No doubt, the Lumos helmet is definitely the coolest piece of commuter gear I’ve seen make it into production lately. After a successful Kickstarter that raised over $800k (with a goal of $125k), they are now taking orders. Clearly, this is a product that a lot of cyclists wanted. Heck, even Bill Nye was excited about it.
So what’s all the fuss about? Well, the Lumos helmet is sure to make cyclists more visible in low light conditions. With 28 super bright white LEDs up front, and 22 red super bright LEDs in the back, it’s hard to miss. But there’s more. Both sides have a bank of amber turn signal LEDs as well. Since you’re wondering how they are activated, the answer is simple. Each helmet includes a handlebar-mounted turn signal switch. To activate the brake light, just slow down. It will light up on its own. Yes, this is a geek’s helmet. But it’s really clever. There is even an app, so you can monitor the battery and set light preferences.
Check the video for the Lumos in action.
Find your Lumos helmet on Amazon!
After about 2 hours of charging, the lights will run for around 3 hours on solid, or 6 hours when flashing. Since we can’t control the weather, the lights and batteries are all sealed up and waterproof too. For all its features, the helmet only weighs 440 grams. In addition to the safety the lights offer, Lumos meets US CPSC safety standards (16 CFR Part 1203). For European buyers, it meets EN 1078 safety standards. Plus, it meets FCC and CE standards for consumer electronic devices. These guys did their homework.
Lumos offers the helmet in Charcoal Black, Pearl White, or Cobalt Blue. It’s currently only available in one size right now, but if you wear a 54cm to 62cm helmet, it should fit you. Price is $179, which includes free shipping. If there is a downside right now, it’s that new orders won’t arrive in time for Christmas. But you can still head over to lumoshelmet.co and place your pre-order for January delivery.
Brian