Review: Bell Citi Helmet

The sexiest commuter helmet known to Knotkind! :D
http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/produ...l.asp?prodID=9

The fit is "universal" sized, but with the standard headband-pinch-and-turn-wheel adjuster. So it fits my odd head just as well as any other Bell helmet.

The back is ROUNDED rather than faux-aero pointy, so I'm not at as high a risk of having the back of my head "stick" to the asphalt and whip my neck in a crash. (I already have a torn alar ligament... let's not tempt fate too much.)

It is a brilliant screaming yellow.

There are reflectors front, back, and sides. AND the straps are reflective, too. (the Bell website pic doesn't show the side reflectors, but they're there.)

It has a small (removable) visor, which I shall keep as I like diverting buggies and boogies and sunshine from my tender peepers.

The vents are quite adequate, I have NO complaint.

Best of all, my sweety bought me this helmet so I will be safer on my daily commute. I intend to wear this for all my rides, cuz I just think it's the greatest.

I have to admit that I think that helmet is really cute. I have admired it both close and from afar.

I have a CITI but it's ORANGE. I love it too.

I have a Giro head, I've tried Bell and it just does not suit my skull.

But the details of the design are so well thought out .... there are reflectors all around on the yellow one and .... reflective fabric woven into the straps, who knew?! So easy to do that I'm surprised all the companies don't do it.

My husband and I both have the Bell Metro (seems to be called the Metropolis now, but it's the same thing), which is just a fancier version of the Citi ... it does come in multiple sizes and it has some accessories that don't work with the Citi (or didn't at the time we were shopping, a couple of years ago). But the accessories have mostly been crap so I wouldn't recommend buying the Metro for that reason alone ... the rain hood broke the first time we tried to use it because the snaps were super low quality, the helmet mirror falls off when you go over a bump, and the specific blinkie light that is supposed to work with this helmet has been discontinued, so we just use a regular old blinkie that would work with any helmet, probably.

But I do like the helmet a lot. Mine is sparkly red, and I am a big fan of sparkly red although of course yellow would be more visible.

My husband complains about poor ventilation, though. It gets very hot here in the summer and he usually winds up using his roadie Giro for his commute if the temp is over 100, because otherwise he's just too hot.

I considered the Bell when I was searching for a bright yellow helmet. But I have a SUPER small head, and despite all adjustable straps, helmets are simply too large for me when they only come in "one size fits all". Been there.
Either I need a woman's helmet, or else a smaller adult helmet. I wound up getting the Limar yellow helmet (now discontinued) because they offered it in TWO adult unisex sizes: S/M & M/L. I got the S/M and it fits me fine, but just barely- I have to dial in all the smallest adjustment settings & straps down to the smallest possible. It has the same dialable wheel band that Knot describes. It's great.
I just "know" the one size Bell would be too big for me, adjusted or not.

Wondering when the manufacturers will get a clue again that we want some traffic visable helmets. They are so hard to find these days!

Just rode in the dusky-gloaming with my screaming yellow Citi helmet and my screaming yellow Canari Bioswelter jacket.

I loooooooove my Citi helmet!

It's a great feeling when you find a helmet you love. :p

I have a citi too and I like it okay. I didn't like all those aero-hedgehog type helmets that seem popular these days, so I chose an ash-colored citi. It actually fits my round head pretty well. I went to the LBS to look for a visor-mounted mirror and found that the Metro mirror fits fairly well on the Citi's visor, if anyone was wondering. I couldn't get used to the mirror and it made me all dizzy, so I opted out of getting it.

I love the look of the Bell Citi, but unfortunately the universal sizing is just too big for my head. I emailed Bell about it though, asking them to offer more sizes or a women's version. If I had the money, I think I'd just buy the Metropolis since it comes in multiple sizes.