off-road.cc

The Bell 4Forty helmet is one of the cheaper options in the Bell range, available in a MIPS and non-MIPS version (the latter tested here), it’s a stable lid that, should the fit suit you, is a good looking all-mountain and enduro lid that isn’t uber pricey.

• Bell Sixer MIPS helmet review
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The Bell 4Forty without MIPS costs £70, for that you get a well-styled lid from a reputable company that comes in a choice of colours. You can also buy it with MIPS for £20 more. It is worth mentioning here that £70 might seem a lot for a lid without the MIPS liner, but  cheaper lids, like the Giro Fixture, for example, are ‘one-size-only’ helmets whereas the 4Forty comes in four different sizes.

The 4Forty is an all-mountain lid with deep coverage at the rear an, adjustable chin strap and an adjustable peak too. The helmet features the brands Float Fit retention system, this ratchet style cradle fixes near the temples on either side of the lid and is altered in size by a dial at the rear. This system differs in the design from the system used in the more expensive Bell Sixer, this one surrounds the head and exerts pressure evenly. Winching up the cradle on the 4Forty made the thin plastic of the cradle dig in uncomfortably above my ears, something I don’t experience with the Sixer. The cradle can be adjusted for height, but this didn’t ease the discomfort. The interior padding is comfortable and easily removed for washing should you need to.

There are 15 vents which do a pretty good job of keeping you cool on the trail, although only testing in winter, it has been pretty mild and I can’t foresee any problems with regards to overheating when the weather hots up. The vents are well placed to accommodate lights, although if you use an Exposure helmet mount (or similar) you will have to offset the light to one side as there is no top, central vent.

The chin strap is identical to that used on the Sixer, it’s great to see a fully adjustable strap with anti-twist guides at this price point. As per the Sixer my only concern here is that the chin straps are quite long for smaller faces and only adjustable in length on one side, leaving the buckle to the right-hand side of my chin and a lot of folded up excess strap on the right too.

The peak is adjustable and you’ll be able to store goggles under it, unfortunately the visor doesn’t get indexed points so it can easily be left wonky, you’ll need a mate to check it’s straight for you!

I’ve owed Bell lids in the past and found the fit a little too wide but this isn’t the case with the 4Forty, it’s sat snug on y head despite my head circumference being at the smaller end of the sizing for this lid.

At £70 the 4Forty is one of the cheaper non-MIPS lids you can buy that isn’t a uni-size helmet. It’s looks great, comes in loads of different colour and as long as the cradle doesn’t dig in above your ears then you’ll have a comfy helmet, that provides deep coverage for enduro riding. It's a lid that bridges the gap between cheaper one size only lids and the more expensive MIPS counterparts, but isn't as pricey as other non-MIPS offerings from the likes of Troy Lee, Specialized, MET and Smith Optics.

• www.zyrofisher.co.uk
• www.bellhelmets.com

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