Schuberth C3
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ok. i did it. huge decision. huge step up. i pulled the trigger. i got a Schuberth C3. i already have a helmet, why did i do it? how do i like it so far? read on…
i got the AFX FX-39 when i first got my bike. i really didnt know what i wanted in a helmet, what i cared about, what was important, so i got something that felt good on my head, looked good against the bike, and was priced low. i really liked it, and i thought it was fine for a while.
as the winter rolled around i started gearing up to stay warm while i rode. between my pants, heated liner, jacket, heated handle grips, and neck liner, i was set everywhere except my head. in the 30 degree weather, the wind would rush around more then ever inside my helmet, and cold air specifically would rush in to my ears… which made me feel like shit after a ride. it was noisier and colder then ever in my helmet.
i did my research, tried on many many helmets, spent a lot of time in Union Garage trying on helmets (hours, and they never got frustrated with me which was awesome, they were very supportive). I went to revzillas shop in Phili, i went to the duactti triumph shop in manhattan. i tried them all on. i realized for the price, the schuberth was top. everything else i liked from shoei or others were all around the price of the C3, but with lower quality materials.
the Schuberth C3 is a modular helmet, thats light weight, narrow, and extremely quiet (relative to all other helmets). its got a neck roll on the bottom that really helps keep the wind, and wind / engine noise out.the interior is extremely soft, it feels like a luxury car on your head.
my concern when trying it on is that i had two pressure points pressing against my chin line. i asked the shop to let me take the helmet for a test ride.. i know they never do that, but we have a long relationship already and let me take it out. after a 5 minute ride i knew it was for me. i could instantly tell the difference, and i was convinced i wouldn’t notice the chin pressure points i experienced in the shop.
i bought it on the spot, it was a friday. i went to my office, installed the pinlock (fog free insert), and my sena blutooth. i took the long way home as i knew i wouldnt use it again till after the weekend.
my first impressions were incredible.
- the eye port is huge giving me great visibility.
- i could go much faster now, higher speeds, and feel incredibly more stable. who knew my top speed comfort and stability came down to my helmet.
- i could hear my music properly at high speeds. going 75mph i could clearly hear the song i was listening to. on my old helmet i could barely hear it over 50.
- making phone calls were crisp. people on the other end thought i was on a car bluetooth. quiet.
- i could not get the pin lock to fog up no matter what i did.
- although this helmet is quieter (significantly) then my last helmet, i do hear a new wind noise that im not used to. i actually hear the wind passing my helmet, and following the form of it. like an engineered wind flow. its noticeable, i hear wind. when im over 40mph i hear wind passing my head in a very noticeable way. i think on my other helmet i heard wind at that speed, louder but it was rough noise. still overall, its a much quieter environment in the C3.
- i love the modular. riding a block or two with it up was nice.
- the internal sun visor works great, but was a little dirty from when i got it. i cleaned it but it needed further cleaning. i love having it integrated though.
- the air flow ducts on top are crazy powerful.
- and finally, after i got home, my chin was hurting me.
still regardless of the chin hurting, i was really excited. what a dramatic difference. i ordered the sena wired attachable boom kit as the current boom was difficult to push in and out of the helmet. i installed that yesterday and its perfect.
Installing Sena SMH-10 + Sena SMH-A0302 in to Schuberth C3:
the chin pain points were making me nervous. it was from these snaps inside the helmet, that attach the neck liner to the helmet. they dug right in to my jaw line when the helmet was closed. my brother in law harry helped me realize that if i unsnapped them and let the front of the neck liner hang a little loose then the pressure was all but gone. so i unsnapped, and folded them back in to themselves. ive yet to ride with it like that, and i may need to zip tie them back or something of the sort.
so far the helmet is amazing. it fit perfect every where expect the jaw line, and i believe that issue is now resolved. i feel much more confident when riding. the added safety, quiet ride, and warmer interior make it worth every penny.
ill make sure to do a more long term review once its properly broken in.
