How the Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS Became the Helmet I Grab First

Short answer: yes, it's good.

There are a couple of quirks worth knowing, and every one of them has an easy fix.

I bought mine in late May with one plan for the summer. Ride as much of the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route as my days off would allow.

One helmet for all of it. Forest roads in the morning, highway home in the afternoon.

Four months later it has a scuffed chin bar and a well washed liner. Here's how it went.

In this story

1. MONTH 1 · JUNEThe first long ride told me everything about the fit
2. MONTH 2 · JULYThen July turned the forest roads into powder
3. MONTH 3 · AUGUSTAugust put me on the highway more than I planned
4. MONTH 4 · SEPTEMBERBy September the mornings were cold, so I adjusted
5. What I loved, plus a few easy tweaks
6. By September, it had earned its spot by the door
7. The helmet from every angle

MONTH 1 · JUNE

The first long ride told me everything about the fit

I measured my head twice and landed right between two sizes. I went with the bigger one, which is what Bell suggests.

Out of the box it squeezed my cheeks, which is exactly how a new helmet should feel. Two weeks later the pads had settled and it felt made for me.

My first ride over two hours did leave a small pressure spot on my upper forehead. The padding is thin up there, and it eased off as the liner broke in.

If your head runs round, wear it around the house for 20 minutes before the tags come off.

One thing I didn't expect to care about: Bell builds this helmet in three shell sizes. Smaller heads get a smaller shell instead of extra padding, so you skip the bobblehead look.

2:22

MONTH 2 · JULY

Then July turned the forest roads into powder

Central Oregon gets hot and dry, and by noon the roads west of Sisters were pure dust. This is where the helmet earned its keep.

With the vents open, I could feel air moving over my scalp at 15 mph on a rocky climb.

I've owned street helmets that turned into saunas the second I slowed down. Not this one.

When the dust got thick, I flipped the shield up and pulled my goggles on. The eye port is wide enough that they sat flat without pushing on my nose.

On two all-dirt days I took the shield off completely and ran goggles only.

July also handed me my one tip-over of the summer. Deep sand on a corner, front wheel washed out, and down I went at walking speed.

The helmet bounced off the ground once and came away with a scuff.

I never want to test MIPS for real, but knowing it's in there was a big reason I bought this helmet.

MONTH 3 · AUGUST

August put me on the highway more than I planned

Getting to the good dirt meant long runs on US-20 and Highway 97 at 60 to 65 mph.

That's when I noticed the wind noise. It comes with the territory on any helmet with a peak visor and big dirt style vents.

The vents that kept me cool in July let in more sound at speed.

Two fixes sorted it out. Foam earplugs now live in my jacket pocket, and the ride got a lot calmer.

For a week of mostly pavement riding, I took the peak off. Most of the buffeting went away, and the helmet looks sharp without it.

It weighs around 3.7 pounds in a medium, right in the usual range for adventure helmets. On my longest eight hour day, a couple of stretch breaks kept my neck happy.

MONTH 4 · SEPTEMBER

By September the mornings were cold, so I adjusted

Mornings around Sisters were dropping into the 40s. Like most helmets built for airflow, this one lets a little air in even with the vents closed.

A thin balaclava sorted that out in about five seconds.

The anti-fog shield stayed clear the whole time I was rolling. On damp, cold mornings it misted along the bottom edge at stop signs, like most shields do.

Cracking it open a notch cleared it every time.

At the end of the month I pulled the liner and cheek pads and washed them by hand. They dried overnight and the helmet felt close to new again.

Bell's Ionic+ padding uses silver for odor control, and four months in, I'm a believer.

What I loved, plus a few easy tweaks

By September, it had earned its spot by the door

It hangs by the garage door, and my hand goes to it every time. Trail days, commutes, and the trips that mix both.

Peak on, it looks like a proper dirt helmet. Peak off, it passes for a clean street lid, and Bell designed the peak to be removable.

Bell sells it in solid colors and graphics, with tinted and photochromic shields if you want a different look.

So, would I buy it again? Yes, and I wouldn't think twice about it.

It breathes, it takes goggles, and you get MIPS without spending adventure touring money.

The summer asked a lot of it, and it kept up every time. If most of your miles are freeway, keep earplugs in your pocket and it still works.

The helmet from every angle

Here is the matte black MX-9 Adventure MIPS from behind, in case you want a closer look before you visit.

This rider story brings together long-term owner experiences with the Bell MX-9 Adventure MIPS and is told in first person for easier reading. Specs and features are from Bell Helmets. Fit varies from rider to rider.