|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Rok
a
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: September 18, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Sub6Pro | | Bike Setup: | Elan Slyer 2003 | | Bottom Line: | Very cool looking, good ventilation, very durable. I have had it for 6 years and looks almost as new (the padding just started to deteriorate). Not the best fit, for this price range it should have been made in more sizes. Not the lightest of helmets. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terry Vanden Heuvel
a Racer
from Ont. Canada
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | I am still riding! | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$200.00 | | Purchased At: | NORTHERN CYCLE! | | Strengths: | One of the best things is the hard shell covering the WHOLE helmet, not some exposed foam at the back.This keeps the appearance looking new to this day! Ratcet system and looks.Vents are plentiful. | | Weaknesses: | Visor attachment just in middle. I just put one single small screw in tab. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell and Leader | | Bike Setup: | K2 Razorback and Fuel | | Bottom Line: | If you are looking for a helmet that won't break if you drop it make sure it has a hard shell ALL over.I believe the Giro do as well.This helmet rocks! I've had no need to buy another because it's durable and good looking.You get what you pay for! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Algonquin IL
Date Reviewed: October 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Strengths: | The maniac has great venting and the material is very duriable. it has not cracked or come loose with all of the use and traveling it goes through. | | Weaknesses: | The metal or plastic that goes from the turning know up to where it attaches to the helmet has cracked. The material covering it is the only thing holding it in place. Also, the foam pads are deterorating and i cant find any that will replace them. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell and Gero | | Bike Setup: | '98 cannondale R1000 and '99 cannondale F900 | | Bottom Line: | The helmet is great for ventiliation and durability other than the part that has cracked. For any one who wears Okley sunglasses, the back of the ear pieces hit the retencion piece in the back of the helmet. You have to fit them over this piece so they wont feel tight around your head. One of the best features is the turning adjusting knob. It nice to be able to tighten a helmet during a race/ride after it gets sweaty and loosens up. Also the visor doesnt stay in place because it is kinda hefty (the little piece of velcro doesnt quite do the job). i have a small sized head and it fits kinda big bucause of the sm/med sizing they use. for the price i would look for at gero brands. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew H
a Racer
from Midland, Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 12 Bridges, Bayview Lot | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | The Bike Shop | | Strengths: | -Amazing fit
-Retention system
-Super bright orange!
-Chicks dig it | | Weaknesses: | None at all! Yeah its pricey but considering how important and valuable your head is, its worth every penny!! | | Similar Products Used: | A bell helmet and a skate helmet. | | Bike Setup: | Norco Team 853, XT cranks, B.B., der, Kore Stem, WTB headset, Mavic rims, xt& chris king hubs, bontrager riser and Marzocchi fork. | | Bottom Line: | I love this helmet. I will admit that I did not pay full price for it because I work in a bike shop, but out of the few parts I would actually pay full price for, this is definatley one of them. It fits great, lots of vents, does not move around and is strong!! I took a head plant in a 24hour race in Ontario and the helmet saved my mealon, and was un affected! I would definatley buy this helmet again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marshall
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | 1A | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay auction | | Strengths: | Fit
Looks | | Weaknesses: | Price (if you pay full retail) | | Similar Products Used: | Giro, Bell | | Bottom Line: | This is a review of the Cratoni Twister. I've tried both Bell and Giro helmets for years and always had the same problems with them -- the helmets did not fit very well and, after riding with them for awhile, the glue which held the velcro pieces to the helmet would come loose, causing the helmet to be loose (I was always pushing the helmet back from falling forward on my head).
The Cratoni has the absolute best fit of any helmet I have tried. Before I bought this helmet I tried on the Giro E2 and the Bell Nemesis 2. The Cratoni's helmet fitting system is so far superior than Bell and Giro that I am surprised it is not more widely used in the U.S. The dial down system gives a perfectly snug fit every time.
To me, all high end helmets look similar. The Cratoni is no different -- the Maniac and Twister versions look just as sleek as top of the line Bell and Giro. But the reason to buy this helmet is for the fit. I doubt you'll find another helmet that fits as well as a Cratoni. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester Hills, Michigan
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Lake Orion | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | beyondbikes.com | | Strengths: | Light, attractive, and keeps your head cool | | Weaknesses: | A couple of tiny, non-noticable paint chips | | Similar Products Used: | Gyro, Bell, Specialized | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Mesa GX cheapo | | Bottom Line: | Buy it, Be it, Love it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Crotts
a Cross Country Rider
from Marin, CA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Can't say, you might be a ranger | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | way vented, saucy orange color, retension system, | | Weaknesses: | Visor is heavy and doesn't stay in place very well. The visor is so heavy that I have done numerous endos because of it! (just kidding, but it is noticably heavy)
The retension straps come down right in back of my ears (I am still trying to find glasses that aren't interfered by it) | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchey Tomahawk team issue, Bell nemesis pro, troy lee troxel | | Bike Setup: | me pedaling hard | | Bottom Line: | This is a great helmet. If it wasn't for the hangup w/ my glasses and the retension straps, I would give it a 5. I tend to be a little rough of reviews though because I want people to be pleased w/ what they are buying. The helmet breaths very good and fits perfect at the same time. It seems to resist scratching from trees as you duck under them. I had a cratoni before this one too and am still waiting for the retension to snap. don't know if it will happen, although it still fits good w/out being tightened down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cary abad
a Cross Country Rider
from tallahassee,fl usa
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$124.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo | | Strengths: | great engineering, effective vents and lock system, very light | | Weaknesses: | lock on the visor | | Similar Products Used: | giro,bell | | Bike Setup: | mtn cycle-xtr drivetrain-marzo-raceface--equipped | | Bottom Line: | this is a great product for the money. sure there is alot of cheaper helmet around but if you had been cycling for awhile you would know if the product has been given time and effort in the engineering and detail.
i haven't tested it's crash capabilities but i know it has a 50% retail trade in with the cratoni company. that's alot better than most of the companies around.
wear one and feel the difference.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vincent
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunnyvale, CA
Date Reviewed: January 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$120.00 | | Purchased At: | Supergo | | Strengths: | - Fit
- The "twist thing"
- Vents | | Weaknesses: | - Visor a bit on the heavy side
- Price | | Similar Products Used: | Bell, Giro | | Bike Setup: | K2 5000 | | Bottom Line: | Great helmet which happens to fit my type of head. Good ventilation and style. A bit pricy, but if no other brand or style of helmet can fit you head, then you may want to consider this one, although Cratoni is kind of hard to find, at least in CA. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Vents, and the retention system is by far the best. It's easy to adjust and because it's easy to adjust, it fits right on my head. | | Weaknesses: | Visor needs two more places to attach to the helmet. An easy fix with velcro, though | | Similar Products Used: | Giro, Bell | | Bike Setup: | N/A | | Bottom Line: | This is also a TWISTER helmet review. I tried the Bell's and the Giro's again after a crash. This is a cool looking and cool wearing helmet. The retention system is engineered like no other I have seen. Value rating a helmet is a little weird. Nobody wants to have to need to use it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DirtCrab
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Cuyamaca Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Similar Products Used: | Giro | | Bottom Line: | This is the German engineered version of head protection. Not only does it fulfill it's intended purpose (protecting ones eggshell of a head), it does this in a very sexy package. What a nice looking helmet. I bought the yellow. If I could have found someone stocking the cool orange color, I would have bought that one.
Others here have mentioned the cool retention mechanism. It really fit better than any other helmet I've ever tried. This is due mainly to the brilliantly designed retention system. It can be tightned or loosened on the fly. Locking your noggin securely in the helmet but VERY comfortably. You can also make slight modifications to the angle and depth of this retention device, say if you have a large overhang on the back of your cranium.
I was also pleased to see that they offer a 50% discount on a replacement helmet if you should be the unfortunate party in a noggin involved crash. Not as good a replacement offer as Giro, but I think this is a better helmet (based on fit) -- so to me it is worth it.
A little expensive (mine was $124.00 at Performance) but well worth the money based on the excellent fit and 50% discount on a crash replacement. Hopefully I'll never have to take them up on this offer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Russell Seaton
a Weekend Warrior
from Kansas City
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | paved roads | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Awesome, wonderful, perfect rear retention system. NO VELCRO to come loose when you jam your helmet down over your headband. | | Weaknesses: | Color choices aren't great. I have the purple/silver one. Its OK. Maniac colors are a bit better. | | Similar Products Used: | Bell Image Pro. | | Bike Setup: | road bikes | | Bottom Line: | This is a review of the Cratoni Mountain Twister helmet. If the web administrators want to set up a Twister category and move this review, fine by me.
Regular retail on the Twister is $80 from Performance. It more or less looks like the Maniac line except it does not have the plastic coating on the back of the helmet. The Twister is much much lighter weight though because it does not have this plastic coating. I had both helmets for a brief period and could easily compare the two. Twister has a sort of built in visor and a removable one. I have not used the removable one yet and probably will not since it would block vision when ridig in the drops on a road bike.
I have the S/M size Twister. I tried the Maniac S/M also. It is a larger helmet. The syrofoam is shaped differently. By turning the tightening device all the way, I could just get the Maniac to fit. Twister fits my head better. The Maniac is also wider. It fits bigger, wider heads than the Twister helmet. The Large size of these two helmets must fit pumpkins very well.
Helmet seems cool enough with all of the vents. Its been used on some pretty hot and humid rides.
The mechanical rear retention device is so much better than all of the other helmets out there. I like my helmets tight so they stay on and don't move if I were to hit the ground. Velcro rear retention devices used in all other helmets come loose when I put the helmet on over the headband. Or if they are loose enough to fit over the headband, they would move around when you hit the ground and let your head hit instead of the helmet absorbing the force. The Cratoni is the best, by far, method of keeping the helmet secure and in place on your head. I won't go back to velcro again. Velcro is OK for keeping your cycling shoes tight, but not for keeping your head protected. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
blitz kreger
a Cross Country Rider
from walla walla washington
Date Reviewed: February 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | still looking... | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | this is one bad ass helmet, it looks sooooooo cool, i walk around the house with it on and it gulps air and keeps my noggin cool, riding in the winter has proven to be a problem, i have to wear a wool cap it gulps so much air!!
it is really expensive though 150 bucks where i live, granted i paid 70 for it on mtbr.com, (go there) but i think it is worth the price, comfy fit, the retention device is super trick, just twist it and it gets tighter, lightest weight 0of any helmet ive worn, honestly forget you are wearing it, over all it is sweet, buy one, or two, i have the yellow one
| | Weaknesses: | a bit pricey
more sizes, currently just s/m and lrg/xlrge, i fell kinda in the middle | | Similar Products Used: | bell image pro
another bell, forzna i do think | | Bike Setup: | it is a helmet, why does bike setup matter? | | Bottom Line: | buy one!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mr Huck
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: February 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | As mentioned above, I only tested this helmet in the store I work at. It's awesome! Just walking around the cooling effect it has on my head is noticeable. My head has a really wierd shape, and I have had a really hard time finding a helmet that fits well. I thought I would have to just tough it out and wear an uncomfortable helmet, but this helmet fits me like a dream. When you remove the visor, the helmet still looks great which is important, because other helmets are downright ugly without their visors. I love the orange color that it's available in. Pretty damn expensive though - ouch! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Tucker
a weekend warrior
from Fayetteville, NC
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was first attracted to the Maniac because of its alien-look design. When I
received it, I found the quick turn retension system to be fast and reliable.
The helmet felt very comfortable, and could be loosened or tightened with a
quick flip of the dial on the rear of the helmet. I also liked the design of the air vents. There are 27 in all, and riding in the South, all of them are used to keep the head cool.
The true test came when I was riding last week. I did a face plant on one of the local trails that I always ride. I suffered a 2 inch laceration to my mouth area, and several bruises to my face. I was rushed to the ER, where I recieved about 50 stitches. I had X-rays taken of my head, and had no concussions. My helmet took the brunt of the impact, splitting in front, straight up the middle. I am very thankful that I was wearing a helmet, and glad to have the Maniac. Without it, I would surely cracked my noggin. | | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$
