A bike helmet that's worth the wait

A year and a half ago, I got to use the Lumos prototype for a few days. An illuminated bike helmet with turn signals and brake lights that catches the eye of even the most inattentive SUV driver while zipping through traffic (article in German). Ever since, I've really wanted my next helmet to have integrated lights. But it won't be the Lumos Kickstart, as I prefer its urban successor, the Lumos Matrix. Still, I'm not willing to drop CHF 200.– on it.

It seems that I'm not the only one who feels this way, which is probably why the Lumos Ultra is currently being crowdfunded. Strictly speaking, it's already reached its goals. They're making money on Kickstarter faster than they can count it. The 60,000 dollar target was reached after only four minutes. I pitched in as well. I really want that helmet. Why? Because the price is reasonable, the helmet is innovative and the design is appealing.

In addition, previous Lumos products have been convincing, and an MIPS version is available – the «Multi-directional Impact Protection System», which better absorbs rotational forces in the event of impact from the side. The LEDs built into the helmet use Chip-On-Board technology. In plain English: naked chip assembly. Sounds interesting. It also means that the semiconductor LED chips are glued directly onto a circuit board and welded with micro wires. This means that no individual points of light are visible, the light yield is good and the entire construction remains light and flat.

More Ultra specs:

• The 1100mAh battery should last ten hours at full brightness.
• You can adjust the light to your needs with an app.
• The indicator can be activated by remote control or with an Apple Watch.

That's funny. To even do that, you'll need to swing your Apple Watch-bearing arm in the air and twist it unnecessarily. With the remote, you can keep your hand on the handlebars. Where they should be.

Still, Lumos probably owes Apple an exclusive – after all, their helmets are the first and only ones sold in the Apple store. Here's some less noteworthy achievements.

• The ventilation system has been improved, but the Ultra doesn't have an insect screen.
• The Ultra is naturally weatherproof (IPX6 certified).
• A short visor is available as an accessory.
• Instead of using a magnetic cable, which you won't have at hand in 90% of cases, the battery can now be charged via USB-C.

Sound good to me! But what convinces me the most is the bearable weight of less than 400 grams and the reduced price. Because, as the campaign video states, the desire for a cheaper model was particularly often expressed to the Lumos crew. Understandably. Alright, the Ultra's got me. I'm excited, now let's see if they'll keep their promise in autumn. If they do, you'll find the Lumos right here in our shop.