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Lumos Smart Bike Helmet With Smart Gesture Turn Signal Support Now Available From Apple Retail Stores
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Is there a 'dumbest comment of the year' award for macrumors? I think we have a great contender here.
This isn't a helmet for John and Jane to wear to ride their comfort bikes down the bike path at the local park – after driving there in their SUV – with their twin 8 year olds.
Piece of free advice for anyone making an argument that it’s safer to ride a bicycle without wearing a helmet - please don’t buy a bike. Unless of course you want Darwin to be the guy who proves you wrong.
Aside from the price tag, why’s that, exactly? The key feature of a turn signal is either a useful safety addition or it’s not. If it is, that applies to “John and Jane with their twin 8 year olds” just as much.
Well, totally agree. But nevertheless, do you have children? I would lose the battle intending to only buying one for myself. Some strip-down version on top would be nice.
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Does the same go for driving without a seatbelt? Or a car without airbag?
Well, primarily because bike paths are often in a loop, or without complex navigation needs. This is – in my mind clearly – a helmet for commuters, riding on streets with large volumes of cars – and perhaps other bikes – at much higher speeds than you'll see little Johnny do on his 16" bike.
The key feature is a useful safety addition in the right environment. If John and Jane are taking the kids out for group ride with the local bicycle shop, or the 10 miles to grandma's house on the streets of their city, then, sure, buy the whole family a set.
It does not.
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What’s this weird scenario where a family goes out on a bike trip… in a loop?
So your argument is that all bike helmets are useful mostly at “higher speeds than you’ll see little Johnny do”, surely?
I don’t see the relevance. Yes, if they’re riding on a simple looped track, safety features matter less. That hardly strikes me as a common scenario, though.
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St. Louis is home to one of the largest municipal parks in the country, with a 6 mile loop around the park's outer edge. Head there on a nice weekend day and you'll find throngs of people – families and otherwise – riding the path.
1. Bike helmets are *more useful* as speed increases – particularly the speed of other objects you can't control. It is surely safer to ride in a parking lot with a couple of Johnny's friends than it is on a street with cars and bikes going 20+ mph. Further, I've had a couple of "zero mph" falls (a "great" right of passage) on my bike while learning how to use clipless pedals whereas if they were real accidents, I'd be way more likely to be injured.
2. In the U.S. at least, all bike helmets pass one bar for certification. There is no "this helmet is more approved to protect your brain." As you go up in price, the helmet may get lighter, more aero, incorporate tech (such as this, or speakers, or MIPS), but every bike helmet passes the same (lowest common denominator) bar. So, *this helmet* would be more useful at higher speeds on the streets of a city...but not certifiably proven to protect your head any more.
St. Louis isn't the most bike friendly city (though we're working on it – Hooray!), but a day out on the bike paths as a family is way more common than actually a family commuting via bicycle.
These helmets are pretty good, a bit on the heavy side. Certainly good features.
One thing to remember: if you crack the helmet, thats $$$ down the drain. Its almost better to buy a regular priced helmet and mount lights on it.
The signalling is a good feature ( or a good idea ), but how many motorists are going to notice it, or realize what they are for. You still need arm signals.
One thing to remember: if you crack the helmet, thats $$$ down the drain. Its almost better to buy a regular priced helmet and mount lights on it.
The signalling is a good feature ( or a good idea ), but how many motorists are going to notice it, or realize what they are for. You still need arm signals.
Not really you can easily pay $125+ for a good helmet. It is meant for road cyclists, not someone going on trails in a park.
And no seatbelt is the best seatbelt, because a seatbelt will just stop you from being thrown to safety.
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Not arguing for not wearing a helmet, but he broke his helmet because they are designed to crack as part of absorbing the force of an impact. Just because the helmet behaved as it is meant to does not mean his head would have suffered a similar crack. It just so happens your friends fall is pretty much the force bike helmets are designed to protect against. They are not intended to protect against your head smashing against a car windscreen at 50mph.
Well this car has neither airbags nor seatbelts, and I can honestly say that I drive exceptionally safely every time I drive it.
damn, i would love to get this if i have the balls to cycle in downtown. my anxiety is holding me back from fully enjoying this kind of product but then again i dont want to waste my life by getting hit by a car while trying to fight my anxiety. sucks that people are such **** drivers
I can't afford this, but this is a very cool idea. I hope they succeed (for when I can afford it).