Helmet Hair Alert! (Bell Avanti Bike Helmet)

Member Name: funkimunki

Product:	Bell Avanti Bike Helmet
Date:	10/12/08 (489 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good ventilation

Disadvantages: No warning siren for when I leave it on the train

I needed a new bicycle helmet and here is the foolish reason why. I commute to work by train and bike and put my bike in the onboard cycle store so I can ride it at both ends of my journey. I reach my destination on a cold Monday morning and go to collect the bike from the store. I notice my head is cold but that's because I had a mad half hour on Sunday and shaved all my hair off........nope, I've left my helmet on the train and its now pulling out of the station. What makes this worse is that it's not the first time I've done this (lost the lemet, not shaved the hair)!

So, off I go in search of a new helmet and I find the reasonably priced Bell Avanti. This is a unisex cycle helmet that is grey all over with a few varying shades to make it look nice. There is a black detachable sun visor which comes in very handy, especially with the low winter sun and for keeping rain away from your face. There are 11 large vents across the top of the helmet to provide you with significant ventilation. This is always something I look for in a helmet as I overheat quickly and it can make wearing one really unpleasant if there isn't adequate ventilation.

Inside the helmet there is a padded area at the front to make it comfortable on your forehead as well as 3 more pads on the roof for the top of your head.

Usually helmets come in a variety of sizes but the only one on the shelf (and all that I could find online) was one that was 54-61cm. This would probably described as a medium and is perfect for me. The helmet adjusts in size by using the rotating lever at the back of the helmet. I have had helmets before that required a lot of perseverance to get the right fit; adjusting straps again and again and then not being able to change it easily should it be extra cold and you want to wear a beanie hat as well. The new mechanism means you just pop the hat on, reach to the back and twist the dial until it feels snug and secure. Adjust the chin straps and you are away. In total, this took me about 3 minutes to complete and get a perfectly fitted helmet - a must as a cyclist.

The Bell logo appears 3 times on the helmet (each side and at the front) but its quite small and unobtrusive.

I have been using the helmet for about a month now so can confidently vouch that this is a comfortable helmet to wear. As I mentioned, I can overheat quickly but this helmet is keeping me cool so far (I imagine the British weather is helping a little with that though!). Now.... it's a lot harder for me to comment on its ability to keep me safe as I have not had any accidents and don't intend on throwing myself off my bike to test it out (regardless of my dedication to the Dooyoo review!). What I can say is that it feels sturdy and secure when I am wearing it and I feel much more confident with it, than without it!

The helmet cost me £24.99 from Halfords and a quick check on websites show this to be a fair price for it (don't be confused by some older models that don't have the new mechanism for adjusting the size - these are cheaper).

As with all helmets, it's a bit of a hairstyle killer (!) but you can always take a leaf out of my book and shave it all off; I don't have any issues with helmet hair now!

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase and will certainly be buying this again when I next leave my helmet on the train!

Summary: Snug, secure and well ventilated - what else do you need?