Helmet is necessary for various sports or activities as the function is to protect your head. Mountain biking is one of the most common extreme sports we enjoy over the weekend and the basic safety is always to wear a proper helmet like Bell Super Air R Vs 3R. These MTB helmets are designed for safety by being sturdy but also still comfortable for prolonged ride. If you wonder which will fit your riding experience the most, do check the difference between the two below.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- What are the Types of Bicycle Helmet
- What are Bell Super Air R and 3R
- What Bell Super Air R and 3R Look Like
- How are the Protection of Bell Super Air R and 3R
- How are the Chin Bar Attachment on Bell Super Air R and 3R
- Are Bell Super Air R and 3R Comfortable
- Bell Super Air R Vs 3R
Bicycle Helmets
What makes life more exciting is sometimes dangerous for our safety and no, we are not talking about any illegal stuff but extreme sports. Many people love sports for it can help you refresh and take a little break from the daily routine while also exercising and overall becoming fitter both for the body and mind but, there are also those who prefer to challenge their mind and trying various dangerous activities from riding the bike downhill to jump off a plane from a height.
| Bell Super Air R | Bell Super 3R | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 15 x 11 x 12 inches | 14 x 10 x 11 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 3.4 Pounds | 1.96 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
It is all personal preference but the higher the risk, the more safety gear and precautions we need to obey since none of us want to end up with serious injuries as well. If you are here then it means riding your bike on different terrains is a great activity to fill the free time and for this application, besides guts we also need to wear proper helmets. MTB helmets however are not just regular bike helmets as there are several of them based on the riding discipline.
Road Bike Helmet
Based on the riding discipline, this is the most common helmet we see and being used by commuters or cyclists on the road. They are very light and comfortable due to the character of its application as well and in general they are also less protective among others. There is not much coverage on the side of the head and on the back while in design they are made to be streamlined to provide better aerodynamics so there is not much traction while we pedal.
Cross Country Helmet
This is almost like a beefed-up road helmet and the riding nature itself is still on the road which is why it is a bit difficult to set both helmets apart just by seeing them directly. What you can notice from the outside is now they are usually a bit bulkier side by side compared to a regular road helmet and in addition, they need to be more protective as well hence the rear and sides are usually added with more coverage.
Trail Helmet
This is moving from road to the trail area and as you can guess, it needs to be more protective than road or XC helmets so they will in general be heavier to provide more coverage. These trail helmets are beefier and if you see one, they will have more protection especially on the back of the helmet to give a proper protection on the occipital area. In addition they often come with a visor to keep the sun ray away but depending on the model this can be adjusted or removed while some are fixed.
Enduro Helmet
This is the most protective of all bike helmets and for the DH certified models, they are made specifically for those who are charging down the hill or racing as this type of riding has the higher risk among all and we also need a robust helmet with full protection. They will look like regular motorsport helmets with a full face design or a chin bar attached to the unit.
About Bell Super Air R and 3R
There are so many options out there and it is best to match your helmet with the type of riding discipline you are doing too as every product is made to work best in their purpose. If you are here then it means this helmet needs to be very protective but also comfortable during your adventure and for those riding on trails, either trail or enduro models will be the ideal options but, for more extreme cyclists, the latter will be a safer bet.
This type of helmet is great for any riding that has a higher risk especially if you are racing down the gravity as the impact can be fatal for our head area. Choosing the helmet however, you will be faced with so many brands and tons of colors to consider but we recommend to stick with known names to help you shop faster and ensure the products quality. Among those popular companies, Bell is a great choice to shop from when it comes to price and qualities.
They also carry various models based on what you need from the helmet and for you who enjoy charging on different terrains, Bell Super Air R and 3R are two amazing models to consider. They are closely related to each other and this is because the original model is 3R and the Super Air is supposed to be an improvement over the older helmet yet, whether it is an actual improvement, we will see it later below.
However, based on the name it seems the newer Super Air R is meant to be lighter or breezier since the nature of these helmets are convertible so we don’t think those who are specifically riding or racing downhill will feel at ease wearing them. Read also: Bell Super DH Vs 3R here.
Bell Super Air R and 3R Design
Side by side however, they are about the same too and in comparison, what sets Bell Super Air R and 3R apart is their vents as you can see the newer Air R is coming with much larger windows and this probably will help how the helmet cools down your head in application. From the design, we are not sure whether our eyes play a trick but the overall shape is a little bit different with 3R looks rounder in comparison.
Similarly, the inside of their chin bar is also padded with a soft foam which can be removed and for replacement they give a pair in the box. As for the weight, the Super Air R is actually lighter than your older Super 3R and in the medium size, the new helmet is only 674.7 grams in full face mode or 422.4 grams in half mode while the 3R is at 760 grams in full mode and 440 grams in half face mode.
Bell Super Air R and 3R Protection
Moving further, let’s check their construction first and just like any helmets, Bell Super Air R and 3R are very much the same and as you can expect, they are also using the in-mold technology with material that is also the same polycarbonate shell and foam on the inside. We have mentioned above that none of them are ideal for riding downhill or racing with gravity and this is because none are DH certified as they are only made for regular use with CPSC and CE EN1078 certification.
What’s not changed is they still have the same MIPS system which aids the safety of these helmets and allows the shell to rotate or move when there is an impact while keeping the internal padding stay in their place. In comparison we do think the Super Air R is better and provides more movement to give a more ideal protection.
Bell Super Air R and 3R Chin Bar
The next part we want to talk about is their removable chin bar as this is what attracts many to buy these helmets and besides the difference in vents or overall design, what’s most important is how Super Air R is now much easier to remove from the main helmet. With the older 3R, there are three buckles; on either side and on the back while the new helmet eliminates the back buckle and improves the mechanism so now our hand can reach and flick the lock easier even while wearing gloves.
Bell Super Air R and 3R Comfort
The last part we want to talk about is their comfort and we do think you can ride with no problems with either of them. The redesigned vents seem to pull air better however, especially when you wear them on full face mode but when the chin bar is removed, they are equally breezy and nice for riding uphill as they don’t feel stuffy at all. The little improvement on the eyebrow area in Super Air R feels nice when you sweat however, as it absorbs moisture well.
Bell Super Air R Vs 3R
These helmets are equally good options in our opinion. They are very similar as well but with the Super Air R being the newer model, it also means there are improvements put on this helmet that can be a good step up from your older 3R but we will wait until the former to wear out first before replacing just to save some. The nice upgrade is now it is easier to remove the chin bar, breezy ride even in full face mode, as well as a lighter helmet.
Conclusion
Between the two there is no bad option so you can go amazing with just any helmet but for those who don’t own the 3R yet, we highly recommend to just jump right on the newer Super Air R as it is better as an overall helmet.
