Lumos is well known for their cycling helmets that seamlessly blend lighting elements into the helmet body. The new Lumos Ultra Aero GT cycling helmet is a lighter weight alternative to Lumos’s typical illuminated helmets that optimizes aerodynamic and weight. It’s one of the sleekest helmets Lumos offers that is compatible with the Lumos Firefly lights for optional rear lighting rather than using integrated lights. The helmet currently retails for a surprisingly affordable $99.95 which includes a Firefly Mini light. Lumos has incorporated a MIPS liner for additional crash safety as well as their FlexFit adjustment system with a rear dial and multiple points of adjustment. The Aero GT also has an aerodynamic design with optimized vent placement and the OptiGrip sunglass holders.
The Lumos Ultra Aero GT helmet is a lightweight aerodynamic helmet that replaces Lumos’s integrated light design for a magnetic mount.
| Rating | 9.5 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $99.95 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 303 (size medium) |
| Likes | + Surprisingly affordable price point + Aerodynamic profile with creative color options to personalize appearance + Simple taillight integration with magnetic rear mount |
| Dislikes | – No storage bag included but there is a rain bag |
| Where to Buy (US) | Lumos |
UNBOXING
The Lumos Ultra Aero GT helmet comes in a compact cardboard helmet box with Lumos branding printed on the exterior. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Ultra Aero GT helmet
- Plastic rain cover + bag
- MIPS + Magicshine Seemee 50 tags
- Safety information pamphlet
We were surprised to see a Magicshine Seemee 50 Mag tag included with the helmet as the light is a more affordable option to the Lumos Firefly light.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Lumos Ultra Aero GT shares the swoopy design of the Lumos Ultra and distinctive U shaped front profile. That means the Ultra Aero GT still looks like a Lumos helmet even without having integrated lightning elements. As an aero helmet, the Aero GT has a smoother shell with 14 strategically placed vents and an aerodynamic side profile that has a blunt trailing edge. The outer shell of the helmet has a two piece design with sharp edges between the black foam and the lower rim. It’s a fully finished helmet with the inner rim also covered that helps give the Aero GT a premium feel. Lumos currently offers the helmet in seven different colors from solid options such as black, white, gray, blue as well as some graphic options. Depending on the color scheme you choose, the bottom edge of the helmet is color matched or contrasting.
The most interesting color variation is smoke which includes geometric graphics that extend onto the straps. We have one of more simple white color schemes which is a semi-gloss white finish that contrasts with the black foam. Unlike POC helmets, Lumos does not offer any color matched foam options to give the helmet a mono-chromatic look. Branding on the helmet is limited to small Lumos logos on the side and Aero GT on the rear. For storing sunglasses, there are labeled OptiGrip rubber pads on the front two vents of the helmet.
Inside the helmet you’ll find a bright yellow MIPS Essential Core which can freely rotate around to reduce impact in a crash. Ionic+ pads are attached to Velcro tabs on the liner which lets you remove them for cleaning. The MIPS liner also has holes cut out to match the air vents and allow air to flow through the helmet. For adjustability, the entire rear cradle is height adjustable with a large pony tail cutout. There is a standard dial on the rear to adjust the tension with reflective stickers for night time visibility. The straps are thin nylon with adjustable side straps and a rubber catch on the chin strap to hold any excess strap in place.
One of the interesting features of the helmet is the magnetic buckle which is surprising to see at this price. Unlike most magnetic buckles, this is not a Fidlock buckle and instead has an unusual peg design. If you get the buckles near each other they snap into place and can even rotate for additional comfort. The straps are held together with a little spring loaded inner piece, so to remove the buckle you push down on the release button and pull the straps apart. This is the first helmet we’ve reviewed with this design but it is surprisingly easy to use and can even be unbuckled with one hand.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
The medium sized Lumos Ultra Aero GT had a comfortable fit with simple adjustments using the rear dial and movable cradle. We would describe the fit as similar to Smith and Lazer brands for our test riders 58cm head size with enough adjustment to allow for extra layers for cold weather riding. At only 303 grams on our scale, the Aero GT is light enough that you can forget you are wearing it so you can easily do all-day rides without any discomfort. The wrap-around cradle keeps the helmet in place without creating any pressure points, while the Ionic+ pads are well placed and easy to remove and clean. We found the ventilation to be good with the helmet as the vents are well placed to allow airflow through. There are more ventilated helmets on the market, but even in warmer California weather we felt comfortable.
The magnetic buckle was a bit confusing at first glance, but we ended up actually preferring it over the standard Fidlock buckles we’ve used in other helmets. With the forward placed release tab, it’s easy to quickly unbuckle the strap even with one hand. It’s a simple yet nice improvement over standard plastic buckles as the magnets let the straps pop into place. As far as the magnetic taillight mount, it’s an effective design that is similar to brands like Lazer and Thousand which offers a seamless way to attach a taillight. It’s not as cool as Lumos’s integrated lighting designs such as the Lumos Nyxel, but it’s more effective long term as most illuminated helmets do not have simple battery replacement options.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Lumos Ultra Aero GT to be a sleek and comfortable aerodynamic cycling helmet. Lumos has taken their distinctive Ultra helmet and optimized the profile and ventilation to create the Aero GT. It’s lighter and more aerodynamic than Lumos’s typical integrated-light helmets but retains the distinctive U front vent shape. An integrated magnet makes it easy to attach a Lumos Firefly or even a Magicshine Seemee 50 Mag taillight onto the helmet. We found the helmet to be lightweight and easy to adjust with enough ventilation to keep us cool even on long climbs. The only negative is that the helmet comes with a rain cover instead of a storage bag which we would have found more useful. That said, the Lumos Ultra Aero GT is a lightweight and surprisingly affordable road cycling helmet.
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.