Ten days after buying this helmet I had a really bad accident. I went out on my evening ride around the large park near by and stopped for dinner at the Park restaurant. While having dinner I got a weather alert on my phone. A big storm was coming in 2hrs., so I finished dinner, and headed home. Being home was less than a half mile I had over an hour to make the trip before the rain came. It was getting dark so I put on my helmet and turned on my front and rear light and left. I got about half the distance home when I heard a big crack and suddenly I had a limb about 10 inches in diameter falling in front of me, it was almost close enough to reach out and touch. There was no time to stop or avoid the limb and it hit the ground in front of me and the front wheel hit it head on. The bike stopped immediately. I, however did not. The bike launched me over the bars and I was suddenly airborne up side down. I hit the pavement head first, then my shoulder and the rest of me flat on my back. When I tried to get up I discovered I couldn't. Seeing movement about me,....I looked up to see the entire rest of the tree coming down on me. I spent the rest of the night in the ER,....and after three sets of CT's,....the neurosurgeon who had been called in and I was moved to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit. By noon the next day I had a visit from 4 neurosurgeons who decided to keep me for another day. While visiting they each had a long close look at my helmet. All four agreed that without that helmet I would for sure have been killed. The next day I was sent home with a fractured number four vertebrae and pulled muscles and tendons in my neck. I was sent home in a neck brace for the next two weeks. I'm not usually one to set and write comments like this, but I hope that my story will help anyone who is on the fence about the validity of the wave cell technology see the true value of this new piece of safety gear. It's not as expensive as the surgery might have been had this been more serious, IF I was alive for any surgery!! Buying this helmet really is a no brainer in my opinion. {yes pun intended.....I couldn't resist !!! }
Glad it could help. The Specter has some nice features for the price. Bontrager even has a Radioactive Yellow/Teal gradient color scheme now that looks really cool.
Sorry about your accident hope your 100% by now. I just got my first real road bike and I just bought the Bontrager specter wavecell and after hearing your story I’m glad I did. A lot of reviews say it heavy and too hot but I usually ride mountain bike and ware a full face helmet that is almost 3 times heavier than the specter so the weight and a little less air flow because of wavecell is a non issue for me. Thanks.
Odd i got the curcuit helmet and no magnetic clip, but they did have the two light attachments included but didn't say, i bought the light attachment on the side!!! Now i have two...😮
The Circuit helmet doesn't feature the magnetic clasp as the Specter helmet does. It's a nice feature, but standard plastic buckles work just as well. It's nice that Trek includes the light mounts with the helmet, otherwise the WaveCel liner makes it difficult to use standard strap-style light mounts.
I really find this channel super informative!! I have a question about the Bontrager WaveCel helmet: Do you think there is room between the Wavecel layer and the shell of the helmet to slip a strap, so that I could fix a small light to the rear of the helmet? Thanks so much!
Thanks! Good question. I think it would be tough to get a strap through the liner and helmet shell for a taillight. Have you considered the Bontrager Circuit WaveCel instead? That one has magnetic Blendr mounts that make it easy to mount lights. See www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-helmets/road-bike-helmets/bontrager-circuit-wavecel-road-bike-helmet/p/34591/.
Ours did not. It looks like Bontrager offers replacement pads for about $18 on their website though (www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-helmets/bike-helmet-parts-accessories/bontrager-specter-wavecel-bike-helmet-fit-pad/p/28849/).
Ten days after buying this helmet I had a really bad accident. I went out on my evening ride around the large park near by and stopped for dinner at the Park restaurant. While having dinner I got a weather alert on my phone. A big storm was coming in 2hrs., so I finished dinner, and headed home. Being home was less than a half mile I had over an hour to make the trip before the rain came. It was getting dark so I put on my helmet and turned on my front and rear light and left. I got about half the distance home when I heard a big crack and suddenly I had a limb about 10 inches in diameter falling in front of me, it was almost close enough to reach out and touch. There was no time to stop or avoid the limb and it hit the ground in front of me and the front wheel hit it head on. The bike stopped immediately. I, however did not. The bike launched me over the bars and I was suddenly airborne up side down. I hit the pavement head first, then my shoulder and the rest of me flat on my back. When I tried to get up I discovered I couldn't. Seeing movement about me,....I looked up to see the entire rest of the tree coming down on me. I spent the rest of the night in the ER,....and after three sets of CT's,....the neurosurgeon who had been called in and I was moved to the Neuro Intensive Care Unit. By noon the next day I had a visit from 4 neurosurgeons who decided to keep me for another day. While visiting they each had a long close look at my helmet. All four agreed that without that helmet I would for sure have been killed. The next day I was sent home with a fractured number four vertebrae and pulled muscles and tendons in my neck. I was sent home in a neck brace for the next two weeks.
I'm not usually one to set and write comments like this, but I hope that my story will help anyone who is on the fence about the validity of the wave cell technology see the true value of this new piece of safety gear.
It's not as expensive as the surgery might have been had this been more serious, IF I was alive for any surgery!! Buying this helmet really is a no brainer in my opinion. {yes pun intended.....I couldn't resist !!! }
I cycle in Dubai and use this helmet: super happy even in the hot summer in the desert.
Awesome review! Thank you showing many details and close-up pictures. I am going to go try one on tomorrow!
Glad it could help. The Specter has some nice features for the price. Bontrager even has a Radioactive Yellow/Teal gradient color scheme now that looks really cool.
Sorry about your accident hope your 100% by now. I just got my first real road bike and I just bought the Bontrager specter wavecell and after hearing your story I’m glad I did. A lot of reviews say it heavy and too hot but I usually ride mountain bike and ware a full face helmet that is almost 3 times heavier than the specter so the weight and a little less air flow because of wavecell is a non issue for me. Thanks.
What a story Sweetlite and it help me to make up mind about this helmet. Stay safe....
Thanks for the informative review. I just bought today and will use it during the weekend.
No problem. Hope you enjoy the helmet, the WaveCel technology is pretty cool.
I only buy helmets with the fidlock clasp, its so convenient to not have to fiddle with the buckle when wearing gloves etc since it just self aligns
Thank you sir
Odd i got the curcuit helmet and no magnetic clip, but they did have the two light attachments included but didn't say, i bought the light attachment on the side!!! Now i have two...😮
The Circuit helmet doesn't feature the magnetic clasp as the Specter helmet does. It's a nice feature, but standard plastic buckles work just as well. It's nice that Trek includes the light mounts with the helmet, otherwise the WaveCel liner makes it difficult to use standard strap-style light mounts.
I really find this channel super informative!!
I have a question about the Bontrager WaveCel helmet: Do you think there is room between the Wavecel layer and the shell of the helmet to slip a strap, so that I could fix a small light to the rear of the helmet?
Thanks so much!
Thanks! Good question. I think it would be tough to get a strap through the liner and helmet shell for a taillight. Have you considered the Bontrager Circuit WaveCel instead? That one has magnetic Blendr mounts that make it easy to mount lights. See www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-helmets/road-bike-helmets/bontrager-circuit-wavecel-road-bike-helmet/p/34591/.
@@TheSweetCyclists Hey, many thanks! That's a great suggestion!!
i have bontarage spectre wavecell, but don'y know how to change pad, it;s stuc
Does it come with extra pads
Ours did not. It looks like Bontrager offers replacement pads for about $18 on their website though (www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equipment/bike-accessories/bike-helmets/bike-helmet-parts-accessories/bontrager-specter-wavecel-bike-helmet-fit-pad/p/28849/).
MIPs is BS. wavecell is the way to go
Why do you say that?
Lol why is MIPs BS?