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Submitted by
bryantracy
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland, Ca, USADate Reviewed: September 24, 2010
Strengths: I crashed at 40 km/hr. In hospital for two nights. No head injury. Six ribs, one collar bone. No head injury.
Perfect for morning commute when weather is cool. Warm in winter. Some rain protection. OK in summer except when beasty hotWeaknesses: None. If anyone knows of a replacement product, I will buy you a beer.Bottom Line: Permanent search going on eBay trying to find another
Favorite Trail: Skyline Blvd
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At: Sunshine Bikes
Similar Products Used: I had 3 Switchblades. Crashed one, lost two. Looking for another.
Bike Setup: Merlin Road Bike
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
greg duclose
a Cross Country Rider
from scottsdale, azDate Reviewed: February 9, 2008
Strengths: Only unit at the time that offer protection of the face. With a home made front plastic sheild to protect your face from cold weather, works great in cold mornings/night.Weaknesses: Weight is too high when you are laying low street racing and our head is out and titled up to see, see through the visor openings. Your back neck muscals get strain. You must place a side rod mirror to your right so you can see whats coming from behind. Need to closed off side ears opening to protect from the cold.Bottom Line: Haven used it for 8 years.
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Bike Setup: street urban bike
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jake Bean
a Weekend Warrior
from El Paso, TexasDate Reviewed: February 27, 2005
Strengths: Awesome, can be used as full-face, or xc helmet.Weaknesses: Chin Strap squeezes throat when full-face is onBottom Line: Awesome helmet! I've used it for a long time, and its held up beautifully! Saved my bacon a few times too! Very comfortable and cool, a little funky with the chin straps when the face guard is bolted on. Great buy, great performance, definetly recommended.
Favorite Trail: Anything With Rocks!
Duration Product Used: More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$180.00
Purchased At: Ride On Sports
Bike Setup: Giant VT One, Manitou Minute 1:00
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dresden Lock
a Cross Country Rider
from NC USADate Reviewed: October 10, 2004
Strengths: Lightweight/Alot of Ventilation/Good Looking/Sturdy/Clear ViewingWeaknesses: Tear Away Pads on the face guard/Tear away Visor/the PRICE/the back adjustment is funkyBottom Line: I really like this helmet...Ive used it almost daily for 2 years...I wish you get some more acessories for it like another visor..some more pads etc...other than that..I love it...its lightweight....its a cool feeling helmet...it looks good...its sturdy...I can't complain.
Favorite Trail: Smith Lake
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At: Price Point
Bike Setup: Mongoose Pro Full suspension
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dave Davies
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland, New ZealandDate Reviewed: March 16, 2004
Strengths: Very comfortable, nice and airy. Just that little bit of added protection over a XC helmet but with all the comfort. Fits well and is really comfortable. High quality construction, excelent shock absortion.Weaknesses: 1. Price. It is pretty expensive
2. THEY STOPPED MAKING IT ! ! !
I am soooo gutted that they stopped makig this helmet but apparently it was becuase of weakness number 1. I managed to get another one from a supplier that had some old stock..
3. Doesnt absorb sweat from your forehead very well. I get drips running down my face.Bottom Line: I bought this helmet about 3 or 4 months ago and loved it. Last weekend I went endo off a jump down a hill and my 45 pound bighit came crashing down the hill after me and the main top tube smashed me in the head. when it hit me I felt the helmet absorb the impact, aside from being a little dazed I was totally fine. The helmet was mush but my melon was totally sweet. Worth every single penny becuase this helmet saved my life.
Its a real shame that they have discontinued them but apparently they were just too expensive for them to sell as many of them as they would have liked recently.
I managed to find one but I will be very careful with this one as I know I wont be able to get another.
Favorite Trail: Big Mummah
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At: Planet Cycles (YOU GUYS ROCK!)
Similar Products Used: Skate lids...
Bike Setup: Specialized Bighit comp 04
04 Marz Junior T
24" dmr rims + specialized roller pro RS tyres
Truvative holz pedals
Rest is stock
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dustin Bilthouse
a Racer
from Atlanta,USADate Reviewed: March 14, 2004
Strengths: Not for DH. I consider my style aggresive crosscountry and this helmet works very well for that. I take more chances riding with this versus openfaced.Weaknesses: Gets a little steamy after 2 hours.Bottom Line: Your a fool if you use this helmet for DH purposes. This is a great buy for XC riders who want to step it up a notch and take chances. Best part, the face plate removes when you want to ride open face. While it has gotten a little hot sometimes, this helmet has meet the ground many a times before my face has. Make sure you get the right size, mine fits perfect, but these other a$$es don't know the size of their own noggin.
Favorite Trail: Chicopee
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$120.00
Purchased At: Jenson USA
Bike Setup: 03' Fisher Marlin w/ shimano Dh peds, mavic crosslands, avid mech disc, maxxis ignitors, Easton carbon HB and SP, XT rear derailur, Selle Italia pro gel...ummm, i believe thats it.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
big hit mike
a Cross Country Rider
from lancasterDate Reviewed: February 3, 2004
Strengths: lots of vents,faceguard protection,light weight,cool titanium colorWeaknesses: pads inside are starting to come apartBottom Line: this helmet saved my ass when i took a 6'drop and crashed much on my face, the face guard hit my chin and ended up with a sore chin but im sure i would have ended up a lot worse if i didnt have the extra protection. ill never go back to open face. if you can still find this helmet buy it!
Favorite Trail: pacific crest trail
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At: pricepoint
Bike Setup: specialized bighit,dc shiver forks,8.1 travel conversion in the rear,8"hayes,and 3 chain rings up front
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bugzee Malone
a
from Kiwi in Kobe, JapanDate Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Strengths: Lotsa vents
Removeable jaw
moveable visorWeaknesses: after a while it rubs my head at the top of my forehead even though I have added paddingBottom Line: This is a XC helmet with extra face protection, not a full downhill helmet (Buy a Mad Max instead)
After hitting a tree and getting a black eye and a swollen cheek even though I was wearing a normal bike helmet.
I bought this Switchblade helmet for the extra face protection it offered.
With all the vents its much cooler than other full face helmets I have worn. The jaw doesn't obstruct the vision like others do.
One of the best features is the moveable visor.
While it may not be the strongest, it can be set high so you don't get "clotheslined" by low branches or adjusted low to keep rain etc out of your eyes.
Once I get the forehead padding sorted out I will be very satisfied with it.
Favorite Trail: Futatabesan
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Purchased At: $90 on eBay
Similar Products Used: various helmets
Bike Setup: Giant AC3 + mods
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Albany, NY, USADate Reviewed: July 16, 2003
Strengths: Well vented, security of knowing you have that little extra protection (lets you push yourself over harder riding), not to forget the added protection over most standard bike helmets, versitilityWeaknesses: Flimsy visor (broke off on simple crash), $h!tty padding (poor sweat absorbtion, not all too comfy), rubs my head at the center of my forehead and middle of the back of my head... probally my oddly shaped head though)Bottom Line: A good helmet if you don't mind giving a little comfort for a added security... I find when I am not concerned about what my grill will look like in my next interview, I push myself harder and over more difficult terrain. Good if you got the cash.
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At: Biker & Boarder Town near Gore MT.
Similar Products Used: Bell w/o chin plate
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
The Beast
a Downhiller
from HellDate Reviewed: July 8, 2003
Strengths: It gives ok protection
Good venting
Light
Removable faceplate
One of the only helmets that fits my large headWeaknesses: protection not as good as some full face
Kinda priceyBottom Line: Well...I did a nice face plant into the dirt I hit really hard and all I ended up with was a couple scratches on the face (the rest of me was quite f**ked up). If giro made faceguard bigger, farther away form the face and made it fiberglass or carbon fiber I would have had nothing on my face and the face guard might have not cracked. I cant really complain though because it really saved my ass and I can get a replacement fo cheap.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$159.00
Purchased At: 123bikes
Similar Products Used: Other full face and xc helmets
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Jose Matias
a Weekend Warrior
from Lisbon, na, PortugalDate Reviewed: March 30, 2003
Strengths: Aparent resistance (fortunatelly never tested..). Painting. Weight.Weaknesses: Lack of pads; Bad sweat absorption; Lousy owner's manual.Bottom Line: It could be more comfortable, but perhaps it's only a problem of compatibility of shape head/helmet. My previous Bell was more comfortable.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At: Loja das Bicicletas - Lisboa
Similar Products Used: Bell (whatever model it was)
Bike Setup: Mondraker Pensacola Pro w/ Rock Shox SID lockout rear, Marzocchi MX Pro ETA, XT/Deore, Formula 4 racing, ONOFF components.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Godlike DHR
a Downhiller
from poole,England'ukDate Reviewed: February 16, 2003
Strengths: good light helmet which has the advantage oftaking the face guard off. Also good for summer riding because it so many ventsWeaknesses: not much padding and easily cracks. Mine cracked all the way down the back but it was a harse crashBottom Line: Great helmet for summer use but for racing and all year round use its better to get something stonger. I ahve know recently invested in a tld D2 which is an amazing helmet.
Favorite Trail: Les Gets
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: other giro's
Bike Setup: Club Roost DH8, Shiver DC, Hope M4, 321s on Hope bulbs, Blackspire, X-lite
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Terrence Miyasato
a Weekend Warrior
from Waipahu, HawaiiDate Reviewed: February 4, 2003
Strengths: First & Foremost: Diane, Customer Service @ Giro. Secondly, helmet is light considering it can be used as a full face. Removeable face guard for when you don't want to look to hardcore when cruzing in your neighborhood, well then again it depends on what neighborhood your cruzing in (ha)! Rock lock keeps your melon snug.Weaknesses: NoneBottom Line: Well to start, Diane, customer service at Giro is the greatest. My padding was getting shredded and local bike shops don't carry replacements. Emailed Giro, Diane responded immediately and sent replacements free-ninety-free (cha-ching! - no charge!) Couple of weeks later, downhilling, I ate it, must have impacted the front (good thing for the switchblade), lost my visor. Again, no place carries it, Diane came through again, all this via email. Hopefully, she doesn't get swamped by email requests, but it is really great to know that there are some companies that still provide great customer service. Now on to the helmet, there are countless times that I have gone over the bars and the helmet saved my melon. Lots of air slots keep my head cool between crashes. The faceguard may seem like a little much, but there are times when I've looked at my helmet after rides and noticed scrapes and some new dents in the guard and didn't even realize I hit that part of the helmet. Who should use this helmet? Perhaps all experience levels. The trails I ride have varying terrain, some cross country and some nice single track with steep technicals here and there. To some it might be overkill, but for me with varying riding terrain its perfect, the faceguard is removable should you feel its unnecessary for your riding. Therefore, I give five big flaming chiles for value rating due to great customer service and product quality/function and again five big flaming chiles for the overall rating.
Favorite Trail: All of 'em
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At: Cambria Bike
Similar Products Used: Bell
Bike Setup: Schwinn Rocket 88 - xt components, rock shox sid F/R
Schwinn Straight 6 - xt components, fox shox, rock shox psylo
Schwinn 4 Banger - xt components, rock shox judy F, sid R
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brandon Gleason
a Weekend Warrior
from Chapel Hill, NCDate Reviewed: January 11, 2003
Strengths: -Light
-Looks Good
-Fairly Strong
-Keep your head coolWeaknesses: -Doesnt fit very snug
-Not enough padsBottom Line: Good helmet but not quite what I was looking for. If there were more pads and it fit better it would be great. I probaly should have gone ahead and gotton the Mad Max II. But if you dolight urban riding or dirt jumping this helmet is great.
Favorite Trail: Anything with jumps or drops
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At: Pro Deal
Similar Products Used: none
Bike Setup: Giant AC Air...Stock exept for XT cassete and Race Face bash guard
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Burns
a Cross Country Rider
from Folsom, CalifDate Reviewed: November 24, 2002
Strengths: full face is a good way to go. This helmet is light and relatively cool.Weaknesses: expensive.... and see belowBottom Line: My wife has been riding with this helmet for about 3 months. She crashed really hard about 1 week ago. The helmet, while probably saving her face, didn't work perfectly. Problem: the little extra straps that they add to this helmet to add stability came loose on one side during the crash. Then the face plate section of the helmet smashed into her chin and cut her all the way through. She had a inch long hole in her face. When I checked the helmet later I noticed that the edges of the face plate are like a freaking knife. Now that I see that it sure seems like a stupid design. Why put a piece of very sharp plastic right infront of your face. They need to fix this. The edges of the face plate shouldn't be so dangerous.
Favorite Trail: Santa Cruz Trail (near Santa Barbara)
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$170.00
Purchased At: Moab...don't remember the name
Similar Products Used: no other full face helmets
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Juliana
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