Customer Reviews

Bell Adrenaline Bike Helmet

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Bell Adrenaline is a value for its comfort, fashion and meets US Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines. Backed by a $20 crash replacement (save your receipt), its an unbeatable deal!

Adrenaline does not let my head get unbearably hot and sweaty with its averagely sized vents. If you're riding around in Nevada with hundred degree plus weather, or a weekend warrior who is going absolutely all-out, look elsewhere. Otherwise, commuters, leisure and trail riders will be satisfied.

Just don't expect a helmet that feels like you're 'not wearing' a helmet - the vents are definitely not of the higher end.

The strapping design fits well around my head (Size 7 1/4), and with proper fit, can sit slightly above your head to allow airflow from back to front. Plus! The helmet does not rattle AT ALL when moving your head back and forth. All this is done by the plastic suspension system fits the crown of your head and allows the helmet to sit slightly above your head while completely secure.

The suspension is a design I have seen done effectively in Firefighter Helmets and some military Kevlars. The beauty about adjustment of the Adrenaline suspension system is that it can be done one-handed with a plastic hold-release mechanism while still on your head, instead of having to remove the helmet and move around the Velcro on military or firefighter helmets.

The straps are more of a minor compliment to make sure it doesn't fall off from being lifted or thrown off. The straps are thin, but the buckle is curved for your chin. If the suspension is fitted snugly, you could almost get away without wearing the straps and feel comfortable.

The pads are thin and few in number, but I see this as an advantage as it won't retain as much heat and sweat as larger pads.

Adrenaline's design mimics higher end designs with a quasi-tear drop design. The carbon-fiber pattern and the long lines racing across makes it stand out nicely from the rest of the pack. The generally round shape is found to be the safest design, and this accommodates it well without looking like a child's helmet.

The visor leaves plenty to be desired - with the visor sitting about an inch higher than being flush with the bottom edge, it does little to block the sun. It appears the visor is more for fashion and design than efficacy.

Having said all that, my experience with helmets is slightly different from most. I'm accustomed to wearing firefighter or military helmets where I often had to operate in extreme heat conditions under helmets without ventilation! I wore 50lbs of gear, a no-vent Kevlar helmet on foot patrols in Iraq when it was 140 degrees outside.

All said, even with my experience in helmets, if you're looking for a good looking helmet with good accommodations for comfort while retaining safety, this is an excellent deal for its price!

I just purchased this after spending time in Walmart, Canadian Tire, and the bike shop, where I tried on everything available in my size.

Many of the models from Bell, Raleigh, and others, have an uncomfortable hard plastic piece that drops down and presses into the back of the head, right in a spot where I have a protrusion at the base of my skull...and all are uncomfortable.

The Adrenaline has an elastic passing across this area, which holds everything snug and causes no discomfort.

I also liked the coverage of the helmets which were dual bmx/skater stying, but after trying one on found it felt heavy, and saw it was around 485 grams. The Adrenaline is much lighter, about 260 or so, and I decided that was a preferable compromise.

The elastic in the back is part of what they call their "true fit" system, which ensures for kids (and adults) that the helmet fits your head and sits properly without any adjustment. Only the chin strap needs to be adjusted, and nothing to fiddle with on the side straps.

It felt like an excellent fit for me, but I guess it depends on your head shape being somewhere in the range that the helmet is designed for. Anyhow, it's certainly worth checking out.

I noticed one reviewer here stated he left it in the sun and the top plastic melted. Well, I feel for him and for anyone else who leaves it in the sun. But I didn't leave it in the sun, I went riding.

I live in Texas and lately the heat has been over 100f every day, usually I go out at the peak when it's 103f-105f in the shade. The heat doesn't bother me and I'm not alone on the trails/streets with my road bike, and it keeps me conditioned to the heat. I cracked my "good" helmet and got this as a replacement until I can afford a better one. What a mistake.

After maybe 4 days of riding with this helmet I noticed the top was wrinkling. After the 5th day the plastic literally flew off. One second it was there, the next it was on the ground behind me.

I did not use any chemicals, it never got wet (except from perspiration) and there wasn't even a scratch on it nor any impacts at all whatsoever... the plastic just plain old melted, which I should have taken as a clue... then the adhesive tape came right off.

I could use gorilla-glue to put it back on, or some of the really good "solid" velcro that has an adhesive that won't mess with the actual impact shell, but jeez. I am so disappointed in the quality of the components... and a bit worried too. Actually, really worried about the overall safety of the helmet.

If the plastic melted, I'm afraid that the actual impact shell may be compromised and not really protect my head. I don't know what to believe but I don't trust this helmet at all now. Who knows if the shell will do anything now if I tumble or bang my head? There's no standardized rating like on motorcycles (DOT or SNELL) so maybe the actual impact shell's composition changed from the heat too, and if I fall it won't do it's job, I'll wind up with a piece of my skull on a rock, and brain dead. I refuse to trust this helmet.

Listen, I'm sure it's fine in moderate temperatures like 60-70f, so don't get paranoid just because of my experience and worries. But the fact is the thing melted and all I did was ride with it outdoors in the heat, never left it in the sun.

I took photos and contacted Bell, we'll see if they do anything about it. For those looking for a decent helmet and pick this one make sure you live in Northern Canada and if you don't, maybe a white color will help. Again I ride in extreme weather conditions but nowhere did Bell state any safe temperature ranges, for that matter, so to me it's unsafe.

This is my first bike helmet. I found it easy to adjust and comfortable to wear, but again I am not a super picky person and all I wanted was something to protect me in case of a fall or accident and at the same time I was looking for a helmet that was lightweight and cool to wear in this Florida heat. When riding I don't even realize I have it on. All in all, I would recommend it.

This seems to be a great helmet in terms of its price and design...But it does not gives you a very sporty look...especially if you have a round face or large head. Moreover, I was not shipped with the sun-cover which overall gives a very dull look to the helmet. But nevertheless, its light and sturdy, though I have been using it for past 5 months, it seems the upper plastic layer is detached from the foam inside and needs a re-glue. For the price, the helmet serves it purpose

Update: This helmet SAVED MY LIFE - my second Adrenaline took a serious hit in a high-speed on-the-job crash while I was working as a bike courier in winter 2011. It left an inch-deep gash in the helmet -- preventing a serious and very likely fatal skull fracture. I can't imagine a better reason to recommend a given helmet! Think about it $20 or $30 for a helmet versus enormous medical bills or funeral expenses - which would you rather pay? You may never have a serious cash (I put in a whole lot of mileage every year), but if you do, it's a good idea to be wearing one of these babies.

-Original Review-
I'm an avid-but-'broke' cyclist: a college student with a part-time job who nonetheless finds room in his budget and t
ime in his day to race bikes. This means my equipment is either high-end but old, or inexpensive but good-quality.

The Bell Adrenaline helmet fits into the latter category. It's a solid, dependable model at a good price, though I will state for the record that it looks really enormous on a small-boned guy like me (5' 9", built like a whippet -- a slightly pudgy whippet, but a whippet nonetheless). It's still pretty nice looking, though. I especially like the white and silver model (looks like it was custom-made to go with my team kit!).

I'm currently on my second Adrenaline helmet. The first one did a great job protecting my skull when I had a minor run-in with a lamp post at roughly 25 - 30 MPH (entirely my own fault) and wound up on the ground. That one had the old fit system -- a suspension rig with over-complicated strap adjustments and a little plastic sliding component in the back that allowed the user to refine the fit. I was never able to dial the fit in 100%, but it did its job just the same.

My new Adrenaline has the 'Tru-Fit' system -- a suspension harness with an elastic component (and two integrated reflectors) in the rear with simple, straight-forward chin-strap adjustments. It's a shave lighter than the old one (I'm guessing the Tru-Fit harness weighs less than the old one), and the fit is greatly improved. It appears that the basic design of the helmet itself is otherwise the same as it was before -- same fairly-effective ventilation patterns, same foam, same shell. It still looks huge on my head. I'm okay with that, as long as it works. There are more important things than looking pretty on the bike.

The Adrenaline gives you excellent functionality at a very good price point. It is not the lightest, best-ventilated, or most aerodynamic helmet on the market -- so if you're regularly doing long rides in hot weather, you might want to consider another model (my head got quite toasty on a century in July); likewise, if you're a road racer above Cat 5, this is probably not the best helmet for you. Cat 5s should be able to make do with it, at the cost of an exceptionally-warm head from time to time.

I do find the visor useful when the sun stands at certain angles -- it prevents light from coming in over my sunglasses and blinding me. However, I do think sunglasses of some kind are really essential if you'll be riding for more than five minutes in bright sun with *any* helmet. It also helps a bit in the rain, as long as it's not windy and/or I'm not riding very fast.

Since all helmets are required to meet certain minimum safety standards, you need not worry that this less-expensive model will provide lesser protection in a crash. The Bell Adrenaline really does a good job there, and that's where it counts.

In essence, unless you need to be the fastest guy in town or heat is a big problem for you, this helmet will do you just fine. The Tru-Fit system makes adjustment a no-brainer, which is good, because in a crash, you want your helmet to fit, so you don't wind up becoming a no-brainer.

I purchased this helmet for dual use. It saw daily service as the helmet I wore for bicycle commuting in all weather and also during singletrack XC adventures and racing. The Bell Adrenaline did what it was supposed to do, today, when I ate it during a race in a rock garden and hit my head. It's not ultra light, super flashy, or engineered with a featherweight latticework of a million vents, but it will perform in a dependable fashion and can be purchased for a reasonable price.

A few notes, the comfort pads in the front are secured by a relatively weak adhesive, so they can detach after being exposed to several hard rains and/or sweaty rides.

I continue to buy Bell helmets because they are comfortable, safe, great looking and at a good price. After many years, my older Bell helmet which is similar to the Bell Fusion Slant had the little cushion pieces wearing out so I decided to get a new helmet. Once I put the Bell Adrenaline helmet on, it felt great and snug. It kept my head cool as well. Also, I like the design and color. My gripe is that the visor could be longer and lower and it's not as sleek as my other more expensive Bell helmet but the price surely makes up for it. I give this helmet a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Getting into the 'safety' aspects of bicycling later in life, this is my first bicycle helmet. I had not bought into the need for a helmet on bicycle, but I think they have come a long way in the past few years. Although a neophyte to bike helmets, I do have 40 years of motorcycle experience and am a motorcycle safety instructor, so I will compare this helmet with my experience with another type of safety helmet !
1 - Hard plastic shell : The shell seems a little too pliable but I am going to assume that it offers adequate protection
2 - Polystyrene - used to absorb the impact: Seems less dense than I had expected -- this too was a little too mushy --

--- Overall for these two safety features, I suppose because a bicycle helmet protects at a significantly lower speed, you would want your hard outer shell and your protective polystyrene to 'give' at lower speeds -- so I give TOP MARKS to the Bell Adrenaline helmet

3 - Comfort Pads : The comfort pads are pretty lame -- the tiny pads are velcroed in -- and the 'fitting system' is designed as a one size fits all -- It works, but it exacerbates the problems with the comfort pads and retention system ! Wearing the helmet a short time leaves you with a sweaty head. This helmet is VERY hot.

4 -- The Retention System : This too is a little disappointing -- although you just want to clasp the helmet to your head, the straps are either too loose or too tight and jammed into your ear. I have read the directions and fooled around with them === I guess I just have a funny head -- but this would probably be resolved if we went back to sizes on a helmet instead of 1 size fits all.

So for these two features I would rate the Bell Adrenaline -- well -- not so good.

Overall -- I would rate the helmet good and pray that the Bell Company works on the comfort pads and retention system and has a better model out the next time I am in the market !

very sleek design, but if you have a larger head do not buy because it will look odd. the strap system is a little difficult to get right, but when you do it fits great. padding system is a little light and are not adjustable but overall a great product.