Bell Helmets - Drop Manic Helmet - Many faces, 1 helmet.

Feb 16, 2009
by Jordan Holmes  
Anywhere from 45%-88% of cyclist's brain injuries could have been prevented by wearing a helmet, so before you jump on your bike for a quick ride, take a second look at your helmet and think about the odds. Bell produces their helmets in a vast variety of color schemes and designs, hoping that you will pick it up and put it on your head. Let's take a quick peek at the Manic.

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Bell is constantly creating new certified helmets for use on 2 wheeled bicycles. The Bell Drop helmet is certified with the CPSC Bicycle Safety Standard, and ASTM DH. It features a well ventilated design, and comes in a multitude of colors. Bell produces the Drop helmet in Black/ White with a Crest, Matte Black, Matte Olive, Red/Black, White/Black, and White/Red. And if you thought that was to many options to think about, they also offer it in the Cedric Gracia and Brian Lopes color schemes.

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With an MSRP of $130.00 the Bell Drop helmet is well priced, and designed to provide you with the protection you need, and at just over a kilo (2.4 pounds) it's in contention with some of the other light helmets on the market. You should be able to pick up a Bell Drop through your local shop, or you can use the Where To Buy function on Bell's website.

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124 Comments
  • 76 36
 im not a huge fan of where DH racing is going. All the bikes and helmets and clothing is so flashy and over the top. I mean i think thats ok for dirt jumping and BMX, but Dh for me was all about simple and a true representation of the sport. Now its all just who can wear the brighter colors and have the prettiest bike. Im just not a fan
  • 21 36
flag bbakus (Feb 16, 2009 at 0:19) (Below Threshold)
 I agree. I have my big hit, and i think it isn't pretty but it rides great so i am happy with my bikeSmile
  • 29 11
 whatever happened to the the saying 'its not the bike, its the rider'?
if you're not doing well and not putting your talent where it's supposed to be then everything just goes to shame, regardless of colors or patterns alike.
  • 67 8
 totaly disagree. everything is just more modern(jersey's, bikes, colors, everything). do you wear the samte style clothes you did ten years ago? i dont think so. some people like bright colors. maybe its a way to express there personality. who knows. who cares what color someone is wearing.
  • 93 4
 Who gives a flying f*** what anyones wearing - only one thing counts in DH.

What the clock says.
  • 13 0
 Well if you looked, ud see they make them in a plain matt black colour so why are u complaining. Its not like u have to have this style. Also its about fashion trend, this is the direction its going in. I like the new designs with fancy colours and something to them.
  • 7 0
 they are only catering for different people. if they didn't produce a selection of colours they wouldn't make money. people want colourful, so people will buy colourful, so companies will make colourful. that is comon sense.
  • 5 0
 if your going to be a sick rider you might as well look sick too,but there are also many bland looking helmets and gear out there,so they can supply everyone with what they want
  • 2 0
 beautiful helemt
  • 1 0
 Omg, now it is original, authority. It used to be all race stripes and shit. now it isn't
  • 2 0
 did any of you notice this quote about the other colors it comes in?
"Black/ White with a Crest, Matte Black, Matte Olive, Red/Black, White/Black, and White/Red"
  • 1 3
 rideayeti, i agree with you but all the flashy colours on the parts and bikes come on the high proformance parts take chris king for example they have a whack of colours for the products while lesser brands like ( im going extreme with this ) raliegh have nearly no after market colours.
  • 4 0
 i think the main goal of this is not really to be flashy though. most people dont wear helmets simply because they think they look dumb. so if making them flashy will encourage people to wear helmets the im ok with that.
  • 3 0
 It's all about progression. You can't maintain the thing mindset indefinitely. Things change and different clothes and bikes, etc. are an indicator of that change. Don't fight it just be open to other points of view. If you don't like flash don't buy it. Stay "old school" if you want.
  • 2 1
 I agree w/ Joedaho. Just ride. If you can beat me with your stupid looking helmet, I'll buy the beer.
  • 2 0
 i dont know about the rest of you guys ^... but this helmet looks sick. i originally wasnt a fan of Bell, but over the last few years, and there new 2009 line im starting to love there designes !
  • 2 3
 If you don´t like bright colors then just paint all of mate black Mr. I Hate colors, I'll stay with my "flashy and over the top" stuff. It would SUCK if all the clothing, bikes and stuff were like 20 years ago, everything must evolve, even DH. I still see DH like a serious sport by the way, having more variety of colors, forms, sizes, et cetera, just helps to avoid a monotonous look (althougt those Sam Hill wannabes don´t help a lot)and having more options from where to choose.
  • 1 0
 its not flashy its just that colors look good. all one color would be boring
  • 1 0
 i think its amazing im prob gonna get one
  • 4 0
 im glad art is working its way into biking. if the company's can make an awesome functioning product, why not make it look awesome too?
  • 2 1
 I must say I agree with joedaho. People will hate me for saying this but, look at Sam Hill and Rennie and Minaar. Those guys blaze down the hill so fast you can hardly see what they are wearing, and so what if they have some flashy gear. It makes them look better on the podium. Who cares about the scrawny little kid with the 6k bike who cant j-hop up a curb, we call them posers. If the rest of you aren't smart enough to watch for the guy with skill, and are too distracted by the pretty helmets then put some blinders on or something.
  • 0 1
 puttin colours on helmets so they r more appealing so the common guy goes wow thats pimp almost or cooler than my hair and head only if i crash hard with this it will not hurt so i think the colurs is a great idea
  • 0 1
 It all about marketing. If every helmet and jersey came in a set number of plain colors, people would shop around more creating competition. They make everything so flashy because it catches peoples eyes. When someone sees something they like they buy it. I don't agree with it either man, that's why I don't buy flashy crap, it looks funny.
  • 1 0
 ok, so if ur wearing all the colors of the rainbow u would look kinda stupid, but if ur bike was black and blue for example, then ud probably buy a black and blue jersey or something. i think too much color looks bad, but if u match it with something else, then it looks good.
  • 1 0
 I don't even think of stuff matching man, if the priced is right and the function is there, I'm sold. Rocks, dirt and trees don't give a crap what color your gear is.
  • 0 1
 not every single one of my pieces of clothing matches, but i wear a blue and black jersey and i have a blue and black/white fork. my frame is tan and orange and i have a black and orange camelback. thats all that i match
  • 0 1
 Cool....
  • 9 2
 That last comment is ridiculous!! Its ok to wear bright colors for dj and bmx but not for downhill?! HA
  • 3 3
 the comment was a bit strange but in principal i agree ..too many in yer face colours , too much hydroforming of top tubes and white brake and cable runs ... come on !
  • 2 2
 analyzing your saying, i come to the conclusion that your aphorisms are too misleading, due to unplanned selection of your principles
  • 2 0
 aye aye ...em ....yer maw ..twice
  • 0 0
 Who sells bell helmets in vancouver canada, caus eon there website it only has america and europe
  • 1 0
 i just love the fact that our sport is growing, i don't care how pretty it's getting. more resorts are opening up to biking, the stars of the sport are starting to make some real money and the equipment is advancing which helps average guys ride some wicked terrain. it's all good! if some people want to look flashy while doing it...who cares.
  • 1 0
 its just a marketing technique, its what all those fixed gear children love, aswell as bmx/mtb bmx.
end of the day whats wins is who got style and tricks in the bag of whos fastest down the hill. so let those people who fall for the hunny trap do it, i'll laugh at them from the podium
  • 0 0
 Despite how people are going on about where DH is going and how it is ruining the sport i think the helmet looks really good. And what is wrong with looking good while riding? Apart from that i think the helmet looks good, i'd buy one.
  • 1 1
 im from England and its allways raining and muddy all the time so what ever colour you like to wear or have you bike it will be mud brown colour after a couple of hours. You will be lucky to even see what brand of bike you are riding nevermind colour. Its never stops raining im going to live in spain and ride in a sombreo. ye ha.
  • 2 0
 Sombreros are from Mexico, because in Spain they too talk spanish doesn't mean that they too sing mariachi and drink tequila, It's like saying that if u go to a bar in the US you're going to a pub just cuz they talk english too, got it?
  • 2 0
 Nicely said...although I think that SIDESHOWBOB was just trying to make a joke.
  • 1 0
 I know, but joke or not joke he's disinformed, just trying to give him little more of common sense
  • 0 1
 alienens did you just come to this blog to argue with people? I haven't seen one post in here that wasn't argumentative. And to correct your misinformed post Sombreros originated in spain in the the 15th century and were brought to mexico and introduced to the Mestizo workers who made there own style of sombrero. there still worn in spain to this day.
  • 0 0
 I know that, but his refering to the mexican one's cuz look what he put at the end of his comment, "ye ha" now don´t tell me that expression is originated from Spain cuz is not, is from America, cowboys and rancheros.
  • 0 0
 just for the record i dont care where sombrerios came from im just saying in a light hearted silly way that i wished i lived in suunny spain,i think there is good riding out there and i like the life style and food and i would wear a helmet with a pineapple on it that lights up like the god dam 4th of july just to live and ride in a sunny place.
so that guy who keeps going on about my sombrerio comment is either up tight or having a joke.What ever,but if he is uptight then maybe he need to drink a couple of slammers and chill out man.Like the mexican carpet fitter said"GRIPPER GRIPPER UNDERLAY UNDERLAY."
Happy riding..........
  • 3 1
 i think its fine for people to add more colour into there lifes, why not?
and "I have my big hit...but it rides great"
i call bullsh*t
  • 0 0
 Dude, look around for really good deals on helmets though (I don't care about the color; hey, it's just a color). I found a new '08 Specialized Deviant Carbon helmet for $130 USD. The claimed weight is .8 kilos (1.76 lbs). But definitely, protect your head. Bones will heal, but your brain won't.
  • 1 0
 Who cares I have white gear and red rims on my DH bike and I dont care beacuse it looks graet and works great. Pro where flashy thjings beacuse thier proffesional and it doesn' matter when your good.
  • 2 0
 protest Bell for making you wear helmets? dont be a twat. think for yourself ,wear a helmet.
  • 0 0
 they say 80% bike, 20% rider, flashy is nice but to a point. companys have to make thier bike look sweet to sell them, cause if everone make em look like shit no1 would want it. this is a step up for bell
  • 0 0
 puttin colours on helmets so they r more appealing so the common guy goes wow thats pimp almost or cooler than my hair and head only if i crash hard with this it will not hurt so i think the colurs is a great idea
  • 0 0
 puttin colours on helmets so they r more appealing so the common guy goes wow thats pimp almost or cooler than my hair and head only if i crash hard with this it will not hurt so i think the colurs is a great idea
  • 1 0
 every one i were my helmet when doing tabitha!!!! when eating!!!! and when writing tests you never know when your brain might get hit Smile
  • 7 4
 Soon we will all be wearing skin tight jeans on our dh bikes.
  • 6 0
 whatever, wear what you want. Just because the colors are coming into style doesnt mean you have to wear them. And companies like TLD and Royal will always put out a classy race suit, can you see peaty in neon?
  • 2 3
 if hes also in purple skinnies?
  • 1 2
 ride in what ever comfy, skinnies baggies, usualy 3/4's, plain camo shortsm with a plain logoed tshirt or button shirt, and the old greyish TLD lid (one with the lion and barbed wire)

thats personal preferance, but my bighit is sun burst orange, and shitly painted its all flaking but i dont care, its the fun i get form riding it.

some of the new "pop artie"/"abstractie" designs are cool but alot of them dont really suit the sport, but il ware what ever, even if its a girls fox jersey. =]
  • 1 0
 haha and yes i could see peaty riding neon,no big deal,get over it,he'll ride what he wants
  • 1 1
 I wear tight jeans when i ride DH dont bash it
  • 2 0
 and my bike is super flashy
  • 0 0
 All major racing sports are full of flash and glam. MX, Nascar, hell even the olympics. I see nothing wrong with mtbing following that trend.

I DO believe that form follows function in it's importance.
and I also believe that I will always try to stand out in more subtler ways than super flash and neon colours. ie my matte brown w/ killer graphics giro remedy
  • 1 1
 as long as riders understand. if your gonna be all decked out super flashy you better be a good rider. cause if not your just a poser. its the same as snowboarding or skiing. if your gonna draw attention to yourself you better be able to throw down.
  • 1 0
 thats a very good way to look at it,you pretty much completed my thoughts
  • 1 0
 i agree, plain dark colors for me =] sept bright pink goggles XD
  • 1 0
 everyone has there sense of style. if you want something flashy then buy something flashy. i have this exact helment. i like the bright colors. its all preference.
  • 2 0
 Nice to see that we all came back down out of the trees and started discussing the Helmet again ;-)
  • 1 0
 haha... you guys are way too stressed out. live and let live. if theres a helmet law, deal with it. if there isn't, deal with it. What a thing to argue about. Grow up kids
  • 0 0
 i just bought a drop helmet... but i got the black and white one... was thinking about the Garcia edition one, but doesn't go with my other gear...
  • 1 0
 VVVVVVVVT btw i laughed really hard at the dear fight lol "dear retard" .... "dear dip shit" HAHAHAH!!!
  • 0 1
 its based on the moto whats a sick mx lid, the colourways also based on j-laws lid from last year, ts the best dh lid bell have made yet, just i would spend the extra and get a moto8
  • 1 0
 yea and the moto8 is like twice the weight
  • 0 0
 and a much better and safer lid
  • 2 0
 Very nicely priced quality helmet - yes please
  • 2 0
 I like Bell, ..got the Bellistic,
  • 0 0
 well its cool stuff and if ure already havin all that stuff why not make some colorful things for those that think it looks cool and like it
  • 0 0
 as long as it works n is good value it realy dosnt matter! then u can pick a colour you want cos its not gunna make any difference to yer riding.
  • 0 0
 Have you seen some of the colours that they used to wear in DH?? The helmets look cool, getting towards the MX style.
  • 0 0
 Dear Motion,
don't you think you could have come up with a better word than retard????
shame on you.
  • 0 0
 Sorry hshore but retard was the nicest word I could come up with. I have two dead friends and one with permanent brain damage. I also have a friend who was hit by a car, got a broken leg, hip, ribs, arm, and cracked vertebrae. His helmet saved his life. He moves a bit slower now but he's still sharp as a tack. If you wear a helmet by choice or if you wear one to avoid a $40 fine I don't care, but if you choose not to wear one you deserve a kick in the nuts on behalf of your loved ones and all the people who will have to take care of you after you f*ck up.
  • 1 0
 who throws a shoe.. honestly that really hurt...
  • 1 0
 There nice!
  • 0 0
 impressive best helm ive seen made by bell
  • 0 1
 those colours match the 08 norco ryde perfectly. good thing i have the ryde, now all i need is that helmet tehe
  • 0 0
 straight up style sells. people are buying what looks cool theses days
  • 0 0
 if you got time to look at a helmet graphic then you are moving too slow.
  • 0 0
 ride a yeti is a dbag its called style wich you probably have none of
  • 0 0
 i totally agree with tylerlewissmith on this
  • 0 0
 im glad that were finally getting some color in dh
  • 0 0
 im getting myself one their well niceBig Grin
  • 0 0
 The helmet is NOT "just under a pound"... 2.3 pounds
  • 0 0
 Thanks man, Sorry for the misinformation. I have fixed it.
  • 0 0
 haha yeah, and for you DOT guys...check out the Fox V3...you can get it for about $150 USD on most websites, and it is super light for a DOT at 2.9 pounds
  • 0 0
 I've used the Bell Drop for one season and I love it.
  • 0 0
 It's so beautiful!!Big Grin
  • 0 0
 Thats such a sick helmet
  • 0 0
 wow i want one of these
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