The only time I wore a full face helmet was for DH races and for moto. A full face will protect your face, teeth...I don't crash that often but, when I do I usually get hurt.

 

I've had the 2R for about 2 years now, although I don't think I've worn the chin bar in about 9 months. I liked the bar a lot when I was trying to step up my game a bit, hitting new features, new trails, riding N*, etc. It's super comfy, even for climbing.

I think the only real crash I took on it was from a pedal strike on Braille, but that sent me sideways so the bar didn't come in to play. But I've never read about anybody having a bad experience with it. And I think the MIPS liner is legit. I washed out in the mud about a year ago, did a 180 rotation, and slammed my head hard. Seemed like a sure concussion maker, but I walked away without so much as a headache. Two thumbs up!

 

i definitely think a chin bar is helpful. this is my specialized dissident after a high speed lawn dart at santa clara pal bmx a few years ago.

you can't see it from this view, but the EPS liner was broken inside the helmet, so it did it's job. I still had a minor concussion, so if you can get a MIPS lid, i would recommend that.

 

I have gone OTB wearing the helmet (2R) with chin guard into some rocks. If I hadn't been wearing it I probably would have knocked some teeth out, or broken my jaw.

 

Same here....

I tend to wear the chin bar ever time I wear the 2R. My main season is the 2R has a tendency to become misaligned with regards to the slider adjustment in the rear which then allows the helmet to slide up so far it exposes your entire forehead! My buddy zip tied his slider into his desired position and it fixed the problem. I'll try that next.

I always wear the bar when I hit a new trail, ride an unfamiliar bike, shred the gnar, or am feeling particularly clumsy or aggro. Those are the times when you are most likely to crash hard.

I'm usually good about tucking my head when I crash but the guard on this helmet has saved my chin more than a few times now. Same for my friends who I've watched crash with their full face. Just pick the weeds or dirt out of the chin bar and get back on the bike.

Other times I wear my cheap Bell Stoker.

 

Just make sure you get the Star Wars special edition!

 

This is the most important factor. It is an unsafe product otherwise. I recommend Boba Fett.

 

Honestly the biggest con of the super 2r is it makes you look like a storm trooping go getting shredding machine. MIPS is kinda iffy to me, I wear a helmet so when I crash I don't end up a vegetable and have different helmets for different trails. Heres a little article questioning why to go MIPS Bicycling magazine article is misleading.

 

That CC sale is only for black in size S. I know you don't you wear a small.

I religiously wore the chin bar on my Giro Switchblade a decade+ ago. I put scratches in it on three occasions. None of those crashes did anything to jerk my neck around, and none were hard enough to snap the chin bar off, as became a reported issue with the Switchblade (causing injury from sharp edges on the broken chin bar itself). I also wore a full face DH helmet for N* back in the day (I haven't been in years) and crashed it once without any neck issues.

My Switchblade saw several seasons of use. In part due to age and in part due to the growing number of broken chin bar accounts, I moved back to a standard lid for trail riding around 2010 I think, with no face plants since (knock on wood).

After watching videos of the Bell MIPS 2R getting tested, I picked one up earlier last season on sale. I wear the chin guard for shuttling almost exclusively, which is a small percentage of my riding. Those rides for me still include pedaling and climbing, and the chin bar does not feel hot or bothersome. When on, I mostly forget it's there, although it does put a little pressure on my cheeks (which it should) and in general I'm just more aware of the fact I'm wearing a helmet.

I've had no crashes with it and I hope to keep it that way.

I think neck braces are to address whiplash type events and hyper extension more so from rag dolling than chin bars digging in. But your concern is thought provoking. My WAG is that the odds are pretty low for the chin bar of a full face helmet to snag the ground in such a way as to cause a neck injury that would otherwise not have occurred. On the other hand, in a nasty face plant event, the odds are high that the chin guard will prevent a potential broken jaw, teeth, nose and lacerations.

 

Just get it. It's totally worth it, and it works. Don't you remember the last time we rode Pinecrest, and I did that awesome endo-faceplant into jagged rocks right in front of you?? If hadn't been wearing the chin bar on my 2R, that woulda been ugly. As it was... it just cracked the helmet. It does the job it is intended to do, and it's easy to take the bar on and off so you can strap it on your pack for mellower stuff, but always have it available if you want it. Just don't be that guy who faceplants while the chin bar is on your pack...

I would recommend trying one on first though (or make sure you can return it), lots of people have issues with the fit of that particular helmet.

 

I'd go with the Giro Switchblade. It is better looking and higher crash certifications.

 

True, but it's also heavier, hotter, and probably not on massive sale anywhere, which may matter if you're a cheapskate that sweats like a stuck pig... like, say, the OP.

 

True, but it's also heavier, hotter, and probably not on massive sale anywhere, which may matter if you're a cheapskate that sweats like a stuck pig... like, say, the OP.

Idunno about you, but I am of the opinion that your head is ALWAYS worth paying MSRP.

 

I tend to pack my chin bar on my camelback if I know I'm hitting rowdier trails or new ones.. when I do use it is like the extra sense of protection...kinda like when you wear knee and elbow pads...imho it's cheap insurance

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

I think for my next helmet I will probably get one of these (although i think the leatt one seems to be my favorite). I have a real DH lid, but strapping it to my pack is annoying, and its pretty damn heavy. Seems like this genre would be ideal for doing trials like braille and a lot of santa cruz (you see a ton of people with super 2Rs at demo).

 

There is a situation in which a full face helmet becomes very dangerous, which is when an object ( branch, stem,...) gets between the bar and your face. I have seen both things happen.

But that is like when you fall from a 5th floor, walk out of it in one piece and then you are smashed by a 2000 ton truck..clearly, it was not your day...

Other than that is much safer and bell is the reference right now

 

I had the Super, used it for its intended purpose, replaced it with the Super 2r. I've only used the chin bar a handful of times, nice to have, but maybe not super critical. One other thing I noticed is the Super 2 is narrower at the temples than the Super was. I think this is so the attachment points have some room to latch the chin bar. That narrowness is annoying on longer rides and is there whether you use the chin bar or not. Take that into consideration.

 

Hi knowledge base.

I was looking at the Bell MIPS 2R with the chin guard (wicked sale on Competitive Cycle right now) and was wondering if the chin guard is good or bad. I can see how it might save your face from some damage but my fear is that the chin guard will create a wicked problem for the neck...

Can I get some pros and cons here? Any real world experiences where this was a good idea...or not so good? I am leaning towards dealing with a broken nose over a possible wheel chair. But maybe the chin guard is ligit. I dunno.

Lemme know.

The latest moto crash data shows the facial area is where 1 out of 3 initial impacts occur.
https://clas-pages.uncc.edu/visualrhetoric/projects/illustration-video/safety-in-numbers-dietmar-ottes-motorcycle-helmet-impact-diagram/

Icon sells a moto helmet with that crash data on it.

Riding bikes since 1961 & motos since 1968, my personal crash stats are very similar.

CAUTION: HORROR STORY - Friend rode bike paths to work. ~20mph, a kid pops out behind a bush & crossed Jon's right-of-way. He swerved to miss the kid & lost control of the bike. He landed on his chin, not the top of his head. Broke his lower jawbone, lost 4 teeth, and shredded his face. Oral surgeries took a year to rebuild his jaw & replace teeth. Then a year of plastic surgery so his Mom could recognize him again. He wears a full-face moto helmet EVERY bike ride now.

I wear my Arai XD4 on COLD days, but its too warm at bike speeds spring-fall. And a little heavy.

I tried the Bell 2R and it just did not fit my head well enough. I went with the Met Parachute. Much better fit for me. And they can be found online as cheaply as the R2 now.

Good luck,

Catfish ...

 

View attachment 1114704

View attachment 1114705

I thought that was showing the relative proportions where a typical DHer's IQ is located.

Strong point is the mouth area. Do the math for total IQ score.

 

Full face helmets are a compromise in size, weight, ventilation, comfort and vision and even appearance. But if bash your teeth or chin a few times, it becomes worth it all of a sudden.

More injury to chin rotating the neck as Squashyo asks doesn't seem to be a major issue.

Good news is technology is helping the size, weight and ventilation a lot. People are now riding 6 hour climbing rides with it on. So the balance between convenience and safety tips a little bit towards a few more trail riders using full face.

In the winter, the lack of ventilation actually helps keep the head warm.

A really good helmet is the the MET Parachute. It is a very light full-face helmet good enough for trail riding. Chin guard is not removable.

Removable chin guards are still a developing category. The chin guards are easy to remove now but they're not that easy to put on. It becomes a raising your rigid seatpost up and down issue. So not a lot of people I know take them on/off during a ride.

Neck braces... seems to be a dying industry. The pros stopped racing with them so few ride with them now.

For Whistler and Northstar, full-face and neck braces are key because of the risks and the no-climbing aspect.

Squash should get the Hovding airbag helmet! The Bell Super 2R has a fit issue where it's very tight at the temples because of some reinforcement foam. The Super 3r solves this.

 

As a has-been moto rider I will say that I won't leave home (on a moto) without a full-face helmet.

Having said that, on a bicycle with only a (regular) bike helmet I do feel a bit naked and that nakedness feeling is what keeps me safe. I've never hurt myself badly on a bicycle and I'm not going to start now; MediCare coverage or not.

 

Wait. Hurting yourself is a voluntary thing? I should really stop intentionally crashing.

[emoji6]

I wear a full face every ride. Because faces are super fragile and every once in a while I crash. I feel vulnerable enough with it and my knee and elbow pads when I'm going 20mph through rock gardens, that I'm not trying to crash. I do try and ride new features and push speed now and then and sometimes I out ride my (and very occasionally) the trails limits and crash.

Once, going down a rock ramp I went OTB and landed face down between two rocks. A few inches either way and a smashed mouth at the very least. Another ride I'm cruising down some rocky loose single track I'd ridden a ton of times at 16mph and next thing I know I'm rolling head over heels down the trail. Guess a baby head shot my front wheel sideways. Tooth ended up against rock at the end. Barely. No damage, but it was pure luck. So hence the full face.

I wear the Met Parachute. Doesn't feel much warmer than a half lid really.

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I bought the 2R after splitting open my chin & getting stitches after hitting a small jump I shouldn't have. I've come to wear it basically any time I ride anything technical, or am riding alone. I love how light and breathable my Smith Forefront is, but it just doesn't offer the same level of protection from stupid. At this point, over half of the people I ride with wear the 2R for the same reason.

Another nice thing about the 2R is the amount of rear coverage. I've gone OTB wearing that and had my bike hit me on the helmet, right at the top of my spine, and it just bounced off.

What I really need to find now is something to stop my shins from turning into hamburger from my flat pedals (and works with my AirFlex Pro knee guards), but that's a different story.

 

What I really need to find now is something to stop my shins from turning into hamburger from my flat pedals (and works with my AirFlex Pro knee guards), but that's a different story.

I bought and wear these...don't know if they work because I haven't F'd up but they are comfy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KX7KJ1K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I went in and tried on the 2R and it just didn't fit right. Maybe I'll wait on the 3r to come down on price a little.

 

I went in and tried on the 2R and it just didn't fit right.

What part of the fit felt weird? If it was on the sides of your head about 2/3 back (just above/behind your ears, basically kitty corner to the temples), then there is a foam rubber self-adhesive pad on each side that can be removed. Lots of people have done this, there are threads on it. I had pressure in that exact spot, and removing those little pads fixed it. Could be worth a shot.

As far as the MET Parachute goes, that's a good option if you're planning on wanting the chin bar 100% of the time. On my 2R I wear the chin bar maybe 10% of the time, and when it's off it's way more comfortable and ventilated than any full face will ever be.

Regarding shin pads, the G-Form knee/shin combo pads are awesome. Single pad that covers both knee and shin, super comfortable for all-day rides, also doubles as poison oak protection. Win-win!

 

Met Parachute v. Bell 2R

Bell Super 2R vs MET Parachute helmets - BikeRadar USA

I like the full ASTM certification on the Parachute and that it appears to have slightly better ventilation. The new Giro Switchblade is also ASTM certified, but heavier than both and possibly not as ventilated.

Jenson and Arts has the Parachute for $180 in both M and L.

 

I've run the Bell since it was just the "Super" and I picked up the very first 2R that went out the door at Art's Cyclery the day they released. I have 2-2R's that I rotate through and absolutely love them in both configurations. Somebody above mentioned the 2R fitting differently near the temples vs the original Super. You can refer to the long running thread I started a couple years ago "The Official Bell Super 2R" thread. I explain why...in short, if you don't like that fit, pull the 2 thin, dense pads out that are stuck into the liner above the ears. Original fit prevails. The Super 3R does NOT have those pads and feels more like the original...but it's not stoopid-cheap on sale like the 2R.

Take note, tooth replacement (implants) are about $3-4000 a pop, not covered by dental insurance, and can take about a year and a half to complete the arduous and oftentimes very embarrassing process in the case of #8 & #9 (2 front/top). I know this "times 2" and it's a f*ing nightmare to go through. It's sort of shutting the barn door after the horse is gone in my case but I almost always strap my chinbar to the outside of my Mule NV to snap on when I get to the top for the faster downhill portion of my ride. If I extend my typical rides, I generally leave the chinbar in place and go about my ride. I've done this regularly in 80-100* Wx here and it's not been an issue for me.

Fortunately, I have no experience in "testing" the chinbar but regardless, I highly recommend it.

 

sizing is a bit weird on the 2r, i had to size down from large to medium on it, with regards to the 2 little pads that are glued on.. they conform to your head as it gets warmer, so putting on the helmet for the 1st time, it will feel off.

 

Those glued on pads at the temples were put there to pass the side impact test (without any cracking) given the additional buckle hardware. They're the reason the fit is so odd. A medium Super 2 fit me perfectly and the Super 2r would cause a pressure point on those pads. Sizing up to a large is not a good option since then the rest of the helmet is too big and loose.

With more engineering and design time, they solved the issue with the 3r. So yes, do not but the 2r unless you try it on and are assured there's no annoying pressure points. It should feel equally snug/comfortable on all contact points to your head.

The other thing is since MIPs is so new, a lot of manufacturers just put the mips on existing shells and it takes up room. So a medium non-mips may fit perfectly and a medium mips will be tight on you. So test fit if possible.

 

The Large MIPS version fit me better than the non-MIPS (there's a definite difference,) but as others have stated the original fit differently than the 2, which I'm sure is different than the 3, and so on. I only wear the chin bar when racing or riding something that I know is above my skill level (which could be any trail on any given day, LOL!) Pics of my original Super with chin bar after it mostly saved my face, although I was still knocked out and effed up for a while...

 

The Large MIPS version fit me better than the non-MIPS (there's a definite difference,) but as others have stated the original fit differently than the 2, which I'm sure is different than the 3, and so on. I only wear the chin bar when racing or riding something that I know is above my skill level (which could be any trail on any given day, LOL!) Pics of my original Super with chin bar after it mostly saved my face, although I was still knocked out and effed up for a while...

View attachment 1115084 View attachment 1115085 View attachment 1115086

We GOTTA hear more about this crash. Holy yard sale.

 

Yup, it was one for the record books. Someone at Bell asked to use the helmet for R&D cuz they hadn't seen a chin bar break before this. I can't say too much about the crash though because I don't remember much! Suffice it to say it happened while racing at Northstar, I had a 3'rd place podium the previous year and was trying to do better. Gypsy into Livewire...failed.

 

Broke the chin bar. Damn. That chin bar flexes quite a bit but it's designed not to reach your chin in any impact. It's great protection I think.

 

There's no question that my jaw, chin, and pretty much entire face was spared considerable damage. I still ended up with a cut on my forehead that required stitches just from the force of impact.
This pic shows another crack towards the back of the helmet.

 

There's no question that my jaw, chin, and pretty much entire face was spared considerable damage. I still ended up with a cut on my forehead that required stitches just from the force of impact.
This pic shows another crack towards the back of the helmet.

View attachment 1115091

Why were you cut on the forehead? Was it from the yellow Mips sharp edge?

fc