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Hi
please can I appeal to the combined wisdom of the STW massive.
Weve just come back from the alps and have decided that we really should be using a full face helmet in the parks. However we also like riding outside the parks where a trail lid is more appropriate.
So do we buy a full facer and take 2 helmets and decide which one to use each day or get a convertible one that can be switched on a whim? Clearly there are pros and cons to both approaches from flexibility and only packing 1 helmet for the convertible to the full face probably providing a better protection.
Have others had the same dilemma and if so which way did I you go and why
Thanks
ChrisMAC
I have both. Mostly I am not in a bikepark, so wear a trail lid most of the time. For my odd bikepark trip I bought a 7idp full face when they were on sale. Bought the wrong size though, so bought twice, but my son was quick to nab the smaller one.
I've a full face and a regular lid. I've no issue with helmets with a chin bar, and I think they're a pretty good solution, but i just know that I'd either 1. forget to put it on, or 2. put it on wrong . I'm a dunce, so a proper full face is safer for everyone
What do you mean by appropriate? and what is your existing full face helmet?
Stupidly I used to not wear my fullface anywhere in the UK as I didnt like the warmth of wearing it or the visibility, I then got a fox pro frame which has better visibility and ventilation and can happily wear it.
I don’t have one at the moment hence trying to work out what the best solution is.
I've just bought a bell super dh, does both jobs, detachable chin piece and passes the same CE tests as regular full face helmets.
Flicker. Is it as good as the reviews suggest as that one I’m wanting to try for fit
Very comfortable as a full face and a trail lid. The chin bar seems as strong as the bell full 9 I tried too.
Merlin cycles have the super dh in stock for £179, I bought a medium and large and sent the extra one back after I'd tried them both.
As others say, two helmets, the changeable helmets don't fill me with confidence like a full facer does, and i dare say they'll be heavier and less comfortable than a normal helmet. You could always go middle ground and get a dropframe for less adventurous days, but it'll get expensive having a a couple of £200 helmets and your normal one!
Personally i just wear the full facer for uplift days, DH only days and stuff like that, where i can go slow on the ups and have the confidence on the downs, if i was doing full loops of several km's then i'd probably leave it in the car and use a normal lid, it's all about the risk on the day, but reality is that full facers aren't all that bad for some miles, i just don't enjoy the lack of peripheral vision for so long, that gets me more than heat or weight.
Thanks for your thoughts guys
I’ve just been through this.. I have a TLD D2 for uplifts that I’ve had for donkeys years. Great when you don’t have to pedal up (or even along..) but deary me on a warm day it’s like a bucket of fire!
I have a Giro Hex trail lid for normal non-uplift duties but have become increasingly worried of late about coming off and smashing my teeth, jaw, etc. as sometimes ride fast stuff and also some techy/steep descents.
I ended up getting a TLD Stage on sale for £180 (you often find certain colours/sizes are nearly £100 cheaper than others). It is a fantastic helmet. Really light, really well ventilated and the chin bar feels solid if not detachable. TLD and Giro are literally the only 2 brands that fit my massive (62cm) odd shaped dome so that cut down the choices I had to a large extent!
Got the bell DH, used to have the 2r but prefer the certification on the DH. Obviously heavier than the 2r and seems to run quite a bit warmer. However i am more than impressed with the helmet, have came off the bike and tested the helmet and can say with confidence that it works! If the bell fits your head/is comfortable then i would recommend it