Bell 4Forty

Bike Helmets / Adult Helmets: Road/Mountain

This bicycle helmet is rated a “Don’t Buy: Safety Risk” after the chinstrap buckle broke in our routine testing. A buckle failure like this can allow the helmet to get pushed out of position during an accident so that it no longer offers any protection.

CR Expert Take

How did it perform in our expert lab testing?

CR rated the Bell 4Forty a Don’t Buy for its performance.

Don’t Buy

Current Range of Tested Bike Helmets

What goes into the Overall Score?

EXPERT LAB TESTS

Impact absorption

Ventilation

Fit adjustments

Ease of use

Color

CR's Take

This Adult helmet comes in 4 size(s) With the number (3) and type of features to adjust the retention strap, it provides only a poor ability to customize the fit. And with an approximate weight of 353 grams, the weight of this helmet is considered good relative to other helmets tested.

About

The Bell 4Forty is part of the Bike Helmets test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Bike Helmets models like the 4Forty are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Impact absorption: The ability of a helmet to absorb impact forces in a crash, which reduces the rate of deceleration experienced by the head. Based on laboratory impact testing.

Ventilation: The evaluation of how well air flowing through the helmet provides cooling during rides. Based on actual usage and expert judgement.

Fit adjustments: The evaluation of the features and versatility of the retention system when adjusting the fit of the helmet. Based on expert judgment.