review Full Face Helmet Showdown - Bell Super 3R vs Giro Switchblade - Impressions and Opinion

[WARPed1701D]

Full face helmets have been a topic of discussion here of late and for good reason given the increased risk of a full on face-plant that riding an EUC presents above and beyond that of almost any other mode of transportation.

As part of buying protective gear for my new EUC I ordered two different full face MIPS enhanced bicycle helmets made by reputable brands; the Bell Super 3R and the Giro Switchblade. Over the course of a week or so I have been gathering my thoughts on them. I wanted to share what I have learnt and felt over that time in the hope it helps others when making this expensive purchase. To be clear this is not a review or recommendation of either helmet. I am not a specialist in bike helmets nor do I have the resources to test them properly. This is just my stream of consciousness/thoughts/feelings/ramblings.

Both helmets came from Amazon. The Bell Super 3R cost $230 and the Giro Switchblade $250 which matched the manufacturer RRP. Both were ordered in medium size and have similar sizing charts.

I will break my text into separate posts, each containing their own related material and images. This will help keep everything organized. Please don't post in the next 5 minutes while I add them all.

Finally, this was not sponsored in any way. I purchased both these helmets from Amazon and will be keeping just one of them. This is why I could not road test them.

P.S. Sorry about the ugly dude in the pics. My head model canceled so I had to drag this sorry creature in off the street in exchange for a six pack and some pocket change. 

Bell Super 3R

It comes with a padded cover.

Giro Switchblade Packaging

Also comes with a soft cover as well as second camera visor and thinner cheek pads

[WARPed1701D]

Overall Design, Build Quality, Size, Weight, and Certifications

Both helmets offer full face protection by utilizing a wrap around chin bar and for both of these helmets the chin bar is removable. Compared next to each other they are of very similar dimensions all around and from looks alone you would be hard pushed to see much difference between them. Looks, however, is where the similarities stop. These are in fact two very different helmets.

The Switchblade weighs in at 975g, an extra 20% over the more svelte 3R that is only 784g. This is a noticeable difference (although not uncomfortable) and one could assume this to be the result of a lackluster effort on the part of the Giro design team, but devil is in the details and in Giro’s case, in the certifications. The 3R is certified to EN1078/CPSC Bicycle standards. The Giro also meets these but adds the more stringent ASTM-1952-DH to its list. What this means is that the Giro is certified for the additional stresses seen from the fast impacts found in Downhill mountain biking and as a result has passed much more stressful tests. You can look up the details of the test yourself but basically the EN1708 (European) or CPSC (US) standards are the basic recognized bike helmet standard . Any bike helmet you buy should come with one/both of these standards and it suggests nothing above or beyond typical protection. ASTM-1952 raises that bar requiring greater coverage of the head and the ability to absorb greater impacts. In the case of a helmet with a removable chin bar the test must be passed both with and without the bar.

The downhill certification of the Giro will impact other areas of this discussion as we come to them but for this section, in short, the Switchblade is a heavier helmet, but that is a trade off for significantly better certified impact protection. I’ve little doubt that if the Bell had been able to meet the test requirements they would have ensured downhill certification themselves so it is safe to assume the 3R offers less protection in heavier impacts. Maybe a little less, maybe a lot. I don’t know.

Only you can decide if weight or protection is of greater importance to you. For me the Swichblade wins in the category simply for the increased protection.

[WARPed1701D]

Bell Super 3R Images:

Highly vented

Note you can clearly see my ears. No trouble with decreased situational awareness due to sound blocking.

Giro Switchblade Images:

The visor on the Switchblade is longer. The helmet looks more balanced from the side as a result.

Again note that you can see my ears. Also no issues with sound being blocked or reduced situational awareness.

[WARPed1701D]

Feel, Fit, and Finish

As someone who has ridden both bicycles and motorbike I’ve experienced and owned helmets for both activities. If I could draw similarities the I would say the 3R feels like a bike helmet with a chin bar (no surprise there…that’s what it is). When fitted I can feel my head wrapped in the usual plastic wire cage that higher end helmets with fit adjustment dials possess. I can feel the light weight foam construction  and hear the usual taps and creaks bike helmet construction seems to produce. It feels lightweight, almost hollow (not in a a bad way), just like my road bike helmet (a Giro Synthe). The Switchblade, on the other hand, feels much more like putting on my old full face motorbike helmet. Weight is by far an influence here but the helmet also has much less give/flex in it. In fact to put the helmet on with the thick face pads fitted I have to remove the chin bar to get enough flex to pull it over my head. Internally my head feels surrounded by foam padding even though it isn’t. As you can see from the images the foam is not solid but in strips to allow ventilation but there is clearly more impact absorbing materials in the Giro. This has a direct effect on heat retention. Other reviewers have stated that the 3R is a much cooler and airy helmet circulating and venting heat better. One of the biggest complaints online about the Giro is how hot it gets. These reviewers are mainly bikers working hard turning the cranks up a mountain ready for the downhill run rather than us who enjoy the effortless glide of the EUC but none the less the Giro is hotter even when just standing still. It isn’t to say the Giro is a poorly vented helmet. As one reviewer put it, it is a excellently vented DOWNHILL helmet vs the 3R which is an excellently vented TRAIL helmet. The downhill rating means more materials but Giro has done their best to get the heat out, there is just no way it can compete with the 3R and retain its DH cert.

Both helmets are finished very nicely. Rubberized padding is on the inside of the chin bar. Nice padding can be found in the cheek area. The Giro has more options when it comes to padding having 4 pads in total (2 each side, 1 in the helmet portion and one in the chin bar) and offering thinner versions of each included in the package. The 3R has just 2 pads in the chin bar which can be thinned out by removing a shim of dense foam from behind the permanent lower density foam in the fixed pad. Again the Giro feels more resilient to rough usage. The fit adjustment dial is larger and more tucked under the lower rear lip of the helmet leaving it protected from knocks (apparently to prevent changes to the adjustment if it bangs against a neck brace). Some have said that this position can cause it to dig in the back of the neck when looking sharply upwards though. The 3R’s is a more delicate system that protrudes below the lower rim of the helmet. This makes adjustment easier but is prone to damage when just laying around. My Giro Synthe road bike helmet adjustment dial has had to be repaired because it hangs below the helmet body like the 3R. This protrusion of the dial is why the 3R could not be photographed upright as the helmet was resting on it (not cool). The Giro also has a nice rubberized finish to the lower rim of the helmet and the rear vents. The reason for this on the vents is to grip the elastic strap of goggles/action cams/head lamps.

The chin strap of the 3R is a standard bike helmet strap with a plastic clip. Each side of the head, below the ear, the strap splits fore and aft of the ear. There is the usual adjuster allowing you can take up and play out slack to ensure the helmet doesn’t rotate forward or back when fitted. See below (Chin Bar section) for my other feelings about the execution of this design on the 3R. Excess strap can be retained by a rubber like band but significant excess must be trimmed. The Switchblade uses double metal D rings similar to motorbike helmets. The strap wide and lined throughout with padding so it doesn’t chafe the skin. Where the strap splits fore and aft of the ear there is no adjuster. It is a fixed design but even without the adjustment the helmet felt secure on my head. My complaint here is that the double D rings can poke you in the Adams apple when you look down. Careful adjustment of the padding can alleviate this for the most part but this is a bulky clasp system. Excess strap clips back on itself.

I saw some reviews where people complained of diminished hearing on one or both of these helmets. Personally, I found that neither helmet blocked my ears as far as I could tell. In fact there are vents on both helmets next to the ears. I could put my fingers through the vents and block my ears. As such I wouldn’t worry about decreased situational awareness with either helmet.

In summary, both helmets ooze quality in build and construction. The Giro feels more solid and makes you head feel like it is in a cocoon…a hot cocoon. It also feels like the componentry will last a while longer in standard use, but the 3R is not far behind. The Switchblade wins here again, but it is close.

[WARPed1701D]

Bell Super 3R Images:

Nice and airy. Minimal padding but comfortable.

The protruding fit adjuster. Note also the exposed foam construction along the rim. I'd rather see this finished nicely.

Standard chin strap clasp

The cheek pad with the foam shim removed through the velco slot (note the insert tab).

Giro Switchblade Images:

Still lots of ventilation but considerably more padding. Hotter.

The adjustment dial is tucked away and protected but some reviews said it can poke the back of neck when looking up (I did not notice this) . Note the nice rubber finish on the bottom rim. No exposed EPS foam here.

Double D ring chin strap. Secure but big and can poke the Adams apple when looking down.

The two thicknesses of pads for the chin bar.

And again for the cheek pads in the helmet.

[WARPed1701D]

The Chin Bar

This is perhaps where the most radical difference is between the two and again I think it is the result of the downhill certification requirements. When the chin bar is removed from the 3R you are left with a helmet that you could happily use on a regular bike. The value of two helmets in one is not lost on the author who loves devices with multiple uses. It is open an airy. Similar to a regular helmet except protection extends down the back of the head. Literally the entire bottom of the helmet comes away with the opening of just three clips. Removing the chin bar is a fairly simple affair. Open one clasp on each side next to the eyes and then one on the back. Unfasten the now opened rear bar/hook clasp and then literally flex the entire base of the helmet open at the back of the head into two halves. Various protrusions between bar and helmet come apart and the bar is removed. As a result, the chin bar component is pretty huge and, in some respects, feels a little vulnerable to me without the strength of the helmet to support it. I’m sure it would be fine however if stuffed in a back pack. Reattaching is a pain though. I’m sure you get used to it but I could not reattach the chin bar without a mirror and even then it took several attempts. With protrusions and clips it is a lot to get aligned and I didn’t like it. Bell must be aware of this as their website has the Chin Bar challenge for people to show how quick they can fit the bar to the helmet. I feel they would only do this if people (like me) needed convincing that you will, eventually, get it. One big thing I disliked about the remaining helmet was the distance the chin strap is from my face where it attaches to the helmet. On my regular bike helmet the strap runs up in contact with my face all the way to the helmet’s attachment point. The 3R strap stops touching my face at the cheek and is probably ½ to ¾ of an inch away from my skin where it enters the helmet foam. I played with the straps a little but without the chin bar to add support I felt the 3R was not as well attached to my head and moved around a little. It is fair to say that Bell helmets are not the best fit for my head shape (helmets are generally too wide) and this may have had some impact in my opinion here. See my final note in this section about manufacturer fit.

For the Switchblade the chin bar, and just the chin bar, comes away. The remaining helmet resembles an open-faced motorcycle helmet. I’m sure this is due to the coverage requirements for the downhill certification. This means the helmet, sans chin bar, is not as practical for everyday bicycle use in hot climates. I’m in FL and there is no way I’d wear the Switchblade on my bike which is a huge bummer. Two push buttons at the base of the cheek area release the retaining clips for the bar. You then rotate it up about 30 degrees before pulling the bar forward. This forward pull must be decisive to get the bar to disconnect but it is a clean removal system. Re-attachement is just the reverse process requiring you to align a metal connector with the attachment point on each side of the helmet. Two brail dots on the helmet help you feel where they should align. Again, a decisive shove (more than I'd like) is required to engaged the rod and you then rotate the bar down until it locks. The alignment is a bit fiddly but the whole process is smoother that the 3R, but with such great differences between execution of the removable chin bar it is hard to compare the two. The chin bar, when removed has some flex when squeezed but it otherwise very solid. Like the 3R is it has some cheek pads and the entire inner is lined with rubber. The mouth vent also has a grill. This may or may not actually help catch big bugs, unlikely I think, but aesthetically it looks good. With the chin bar removed the open attachment slots on the front of the remaining helmet apparently channel extra air into the helmet like a wind tunnel. I’ve not tested this but it would be welcome and a good design feature if it works.

Most importantly regarding fit…each manufacturer has a different idea of the ideal head shape. For some people a Bell fits well and comfortable, for others a Giro, or a Bontrager, etc. Proper fit for your head is vitally important and only extreme Amazon ordering will allow you to try them all. If you have a local bike store then absolutely pay them a visit to try some on. Plus, if you try in the store, buy in the store if they have what you want. Don’t go home and then buy on Amazon for $30 less. The store did you a huge service just by being there. They deserved that $30 so they are there for the next guy, or for your next helmet purchase (rant over).

I really like the way the 3R reduces down to a usable helmet for regular bike riding or slower EUC riding in hot weather but the inability to get a good strap adjustment, in part I think, due to the large gap between the strap and my face means I wouldn’t use it in such configuration. The Switchblade leaves a lot more helmet behind and will be hotter sans chin bar. The Switchblade wins again here too if only because I feel it is still secure on my head without the chin bar even though I think I’ll have limited usage from it in the open face form.

[WARPed1701D]

Bell Super 3R Images:

One clasp each side. Shown closed.

Pull forward to open.

The third clasp on the rear. Shown closed.

And now open, but you must also release the hook from the vertical pin before flexing the whole chin-bar apart to remove from the helmet.

Holly cow! Half the helmet just came off. Was it meant to do that? Yes. It was.

With the chin bar gone the remaining helmet is light and highly usable for activities needing less protection. The vent shaped hole (blocked by foam) above the ear is actually one of the places the chin bar must align (it houses the clasp mechanism). Another protrusion on the chin bar must align and fit into a rear vent on each side. These are hard to align along with the three clasps.

A better view of the padding. Note the forehead vents at the bottom of the image, near the visor, designed to draw air into the helmet.

Good coverage at the back of the head.

But this strap system ruins it. I couldn't get a good fit without the chin bar. The strap is about 3/4" away from my face where it enters the helmet. It may fit you better.

Giro Switchblade Images:

To release the chin bar first press the button on each side.

Rotate the bar up to about 30 degrees. People wearing glasses (me) need to remove them first.

Rotating up prepares to release the main connecting rod. Note the braille dots to help with refitting alignment.

The removed chin bar is much smaller than with the 3R....

...meaning the remaining helmet is much larger. 

The attachment system on the the helmet portion. Without the bar fitted this slot apparently channels air into the helmet like a wind tunnel.

A better view of the inside with the bar removed.

And again. Note the padding on the chin strap.

This could pass as a motorbike helmet.

Even with the bar gone coverage is exceptional, but this will hold in the heat.

 

[WARPed1701D]

Visors and Camera Attachments

Both helmets have visors than can be adjusted up or down. The 3R is a smooth adjustment and it can be removed by turning the locking bolts with your fingers and unscrewing them. A GoPro mount is attached to the top of the helmet (not on the visor) but can be removed if desired and will break away in an impact so as not to compromise the helmet. The visor in the up position may block the camera. I’m not sure as I don’t have a GoPro.  The Giro actually comes with two visors and both appear to be longer (protrude further forward) than visor on the 3R. I guess this offers better shade from the sun and maybe some increased protection from foreign objects. The standard visor is factory fitted and adjusts to three different angles. Push past the resistance and it will seat in the next position along. A second visor is also supplied. This one is fixed in a single position (the middle position I think) and has a GoPro mount molded onto the underside of it. This is likely to provide the best POV image of the two helmets and this position ensures it will not get smacked by a low hanging branch but you lose the use of your visor in the low position for maximum  sun shade and the camera position may result in a challenge fitting helmet lights and the camera together. If you want to swap between camera use and adjustable visor you need to carry the extra visor around which is a pain. I understand that no tools are needed to swap the visors. I don’t understand why the GoPro attachment wasn’t just placed on the adjustable visor. They mention improved image stability from the fixed visor but I think the resistance between positions on the adjustable visor is more than enough to support a camera.

I’ve no real strong opinion here as to which I prefer. I’ve no mountable camera and a visor is just a visor for the most part. I think I’d prefer the camera be below the visor rather than on top of the helmet if only to provide some protection to the camera and a more accurate POV. I guess I also prefer the longer visor for more shade form the FL sun…so maybe the Switchblade…but, meh.

[WARPed1701D]

Giro Switchblade Image:

The GoPro mount on the underside of the second visor. This visor is fixed in the middle of the three positions available on the non-camera visor.

[WARPed1701D]

Conclusion

Again, this is not meant to be a review. Just observations, thoughts, ramblings but I wanted to share my final opinion.

You can’t go wrong with either of these helmets. They are both high quality and well made. They look almost identical but they are very different below the surface.

The Bell 3R is a lighter, cooler helmet that offers the greatest versatility between chin bar / no chin bar configuration. Versatility though comes at a price, I feel, with a clunky over complex mount system for the chin bar but I think you would learn to align and secure all the components required to fit the bar quickly with experience. I’m also not a fan of the strap system, especially in open face mode, but it may work for your head shape. The helmet is EN/CPSC certified so you know it will offer at least a typical level of protection and I think it is safe to assume that the protection offered at that level will be exceptional with the chin bar fitted.

The Giro Switchblade is heavier and hotter but I think short of putting a motorbike helmet on your head it offers the best protection you could hope to get. If you like pushing you KS18S or 84v mSuper to the limit then this is the helmet for you, no question (or a motorbike helmet, I’m serious, consider a motorbike helmet if you really push it). I think the Switchblade edges above the 3R in terms of build quality, finish, and potential longevity and you have more options with the 4 swappable pads to get just the right fit. The solid construction does mean you may need to fit/remove the chin bar to be able to comfortably place it on your head though.

Both helmets have the MIPS protection system for increased protection in certain types of impact.

For me the winner is the Giro Switchblade. Giro’s in general are a good fit for my head shape which gives me a nudge in the Switchblade’s direction over the Super 3R but despite this even with the increased heat potential (and this is a huge factor for me) I feel the combination of a high level of  proven/certified protection and what feels like better quality/finish/durability (in my opinion…which is all this thread is based on remember) is worth the additional sweat and $20 over the 3R. Your mileage may vary, and probably will.

Go check them out!

Edit:

Correction and Addendum

This “review” and subsequent author comments discussed the relationship of the chin bar and  the ASTM 1952 “Downhill” certification and provided some incorrect information. It was stated that the chin bar was not directly tested as part of this certification and this is incorrect. Please read the following text and consider it to supersede any other contradictory information you have or will read.

The ASTM 1952 certification tests helmets to standards above and beyond that of accepted basic bicycle helmet standards mandated by various government (such as EN1078 and CPSC). A helmet can gain ASTM 1952 certification as either an open faced helmet or a full face one with chin bar. If the helmet is open faced with no option of a chin bar attachment then just the cranial helmet structure is tested. If a chin bar is present (either as a permanent  part of the helmet structure or as a removable component) then the chin bar is directly tested with frontal impact tests and even in the case of removable chin bar options this frontal test must pass or the whole helmet fails to gain certification. There is no partial pass for removable chin bar options.

What does this mean? Basically any full face helmet without ASTM 1952 (2032 for BMX helmets) certification could have a chin bar that will provide little to no protection in the event of a frontal impact. The chin bar simply isn’t officially tested by a third party and could be little more than eye candy. You are relying on a manufacturers promise of protection rather than proof. Only by choosing a helmet with the ASTM certification are you guaranteeing a determined minimum level of impact absorption.

Based on this I feel the decision to choose the Giro Switchblade over the Bell Super 3R is even more justified. The Super 3R is without doubt a good helmet and a video linked later in this thread shows Bell doing frontal tests on the chin bar of the 3R’s predecessor (the 2R) that mimic those that are specified in ASTM 1952. Despite these internal tests ultimately neither the 2R or 3R carry the 1952 certification. One can only assume something failed (chin bar or otherwise).

THE END

[Dingfelder]

Wow what a great double review (excuse me -- NOT a review)!  You took plenty of time and effort, much appreciated. 

The detail gives me some tools with which to draw my own conclusions. For instance, how hot the helmets are makes a huge difference to me.  It's not only that it gets very hot here and that a hot helmet saps all the joy out of riding bikes and such for me, but that if something is too uncomfortable, experience has taught me that it's easy to leave the house without it.  Where there's a will (even subconsciously) there's a way ... and I could see leaving a far superior helmet on the shelf and thus having NO protection at all.  

So for me, a helmet even provably lesser could do me more good, and boosts the appeal of the Bell considerably.

Anyway, thanks for providing some tools I can use to better consider the options!

[D i c K (ie)]

That is the best (not  a) review I could find on the internet on these helmets!

[flass]

Awesome work! TL DR but if I was out for buying a helmet I would surely appreciate this effort of yours! 

 

Btw, I use a MET Parachute. It's non-MIPS which is my biggest concern with it, but it's very light-weight and it looks SO cool and appearance is all that matters after all?

[Rehab1]

45 minutes ago, flass said:

Btw, I use a MET Parachute. It's non-MIPS which is my biggest concern with it, but it's very light-weight and it looks SO cool and appearance is all that matters after all?

That is a cool looking helmet both in style and the ventilation it offers.

7 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

Over the course of a week or so I have been gathering my thoughts on them. I wanted to share what I have learnt and felt over that time in the hope it helps others when making this expensive purchase

Excellent well thought out reviews!  Thanks for all of your efforts!

Ok...who's going to be the first to test the impact effectiveness of all these awesome helmets? 

[WARPed1701D]

 I'm glad you like it. If you own one of the helmets then please chime in with your views, especially if they differ from mine. The more opinions added the more valuable this will become. And if your helmet is a different make/model....do a review about it (I suggest video of you can, adding all those pictures turned out to be a real PITA)!

I forgot to say I'll return to this in a month or two to follow up and see what I got right and what I got wrong.

[WARPed1701D]

5 hours ago, Dingfelder said:

Wow what a great double review (excuse me -- NOT a review)!  You took plenty of time and effort, much appreciated. 

The detail gives me some tools with which to draw my own conclusions. For instance, how hot the helmets are makes a huge difference to me.  It's not only that it gets very hot here and that a hot helmet saps all the joy out of riding bikes and such for me, but that if something is too uncomfortable, experience has taught me that it's easy to leave the house without it.  Where there's a will (even subconsciously) there's a way ... and I could see leaving a far superior helmet on the shelf and thus having NO protection at all.  

So for me, a helmet even provably lesser could do me more good, and boosts the appeal of the Bell considerably.

Anyway, thanks for providing some tools I can use to better consider the options!

I agree. Comfort and ease of use is paramount for safety gear to promote usage. I'm hoping the heat will be a non issue when in actual use. Most of those heat comments come from bikers cranking it up hills and I fully get where they are coming from. Standing on an EUC should (I hope) be cooler. 

[WARPed1701D]

3 hours ago, flass said:

Awesome work! TL DR but if I was out for buying a helmet I would surely appreciate this effort of yours! 

 

Btw, I use a MET Parachute. It's non-MIPS which is my biggest concern with it, but it's very light-weight and it looks SO cool and appearance is all that matters after all?

Nice helmet and thanks for showing another option. Review it!

[Marty Backe]

This was an absolutely fantastic overview of the two helmets that I keep coming back to. Unfortunately there are elements that I like on each helmet. I will be particularly interested in the follow-up that you will be doing. We'll be able to call your follow-up a review I think  I feel like I'm going to get one of these helmets. Too bad there isn't a good place to put my Gotway logo 

Thanks again for the effort that you put into this write-up. I very much appreciate it. 

[WARPed1701D]

3 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

This was an absolutely fantastic overview of the two helmets that I keep coming back to. Unfortunately there are elements that I like on each helmet. I will be particularly interested in the follow-up that you will be doing. We'll be able to call your follow-up a review I think  I feel like I'm going to get one of these helmets. Too bad there isn't a good place to put my Gotway logo 

Thanks again for the effort that you put into this write-up. I very much appreciate it. 

Glad you liked it. Your gear video was really helpful to me and so was a catalyst for me to make the effort here.

You are right that these helmets both have some great features and neither would be a bad choice. It was hard to choose between them in some areas, easy in others. They are radically different under the surface.

[WARPed1701D]

I forgot to say, if there are questions not answered in the thread or a desire to see a picture of something specific then please ask. I'll likely have the Bell here until Friday. The Switchblade will be here permanently of course.

[Chriull]

On 25.7.2017 at 4:29 AM, WARPed1701D said:

I will break my text into separate posts, each containing their own related material and images. This will help keep everything organized. Please don't post in the next 5 minutes while I add them all.

If you ever do something like this again, you can also hide your topic after submitting it - add your additional post without anyone (but us moderaters) seeing it and then finally unhiding it once you finished.

[WARPed1701D]

2 hours ago, Chriull said:

If you ever do something like this again, you can also hide your topic after submitting it - add your additional post without anyone (but us moderaters) seeing it and then finally unhiding it once you finished.

Thats a good idea which I'll do in future. Thanks.

Anyone who saw the post being formed would have seen it actually took well over an hour and included a small rant when things went wrong.  I didn't realize the 3MB limit for attachments applied across multiple posts. This was a main reason for splitting the full text into seperate posts as I had resized all images down to about 150kb each and thought that even the chin bar set of images (a lot of them) would be in limits for a single post. But, while uploading that set I hit the data limit after just two images suggesting the data cap included the images form the earlier sets. I had to go away to find some external hosting and then edit everything already uploaded to point to external URLs as well as post the remaining content. It was time consuming to have to click the link to add content from a URL, paste the URL and repeat it for every image in the review (and it went wrong several times). I became quite anxious of this half finished "non-review" kicking around for so long while I sorted out the issues. Hiding it would certainly have helped.

[Maximus]

2 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

I forgot to say, if there are questions not answered in the thread or a desire to see a picture of something specific then please ask. I'll likely have the Bell here until Friday. The Switchblade will be here permanently of course.

Fantastic post @WARPed1701D!  I don't anticipate getting one of these helmets...yet, but a couple more face plants, particularly one where the injuries could have been prevented or lessened by a full face helmet, and I may be singing a different tune 

One request I had to the original posts in this thread is, can you change the color of your text to "white" or maybe "automatic"?  I view the site using the "IPS4 Dark" Theme and your posts are showing up in a dark font which makes it hard to read forcing me to highlight all of your text so it shows up...I'm assuming that this was the result of your posts being done in another application first, then pasting them in?  Anyway, just a small critique to an overall amazing post!  Thanks again  

[WARPed1701D]

4 minutes ago, Maximus said:

Fantastic post @WARPed1701D!  I don't anticipate getting one of these helmets...yet, but a couple more face plants, particularly one where the injuries could have been prevented or lessened by a full face helmet, and I may be singing a different tune 

One request I had to the original posts in this thread is, can you change the color of your text to "white" or maybe "automatic"?  I view the site using the "IPS4 Dark" Theme and your posts are showing up in a dark font which makes it hard to read forcing me to highlight all of your text so it shows up...I'm assuming that this was the result of your posts being done in another application first, then pasting them in?  Anyway, just a small critique to an overall amazing post!  Thanks again  

Good feedback and you are right I drafted the text in Word and pasted into the forum as I didn't want to loose it though browser refreshes etc. I'll go back and edit the font color to auto. I'm guessing you are only seeing this in the main text, not the image comments that I added directly in the browser later on?

P.S. After the eventual face plant that has you considering a full face helmet I very much hope you are still capable of "singing" that different tune!

[Maximus]

7 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

Good feedback and you are right I drafted the text in Word and pasted into the forum as I didn't want to loose it though browser refreshes etc. I'll go back and edit the font color to auto. I'm guessing you are only seeing this in the main text, not the image comments that I added directly in the browser later on?

Yes, correct, the image comments look good.

7 minutes ago, WARPed1701D said:

P.S. After the eventual face plant that has you considering a full face helmet I very much hope you are still capable of "singing" that different tune!

Haha, me too