Bell Super 2 R Helmet Impact Testing

The question of whether or not the removable chin bar on Bell Helmet s new Super 2R was capable of withstanding a direct hit provided fodder for numerous heated debates when the helmet was first announced, with concerns being raised about its ability to provide effective protection in the event of a crash. A full review of the helmet is in the works, one that goes over its fit, function, and ventilation, but since we try to avoid smashing our faces into trees whenever possible, we paid a visit to Bell s helmet testing facilities in Scotts Valley, California, in order to witness the paces the helmet had been put through during its development. While at the lab, we were able to witness the Super 2R s chin bar being put through three separate testing procedures. The first was the chin bar deflection test, where where a 5 kg mass is dropped from about 0. 4 meters to correspond to an impact velocity of 2. 8 meters per second, a test that s modeled after the one used for DH certification. Next came a test where the