WHAT IT IS: Bell Volt Brain Loss Prevention Device.
$: $175
MORE INFO: http://www.bellsports.com/dirt/volt
FIRST, A HIGH HORSE MONOLOGUE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING A HELMET: No matter your skill level, whether you ride on road or off, if you spend enough time on a bike eventually you’ll end up eating shit, usually when you least expect it. One of my worst and most violent crashes ever came when the East Bay Firebreather was riding behind me and tried to make it through a light that I’d stopped for. Sum result=he ran my ass over, he going 25 mph or faster, me trackstanding. It didn’t feel too good and before I could think I was over the bars falling backwards headfirst into the ground. In an act of God, the motorists at the light didn’t go when the light turned green in the opposite direction and waited while we collected ourselves from the intersection and checked the damage. I’d been hit so hard I thought I was going to load my pants for about ten minutes (good news: I didn’t). We walked away relatively unscathed. Helmets matter.

WHY IT’S RAD: I started my cycling career at 13 wearing a Bell helmet of the styrofoam cooler material with lycra cover variety. Next I moved onto a Bell Image, the lid John Tomac popularized and endorsed following his use of Troy Lee lids. The Troy Lee-painted Bell Image was THE status signifier among xc mountain bike pros in the early ‘90s. Those days, those fuckin’ days. . . But like six-figure salaries for dirt racers, those days are gone. Initially I gravitated to Bell helmets because that was what was available and relatively cheap. Later Specialized lids became my brain containers of choice. In the interim, I’ve tried many helmets from many manufacturers and wanted to circle back and see what Bell had happening at the high end. The Schleck brothers and Fab Cancellara wore the Volt for a few seasons as did many other top pros. It’s about 100 grams heavier than other top end offerings from helmet manufacturers and the weight is noticeable if you’re used to rocking an ultra-light lid. It’s unclear if the extra weight translates to extra material to disperse shock when you go head-first or just heavier straps, retention system, shell and materials.

But when it comes to helmets, your first concern should ALWAYS be fit. A good helmet is one that will stay on your head and do its job when you slam your skull into pavement or dirt. People tend to have either elongated oval heads or round heads. Specialized helmets best fit to heads that are longer than they are wide. Giro helmets tend to fit rounder heads better. And Bell helmets also have a round shape. For some reason Giro helmets while great, well designed, and purty, don’t fit my head well. The medium is too small and presses against my forehead so hard it leaves marks and gives me a headache. The large makes me look like Marco Pantani in a sombrero and doesn’t afford the level of protection I prefer.

After several months of testing on and off road and commuting in the city, I’m stoked on the Volt. It fits my head very well–snug without being too tight. It has good ventilation–but not as good as the gold standard, any Specialized helmet with their signature mouth port over the brow. The retention system works well and hasn’t malfunctioned or broken. The pads appear to be plenty durable (Specialzied brow pads tend to disintegrate after protracted use). And it’s a very sexy looking helmet available in a broad range of color schemes to meet popular kit colors.

Overall, this is an excellent helmet and has become my go-to for all of my riding.

BUMMERS?: Would be even better if it were lighter. This lid is slightly heavier than comparably-priced offerings from Specialized and Giro.