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news
Lumos helmetHate remembering your lights? How about a helmet with indicators and a brake light?
When cycling at night, visibility is all-important, so for those looking to stand out, the new Lumos helmet with built in indicator lights and an automatic brake light, could become an essential.
The invention of Eu-wen Ding and Jeff Chen, who met at a weekend hackathon, the helmet is the result of ten months’ work.
The pair decided that it was easier for many cyclists to pick up their helmet when they ride than lights that have to remember lights every time.
The Lumos comes with a handlebar control to toggle the left and right indicators, which work via RF signal, and the brake light at the back of the helmet automatically comes on when you decelerate.
There are also permanently on LEDs on the front, and a single charge should last up to a week on average use (30 minutes per day); recharging is via micro-USB.
The helmet has already doubled its funding request on Kickstarter where a prototype comes in at $85 (a 50% discount on the expected eventual retail price).
It has passed the impact tests known as CPSC in the United States (CPSC 16 CFR Part 1203) and EN1078 in Europe - and will be ready for shipping next April.
The makers say: “Each year over 49,000 people get seriously injured while cycling, and over 700 die in the United States alone; a large number of them as a result of a collision with a motorist.
“As cyclists ourselves we have had many experiences when we felt invisible to people around us, and unsafe.
“We tried more lights, reflectors, and jackets, but hated how cumbersome it made our bike ride. Riding a bike should give you a sense of freedom. You shouldn't need to go through a checklist before you ride.
“Our hope is that Lumos makes it easier for cyclists to stay safe while still keeping that sense of freedom that comes with riding your bike.
“More than that, we hope that Lumos will play a role in the movement for better cyclist safety by helping motorist and non-motorist share the road more effectively and graciously, and so make cycling safer and a more viable option for more people to pick up.”
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12 comments
Not sure if I'm being stupid here, but if the helmet has brake light and indicator lights there is still a need for standard bicycle lights. Did I miss something?
Yes, the law. Lights must be mounted to the bicycle & mounting heights are limited to 1500mm from the ground.
Please remember that Kickstarter is not a shop! By pledging your $85 you are not guaranteed a product and have no recourse if the company gets into difficulty. Caveat Emptor!
Editors - I would have thought you would have made that clear to readers rather than using the tagline "50% off for a limited time". There is a risk that this product won't make it to market and the price reflects the risk; it is not a sale.
I've solved this with a zip tie and a £5 rear light on the back of my lid...
Surely it's not good to cycle if you're feeling lightheaded?
While it may come across as a good idea I feel that with the plethora of flashing lights that many cyclists use, it will not further their safety as the motorist will not be able to determine that the cyclist is indicating their intentions. I think I will stick to the standard hand signals as that is what the motorist is looking for on approaching a cyclist regardless of whether they acknowledge the signal or not.
In principle it looks like quite a neat idea, the indicators would be nice when your having to brake so long as you could still reach the button.
nice concept, hope there is a battery charge indicator on it for those that cannot be bothered anymore to lift their arms to signal once they got that helmet.
It's not brilliant in the dark. Unless you put reflective wrist bands on.
Don't knock having lights somewhere in addition to your main lights.
It's correct that, to comply, lights have to be, well, where we normally put them. But stuff at head level is a very useful addition.
I asked, on kickstarter, how these work. What do you do to signal? No reply. It's much clearer on there now. But, not ideal for a road bike commuter, particularly if you've already put your lights on the bars. And, if you're braking, as you normally would for turning, will be difficult to do both.
£55 for a prototype helmet with lights in it... £110 for the production model?! Must admit, the helmet does look nice, but I'd much rather spend £50 on a helmet and the rest on high quality bike lights.
Of course, to comply with the law in the UK you need to have lights mounted on your actual bike (handlebars and luggage racks count)