#lazer helmets

Dans la gamme Lazer, le Sphere passe à son tour au système KineTicore. Ce modèle polyvalent se destine à la pratique routière qu’elle soit (très)s sportive ou plus tranquille ! Le Lazer Sphere KineTicore joue la carte de l’équilibre en proposant un casque aux lignes sportives mais sans excès. Le Sphere KineTicore dispose d’un support pour lunettes, avec des zones anti-glissement sur l’avant du…

Lazer et Cardo présentent VeloVox, un système de communication audio qui permet de gérer jusqu’à 30 coureurs à la fois. avec les oreilles et les mains libres ! Avec VeloVox, Lazer et Cardo mettent la barre très haut. Il s’agit d’un système de communication dégageant les oreilles et donc utilisable en toute légalité sur la route, permettant d’écouter de la musique ou de communiquer avec d’autres…

Lazer Bullet Helmet - Interbike Microdose

Really looking forward to this one. Think Lazer has the aesthetics nailed on this and hopefully the final product will look the same if it needs any aero tweaking.

Yes, I realize I've talked massive shit about aero helmets in the past. But most didn't look as good as this one.

And again, yes, that's my microphone Chris from Lazer is holding. Was trying something new and it doesn't really work when someone's holding the object they're talking about.

Just realized I spelled it "SUBCRIBE" on the end screen. So professional…

Post: http://wp.me/p6ikiN-5vI

  Simon Whiten

  Review of the LifeBEAM Helmet, the one that aims to spell the death of the heart rate monitor chest strap

  There can’t be many of us cyclists who enjoy wearing a heart rate monitor chest strap. It’s one of those things that many of us view as a ‘have to use’, so you strap it on at the start of every ride and hopefully don’t really give a thought to thereafter. But come on, if you never had to wear one again, would you really be bothered? We doubt it and that’s what the people at LifeBEAM also reckon, with their helmet with a built in heart rate sensor…

  The LifeBEAM helmet is based on Lazer’s popular Genesis design

  ‘Built in heart rate sensor’ is a bit unfair actually, as Israeli company LifeBEAM have the ‘world’s smallest, most accurate and versatile bio-sensors for motion-intensive activities to help pilots, special forces personnel and even first responders safely push their endurance limits all the while being monitored in real-time’ as we reported in our Preview article.  

The sensor which locates against the forehead

  Though the sensors can also monitor SPO2 (blood’s oxygen saturation level), blood flow and physical activity levels, it’s heart rate that most cyclists will be interested in and I have to say that it does seem incredibly accurate. Paired to various Garmins we have here, the heart rate data was always spot on, matching the figure produced by chest straps connected to other units. No issues there then.   But there are potential issues, so let’s deal with those first… Obviously the helmet’s heart rate monitor will only work if you remember to charge it up. Battery life in chest straps is pretty astounding; I can’t recall the last time I changed one but in this day and age of electronic gears, rechargeable lights, helmet cameras and GPS units, we are all very familiar with recharging stuff. The modern cyclist needs to be on the ball with keeping everything charged up and USB leads are as much a part of a toolkit as are Allen keys.   The LifeBEAM’s battery life is good with a charge lasting well over a week of moderate rides. LifeBEAM claim 15 hours of continuous use which is realistic and I’ve yet to be caught out. It holds its charge well, still being charged and ready for action after a month or so of no use at all. So a bit of a non-issue really but like any electric gadget there’s the potential to be without a heart rate monitor come ride day if you are not on the ball.  

The brain box, with charging point (under dark grey flap) and cool Tron style blue light

  Another issue is the pronounced mark that’s left on your forehead from the sensor. It’s noticeable enough to be a talking point and make cafe stops interesting. The Lazer Genesis helmet feels like it sits relatively low on your forehead and I had to set it tighter than other lids. This was to ensure accurate readings but also to get the best out of the rollsys system that Lazer employ to secure the helmet to your head. Again it’s a minor issue and didn’t bother me that much, though the forehead mark may be odd if you were to commute to work in the LifeBEAM just before going to that important morning meeting; that mark would still be there well over an hour after removing the helmet!   Wearing a cycling cap underneath can deal with the mark issue and surprisingly the LifeBEAM’s sensor works through a cycling cap but is thwarted by a thicker winter hat. This is a downside to training without a chest strap on those really cold days and I have yet to think of a way around this, apart from cutting a small hole in the front of the hat, in line with the sensor’s position. Perhaps LifeBEAM need to offer a tailored winter hat…  

The LifeBEAM is a good looking lid from all angles

  LifeBEAM Helmet   Continued overleaf…     The final issue is perhaps the biggest for LifeBEAM. The helmet is based on the Lazer Genesis, which will immediately gain it plenty of fans as they are a popular brand. However, that’s also one of the major drawbacks of this innovative lid, as it’s only available as part of the Lazer Genesis. Were it available for retro fitting to all helmets then it would be a sure fire winner and we could see cyclists binning their chest straps left, right and centre.   And that’s the rub. Just how bothered about chest straps are you? Enough to invest in a different helmet to your usual brand? Would you switch to a Lazer Genesis helmet in order to do away with that annoying bit of elastic round your upper body?   Opinions of cyclists we showed it to were mixed and the responses telling. Everyone was interested in the helmet, though some I talked to, many of them users of Lazer helmets already, were very, very interested and keen to know more, whereas wearers of other helmets soon drifted out of the conversation when it became clear that a brand change was required to benefit from the technology. The Genesis is not the top of the range Lazer helmet either, which again will be an issue for some pro-wannabes.  

Lazer say this is their low compact profile and it is certainly smaller than other helmets

  Those issues aside, any buyer would already be a Lazer user or accept that a switch over to Lazer helmets is on the cards. They are great helmets and are used by many pro teams. It’s also used by the legend Dave ‘Bruce’ Berkeley who just set a new world record for the greatest distance covered by bicycle in a month, with nearly 10,000 kilometers covered in 31 days. Given the hours he spends in the saddle, if there’s anyone who would choose a comfortable lid, it’s Bruce.   Unlike Bruce, whilst I’ve been doing this review, I’ve been swapping helmets around a lot. The helmets have all been very different with very specific aims, whether it be aero, lightweight, well vented or whatever. The LifeBEAM is not specifically aero nor lightweight but despite that it has quickly become my go to helmet for training; I look at the row of helmets and everytime I am going training I grab the LifeBEAM. It is a very easy choice to make.  

Plenty of vents to keep you cool in summer

  In races I seem to be more willing to wear a chest strap with an aero lid than in training where, because it provides the option to not use a chest strap, I reach for the LifeBEAM time and again. That’s not to say I haven’t raced in it, as I have, and I can see it being a great option for that as well, though the extra weight of the brain box may be an issue for some in the world of racing. A standard Genesis weighs in at about 280g, whereas the LifeBEAM version weighs in at 359g, but for most of us, what’s 79g when you weigh 79 kilos!   Apart from that, there’s lots to like as the LifeBEAM looks great, has a snug, aero-ish fit with a noticeably narrower frontal profile than others – Lazer call this a ‘low compact profile’ – and there’s plenty of vents, 19 in total, to keep you cool. It’s a bit of a do-it-all lid making it easy to live with.   When first wearing it does take a bit of getting used to, as the helmet floats above your head like no other I have used, thanks to the clever rollsys system. This is a ‘cage’ which hugs your head well below the level of the hard protective shell. As a result the hardshell part can be moved from side to side with ease. This may seem odd but makes perfect sense when it comes to providing protection, by helping to dissipate forces in the event of a crash. It’s similar to the system used by other companies but is just more floaty. I like it a lot. The rollsys adjustment is via a wheel mounted in the top of the helmet which is much more easily accessible than other brand’s tensioning systems.  

Rollsys adjustment is easy thanks to this well positioned wheels

  So all that brings me back to think about who should consider this helmet? Well anyone who needs a new helmet and uses a heart rate monitor, in theory. In practice, if you fit the previous category and like Lazer helmets, then definitely take a long look at the LifeBEAM. If you’re already a Genesis user then it’ll be an even easier decision, assuming you want to ditch the chest strap.   If you are open to buying a new brand of helmet, perhaps dissatisfied with your current lid, then you won’t be disappointed by the Lazer, nor by the LifeBEAM’s enhancements.   Perhaps most telling of all is that I will no doubt continue to reach for a dedicated aero lid come race day, as it certainly gives me a psychological lift if nothing else, but on any other given ride day, I’ll be wearing the LifeBEAM – and no chest strap!  

The LifeBEAM is the go to helmet – and no chest strap required

  LifeBEAM Helmet $229.00   LifeBEAM Helmet   Gallery continued overleaf…    

Gallery

    LifeBEAM Helmet   [rps-include blog=127.0.0.1 post=30118]