Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Pacific, MO
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2007
Strengths: I really like the style and the comfort.
Weaknesses: I personally haven't found any.
Bottom Line:
I went out for my first ride mtb'n on the Chubb trail on my new Mongoose bike without a helmet and about 45 minuetes later With no reflectors left on the bike, a broken chain and racing heart we found our selves at the bike shop getting a new chain and a new helmet. I bought this helmet on clearance since I liked the style and the fit was good, a plus was the color matched my bike too.
I have had this helmet for years and years now and never had to use it, knock on wood. Hope to never have to come back and tell you how well it worked in a crash.
The reason I am here to post is this is due to the fact that the pads have warn out and I am trying to find a set to replace them. Wish me luck!
Similar Products Used: none. This is the first helmet I ever bought and so far I haven't had to replace it.
Bike Setup: Trek Fuel 98 w/ Rock Shox Psylo SL Front Fork, Rock Shox SID rear sock.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Saby R
a Weekend Warrior
from Halifax
Date Reviewed: February 26, 2003
Strengths: Light weight
Weaknesses: Velcro straping system need to be reajust every ride. Look funny compared to newer model.
Bottom Line:
To this day, this helmet has performed as well as the day I bough it, about 6 years ago. At the time, this elmet was the best money could buy. I have never liked the way it look on my head but I feel secure and when I am biking I tend to forget about the helmet, which is a good thing. The internal strapping system needed improvement and I beleive that Bell addressed the problem in their latest model. Bottom line, this was a solid top of the line helmet that still perform well and unfortunately, I still have no good reason to buy another one.
Submitted by
steve
a Cross Country Rider
from longmont, co
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2002
Strengths: great fit, reasonably light
Weaknesses: permanently attached visor
Bottom Line:
Have been using this as my primary helmet for four seasons, and it was due for retirement. It was forced into that mode after it saved me from a life threatening injury in late October, 2002. I took a header in rough, loose rock, downhill terrain 14 miles from our vehicle. Landed head first, then shoulder, then hip. Helmet cracked thru 1/3 of the way around, but totally absorbed the shock of the impact. No bump or anything else on my head. Shouler dislocated and grade 3 (complete) separation. Hip contusion. Any helmet that delivers protection in this type of crash is tops in my book!
Submitted by
Buster Browne
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: June 1, 2002
Strengths: Fits well... decent venting... reasonably strong... lightweight... has a visor... stays put.
Weaknesses: Pads funnel sweat right into my face... strap loosens regularly on it's own.
Bottom Line:
I've had this helmet for a long time now and am happy with it's perfromance for those years. I like having a part or accessory that just stays out of the way and that's what this helmet does. No ackward fit or shifting -- even in heavy terrain. Well built and low-key to boot.
The Evo has protected my head well from, of all things, low-hanging foilage. Only once has it crash-protected my noggin but countless times has prevented my head from being scalped by merciless mongrel trees. When I did manage to test crash the lid, it did well protecting the back of my head from a good run-in with an evil tree.
I don't know if the pads I have in the helmet are the originals, but they do a good job of pouring sweat onto my face. Very annoying since I sweat like a wet sponge and even more annoying as it gets on the riding glasses. I guess there's really no where for the sweat to go so it's how it is.
Overall, a good helmet. I don't even know if Bell makes this model anymore so I don't think this reveiw is worth squat, but who cares.
This helmet saved my life. I did an endo on the Preston Rd Trail and got pile-driven into a log. My neck is still sore, but my head is none worse for the wear. Considering it only cost me 30 bucks at Supergo.com...it was an excellent deal.
Strengths: pretty good look to er, pretty cheep price.
Weaknesses: the headlock system loosens up and makes the helmet feel really sloppy.
Bottom Line:
its a pretty good helmet for the price, and bell stands behind there stuff, i cracked mine rite down the middle, and it wasnt long before a new one was hear for me. it does loosen up and get realy sloppy after a while im thinking about sending mine away for crash warrenty at the end of the year. overall not a bad helmet, but the looks of the cratoni manniak seem pretty sweeeet.
Submitted by
matt lepito
a Weekend Warrior
from bel air, maryland
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2000
Strengths: good fit
Bottom Line:
This is a great helmet. The full nelson system fits your head very nicely. It has lots of air ports, and it looks nice.
I can honestly say this helmet saved my life. I came out of a trail way too fast to the parking lot and ended up crashing head first onto the pavement. The helmet cracked in half and I was knocked unconscious for about five minutes. If It were not for this helmet I would have cracked open my skull and torn off my right ear. I actually perchased the same helmet to replace the broken one.
This helmet is not very expensive either. It used to cost about $80 when it was new. Now it has been around a while you can get it for less than half as much.
I recomend this helmet for those who don't want to spend a fortune, but want to save their brain.
Submitted by
Nathan Houle
a Cross Country Rider
from Lindon, Utah USofA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2000
Strengths: It is light and cool colors. Snug fit.
Weaknesses: Nothing really
Bottom Line:
It is a very good helmet for what I paid for it. ($0). And it is not very noticable while riding and doesn't move around very much. Good ventalation too.
Submitted by
darian
a Cross Country Rider
from boulder,co
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2000
Strengths: fit and ventilation
Weaknesses: it's discontinued, so get thee to your LBS or campor($30)
Bottom Line:
this is a fabulous brain saver and am sorry to see that bell does not agree. last month i crashed hard on a bike path on the way to a 'cross race and cracked it pretty good. found one at my LBS and ordered two more from campor for $30 each. one of my buddies picked one up as well after always listening to me talk about mine. note:evo2 pro and evo pro are the same helmet, but evo2 pro has a visor. i usually take the visor off anyway.
Bike Setup: gt w/judy xc, raceface, xt,and xtr/517's - it doesn't matter what you ride as long as you ride it often and you ride it hard.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Heffalump
a Weekend Warrior
from Rutland, VT
Date Reviewed: September 2, 1999
Strengths: Great look (VERY aliens looking, gets lots of compliments), samller profile than most helmets, snap on visor that doesnt take off during a high speed descent, thinner straps, FusionFit, color, heck, I bet the guy that did the QA on it was even wearing clean socks!
Weaknesses: None so far
Bottom Line:
Great great helmet....never thought I'd wax poetic about headgear, but here it is! I think the list price is a bit too high, but I got mine for dealer cost, so I'm not complaining....fit right out of the box was incredible, and doesnt have a tendancy to tip forward (like the Exodus). The snap on visor is perfect (if you've ever had to walk back UP a hill cause the damn velcro on your visor let go, you'll understand), and the FusionFit is second to none! Tried several other models, but they all seem to follow Specialized's lead....their testers must have very narrow heads, since all their helmets start to squeeze the snot right out your face after a few minutes. I like it so much I bought two, one orange (matches my manitou) and one blue (matches the lettering on my bike....yeah, I'm a fashion god)In short, 5 fiery poos! (Guys, they look nothing like stars....)
Similar Products Used: Trek Vapor, Giro Exodus, various Schwinn and narrow headed Specialized models
Bike Setup: Bike? What bike? I like to put it on and walk around town! J/K
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jana Lingo
a Cross-Country Rider
from Richmond, VA
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1999
Strengths: Great fit Reasonable price if on sale
Weaknesses: Sweat pads
Bottom Line:
This a good helemt. I orginally bought one w/ the full nelson and the quick wick pads, but later found one on sale in mail-order catalog in a color I liked (Bright Red vs. Navy blue). my new has the fusion-fit (lots better) and is plain evo (no visor :(, but no quick wick! :)) Hint: the Evo2 comes with two sets of pads, the Quick Wick, which is the one piece bright green thing, and regular pads. thorw out the quck wick and put the regular pad in. As previous posters have noted, the Quick Wickpad does not the way Bell would have believe, i.e. it drips sweat form alll over the place, rather than just at the corners. this is real problem, espiecally if you wear prescription glasses like I do. If you're interestd, you should check the various mail-order palces, as it seems like someone is always having a hlf-off slae on them (mine came from Campmor)
Submitted by
Jeff J.
a Cross-Country Rider
from SoCal.
Date Reviewed: August 28, 1999
Strengths: Great head Protection!!! Best fit, by far, of dozens of helmets I tried on. Looks great
Weaknesses: No visor on 98 model Sweat does run down face Does tend to push forward in lumpy terrain, especially with a helmet light on it.
Bottom Line:
I only had my $39.00 Supergo special for 6 months, but I will get another if I can find it. I ate a double helping of a 'dirt sandwich' with a boulder garnish, last night on Sisar in Ojai. While switching lanes on a long downhill stretch of double track and doing about 15 to 20 mph, a rock (18 dia. x 7 tall with straight sides) just absolutely cleaned my bike out from under me so fast that it's just a blur. Never saw it coming. My body feels like I just spent a long lustful night with the Marquis de Sade and his long handled meat tenderizer. My Evo Pro is trashed (cracked and dented). My face got some scrapes and I won't go through the rest of the injury report since this is a helmet review. This helmet did it's job admirably and despite some minor annoyances, an Evo Pro is going to get the nod again (pun intended) as well as five flaming stanky steampiles for a great (at any price) safety device. Like their ads used to say: $10.00 helmet, $10.00 head!
Bike Setup: 99' C-dale SV 900, not that it matters. . . .
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a Cross-Country Rider
from columbus ohio
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1999
Strengths: fits great lots of adjustments looks cool
Weaknesses: sweat in my face
Bottom Line:
Fits really well. I like all the adjustments in the back. The only problems I've found, is it slides down if I take a hard hit, and if it's really hot, sweat sometimes runs down my face. Overall it's a nice helmet, but could be a little better.
Submitted by
WALT LEAUMONT
a Weekend Warrior
from LEXINGTON KY
Date Reviewed: July 20, 1999
Strengths: FIT,COMFORT, PROTECTION
Weaknesses: SWEAT FLOW
Bottom Line:
I AM PROBABLY ABLE TO TYPE BECAUSE OF THIS PRODUCT!!! Did a wicked endo an hit a rock at full force right above the Bell logo. Helmet trashed but my head is ok.....belive the ads people
This helmet is well engineered and fits pretty well. I completely disagree that it is well ventilated, however. I find it to have POOR air flow, and it has a propensity to force sweat right down the middle of your face. I find myself constantly pushing the the front part of the helmet down to squeegy sweat out of the pads. As compared with helmets that have center/forehead vents, this helmet leaves a lot to be desired. The securing straps are also really thin which makes it feel less solid than others I've used.
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