No matter how alert, diligent, defensive, cautious, vocal, nimble, predictable, careful — every day is a maze of close calls and near misses. So when I heard about the Lumos Helmet way back when it was but a twinkle in Kickstarter’s eye, I was so excited for a good idea whose time had come — a high-visibility bicycle helmet with turn signals! Could it be true! When my helmet showed up on my doorstep the other day, I was more nervous than anything — what if it didn’t live up to the months of anticipation? What if it wasn’t… comfy? And how does the turn signal work, anyways? Well — spoiler alert: it rules. It’s more comfortable than the helmet it’s replacing (only slightly heavier – but not really noticeable), the design looks sleek and understated even in non-lights incognito mode (just a normal helmet!), and the wireless turn signal remote is intuitive and quickly became second nature. No need to take your hands off the bars for football-coach-playcall-esque hand signals anymore – the wireless remote attaches to the handlebar and just needs a quick tap to the L or R button, without even lifting your hand.

The front and rear lights are great, too, with 360 visibility. Combine with standard front and rear bike lights and you’re set. In my test ride yesterday, around dusk, I pulled up to a stoplight in front of the Cambridge Public Library. The car next to me inched forward, and I heard the window roll down. I braced for some kind of the typical unpleasantries — but instead, the suited driver said, “Hey! I just got one! It’s a win-win — drivers can more easily see and understand what bikes are doing, and I found as a bicyclist that I’m more likely to use the turn signals than the awkward hand signal balancing act. Some nuts and bolts: It’s weather proof, has more than 60 LED lights, charges with a magnetic USB cord (battery life seems good, certainly not an issue for commuting), and easy to turn on, off, and toggle between settings with a single button. One thing I haven’t tried yet (it’s still in “beta”, at least in this first batch of helmets) is the automatic brake lights mentioned on the Lumos website, which would sense when you’re slowing down and turn the back lights solid red.

I’m guessing the helmets might go through some iterations since they’re still such a young company — but bottom line, it is absolutely worth getting one, for yourself and anyone you know who spends time on a bike. Lumos is a giant upgrade to a bicyclist’s most important piece of gear — we’re excited to see them popping up around town!motorcycle tires bedford txThe Blink Bike Helmet Keeps Bikers Safer During Night Ridesused motorcycles for sale olympia wa By: Michael Hines -arai helmet bag backpackWindshields and airbags are just two of the many safety features bicyclists don’t have, unlike their automobile driving comrades. motorcycle parts concord nh

And while there’s nothing designers can really do about those (other than design sexier velomobiles or install bicyclist-friendly airbags into the exterior of cars), a Hungarian designer has created a concept for a bicycle helmet with three safety features that no car would ever come without: a headlight, a taillight, and turn signals.motorcycle parts howell mi Balázs Filczer's Dora helmet would not only reduce the number of gadgets bikers have to worry about (since the lighting and helmet would be attached), it would potentially eliminate the need for sticking hands out at intersections to let drivers know which way they’re turning. motorcycles for sale hobart tasmaniaIn places where drivers aren’t that sensitive to cyclists, I imagine that actual turn signals would make a bigger impact on drivers than hand signals. rent a motorcycle in stockholm

If someone’s only used to cars, the grammar of a car will translate better. But that doesn’t mean the helmet is an entirely hands-free experience: Dora’s lights, activated by Bluetooth, are turned on through a control switch on the handlebars. The helmet concept was pitched at the International Bicycle Design Competition in October where it took home the award for its category of clothing and accessories. The product is just a concept, it’s unclear how much it would weigh (which could ultimately make or break its useability). Typically, bike helmets weight about 285 grams, and adding lights clearly adds to that. But if they worked, the accident prevention could be enormous. Then there might be less need for a helmet to record the license plate of the jerk who hit you. Never miss a story. I'd also like to receive special Fast Company offersWhen you ride a bike at night, staying visible is essential—and this illuminated helmet not only adds lumens to your ride, but gives you some added functionality compared to your average clip-on lights.

It’s a bike helmet that packs in more than 60 LEDs, which are bigger, higher, and brighter than traditional bike lights. The helmet’s lights act as turn signals and brake lights. And since they’re built into the helmet, you don’t need to worry about your lights getting stolen, forgotten, or lost. How does it work? The brake light is activated using the built-in accelerometer that senses when your speed is dropping, while the turn signals are controlled by an included wireless remote you put on the handlebars. You can charge the whole waterproof helmet, which is available in two sizes, via USB. The project is being incubated in the Harvard Innovation Lab. The team says “our latest batch of prototype designs has in fact already passed our lab impact tests,” and they’re on track to meet all safety standards. Harry Potter fans might be a bit possessive of the name, but we’re guessing at least a few have backed the campaign: The Kickstarter has raised over half a million dollars more than the $125,000 goal.