The Bell Vortex was developed in the Santa Cruz design center of California; this high-tech helmet has borrowed many features from its elder brother Star helmet. This helmet is a good choice for everyday usage and you can occasionally transition this helmet into a race track helmet.
It comes in three shell sizes and has speaker pockets as well. This helmet is the best value for your money as it comes with a huge package of features. The helmet has good graphics, a uniquely sleek and feminine design; it is a complete package for a female rider.
The Bell Company has more than 60 years of experience and they have proved their worth over time. The Bell vision is unique and it is clearly visible in their convenient and purposefully built appealing designs in a similar way as you see in a fighter jet or race car.
Each headgear is manufactured keeping in mind complete functionality, visual and artistic aspects are appealing as well. They are purely guided by their intentions of encouraging the whole world for living, riding, driving, and thriving. Holding hands with the best riders and drivers of the world Bell will continue enabling everyone to be and do their best.
Key Features
- FlowAdjust flow velocity Ventilation system providing temperature control and maximum stability with minimum buffeting and noise
- Composite polycarbonate lightweight alloy shell
- Three shell sizes:
– Small: Extra small (XS) and Small (S) helmets
– Medium: Medium (M) and Large (L) helmets
– Large: Extra Large (XL) and 2X Extra Large (2XL) helmets - Contoured cheek pads
- Antibacterial, antimicrobial, washable, and removable interior comfort lining
- Wind collar padding for drastically reducing road/wind noise
- Speaker pockets are integrated to place the audio speaker
- ClickRelease providing tool-free, easy, and fast shield swaps
- Originally comes with a clear UV protected, anti-scratch, and anti-fog superior NutraFog II shield. Tinted shields can be purchased separately
- 5-year warranty
- DOT and Snell M2010 certification
- Weight approximately 1600 grams
Customer Feedback
The Bell Vortex Monarch for women is a value buy priced around $100; it is packed with all required features and has good looks. Customers reported back that it is a comfortable headgear with a very wide field vision and a good snug fit. It is a little bulky as compared to other mid-range helmets and the clear visor it comes with reportedly gets fogged sometimes in cold weather conditions. One big problem with this Bell product is that it is very noisy and the wind noise gets worse as the speed of the vehicle increases.
Pros
- Good looking
- Comfortable, good fit
- Wide field of vision
Cons
- Little bulky
- Very noisy
- Visor fogs during rain/cold weather
Use and Maintenance
It is important to read the manual that comes with your helmet as it contains all the required information and many problems are answered. You need to keep in mind that your helmet is to provide safety to your head only; it cannot save you from all foreseeable injuries/impacts like to your whole body as it is not covered by a helmet, neck injury, or spinal injury, etc. There no helmet that gives a 100 percent guarantee of the safety of your head, during an accident/crash the helmet absorbs the impact but sometimes some of it could reach the brain or head and cause damage. However, a good helmet minimizes this damage. You need to keep some things in your mind always:
Your helmet should be replaced after 5 years of use.
NEVER sell or loan your helmet, NEVER buy any used helmet.
DO NOT use someone else’s headgear.
Clean the outer shell and other non-washable parts of the helmet with water and soap only.
It is important to wear a helmet every time you ride.
Remember, ride safe and never take any risk just for the reason that you have a helmet on.
FAQs
Q: Does this helmet provide complete safety from all types of accidents/crashes?
A: Certain head injuries do not happen just because of an impact. Just because the outer shell is safe does not mean the contents are safe as well, there are certain types of injuries or strong impacts that can affect the head without destroying the helmet’s shell. There are many varieties of an accident scenario, it is not possible to predict that helmet will protect from all sorts of impacts.
Q: I cleaned the shield with water. Is it safe to do so? Will it cause any fogging issue?
A: it is completely safe to clean the sun shield with plain water; you can also use detergent and warm water solution. Always use a soft cloth as other materials might scratch the shield. This will not cause any fogging problems for your vision shield in the future in any way.
Q: How can I clean my Helmet?
A: Cleaners that are most commonly available in the market can damage the material of which helmets are made. Cleaners or solvents with a petroleum base are the most dangerous. There are times when the damage is done is not even visible but the protective capabilities could be reduced significantly. For the best results, it is advised to clean your helmet with a sponge or soft cloth using mild soap (like mild dishwashing soap) and warm water.
Conclusion
The Vortex Helmet by Bell has been one of the best-selling products and the most loved one in the mid-price range. This sports helmet is Snell rated, light in weight, and has the ability to use a PhotoChromic shield which allows this helmet to cover many bases that any typical track or sports rider looks for in any value price helmet. Most of the time such functionality and features are available only in helmets that are above the $300 range.
There are certain issues like wind noise during riding and some people who are used to lighter helmets might find this one a little bulky. But at such a low price, this is a value product that provides a solution to the problems of any sports or daily riding scenarios. If you think this color or graphic suits you and your head have an oval shape then this is the perfect headgear for you.
