Each rider desires to really feel extremely seen and as secure as potential whereas cruising metropolis streets. One method to improve that is by carrying a helmet with built-in lighting; One that provides flip indicators and brake lights is even higher.
Gamel’s ‘The Exceptional’ is the primary helmet to supply built-in flip indicators activated by a easy nod of your head. The helmet additionally contains an automated brake gentle operate. Gamel first launched The Exceptional luminous helmet with a profitable Kickstarter marketing campaign final 12 months. They’re now providing a full manufacturing mannequin instantly by way of their web site.
The Exceptional helmet just lately earned Gamel a 2024 Street Security Innovation Award from France’s Street Security Delegation. It’s licensed to be used within the USA and Europe.
The Exceptional Helmet – Building:
The Exceptional helmet options thermoformed development. It is available in one shell dimension, with the match adjustable from 55-59 cm. Along with biking this helmet can be appropriate for inline skating, skateboarding, scooters, and many others., however please observe it’s not supposed for electrical bikes that exceed 15mph.
For air flow, The Exceptional helmet has slots above the entrance gentle, above and under the rear gentle, and three extra giant ones up high. Its inside padding is held in place with Velcro, so it may possibly simply be eliminated for laundry.
The helmet gives a dial-operated retention system with three positions of top adjustment. The chin strap features a Fidlock magnetic chin buckle, Y-buckle aspect adjusters, and a gentle cowl on the strap.
The Exceptional helmet incorporates a unisex design, and is available in 4 colour choices – Black, Cream, Blue or Khaki. Its weight is listed at 390g.
Electronics:
Now what makes this helmet particular is the digital elements and options. The Exceptional boasts large entrance (white) and rear (purple) LED gentle strips, which give visibility from all angles.
The Exceptional helmet is provided with a gyroscope and an accelerometer to detect your head actions. A nod within the path you wish to flip prompts the flip sign, however it additionally sounds a beep to let it’s picked up your motion and the sign is working. I feel the audio cue is a superb thought, after testing a light-equipped backpack that merely didn’t work a minimum of half of the time and left the rider no indication.
To activate the flip indicators, the rider tilts their head in both path between 15-30°, then returns to an upright place. The flip sign blinks for eight seconds after it’s initiated, and the helmet beeps twice to let the sign has stopped. Each the entrance and rear LED strips blink to point turns.
To point braking, a velocity sensor makes the rear gentle brighter below robust deceleration. All rear LEDs gentle up repeatedly for 2 seconds, then swap to a easy flashing mode for six seconds.
Taking cues out of your actions, The Exceptional helmet works with out a smartphone app or a distant management. It’s not reliant on a Bluetooth connection, lowering the possibility of practical failures. The helmet has an IP55 water resistance ranking, and its working temperature vary is -20c to 50c.
Operation:
The Exceptional helmet’s energy button is situated on the again of the shell. A 3 second push turns the helmet on and a beep signifies it has powered up. Two beeps let the helmet has been switched off. On startup, the helmet will conduct a self-check, then beep twice to point it’s able to journey. After the battery life is proven (extra particulars under), the entrance and tail lamps each activate routinely.
The helmet gives 4 working modes appropriate for various visibility circumstances. In Night time Mode, the entrance and rear LED strips keep lit, whereas the flip indicators and brake lights are practical. In Night time Mode With out Flip Indicators the entrance/rear LED strips are repeatedly lit, and the brake gentle stays energetic however the flip indicators don’t.
Very best for extending battery life, a Daytime Mode retains the entrance/rear LED strips turned off whereas cruising, however they may swap on to activate the flip indicators and brake gentle. Lastly, an Alternate Mode leaves the entrance and tail lamps flashing, whereas the flip sign and brake gentle features each stay energetic.
Customers swap between working modes by urgent the button on the rear of the helmet twice. The double-tap was configured deliberately to forestall unintended switching between modes.
Battery Life and Charging:
The Exceptional helmet comes with a magnetic battery charger, and its run time is about 10 hours. Battery life is displayed on startup, by way of 5 purple indicator lights situated below the ability button. The lights point out battery life at 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% (left to proper). The indicator lights will keep on for 3 seconds however might be triggered once more by switching between the helmet’s modes in case you don’t catch them.
The LEDs additionally point out the battery’s cost standing in an analogous means. At lower than 20%, all LEDs will blink from left to proper. Because the battery cost reaches 20%, 40% and so forth, the LEDs (from left to proper) will keep on steadily to point out what cost degree you’ve reached. When all 5 LEDs are lit repeatedly, the helmet is totally charged.
If The Exceptional helmet drops under 10% battery life, 4 beeps will sound twice in a row let it’s time to recharge. This warning repeats each 5 minutes, however you solely get a couple of of them: after three warnings the helmet will flip off.
The Exceptional helmet and its digital elements are coated by a one-year guarantee. MSRP is €249 euros (approx. $270 USD).