous "YES" then. As far as I can see, it is available from MXalliance.

Anywhere else I can look as well?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'm not convinced, as is the case with a lot of the commenters on this:

 

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-bell-super-2r-helmet-impact-testing-2014.html

 

Full face situations call for a full face helmet.  Not a flexy piece of plastic where your teeth are.

thing is that not all situations call for a fool face. If I was riding normally, I'd want both - this sorts that out, without having to lug the full face on the back of the pack until I get to hte top, and then having to change them out and hang the pisspot at the back. 

 

I don't think it was ever marketed as a replacement for a full on DH helmet, rather as an alternative to having to choose which one to take on your rides. For DH, a DH helmet wins every time. For AM riding, a convertible helmet is fantastic. 

 

But - as many have said, I'd like to see a comparative test to one of the normal full face helmets so that people can make a call on whether to have this as the ONE helmet, or if it's just good enough to give you a bit more protection than your standard pisspot. Which is, admittedly, the reason I want it.