The smart bike helmet Lumos Ultra raises more than $2 million on Kickstarter
After a few years Lumos is back on Kickstarter with a new bicycle helmet. Lumos Ultra combines lights, turn signals and smart features into a single cohesive whole.
The company got their start via crowdfunding some 5 years ago. The original helmet went out of its way to make sure you’re seen when cycling. The next generation product is even better. The company says it has received a ton of feature requests in recent years which it attempted to address with its latest product. Best of all, despite all the improvements Lumos Ultra is very affordable.
Bike mounted lights don’t always do enough to make you visible to everyone on the road. Plus they can easily be stolen. The roads are becoming more congested so a smart rider needs a smart helmet.
The IPX6 rated Lumos Ultra comes with a super-light and aerodynamic design with a front light, and two rear lights which double-up as turn signals. All of these rechargeable via USB-C. The lights feature Chips On Board (COB) LED technology which delivers a more compact footprint and a higher intensity of light. Others on the road will see you coming no matter where they are.
More interestingly, the helmet comes with multiple ways to control the lights. For starters you can use the remote button that attaches to handles. Simply push the button before you turn to indicate your intentions. With the help of the Apple Watch, the gizmo even allows for gesture controls! This means you can control the turn signals on Lumos Ultra by simply raising your arm.
With three large exhausts in the rear, Lumos says this is their most ventilated helmet yet. Plus, it weighs just 370 grams, which is 120 grams less than the original. As far as safety, the thing carries multiple crash certifications including CPSC, EN 1078 and AS/NZS 2063:2008.
Finally, there’s also an accompanying smartphone app. You can use that to track your rides, check battery levels and personalize your helmet with custom blinking patterns.
The first generation helmet was a huge success and this looks like it will be a repeat. The $60,000 Kickstarter goal was achieved in just 4 minutes. The funding is up to $2.2 million now, and that’s with 8 more days to go before the campaign closes.
Assuming all goes according to plan with production, a pledge of $79 will get a helmet delivered to your door in November. There’s a choice between Charcoal Black, Jet White, High-vis Green, Neon Pink Mix and Deep Blue Mix. You’ll also need to decide between Small, Medium to Large and Extra Large.
Price: $79 and up
Funding open:
$2,176,296 raised out of $60,000 goal
8 days left
Estimated delivery: November 2020
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