Stylish, comfortable and light, the Schuberth C5 has converted me to flip-up helmets.
20,000 engineering hours, 2000 tested helmets and more than 400 hours of real-world test rides on German roads. Schuberth’s time and effort are certainly telling in the finished product.
Design
I’ve always preferred full-face helmets. I used to ride in a flip-up helmet, but that was because it was a hand-me-down from someone who had worn it once. (Don’t @ me, I now know better.)
I have personally felt that full-face helmets looked cooler. We all like to feel cool whilst riding. In fact, even the hardest motorcycling naysayer will admit riding looks cool, even a little bit. So being the shallow creature that I am, I have leant towards style over convenience.
The Shuberth C5 offers convenience whilst still looking good. With six solid colours and two graphics in eight different colour combinations, there are plenty of choices for whatever suits your personal style.
Safety
Luckily I wasn’t given the opportunity to test the safety myself. The SCHUBERTH C5 is the first helmet featuring the P/J homologation and passes ECE-R 22.06. The glass fibre shell (SCHUBERTH Direct Fibre Processing) is reinforced with carbon fibre for improved shock absorption strength without adding valuable grams to your neck.
The chin strap has an Anti Roll Off System (A.R.O.S) and is easy to fit in a comfortable position without sacrificing safety or feeling like I’m choking.
Visor
The first thing I noticed about the visor is that I could see more, which is an obvious advantage. This is due to the City Position mechanism. Plus, there is a Memory Function, so when you lift your lid, the visor returns to its previous position. It doesn’t clamp back down. Again, another thing beneficial in stifling hot weather.
Comfort
The C5 hugs your head. The padding feels supportive and comfortable without being suffocating. At 1.66kg it’s not the lightest helmet I’ve owned, but my neck didn’t ache after long journeys, and it didn’t feel a relief removing it from my head. I also didn’t feel like a bobblehead in the wind.
Vents
The vents are easy to find, even when warm and flustered. They let in a decent amount of fresh air without allowing grit to enter. There is a double chin air-intake with an exchangeable filter and a back spoiler.
On the record-breaking hot days (do you think I tested this in the summer?), the ability to free my face whilst waiting at the lights was the difference between a conscious Sam and an unconscious Sam. In a heap on the floor. With a bike on top of them.
Noise
Between the 200 hours in a wind tunnel and the neckroll for sealing off the bottom, the C5 achieves 85 Dba at 100 km/h on a naked bike. It was so quiet I could use my Airpods to respond to messages and ask Siri to play the Visordown Spotify playlist. Game changer. I can now work and ride!
Verdict
Short answer: I love this helmet. I will continue to use it, and it has replaced all my other helmets. I found it incredibly easy to use, which sounds obvious, but being able to open the vents and drop off the sun visor without wildly slapping at my head seems a rarity.
Convenient, functional, but still stylish, find one that matches your bike.
Full specs at Schuberth C5.
