Endura Luminite Helmet

Lots of commuters have taken to securing an extra red light to the backs of their helmets, but here's one that does the job for you. I'm sure Endura will sell loads of these Luminite lids – and quite rightly too.

For the price, this is a well-thought-out and well-made helmet. As it should be, the emphasis is on safety, but as much to ensure you stay on your bike as to protect your turnip in the event of an accident.

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So, the Luminite comes in two flavours of high-vis (yellow or green) and these are also covered with plenty of reflective patches, as is the black model. The integrated light clips securely in a special channel on the top of the lid and is usefully bright, though quite directional – I found that it tended to point rather skyward when I was riding. However, Endura doesn't advise this as your main light, and as an additional safety aid it is more than adequate. Also, did I imagine it, or were drivers giving me a wider berth when I was wearing it? If so, that's worth the price by itself.

The battery life, in the slow flash mode, is colossal and should easily see you through a couple of weeks' commuting without a charge. I got bored waiting for it to go flat. There's also a migraine-inducing fast flash and a constant setting.

The light plugs directly into a USB port for charging and the plug is well sealed. On top of the helmet, out of the way of muck and spray, it should prove resilient. Endura says replacement units can be bought separately.

The fit, as ever with helmets, is critical but also down to the shape of your bonce. I have a narrow, pointy head (Somerset born and bred), which tends to fall between sizes. The Luminite comes in three overlapping sizes. I tried the med/large which should fit up to 59cm heads (that's me) and I found plenty of extra adjustment for my head. When wearing a skullcap I had to set the adjustment to maximum but it still fitted.

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My wife tried this helmet too, with her smaller, rounder head, and also found it comfortable. There's also some useful vertical size adjustment. The strap system is simple but secure and didn't tend to tangle or twist.

In use, I found the peak intrusive on the road bike. This can be removed, but to my eyes the helmet doesn't look great without it and it leaves three holes around the forehead. It's good for less stretched-out riding, though, for commuting and casual riding on more upright bikes, as well as mountain biking.

Verdict

This is a great budget commuting helmet with masses of built-in safety, beyond the simple job of protecting your head