Description
SCHUBERTH C3 Pro – The most sportive flip-up helmet ever
The new spoiler which has been optimised in the wind tunnel turns the C3 Pro into a real sport helmet which also demonstrates outstanding aerodynamic properties at high speeds in excess of 160 km/h.With its further enhanced aeroacoustics of 82 dB(A) at 100 km/h the C3 Pro is one of the quietest helmets in the world. Naturally the new C3 Pro also incorporates two integrated antennas for increased ranges and better FM radio reception – prepared for the fully integrated communication unit SRC-System™. The suspension, made of carefully selected materials such as COOLMAX®, Interpower® and Thermocool®, sets new benchmarks with respect to comfort.
Outer shell
The outer shell of the C3 Pro is offered in two helmet shell sizes and combines an aerodynamically optimal shape with excellent protection. It is manufactured using Schuberth’s typical compression moulding process and thus permits great stability and a low weight.
- Shell material: S.T.R.O.N.G. fibre
- Helmet shell technology from SCHUBERTH permits low weight
- Glass fibre with a special resin added is compressed in a vacuum at high pressure to form a helmet shell which is exceptionally sturdy.
Inner shell
The helmet shell of special EPS foam is modular in design to ensure optimal shock absorption. This complex segmentation guarantees enhanced force absorption and distribution and maximum safety.
- Made of specially optimized EPS foam
- Complex multizone foaming allows optimal shock absorption
Inner lining
A special inner lining of the C3 Pro which was developed according to the innovative Comfort Fit concept ensures that the helmet fits comfortably and securely in all situations.
The combination of carefully selected COOLMAX® and Thermocool® materials and the additional use of Interpower® coatings also make the inner lining a highly-effective moisture removal and cooling system.
- COOLMAX® pad system, completely removable and washable (hand wash, 30°C)
- Optimized fit
- Variable for effective ventilation
- Adjustable for summer/winter
- Allergen-free
- Antibacterial
- Removable comfort cheek pads and head band pads
Fastener system
- Precise setting of the chinstrap length through adjustment on both sides.
- Micro-lock ratchet lock
Reflex pads
The silver-coloured appliqués of reflective material which are in included in the nape zone of every SCHUBERTH helmet ensure that the motorcyclist can be seen better, especially in twilight or at night.
- Improved visibility = Enhanced safety
- Enhancement of the passive safety
- Early recognition by other road users
Pinlock® Visor
Guaranteed condensation-free thanks to its double glazing technology
- “City position” for maximum ventilation while travelling slowly
Visor mechanism
- The EasyChange visor mechanism makes changing visors extremely quick and simple.
- Change of visor without tools
Integrated sun visor
The sun visor enables quick and individual adjustment according to light conditions. It is integrated into the helmet shell and can be swivelled.
A.R.O.S.
The Anti-Roll-Off System (A.R.O.S.) especially developed by SCHUBERTH is provided as a safety feature in every SCHUBERTH motorcycle helmet. It ensures that provided the chinstrap is closed and correctly adjusted:
- the helmet cannot pivot off the head from behind
- the risk of contact between the chin section of the helmet and the chin or throat of the rider is minimised due to the small angle of tilt and
- the consequences of the helmet coming into contact with the chest as the result of an accident are reduced.
High-performance aerodynamics
The C3 Pro has been specially designed for the riding posture on normal and sportive tours and also remains stable in the airflow at high speeds (> 160 km/h). The special shape of the helmet shell with an integrated spoiler plus an aerodynamically optimised straight end edge ensure appreciably enhanced downforce. Even at higher speeds the C3 Pro develops practically no upward lift. The C3 Pro also offers reduced wind resistance and optimised directionally stability. With closed machines, the buffeting is also significantly minimised.
- Perfected aerodynamics for higher speeds
- Upward lift = 0!
- Directionally stable
- No oscillatory tendency
- No buffeting
- Spoiler integrated into the helmet shell
Aeroacoustics of the C3 Pro
A quiet helmet means active safety for the motorcyclist: this permits the rider to concentrate on riding – particularly at higher speeds.
Many hours in the Schuberth acoustics wind tunnel have ensured that the C3 Pro is quiet. The comprehensive acoustics package with optimised helmet shell, wind deflector and ergonomic shape of the neck padding make the C3 Pro – at 82 dBA – one of the quietest helmets of all.
- Acoustics package makes helmet quiet
- Installation of a wind deflector enables the aeroacoustics and consequently the noise level to be improved still further.
- Only 82dB(A) at 100 km per hour (with naked bikes)
Basics
Sound intensity is a phenomenon which can be explained logarithmically/mathematically. A 10 dB(A) jump in noise level is perceived by the human ear as a doubling of the noise level. Conversely a drop of 10 dB(A) is perceived as a halving of the noise level. Physically these changes in the perceived noise level already occur at an increase or decrease of 6 dB (A). This means that the increase/decrease in the physical load is higher than the one perceived.
Optimisation
Aeroacoustics are influenced by:
- the position of the helmet in the air flow, depending on the driver’s size and riding posture and the motorcycle’s fairing
- Fit of the helmet: differences in the anatomy of the wearer’s head, neck and shoulder areas
Tips
- change the position of the windscreen
- close the gap at the bottom of the helmet, e.g. using a scarf
Innovative ventilation system
The C3 Pro is equipped with a further development of the proven C3 ventilation system. Thanks to the new design of the ventilation elements, the supply of fresh air is increased by up to 60%. The combination of multipath channels in the EPS foam shell and the head/chin/mouth ventilation ensure that fresh air is distributed effectively over the entire head area. The air channels in the inner shell direct the air which enters through the forehead ventilation well over the back of the head to the rear of the helmet. The low pressure prevailing at the rear of the helmet ensures that the internal air is constantly extracted through the air outlets and the special netting in the neck padding.
- Head ventilation input (adjustable in multiple stages)
- Chin vent for targeted distribution of the incoming air in the helmet
- Up to 9 litres of fresh air at 100 km/h
Effect
- In cold weather it often occurs that with closed air supply the motorcyclist’s neck zone becomes sealed off by hoods, scarves or neckerchiefs.
- The concentration of carbon dioxide inside the helmet is a key safety criterion for preventing symptoms of fatigue and the thinning of breathable air.
- No negative effects on health need be feared as long as the CO2 concentration remains below 3.5 %.
- The maximum level of CO2 concentration at the workplace is 0.5 %
- Even when the neck zone is sealed off by hoods, scarves or neckerchiefs, this helmet guarantees that the CO2 concentration remains below the 0.5% limit as from a speed of approx. 30 km/h.
- In cases where the helmet is completely sealed off by hoods, scarves or neckerchiefs, the visor ought to be opened (city-travel position) for safety reasons when idling, for example at traffic lights, or travelling slowly.
SRC-System™-ready
The C3 Pro is by default equipped to accommodate the SCHUBERTH SRC-System™ C3 Pro. To guarantee ideal radio reception for you, the C3 Pro is already equipped with two integrated antennas to boost reception and a Bluetooth® connection
- Optimum reception at all times
- Bluetooth® antenna for wireless mobile, GPS and intercom connections to other SRC-System™ owners.
- FM and Bluetooth® antennas integrated into the helmet for optimum reception
Article by :Damon Lavrinc
I want what everyone wants from a motorcycle helmet: A comfortable fit, phenomenal visibility and plenty of ventilation. It should be as light and quiet as possible. And, of course, it’s got to keep my grey matter where it belongs if I ever go down.
I found exactly what I’m looking for. It’s the Schuberth C3 Pro. And it is magnificent.
Now, good gear is expensive. At $769/ €595, the C3 Pro sits squarely at the high end of the cost curve, but if there’s anything I’m not going to skimp on, it’s my head. Schuberth has the quality, the technology, and the experience to justify that kind of scratch. Allow me to explain.
The German helmet manufacturer has been around since the 1950s, and it produced one of the first composite helmets in the 1970s. These days its clients include the entire Scuderia Ferrari racing team and former F1 ace Michael Schumacher. Bona fides? Schuberth has them.
The C3 Pro is the company’s do-everything middle child, slotting in between lesser cruising models and the full-on race rigs. At just under four pounds, it’s the lightest flip-top helmet on the market, undercutting the Neotec Borealis TC-3 from Shoei ($750) by a few ounces. It’s not just lighter, but it offers better balance, thanks to a little extra heft in the flip-top mechanism.
Now, some people can’t stand flip-up helmets. But my big schnoz and a thin head make getting into and out of full-face helmets painfully awkward. A flip-top eliminates those issues and provides plenty of room when I want to chug some water or say, “No, officer, I had no idea I was going that fast” without slipping off my lid.
Like most high-end helmets, the C3-Pro’s shell is a multi-layer concoction of carbon fiber and vacuum compressed, resin-supported glass fiber, while the inside is stuffed full of EPS foam. It’s safe, it’s light, and it exceeds U.S. DOT helmet safety guidelines and the more modern, stringent European ECE R22-05 regs that even MotoGP helmets must meet.
And then there’s the wind noise. Or rather, the lack of it.
Schuberth is the only helmet manufacturer that has its own wind tunnel. It shows. The combination of the C3 Pro’s slick aerodynamics, wind deflector, and snug seal at the neck make this thing whisper quiet. Schuberth claims a rider zipping along at 62 mph on an unfaired motorcycle hears just 82 decibels. According to a study out of the U.K., most riders traveling at 70 mph are assaulted with over 100 decibels of noise, or the aural equivalent of a chainsaw running next to your skull.
The lack of wind noise also makes the helmet’s optional communications system thoroughly usable.
Unlike the Shoei I mentioned, the C3 Pro’s shell features an integrated antenna and Bluetooth receiver. With the important stuff already wired in, fitting an SRC system is simply a matter of plunking down $429/€350, removing the neck cushion, plugging in a pair of wires and fitting the new control panel. With that, you’ve got bike-to-bike communications for up to three riders, FM radio, mobile phone and GPS integration, and an automatic gain control that boosts the volume to adjust for background noise. It really works, too. Music and podcasts steadily grew louder as I went faster, allowing me to enjoy my tunes without fumbling with a volume control — but not so loud that I wasn’t aware of my surroundings. The few times I’ve needed to adjust the volume, the side-mounted controls are easy to find and a snap to use while wearing gloves. The music sounded great, but I can’t speak to the quality of phone calls. I didn’t take any. I’ve got more important things to focus on while riding.
The rest of the C3-Pro’s controls are even easier to use, including the vents above the helmet and below the visor. They allow two gallons of air to flow through the helmet every second at 62 mph. I’ve worn the Schuberth in everything from 50-degree fog to 100-degree heat and have never been anything but completely comfortable.
One especially nice touch is the incredibly trick integrated sun visor, which slides over the clear visor with the flip of a switch. Set it and forget it. No more squeezing my temples with sunglasses or carrying a tinted visor in my bag.
The sizing runs a little big, though. I generally wear a medium but was advised to try a small. Good call. The C3 Pro was a bit tight for the first few days, but grew more comfortable as the cushions conformed to my oddly shaped cranium. Visibility, too, gets top marks, with a wide viewing angle, a visor that cracks open a scant millimeter to allow for a bit of extra airflow, and a pin-lock system for a fog-fighting visor insert.
Surprisingly, with all that kit included—the integrated antenna and Bluetooth, in particular—the C3 Pro looks less like an overpriced brain bucket and more like an incredible bargain. Add in the fact that if I lay down the bike and take a hit to the head, Schuberth will sell me a new C3 Pro within a year for one-third the cost of the new helmet.
The C3 Pro provides the latest in safety technology and integrated communications in a helmet with exceptional fit and comfort. It’ll cost you, but it’s well worth it.
Now it’s time to worry about everything from my neck down…
