REVIEW – The Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet with Firefly Light did its pre-launch validation campaign on Prelaunch.com that gave invaluable insights including market interest, user preferences, and feedback with a Prelaunch score of 69 which indicated that the product is primed for success. Now the pre-ordering is underway on their website. Production is in the final phase, and shipping is expected to begin in October 2023.
What is it?
The Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet is a very lightweight bike helmet with a magnetic socket built into the back of the helmet made to hold a bright, rechargeable, Firefly tail light.
What’s in the box?
- Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet
- Firefly light (additional purchase)
- Firefly light charger cradle and USB-C cable(additional purchase)
- Instruction manual for helmet and light
- Full assortment of Firefly light mounting parts and pieces
Hardware specs
- Helmet weight: 9.9 ounces with Firefly light attached
- MIPS or non-MIPS version (Multi-directional Impact Protection)
- FlexiFit retention system
- OptiGrip sunglasses port
- Matte finish color options: Black, white, gray, Hyper Green, Atomic Salmon (pink)
- Firefly light weight: 1.1 ounces
Design and features
The Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet, non-MIPS version was sent to me for this review. MIPS stands for ‘multi-directional impact protection’. I’m not sure why one would want less protection from a bike helmet but in this case it saves $20. My cranium and I wish we were reviewing the MIPS version.
The Ultra Fly features a slot on each side of the front of the helmet into which sunglasses temples insert, probably best upside down, judging from the Lumos Helmet website. Lumos labels the spot on the helmet, ‘Optigrip’. There is a rubber piece there which is intended to give friction to secure the glasses.
My pricey prescription sunglasses don’t work in the Optigrip slots. The helmet spreads the temples of my glasses too wide and the glasses sit crooked as they resist being pushed all the way into the helmet. If I’m riding in the daytime my sunglasses are on my face anyway. For those with wide glasses this could be a useful way to carry your specs when you don’t need them on your eyes.
The Firefly tail light comes with fittings to attach the light to any position on the bike, on the person, or in its magnetic socket at the back of the helmet. The light can be attached to an arm or leg, it can go on handlebars or seat post, it can go on the seat stay bars. Multiple Firefly lights can be attached to the bike and they are available in red, yellow and white. The lights can be synchronized to flash the same pattern via a phone app and there is some reference to turn signal capability with a pair of Firefly lights, but I couldn’t locate those specifics, and have only one light anyway.
The Firefly light charges by induction so it can be powered up via any induction charger one has for their phone or other devices. A charge cradle for the Firefly is available as a separate purchase. The Firefly has no plug type charge port so it can only be charged by induction.
Setup
The strap fitting takes some time to get right but the left and right helmet straps are independent instead of being one piece of strap that pulls through as with my other helmet. This was a relief. With my old helmet whatever adjustment I make on one side affects the other side and it takes time and patience to get that old helmet adjusted. The Lumos helmet adjusted within about 5 minutes.
The Firefly light charged fully within about 30 minutes but it arrived partially charged.
Green indicates a full charge.
Performance
The Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet is comfortable, and at 9.9 ounces with the Firefly light attached, very light weight. My old helmet is 14.4 ounces thanks in part to a small headlamp I use as my rear helmet light. I was surprised at how the Lumos helmet’s fit seemed to become perfect as I tightened the retention system tensioning knob at the back of the helmet. Slack from the chin strap went away, yet the straps were snug without being too tight. And the side to side movement of the helmet stopped when I achieved the proper tension.
The red Firefly light has excellent visibility at night. In bright sunlight I’d give one of the modes just an ‘OK’, the one that utilizes the steady outer LED circle, plus the flashing LEDs in the center of the light. In this mode the Firefly can at least be seen in sunlight, but it isn’t highly noticeable. I think the Firefly’s visibility would be great in conditions from daytime overcast, to dusk, through night time. I don’t know if the yellow or white Firefly lights would be more visible in daylight. One has to be intentional when shopping for a ‘daytime bright’ tail light, and there are some really good ones out there.
Astute bikers will notice I hadn’t properly cinched the straps up towards my ear. I was trying to get some quick pics done as rain was fast approaching.
I think bike helmets look better if they have a brim on the front. It’s also functional when riding into low, direct sunlight. I found a Lumos branded helmet brim on Amazon but I’m not certain it would fit properly on the Ultry Fly. There are other aftermarket stick-on brims available online or at bike shops. But there is nothing like the proper fit of the brim that comes made into the helmet.
What I like
- The light weight
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent engineering of the Firefly Light into the helmet’s design
What I’d change
- I wish all the Lumos Ultra Fly helmets were MIPS rated
- The helmet’s appearance would be enhanced with a built-in front visor
Final thoughts
The Lumos Ultra Fly Helmet and Firefly Tail Light are a well engineered pair. The helmet’s magnetic hold onto the Firefly light was flawless even on bumpy terrain. The light never shifted. I recommend you spring for the MIPS version of the Ultra Fly Helmet if you decide this model is for you.
Price: Standard: $109.95 MIPS: $129.95
Pre-order bundle deal includes Firefly light and Charging cradle with both models, up to August 31.
MIPS helmet only, during pre-order period: $99.95
Where to buy: Lumos
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Lumos.
