[Closed] BPW, morzine, wherever, what helmet style ?

If I’m not pedalling uphill I’d always wear a full face.

I’ve always gone full-face, but I’ve always owned a full-face.

Morzine I take both because there’s loads of less-gnar XC stuff.

Just curious really for the big/ uplift day whether you go full on DH, a combi helmet like the Met parachute / Bell Super Air or a generic XC style helmet?

The number of times I went over the bars when we went in Feb it'll be full face and light weight body armour to go with my knee/elbow pads for the next visit 😀

Nothing is as good as a proper full face.

Always proper full face when riding DH tracks/uplifts.

Morzine isn't just downhill gnarr. All of our group wear xc helmets. That suits the sort of riding we do.

I used to hate full face helmets so would ride BPW in my openface, this was mainly the reds and blacks. Tried a friends Fox Pro Frame and really liked the wide opening and lots of vents, its now my go to helmet for BPW and Morzine last year.

The more protection the better - full face or a convertible. I have a Leatt something or other for long rides up, but if just bombing down FF no question.

In the true style of recommend what you have - Bell Super DH. DH Certified with removable chin bar.

I wear a chin bar now for even a thrash in the local woods after breaking my jaw and suffering concussion in 2016. Bought a Bell Super 2R after that, which was pretty lightweight and easy to clip the chin bar on and off, but not DH certified. It saved my face at BPW with a big off - I then replaced it with the Super DH. It's a bit chunkier and re-fitting the chin bar is a tad more of a faff. Still very well ventilated though and I'll use it without the chin bar if I'm going for a steady pootle.

I'm liking the Leatt dbx 4 https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/leatt-dbx-4-0-v20-1-helmet/rp-prod190814?mx01=a&utm_referrer=minicarttest&utm_expid=.ckkRuxI9QieiYxXQHS8d3A.1

I must say

ive never ridden morzine but for BPW. Id 100% suggest a full face even if your normal a trail rider.

TLD stage or fox proframe are great if you don't want to go for a proper DH lid like a D3

I looked at the convertible lids. but id already got a trail lid so could not see a scenario where I would want a convertible lid over a dedicated Full face ( the chin bars are not an easy shape to store so I wasn't going to be riding round with the chin bar hanging off my back pack just in case) and with the stage or proframe there's enough vents to not even notice it.

Just for info, I have a FF as does my boy, I was just curious as to what to go for next as my FF is getting on a bit.

So I was thinking about one of the more open types with ventilation etc as I'm a sweaty boy at the best of times.

I currently have a Bell Sanction.

Get a proper modern full face, if you're mostly going down then getting uplifted you won't need an enduro style one

I've got several 100% Aircrafts and have never had a problem with ventilation

The Troy Lee Designs Stage gets good reviews and was back on offer at Chain Reaction the other week.

They've got some at £165 yes. Which is cheap

Weirdly, if I'm going to say, Antur or BPW/Revs then always full face. If I'm at Morzine/Alps etc, then almost always in open face.

Reason: for a days thrashing at a park, FF makes much more sense, you'll take more risks, you'll be pushing yourself, you will be knackered. When I'm abroad, I'll always consciously row it back a bit, and the open face is just enough of a reminder (for me at least) to take it easy. I never ride abroad like I'd ride a park at home.

What's folk take on the sort of half way house helmets, like the Giro Tyrant and the Fox Dropframe?

That is weird but out of all the STWers i've met up with in Morzine, most were doing open face helmets rather than FF. At Morzine for me it's FF and body armour and knee pads... Not because i expect to crash, but just in case really...

Lets be honest here, i'm no super god at the best of times... So you know, massive gaps are not happening whether i'm here, there or anywhere else.

But it's always going to be a FF or a pseudo FF, won't be a chin piece removed though. But a nighly vented FF i'm seeing merit in.

i guess to an extent it's "You won't know till you try it for fitting"

This has moved up the list now
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ixs-trigger-ff-helmet-2019/rp-prod184079?utm_expid=.ckkRuxI9QieiYxXQHS8d3A.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chainreactioncycles.com%2Fbasket%3FupdQty%3Dtrue%26_requestid%3D1930320

I like it due to weight, construction, straps.

Regarding straps, i'm not keen on the Y style straps for a FF, i prefer single strap like a motorbike etc.

[img] [/img]

Chop and change a lot, but most of the time I just use a normal open face lid (TLD A2) for the likes of BPW, as we tend to pedal up or catch the odd uplift. Unless i'm bashing out DH runs in the Alps, tend to run the open face there too. I had a Proframe which I used for a few races last year but wasn't overly impressed with it - Fox helmets don't fit my head great & it certainly didn't feel anywhere near as safe as my D3.

I need a new one, as my D3 is getting on a bit now, even with a lack of use these days, not that urgent to replace at the moment, as it doesn't look like we will be using them in an environment where one is needed until much later in the year.

I'll probably end up with a D4.

thanks for all the thoughts, i am not just glossing over them.. honest.

In the end i spent more and more time running round in circles in my head and thought

"Well, i know Bell helmets fit my head nicely and are proper comfy"

I then did some Googling as on CRC the one i thought best was £299

But Merlin have it at £199

[img] [/img]

It gets 10/10 on just about every review https://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/helmets/bell-super-dh-mips

Then Merlin gave me an extra £10 off for some reward points.... So it's a no brainer and ordered up 🙂

I had a Proframe which I used for a few races last year but wasn’t overly impressed with it – Fox helmets don’t fit my head great

Obviously everyone's head is different, but I am similar to you in my findings. Tried a Proframe on in JE James and it just didn't sit or feel right. Generally I don't have a problem with most helmets I try.
One of my favourite trail lids used to be the Fox Flux though

Good choice weeksy 🙄

You might not think you'll use the removable chin bar, but it's not bad to carry. I actually had mine dangling from the side of my waist pack the other day for the uphill first few miles of the ride

Got one of those Bell Super DH lids myself.
OK as an open face but creaks like a bastard with the chin bar on.
Use a D3 for uplift days.
Giro Switchblade without the chin bar for self uplifting on the Ebike.
Bell super DH on holdays when flying there and only got room to take one helmet but would like open and FF.
Bell Super DH in open face mode for trail rides.

Never noticed a creak tbh 🙄

Never noticed a creak tbh

Seems to be the extra weight of the chin bar makes the inner and outer shells rub together.
Mrs's does the same thing too.
It's silent as an open face.

Well the Bell Super DH was awful. Nothing I liked about it at all.

So think I'll go for what I know and get another Bell Sanction

Well the Bell Super DH was awful. Nothing I liked about it at all.

What put you off in particular weeksy?

What put you off in particular weeksy?

Overall comfort really. The cheek pads were very hard, in big and smaller ones.
It also felt I guess a little exposed.

Along with the straps being the Y shape which doesn't feel right in a FF.

So I'm mostly up in the air now on this and debating between a Bell Sanction and a Bluegrass Brave.

Overall comfort really. The cheek pads were very hard, in big and smaller ones.
It also felt I guess a little exposed.

Along with the straps being the Y shape which doesn’t feel right in a FF.

Not noticed the cheek pads tbf, but everyone's head is different

Surely it needs a y strap for stability when it's worn as a half shell?

Depends what you want out of a helmet. If you never want to remove the chin bar, then there's no point buying the Bell and it's minor compromises I suppose. As a convertible lid though, it ranks as one of, if not the best.

That said, I'm riding steadier at the moment - not taking risks and using the HT. Thinking of getting a regular trail lid - Specialized Ambush is a possible, as is the Fox Speedsframe - I'm leaning towards a POC Tectal Race Spin though, for a bit more protection

The chin car was never coming off. But yes, it's a good point that the Y straps would be for then.