Lumos is well known for their bike helmets that combine sleek designs with integrated lighting elements for additional safety. The Lumos Nyxel is one of their latest helmets and is an urban style helmet with sleek front and rear LEDs elements hidden into the rim. We were lucky enough to get an early sample of the Lumos Nyxel helmet so some of the specs may change with the final retail version. Retail price for the helmet currently ranges from $129 up to $259 for the e-bike version. We have the $209 MIPS version with the Quin crash sensor which can alert emergency contacts in the case of an accident. The helmet has a sleek COB LED headlight and taillight integrated into the rim along with eye catching sequential turn signal modes.
The Lumos Nyxel takes the classic urban helmet profile and integrates LED headlight, taillight and turn signals.
| Rating | 8.7 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $209 (MIPS w/ Quin Crash Sensor) |
| Measured weight (in g) | 407 (size medium), 16 (remote lite) |
| Likes | + Wide range of run color options + Eye catching sequential turn signals animations + Surprisingly lightweight for all the features and crash sensor |
| Dislikes | – Limited ventilation from small top vents – Requires active Quin app for sending crash notifications – Remote and other accessories may cost extra |
| Where to Buy (US) | Lumos |
UNBOXING
As with other Lumos products, what you get depends on which options you select. We have the Nyxel helmet with the MIPS and Quin sensor. The exterior of the box is a simple cardboard helmet box with Lumos branding printed on it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Nyxel helmet
- Quick start guide
- Braided USB-C charging cable
- Lumos Remote Lite w/ rubber o-rings
Note, the USB-C cable is surprisingly nice with a black and red color and long length for charging the helmet.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Lumos Nyxel has a classic urban profile with a single piece shell and subtle front brim. We don’t know what the final color options will be, but the Kickstarter page shows a wide range of colors from fun glossy colors, metallic finishes and more subtle matte black variations. We have a bright orange color for this review that looks like something you’d find on a Skittles or M&M candy. It has a glossy finish with a sleek black glossy rully finished rim that gives the helmet a premium look and feel. Aside from the MIPS and Quin stickers on the side, the helmet has no branding on the shell and a one piece design so there are no seams. Ventilation on the helmet is limited to four small rounded rectangles at the top of the helmet. That means the Nyxel isn’t a great choice for warmer riding as there is limited airflow inside the helmet.
The only visible Lumos branding are the white Lumos logos on the side straps. Lumos’s marketing material boasts that the Nyxel is one of their safest and most attractive helmets to date. Although we’re skeptical about that claim, Lumos has done a nice job integrating the LEDs in the helmet. The COB LEDs have a transparent appearance that blends into the black rim of the helmet. To operate the lights, there is a hidden button on the rear of the rim which is placed next to a USB-C charging port. As with most modern products, the 1000 mAh battery is integrated into the helmet and is not replaceable. Holding the button turns the front and rear lights on together and emits a pleasant beep sound.
There is also a great startup animation which displays the current battery status before switching to the last illumination mode. Pressing the button toggles through the different illumination modes such as constant and flash options. The front and rear lights have a COB LED design which results in a uniform glow that is designed to be a be-seen light and not illuminate the road. Note, you can also customize the output of the LEDs using the Lumos App. We were not able to demo that feature here as the Lumos App has not been updated yet but based on the Firefly reviews we’ve done we expect it will have an intuitive interface. To operate the turn signals you have to use the wireless Lumos Remote Lite.
The remote uses a CR2032 watch battery and has two large buttons for the left and right signals. The remote has a simple LED indicator and triggers an audible beep from the helmet while the signal is activated. The turn signals have a modern sequential animation and also seem to automatically turn off after a certain period of time. The timeout and audible beep features are likely customizable via the Lumos App. Note, the Remote Lite is not compatible with the Firefly or Firefly Mini lights though so you’ll need to buy the full Lumos remote. The other remote also adds a brake sensor feature which has a sensor inside the remote itself.
Inside the helmet you have simple black foam pads attached directly to the MIPS Evolve Core liner. It’s all black with this helmet instead of the iconic MIPS yellow coloring but has the same rotational design. The liner uses elastic attachments to the EPS foam core of the helmet and can reduce the impact in a crash by allowing the helmet to rotate and dissipate some of the crash impact. Lumos has added cutouts where the vents are to help with ventilation. The Nyxel also has a full cradle design with a rear dial and adjustable side straps. Plastic extensions on the rear cradle improve the comfort of the helmet while the rear dial is easy to operate. The helmet uses a standard plastic buckle for the straps with an elastic loop to hold any excess strap length in place.
We have the Quin equipped helmet for this review which has an integrated crash sensor. Quin crash sensors offer an advanced impact detection and logging feature that can notify your emergency contacts if a crash was detected. The technology is already available in some motorcycle helmets and has a full app that even lets you review details of the crash for additional analysis. With the Lumos Nyxel the helmet comes with a free Quin service that can notify up to 3 contacts set in the Quin app and provides a maximum of 12 manual SOS triggers. Note, the sensor relies on a cell phone reception and the Quin app to operate. There is also an optional Quin Plus subscription available that can send crash data to emergency responders.
You can actually remove the Quin sensor from the helmet by pulling up on the tabs at the ends of the sensor from inside the helmet. As far as we can tell, the sensor should never need to be replaced and charges via the same USB-C port on the rear of the helmet. The removable design means you could probably purchase the non Quin version of this helmet and then add the sensor at a later time. We’d recommend not removing the sensor or being very careful when you reinstall it as it’s easy to bend the pins. As we found out, a bent pin causes all the lights and the sensor to stop functioning and will require a helmet replacement.
LIGHT OUTPUT
Out of the box, Lumos programs the helmet with three illumination modes. There is a constant mode with 3.5 hour claimed runtime that illuminates both the front and rear with a steady output. There is a fast flash with 6.3 hour claimed runtime that does a quick on/off flash for both LEDs. Finally, there is eco mode with 14 hours of run time that is a dimmer and slower on/off flash pattern. Lumos doesn’t publish the lumen output for the lights but we’d estimate it around 40 lumen as it’s difficult to see in brighter conditions from any distance. The Nyxel helmet really becomes visible at night or lower-visibility conditions as the wide COB LED stripes provide 360 degree visibility which ensures you are visible from any direction.
Our favorite feature is the turn signal implementation which uses a sequential design that illuminates from one direction to another. It’s a feature that’s become common on newer cars with LED taillights and gives the helmet a modern appearance. It’s also eye-catching as Lumos leaves a small portion of the front and rear while the turn signal animation is on. At the time of this review, the Lumos app still does not support the Nyxel helmet but we are confident that the app will offer additional customization of the light output modes. While the Nyxel isn’t as eye-catching as the Unit 1 Faro with its grid of LEDs or other Lumos helmets with even more LEDs, the simple stripe design keeps the helmet light and comfortable to wear.
As far as the Quin crash sensor we were lucky enough to not have to test it so we can’t say much as far as its accuracy. The Quin app was also not configured to support the helmet at this time so we can’t even say anything about how easy or difficult it is to set up the emergency contacts. To our knowledge, you will need to have the Quin app running to send out the crash notification which is a big drawback of most crash sensor setups like the Smith Triad’s Aleck sensor. Otherwise, the concept of crash sensors is a good one that could potentially save lives if something were to happen on a ride.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Lumos Nyxel helmet to be a lightweight and eye-catching illuminated helmet. Lumos has taken their extensive history with helmets to create the Nyxel which is claimed to be one of their most advanced and attractive helmets. The helmet’s classic urban profile and complemented by the glossy black rim that hides the wrap-around COB LEDs on the front and rear. Although the lights are not daytime bright, in low visibility conditions they provide 360 degree visibility and have eye-catching sequential turn signal animations. Combining the LEDs with the available bright color options makes the Nyxel perfect for urban riding or commuters. The only negatives we found is that the helmet has limited venting, requires the Quin app to be active for notifications and that you’ll need an upgraded remote to pair the helmet with Firefly lights. That said, the Lumos Nyxel is a surprisingly light and bright helmet with well integrated LEDs.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Lumos. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.