Lumos Nyxel Commuter Smart Helmet Review

It should come as no surprise that commuting has exploded over the last few years. Commuting aboard an eBike even more so. Often the conversation of commuting revolves around equipping your bike with lights and gear to enhance that experience. Safety though is above all the most important thing to consider as a commuter.

Enter the Lumos Nyxel. A Smart Helmet that is safe and enhances visibility.

With their start in Boston, Lumos has been on a mission to reclaim riding on the road by helping riders be seen. In 2015 they launched their first helmet and received several awards. A decade in the making, the Nyxel is the most refined lightweight smart helmet in class.

The Lumos Nyxel starts at $139.95 for a standard model, with a Mips model for $169.95, and the Mips + Quin model for $219.95, which I have been testing.

There are three sizes and nine colors to choose from. The Non-Mips model weighs between 380g and 410g, with the Mips models adding ~20g per size.

All three models share the front and rear smart lights that feature 360° visibility, 28 white LED’s in the front, 28 red LED’s in the rear, and are turn signal capable.

The lights have a battery life of 3-16 hours, depending on which setting, and need about 4 hours for a complete charge. The battery is also replaceable and extends the helmet’s functional lifespan.

Before we get lost in the rest of the tech and features, it’s important to highlight the safety certifications. The Nyxel is U.S. CPSC compliant, CE EN1078 for EU standards, Australia’s AS2063 certified, and ASTM F1447.

The Lumos Nyxel helmet has front and rear smart lights. Forward-facing White LED’s and rearward facing Red LED’s that can be seen up to 1475 feet day or night.

The Lumos Remote is a bar mountable wireless remote to control the Smart Turn Signals function. Beyond that the Nyxel is compatible with the Team Sync and Firefly lights. Team Sync allows for group flash sync feature amongst the Lumos helmets. Riding solo you can pair the helmet with the Firefly lights, sold separately, which can be secured to your bike, bags, packs, you name it.

Automatic brake light feature is one of my favorite features for added visibility along with engaging an action that catches the eye of cars near by.

When it comes to helmet safety here at EBJ, we are big advocates for Mips Technology. Mips, in it’s name, is a Multi-directional Impact Protection System for rotational force protection. The Nyxel uses the Mips Evolve Core system, which is an inner layer that attaches to the foam liner. This layer can shift in all directions helping to divert rotational motion in the case of an impact. Learn More at mipsprotection.com

Quin technology is focused on crash detection. No one wants to have to use their helmet, but in the case of accident, what are the next steps into protecting you as the rider. The Quin Sensor accurately detects crashes, monitors location, and will notify your emergency contacts instantly. Learn more about Quin.

Once upon a time, things like helmets weren’t quite as exhaustive to talk about. Which I find is a problem, helmets are so important to our safety as cyclists and we should be talking about them more, and there should more to talk about when we’re looking at them.

Lights, Mips, Quinn, some of you may think this a bit much, but I assure you this is the right amount. Having had been hit by a car before while riding, I know how important a safe helmet is.

We trust Mips technology in helmets and unfortunately when things happen we’re glad we have it in our helmets. The way it interacts on impact is truly impressive, and we can only attribute our post-impact feeling and recovery to being as good as it is from the tech.

The Quin sensor falls under the same boat. Very neat tech, that is thinking about protecting you after you need the initial protection. Dispatching alerts to your emergency contacts or even emergency services is not generally something we’re thinking about ahead of time, especially when we’re helmet shopping.

Visibility is something we do talk about a lot here at EBJ, and the 360° Smart lights integrated into the helmet are not just for fashion. They are truly bright and have various strobe modes and a constant light. Taking it to the next level with sync features to the Firefly lights or if you’re fortunate other riders with Lumos helmets is a very cool option. More than likely syncing with the Firefly lights is the more notable detail and what you may consider adding to your kit.

Pairing with the Firefly lights is fast and effortless. Getting them sync’d up with the helmet for which ever light mode you’re in. Slap the Lumos Remote on the handlebars and you’ve got turn signals and automatic brake lights that can stay with you from one bike to the next. This is great feature as we all know that not enough commuter focused eBike’s have integrated lights with turn signals and brake light.

All that being said, I’ve grown quite fond of the Lumos Nyxel and am looking forward to logging plenty more miles with it. At first glance when I took it out of the box, I was uncertain of how cool it would be in the summer months with very minimal holes in the helmet shell. To my surprise, I have found it quite breathable, and now with the rain I have been throwing a Gorewear cap on.

Initially, setting up the straps was a little tedious, but after initial adjustments, it has stayed secure, and I haven’t had to move anything around again. A problem we’ve all had on a helmet once or twice over the years.

If you’re a commuter or even an average recreational rider getting out after work or on weekends, the Nyxel might be something worth taking a closer look at. It has a sleek smooth shell that is low profile, and the integrated lights although discrete, pack a lot of power. Beneath the surface Mips Technoogy and a Quin sensor can really take things to the next level when it comes to safety and protection.

I can be quite particular when it comes to helmets. Looks. Fit. Features. These are all things that matter to me. It looks and fits great and it’s definitely not lacking in features. The Lumos Nyxel might seem like quite the investment, but for something that can be a life saver we can’t convince you what the right price should be.

Price: $139.95 – $219.95
Sizing: S, M, L
Colors: Nine to choose from
Website: ridelumos.com