Bell Sixer Helmet - Review
The Sixer is a brand new addition to Bell's mountain bike helmet line, where it sits in the spot formerly occupied by the Super. The Super was a popular helmet, but advances in helmet technology meant that it was time for a fresh model to take its place. The Sixer picks up the torch with the extended rear coverage that's become the norm for all-mountain / trail helmets, along with 26 vents, integrated MIPS technology, goggle compatibility, and a removable camera or light mount.
Bell Sixer Details
• 26 vents, 4 brow ports
• MIPS liner
• Removable light / camera mount
• Adjustable visor
• CE EN1078, CPSC Bicycle certified
• Weight (actual): 410 grams
• MSRP: $150 USD
• www.bellhelmets.com, @BellBikeHelmets
• 26 vents, 4 brow ports
• MIPS liner
• Removable light / camera mount
• Adjustable visor
• CE EN1078, CPSC Bicycle certified
• Weight (actual): 410 grams
• MSRP: $150 USD
• www.bellhelmets.com, @BellBikeHelmets
There are nine color choices, ranging from the classic matte black to a flourescent green called 'Retina Sear.' Available in four sizes, from small to extra large, our medium helmet weighed in at 410 grams. MSRP: $150 USD.
The Sixer has 26 vents, along with 4 horizontal brow vents.
Construction Details
The Sixer is constructed with a polycarbonate shell that covers the entire exterior of the helmet. Underneath that shell is an EPS foam liner that uses Bell's 'Progressive Layering', where different densities of foam are used in order to better absorb a wider range of impacts - softer foam works best for slower speed impacts, while harder foam helps with the faster hits.
If you've done any helmet shopping recently, you're likely familiar with what a MIPS liner typically looks like – it's usually a thin sheet of yellow plastic that sits between a helmet's pads and foam, designed to allow enough movement to reduce the amount of rotational acceleration during an impact. We're seeing more and more technologies emerge with the same intention, but at the moment MIPS is the most prevalent.
How well that low-friction liner is integrated varies depending on the helmet make and model, but with the Sixer, Bell worked with MIPS to make the liner as unobtrusive as possible. I'd say they suceeded - the liner doesn't block any of the vents, or affect the fit in any way. In fact, unless you look close enough to notice the four elastomers that suspend the liner, the MIPS technology is nearly invisible.
Most riders probably don't spend much time thinking about the design of their helmet pads, but Bell put a little extra thought into the shape of the helmet's front pad. A rectangular portion of the padding extends towards the very front of the helmet – the idea is that it will pull sweat away from the brow, and if it does drip, it'll drip away from the rider, and not onto their face or glasses. Clever.
Most riders probably don't spend much time thinking about the design of their helmet pads, but Bell put a little extra thought into the shape of the helmet's front pad. A rectangular portion of the padding extends towards the very front of the helmet – the idea is that it will pull sweat away from the brow, and if it does drip, it'll drip away from the rider, and not onto their face or glasses. Clever.
With the pads removed the elastomers that are attached to the MIPS liner are visible.
The forehead padding is designed to keep sweat from dripping into a rider's eyes.
There's a strip of grippy rubber at the back of the helmet to hold a goggle strap
Performance
Although I know plenty of riders who were fans, the Super was never my favorite helmet. It got the job done, but it always felt a little bulky on my head, and my big ears would touch the lower portion of the shell. With the Sixer, all of those issues have been addressed, and for my head shape the fit feels much, much better. There aren't any uncomfortable pressure points, and it's a helmet I can put on and forget about no matter how long the ride. The fit system at the back of the helmet is easy to access and adjust, with nice, positive detents between each position.
Even with a GoPro mounted to the top of the helmet there wasn't any unwanted shifting or wobbling – the position of the mount is far enough back that the overall balance of the helmet isn't affected that much. I did tighten down the rear dial a click or two to add a little extra security, but the comfort level still remained high. The mount itself is easy to remove when it's not in use, and it's also equipped with a reusable breakaway feature - if you hit a low hanging branch with your helmet or light you might need to go on a hunt to find where it flew off to, but the good news is that the impact shouldn't be as jarring to your head and neck.
When it comes to overall ventilation, the Sixer falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum – it doesn't feel quite as airy as the Specialized Ambush, one of the breeziest all-mountain helmets out there, but it's not quite as toasty as the Troy Lee A1. I was skeptical about that Sweat Guide padding, but it actually works quite well. Of course, it's still possible to have sweat drip down on those really steamy days, but that little tab did seem to help direct the flow of perspiration away from my face.
I used a variety of glasses while testing the Sixer, and didn't run into any fit issues – the arms all cleared the lower part of the helmet with room to spare. The same thing goes for goggles; they worked well, and the grippy material on the rear of the helmet helped make sure the strap never slipped out of place.
The only small quibble I have with the Sixer is there's not a really good way to stash sunglasses when they're not in use. I often climb with the arms of my sunglasses stuck into the rear vents of a helmet, but the vent position of the Sixer makes that a little tricky. There is a channel a little higher up on the shell that will work, but it's not quite as secure. It's a minor detail, but it is something to keep in mind.
Pinkbike's Take
 | The Sixer has no shortage of modern features, but it's the overall comfort that really makes it stand out. Yes, there are slightly lighter and airier options out there, but the Sixer's solid feel combined with its excellent fit and construction make it a very worthy choice for riders on the hunt for a new trail helmet. |
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103 Comments
#26aintdead
If it doesn't meet the full list then it's a no go for me.
If you give me 15 minutes, I'll upload the flow chart for you to help with your next helmet purchase.
The digital models and dummy heads did not simulate skin and hair in any way. In one instance they mention that the alloy head was covered with a viscoelastic rubber.
Even if we ignore the hair, the human scalp has a natural movement of up to several cm. How does MIPS work with that? Does it add up? Does it interfere?
In the absence of data I would say that putting an unproven system in every helmet on the market is premature.
Additionally we know from other studies that an increase in helmet weight and more importantly volume increases the risks of brain trauma dramatically. How do MIPS helmets fare in that area?
@mikekazimer: Could you please start asking helmet companies for more safety data? Why does only Leatt (to my knowlege) publish their certification data? As mentioned previously safety is the only reason why we wear helmets, maybe it should be given more focus.
Is there room for improvement with the existing safety standards? Yes, and as I said before, work is being done to update them, although that type of update doesn't go that quickly.
Regarding the hair / MIPS debate: "“My hair does the same thing – why do I need MIPS?” That line pops up fairly regularly whenever a review of a MIPS-equipped helmet is posted, and it's a valid question. After all, if you press down on the top of your head and move your hand back and forth your scalp moves – it's easy to see why some riders would be skeptical. According to MIPS, they found that the amount of force that's put on the head during an impact prevents a rider's hair or scalp from doing much to reduce the amount of rotational energy. That's where that plastic slip plane comes in – it's designed to be effective even when subjected to the high forces generated during an impact." --- www.pinkbike.com/news/inside-mips-advancing-helmet-safety-2017.html
On their website they state the scalp helps "not to a substantive degree" but fail to back it with data. How did they test that? For me this is a potential warning signal for bad science.
Mips is a for profit company, currently suing POC over the usage of their own Spin inserts. All their claims should be validated in peer reviewed papers or they remain only anegdotes.
My main problem with Mips and similar technologies is that they may draw attention away from real improvements. Solutions provided by Leatt, Kali or 6D could potentially be much better but Mips gets all the exposure, possibly due to past involvement with the parent company of Bell.
With the current evidence Mips is just a cheap and easy method of making unfounded safety claims by helmet companies.
Of course I would love to be proven wrong.
It was a bit of a shocker when I got concussed a couple of years ago and took at least 3 months to get back to somewhere like normal.
Bell has the best test lab in the country at their hands. I guarantee you this helmet got smashed a lot of times before it was sent out for certification testing.
Without data any claims of any company are just marketing banter.
As to moralizing blokes, go change your helmet every two years or gtfo
You never know, but you can increase your chances. Relying on equipment is reliance on third party.
Anyways, bottom line is: don’t be careful, do the homework instead
I think we agree here but the wording we used was not precise enough.
And BTW I also see some random dudes trying to jump on a local dirt park, sometimes it looks terrifying because they have no helmets, their feet come off the pedals when they land etc. Well, evolution in action.
Company like Kali gets out of their way taking into account all the safety issues they can think of, many other go MIPS - job done! Everyone's safe from rotational forces. So if you want to talk to me about helmet safety, name the MIPS as a cherry on the pie, not potentially life saving feature, because right now for average buyer having no time for own research, it's not much more than a label like "Fair trade". Yes it's better that it is fair trade than if it weren't but still, everything is complex. For instance the poliferation of detachable chin helmets in bike parks and on Enduro Races - is it as safe as a full on full face? No. Do people doing this care about having MIPS? most often than not: yes.
To sum up, my problem with the hype around this label is it takes the attention of average user ad the dude selling the helmet to him, from other important safety aspects.
Is the bell super still on the market?
Because it is a great helmet, must better than the giro which is below average.
When you're looking at a high end product features like this are included in that. You want a helmet without MIPS buy a cheaper one. Bell does a better job integrating it than anyone else and offers it at less of an impact in cost to the consumer.
If you want a helmet with a different version of this... don't buy a Bell. Go buy a Kali or a 6D or some other helmet with their own version of it with the same lack of data.
It's like buying an STI and going... man... I really wish that didn't have AWD. Well guess what... don't buy a Subaru then.
I think people forget how new this information is. How new the tech is and how new the testing is. Currently the standard test is the standard. Until something better gets developed that's all you can go off of. The MIPS sled is used in several labs, I've seen one with my own eyes. As long as the data you're looking at is comparing helmets on the same piece of equipment... well that's all you can go off for the time being.
This information is all so new.
I agree... MIPS is not the end all be all. I am a fan of 6D's version. I'm a fan of Kali's foam tech but not their version of rotational information. I actually really hope they don't get too locked in to that and they continue to pursue it because they've got some brilliant minds at Kali. Same goes for Bell. Once business dictates safety you begin to lose ground.
Essentially brother... long way to say... I agree. Ha!