Review of Bell Citi Bike Helmet

Bell Citi Bike Helmet
By: Bell Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 47
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Adjustable, a great fit!

On: 2010-02-21

I am a petite woman and I really like my Glow in the Dark/Titanium Citi bike helmet. The adjustment is fabulous.

Good looking!

On: 2010-02-04

I wanted a helment that didnt look like I was pretending to be a serious biker and this fit the bill!

Thousands of miles with it, only helmet I'd buy now.

On: 2010-01-21

Im a bicycle commuter, but much of my commuting begins with a plane flight. Been over a year Ive had this girl and let me tell ya why its the only helmet Id buy now:
1. Its lived without a mark though plane flights, banging around on pack, stuffed in suitcase with my folding bike, accidental drops, etc. So A for durability. Yes, the plastic is fused to the styrofoam, plus the styrofoam doesnt crack off as many have done with one drop. Plastic covers it pretty low.
2. Just today I noticed the rear head size adjust mechanism is so easy I can even do it with gloves midride (had it larger to go over my hood until I warmed up and took hood off).
3. Its so comfortable just this morning I found myself searching for it, when duh, it was on my head.
4. The built in hi-viz and reflector tape are a must have for me, long before it helps protect my noggin in a crash, Id prefer it help me *avoid* one. (get it in orange!)(also like the rear light strap)
5. Not too hot in summer, and as I said, easily adjusts to go over hood/hat in winter.

Folks have said it aint too cool to look at. If you say so. Is that like how the weekend riders in full spandex are really cooler than the riders who are out every day? Whatever.

Relective Material is Sloppy

On: 2010-01-17

I like the helmet color. Actually, I had emailed a request to Bell/Giro this previous summer to create a helmet in the hi-vis green that has become so popular in recent years. While they did get back to me on another matter, they never did notify me that this color was now available in the Citi helmet. I found it accidentally while surfing the web.

Great fit and look

On: 2009-11-12

I have a Bell helmet that I could not get to fit correctly and I didnt like the pointed back style of the helmet. I found this helmet and ordered it due to the adjustable fit and rounded back style. I have a large size head and the helmet adjusted and fit perfectly. Im afraid if my head were bigger it wouldnt have fit. Aside from that, its a great looking helmet and well made. To put things in perspective, I typically wear a size large to XL motorcycle helmet.

good buy

On: 2009-10-08

A very nice helmet. Feels sturdy. Yellow color plus built in reflectors a real safety advantage.Fits well. Easily adjust. I ride year round and it quickly switches sizes to fit over my head with or without a wool cap on. Price was half of others I looked at with same consumer Reports safety rating. Will probably bye a second to keep one at another biking location

Adjusting to the Citi helmet

On: 2009-09-09

After my old faithful Bell bike helmet saved my head from a flip-over fall, I bought the Bell Citi universal helmet as a replacement. I wasnt fully convinced that a universal fit would work, but it does. Adjusting the straps to fit was easy enough when following the instructions. I found it necessary to read the instructions with the helmet at hand due to all the models covered by one set of universal instructions.

The fit is great, totally comfortable and secure. While I may not go any faster, I do look good!

The fit is awful

On: 2009-08-31

This helmet at first glance looks like a great value until... you try to put it on, if you have a head thats bigger than, say, a peanut. "Universal Sizing" is NOT universal in the case of this awfully designed product. Dont buy it.

Works for Me

On: 2009-08-02

At age 74 Ive never owned a bicycle helmet before, so I cant do a comparison. People wearing them look so foolish I wasnt going to get one but wife and friends kept nagging me. I got this one because it had a top rating in Consumer Reports and didnt look as dorky as the multi-colored ones with the pointy rear end. That is, its minimal dorky for these dorky things. Ive been using it for about a month (I ride every day). Its so comfortable ten seconds after I put it on I forget its there.

The cam snap buckles make the chin strap easy to adjust, but the reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because the left one has come open twice. I didnt know when it happened and only noticed it when taking the helmet off and realized the adjustment on that side was loose.

Great fit

On: 2009-07-29

Let me start off by saying that Im a casual bike rider and have not owned many helmets. The last one I owned was simply the one offered at the shop that I bought my bike at that fit. So when I noticed that the pads had completely deteriorated and the outer shell had a small crack I went looking online for a quick replacement. I thought I would opt for the cheapest one I could find but after reading reviews I picked this one. Im so glad I did, its so much more comfortable than I thought a bike helmet could be and very easy to adjust for a good fit. Well worth the money!

good value, good price, great looks

On: 2009-05-29

good value and price, great looks compared with some of the other freaky, multi-colored helmets. seriously, they dont look good. you have to really want some attention i guess but then again, the hard core NYC bikers are all about flash. For me, give me a 10 mile country ride on my mountain bike and im fine with this helmet.

Perfect bike Helmet for a girl like me : )

On: 2009-05-05

You will dont look like a total DORK!

I hate bike helmets this one is great. You dont look like your related to an alian. I got the one with fabric so it looks more like a hat.

The fact it has a high safety rating is even better.

I have a really cool comfort bike and now a cool bike helmet too!

Love it.

Excellent commuter helmet

On: 2009-04-24

I got this helmet specifically to use for commuting to work and back (approximately 10 miles each way) and I chose the yellow color for visibility. Ive used it for about a month and so far I am very pleased with it. The retention system is quite easy to adjust for a snug and comfortable fit with or without a balaclava. It seems like an excellent helmet overall, and fortunately I havent crash tested it yet.

PERFECT

On: 2009-03-01

Very happy with the very good bargain and 5 star helmet
im very happy

Happy with Helmet

On: 2009-02-23

This is a great value for the price. I too purchased a black one because it was lower in price and free shipping. Fits so well I hardly know it is there except for the wind noise. For some reason it is really noisy compared to the last helmet I had and when I turn my head left or right, or tip the helmet up, the noise is greatly reduced. It becomes annoying as I love quiet rides along my country roads. I wonder if it is just this particular one or if I dont have the fit right. Will have to do some experimenting. Other than that, I think I made a good choice.

great helmet

On: 2009-02-18

I really like this helmet, it fits well (and is adjustable) and looks good on. I really like the charcoal fabric edition, it looks less helmety and more of an accessory. The sun visor is removable.

Excellent helmet for the price

On: 2009-01-30

I purchased this helmet because it received excellent reviews and the price was right. The helmet fits comfortably and the dial adjustment is perfect for making adjustments once the helmet is on your head. I purchased it in bright yellow for visibility when on streets. All in all a great purchase.

Great helmut for visibility/commuting

On: 2008-12-04

This helmut is especially great for commuters. As a commuter, you need a little more coverage, in case it rains. Additionally, there is rear loop on this helmut, where you can put a rear flasher. I find this especially important because it brings the level of the rear light up to the eye level of drivers - in case they dont notice the rear light on your bike. Finally, I also use a visor light on this helmut. The soft silicon pad on the visor helps to keep the visor light from slipping. You always want to be seen, especially if you do your commuting after the sun goes down.

saved my life!!

On: 2008-11-28

I was recently in a bad cycling accident and was hit by a car, of course it was the drivers fault. On impact the helmet took all the damage and shattered leaving my head fine!The helmet saved my life, with out it i would be dead, but i was not left unscathed. I shattered my L5 vertabrae and had my spinal column fused and i am currently recovering and cant wait to ride again

crash worthy

On: 2008-11-23

This helmet fits me well and offers good protection. Im on my second one. The first saved my forehead/nose/teeth once when I landed face first; I had a dent on the front of the helmet combined with mild bruising on my chin and chest. A poor fitting helmet would have simply been pushed out of the way.

Style-wise, I like that it does not try and look like something that a racer would wear, or go the other way and try to look too alternative. I mean, I doubt you will receive compliments but there is something to be said for understated design.

Bell Citi Helmet Rocks !

On: 2008-11-04

Bought this helmet based on previous reviews and Consumer Reports evaluations, and am very satisfied with it. Dollar for dollar, this helmet is a great value for those that are mainly concerned with keeping their brains intact in the case of an accident. You wont win any cyclist fashion contests wearing this one, but who cares ? It is light as a feather, well ventilated, and easily adjustable to fit your "grape". The only reason I did not rate it as five stars is because the chin straps that come down on both sides of the ears tend to "whistle" a bit in the wind as you ride..... not a huge complaint, but just enough to be noticeable, at least until you become accustomed to it. Overall, if you just need a well-constructed, highly rated helmet for general cycling and dont care if you look cool or not, you should get this helmet. Since I ride mostly late at night on city streets, Im much more concerned with safety than looking good, so this was the best choice for me. Buy it, use it faithfully, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing your head is well protected !

Nice helmet!

On: 2008-10-24

I like the bell adjustable fit. This helmet is lightweight and looks cool! (very subtle styling makes it easy on the eyes). I will buy this again.

Sell should have told me

On: 2008-10-03

Nothing about this helmet that I dont like. I bought it based on safety reviews. Might have bought the safety yellow but found black on Amazon at a great price and free shipping. Whats not to like? 1 thing. I was sold a 2007 helmet and that fact was not disclosed by the seller. Am not sure what might have changed in a year and I might have bought anyway. Am I sending it back over this? No. None the less, I should have been told. I have not had the helment long enought to go more than 4 stars. I give the seller 3 stars. Good price, fast delivery, arrived in good condition, but should have disclosed this was last years closeout.

Bell Citi Bike HelmetA+

On: 2008-08-13

The Bell Citi is a superb helmet. Perfect for women, and has a sleek and compact look. Fits really well, adjustments work well. It also got a great write up on Consumers Report.

The Protector

On: 2008-07-08

Fit and comfort are right on. Couldnt be more satisfied as description detailed the product very accurate. Would buy again.

Nice Helmet

On: 2008-06-26

I dont know anything about bike helmets, but this was cheap, fits good, and I dont look stupid wearing it... fine by my book.

Citi helmet does the job well and doesn't look bad either...

On: 2008-06-20

The Bell Citi has not only passed all bike helmet impact tests with flying colors, but doesnt have the spine-like protrusions on the back which can snag on the pavement if you get hit and cause neck injury. The smooth, rounded, stylish back-end is an ideal shape for a bike helmet. It looks so retro-mod to me, like a 1960s Motorcycle or scooter helmet - stylized for bicycle riders.

I feel good and really quite slick in this helmet, also 14 large vents keep my head cool but dont compromise structural integrity like some more expensive bike helmets. More than 14 vents is probably superfluous to most people anyway. Unless your a cyclist that is a racer you dont need an aerodynamic helmet. The neligible difference it would make at normal speeds isnt worth the extra cash. The Bell Citi only gets four stars because the ear-straps are scratchy, a minor annoyance rather than a detractor. Buy the Citi, it is the best helmet I have owned thus far.

so far so good

On: 2008-06-19

I have only worn this helmet a few times, but it fits well and is pretty comfortable. It was a great bargain and I got the silver which looks great. Its definitely not a swoopy looking helmet, but I think all of them look goofy so I am not bothered by the way it looks. the only complaint is that when I try to pull the strap in the back down to make it more comfortable, I hit the adjusting wheel and have to tighten it again. However, I think thats because Im still used to my old helmet that had a different mechanism in the back.

I love the Citi

On: 2008-06-16

This is the second Citi helmet I have owned. I still have the first one, but I bought two more so the whole family had nice, slim helmets.

This helmet has every feature you need, including a cool ratchet wheel adjuster in the back. My son is 9, and I have a big head, and the same helmet adjusts to fit us both.

Slim, low profile, clean lines, plenty of vents and optional add-ons (mirror, winter kit). Great design by Bell!

Cool design

On: 2008-06-15

I bought two of these helmets after reading many reviews including safety. I really like the Citi design. The helmet feels light, and there is plenty of ventilation to keep your head cool. The straps are easy to adjust and dont get tangled. I would buy again.

Comfortable, all around helmet

On: 2008-05-28

This helmet is comfortable and I dont notice it while riding. It sits sort of high on my head. This is the first bicycle helmet Ive purchased and I cant complain.

Great helmet! Took a while to get here!

On: 2008-05-24

The helmet is great, but I paid for expedited shipping and it took a week to get here!

smooth helmet

On: 2008-03-29

got this helmet because it has fewer holes than most others. needed it for rain/weather element protection not for cooling off in the winter... can be adjusted and I like the visor but isnt big enough for me. Rounder helmet style is less common than flashy aerodynamic speeder helmets.

Great helmet. Little pricy for its purpose though.

On: 2008-01-25

It does what it says it will do I guess. I havent really "Tried it out" yet. But wearing it is not a pain. It is very comfortable and has really good air flow to my head to help keep me cool. I saw that this is the top rated bike helmet in consumer reports as well which is another plus. Im very pleased with my purchase.

Great helmet

On: 2007-11-30

Looks great, at least compared to most helmet which tend to look pretty dorky. Fits great, comfortable, and feels sturdy.

Great helmet

On: 2007-11-29

Looks great, at least compared to most helmet which tend to look pretty dorky. Fits great, comfortable, and feels sturdy.

Fit, fashion, fentilation, err... ventilation

On: 2007-11-18

OK, so I cheated on the alliteration, but this is a fine helmet. The fit is great, very adjustable, easy to adjust, and continues to ride well after hours of wear. The fashion is right - subtle, simple, slick, not flashy but stylish enough. And the ventilation is what I need - full enough for a warm summer day doing a bit of uphill climbing. The brim works for those sunny days and is enough to deflect a bit of rain or wind. The strapping is comfortable and seems sturdy enough to do the job when called upon. All in all, its a good price for a good solid product. Ill look for another one in a few years (I replace my helmets periodically to avoid breakdowns in the plastics.)

Fit, fashion, fentilation, err... ventilation

On: 2007-11-17

OK, so I cheated on the alliteration, but this is a fine helmet. The fit is great, very adjustable, easy to adjust, and continues to ride well after hours of wear. The fashion is right - subtle, simple, slick, not flashy but stylish enough. And the ventilation is what I need - full enough for a warm summer day doing a bit of uphill climbing. The brim works for those sunny days and is enough to deflect a bit of rain or wind. The strapping is comfortable and seems sturdy enough to do the job when called upon. All in all, its a good price for a good solid product. Ill look for another one in a few years (I replace my helmets periodically to avoid breakdowns in the plastics.)

great helmet

On: 2007-10-27

Great helmet -- it has a great fit, plenty of ventilation and is very comfortable. You dont even really know youre wearing it. Highly recommend.

solid and comfortable

On: 2007-10-03

Good helmet--ive been buying this model for a few years--they last better than others, theyre easily adjustable, visor is great in the rain and sun, yellow safety version is bright and has good reflective strips too.

Nice helmet

On: 2007-09-10

The helmet is comfortable and air circulation is great. Sure, it looks dumb when its on your head, but what helmet doesnt?
Good price, good shipping, etc.

Saftey First

On: 2007-08-29

I got this because the strap broke on my other one and couldnt be fixed.
It lives uup to the reviews I read before getting it. It fits just fine and have had no problems with it.

Excellent Helmet

On: 2007-08-10

I have been using the Bell citi helmet for about 1 month now and have found it to be very comfortable and secure fitting. Compared to my much older helmet, it is about 60% of the old helmets weight.

Exactly what I wanted -- but not too stylish

On: 2007-07-14

Saw that this was the highest rated helmet on some of the websites so I picked it up. This helmet is designed for people with 55-61 CM heads. My head is 59.25 cm, so I was a bit worried about fit because Im on the high end of the scale. But the helmet fits perfectly and is very comfortable. I dont even notice that Im wearing it. Its also extremely solid and feels very durable compared to the other helmets Ive worn.

On the downside, I look pretty goofy when Im wearing it. Thats not a big deal to me -- if my head is safe, Im happy. But if style is important to you, Id at least consider a racing helmet instead of this commuter helmet. Imagine yourself wearing a doubly-thick baseball helmet thats had the ear protection removed. Thats how this looks.

Nice Helmet!!!

On: 2007-06-30

I cant say too much about this helmet in that
I have not been in a "bike" accident ever before
or since buying this (and hope that I dont get
into one either); but, it fits really well, and I did
my research b4 I bought it to see which helmet
has (or had) the best rating in crash tests, and
this be it (well, the "citi" series)!!!

This is not one of the "really cool" looking helmets
that I see a lot of "bikers" around town using or
wearing, and I sort of look like a "geek" with it
on, but it surrounds my whole head, so I feel
confident should I ever get hit by a car, another
biker, if a pedestrian walks into me or my path, or
I crash out myself, that my whole head will be
protected...

Not much else I can say about this in like I said,
I have not been in an accident with it or before,
and I am not "dummy crash testing" them - yipes.

it's a helmet

by: Anonymous On: 2007-06-09

consumer reports rated best value. i needed a helmet. so i got it:) its comfortable. i havent tested its ability to protect my head, but ill leave that to consumer reports. :)

Fits great!

On: 2007-04-26

As soon as I put this on I knew I had found my helmet. Apparently this is the up and coming trend for style with bike helmets but I look like a mushroom head in everything. I still think the swept back/aerodynamic ones look a little cooler but I have read the bicycle safety sites as well as Consumer Reports reviews and they like the fact that this has "no snags". Makes sense to me so I bought it. Safety first!

I have a little bigger than average size head and after trying them on at an outdoors store I came here to buy it for less.

Hey! It's a helmet

On: 2007-01-11

Okay, I could go into how I think the areo-dynamic helmet is NOT going to help the average-joe (even though he may think so), nor will I go into how stupid I think those things look on average-joes (even though he may think he looks cool). I will go into what I think about my Bell Citi helmet.

It does exactly what I want it to do - give my spouse a sense of security while Im on my commute to work. It was rather inexpensive. Its adjustable, so that it can fit on my head they way its supposed to. Plus, it comes with some reflective stickers (great for my early morning commute), and the air vent help keep my head cooler during the summer (a very good thing here in Phoenix).

I know the visor is really a nose guard for when you fall (and yes, eventually you will fall!), but I wish it was also a sun visor (oh well, thats what sunglasses are for).

Other than that - This is a practical safety device! And unless youre Lance Armstrong (or equivalent person), go for the practical.

Hey! It's a helmet

On: 2007-01-10

Okay, I could go into how I think the areo-dynamic helmet is NOT going to help the average-joe (even though he may think so), nor will I go into how stupid I think those things look on average-joes (even though he may think he looks cool). I will go into what I think about my Bell Citi helmet.

It does exactly what I want it to do - give my spouse a sense of security while Im on my commute to work. It was rather inexpensive. Its adjustable, so that it can fit on my head they way its supposed to. Plus, it comes with some reflective stickers (great for my early morning commute), and the air vent help keep my head cooler during the summer (a very good thing here in Phoenix).

I know the visor is really a nose guard for when you fall (and yes, eventually you will fall!), but I wish it was also a sun visor (oh well, thats what sunglasses are for).

Other than that - This is a practical safety device! And unless youre Lance Armstrong (or equivalent person), go for the practical.

Great Helmet, Great Price

On: 2006-11-20

I bought this helmet 2 months ago and it is great. This is the first helmet I have ever worn and was skeptical about wearing one. After wearing it bike riding for 2 months, I would never ride without one again. It is very lightweight. It fits perfectly. I didnt even have to adjust the straps. The cooling vents work well at least at the moderate temperatures in San Diego. The main reason I bought this helmet was that it was one of the few helmets recommended by Consumer Reports along with the Bell Slant and the Schwinn Intercept.