When I bought my first bike from my uncle years ago, he threw in two helmets with the deal. They were white half helmets and DOT approved, but compared to today's lids, they appeared to offer little protection. They did however save me from head injuries in two different go-downs. This convinced me to never ride without a helmet.
Fast forward to 2014, when I came back to riding. The day I bought my bike, I also purchased an HJC FG-Jet three-quarter open-face helmet. When the summer of 2015 came along I began looking for a full-faced helmet. My goal was sound abatement and more protection. After doing some internet research, I kept coming back to the HJC CL-17 helmet. Reviewers praised its comfort, bang-for-the-buck and protective qualities.
Fit:
The CL-17 fits me perfectly, my head is a pretty normal intermediate oval and the comfort liner exhibits no push points that are bothersome. The helmet comes in sizes from X-Small to 5XL so that even those with massive heads can find a comfortable fit. The cheek pads are replaceable and the replacements' thicknesses range from 17mm to 40mm. My large helmet came with 35mm pads, however even after a season of riding I found them a bit tight (kept biting my cheeks) so I replaced them with a pair of 30mm pads.
Field of View:
The horizontal field of view is excellent. The vertical field of view is very good. I have no problem seeing to the left and right and do not have to screw up my neck when changing lanes. The shield is clear and exhibits no anomalies. The shield is “pinlock ready” but the pinlock insert is an additional cost. I have no problems with fogging until the temperature gets down around forty degrees, and the insert is well worth the extra money at that point.
Shield removal is very simple and re-installation is a bit trickier but still easy. The shield has 95% UV protection, an important issue for eye protection. My sunglasses cause no discomfort when worn with the CL-17.
Ventilation:
The CL-17 improved ventilation over the previous model. The helmet has a large chin vent that flows air up into the chin-bar and exits out the vents on the side of the helmet. The top vents are easy to operate even in gloves and flow a ton of air that cools the head and exits the vents at the rear of the helmet. The neatest vent is the one at the forehead. It blasts air to cool that sweaty forehead.
Noise:
So, do all those vents add noise when you are riding? Not one bit. This helmet is very quiet. I usually wear ear plugs when riding but even without them this helmet rides quiet.
Protection:
The CL-17 is both DOT and Snell certified. My helmet is marked Snell M2010, but I went to the Snell website and found it listed as M2015 certified, so it meets the most recent standards published by the Snell Foundation. This is important because the Snell rating requires actual testing of each helmet model while DOT is a self certifying system. Note: size 3XL-5XL CL-17s are DOT only. These ratings and the fact that the CL-17 s a full-faced helmet sealed the deal for me.
Riding position and Fit and Finish:
I ride a cruiser and find that the CL-17 is very comfortable riding in the upright position. I believe it would also work well in a three-quarter tuck but might not be so comfortable in a full tuck racing position.
I can't find any flaws in my helmet's finish, the color is right-on and the paint is meticulous. The helmet comes in a variety of solid colors as well as at least eight graphics. The graphic shown here is on closeout at most websites, so I suspect is (or soon to be) discontinued. There are lots of other graphic designs to choose from including at least three that include a Hi-Viz option.
Weight:
This helmet has a Poly-carbonate shell so at 3lbs 13oz it weighs a bit more than I'd like. It's a small nit though, after four or five hours riding I don't feel any neck pain or fatigue. To get a lighter helmet you need to move up to the fiberglass FG-17 and I don't feel that the price premium is justified. I will go as far as to say the CL-17's features alone beat out the FG-17.
Cost:
So, here is the really good news. The CL-17 ranges in cost from $140 to $154 with some special graphics reaching to $180. Most of the helmets in sizes XS to 2X, including most graphics, cost around $140. A helmet of this costing under $150 is an unbeatable deal. Several review sites compare the CL-17 favorably to helmets priced twice as much and reviewers say that the CL-17 beats most other helmets in of a similar class.
Pros and Cons:
Pros: Snell and DOT certification.
Noise reduction.
Ventilation.
BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.
Cons:
Weight.
Lack of an included chin curtain.
Pinlock insert is not included.
My Rating: *****
© Tim Marks 2016 all rights reserved
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