It has been a hectic week of cycling tech news and here are the best bits delivered in a handy bite-sized format. We’ve got new wheels from Mavic, untamed shoes from MAAP and Quoc, and an appeal to Islabikes owners to check certain models, but we’re starting with a new helmet from Lumos that borrows motorcycle-style tech that allows you to chat effortlessly as you ride. We’re very interested to hear your thoughts on this one…
Lumos Sonorus: smart helmet adds intercoms, lights and Mips protection
The new Lumos Sonorus looks like one of the boldest attempts yet to redefine what a cycling helmet can be, and it has absolutely obliterated its Kickstarter funding goal with over 40 days remaining.
Known for integrating lighting and indicator tech into commuter lids, Lumos has now added mesh intercom audio, allowing multiple devices to communicate directly with each other, without relying on a central control unit – which is tech already found on the Sena R1 EVO Smart Cycling Helmet, for example, and it’s also used in motorcycling.
Although its imagery is heavily focused towards commuting and mountain biking, we feel that a system like this has potential for group rides on the roads – where communication is usually a mix of hand signals and over-the-shoulder shouting – if it works well.
The headline feature of the Lumos Sonorus is the audio connection.
Lumos says, “It’s hard to chat while riding — shouting over the wind steals the fun and can compromise safety. The built-in full-duplex mesh intercom lets you talk freely with friends up to a mile away. Real-time, two-way communication keeps every conversation smooth, connected, and effortless.”
That’s the promise. Lumos says the one-mile claim refers to open, unobstructed conditions. It’s more like 0.3 miles in dense city environments with heavy signal interference.
The mesh intercom can automatically link up to 15 riders and uses voice-operated exchange (VOX), so it starts transmitting when it detects your voice with no need to press a button.
What about wind noise? Lumos reckons that it is covered with wind filtering at the mic, although we’ve not used it, so we can’t comment on its effectiveness.
The Sonorus offers Bluetooth connectivity and built-in speakers that provide open-ear audio, the idea being that you can listen to music or GPS navigation, or take a call without being isolated from the noise of traffic around you. When connected riders speak, the music dips automatically. Lumos reckons you get up to 20 hours of talk time.
As well as the audio side of things, the Sonorus comes with front and rear lights, indicators that you operate via a wireless handlebar remote, and a brake light.
It also comes with Mips safety tech and is certified to NTA 8776, a Dutch safety standard developed for high-speed e-bikes and speed pedelecs that can assist riders up to 28mph (45km/h).
> Find out all you need to know about Mips
By the way, if that peak doesn’t do it for you, it’s removable.
Lumos says that when the shell of the helmet reaches the end of its life, you can swap the electronics to a new one.
The Lumos Sonorus has a Kickstarter funding target of over £11,000, and we can safely say it has achieved that. Last time we checked (22 May 2006), it had over 1,600 backers and the total was well north of £350,000.
You need to pledge at least £134 to be in line to receive a Lumos Sonorus with delivery planned for October, although, as we always point out, Kickstarter rewards are not guaranteed.
Head over to the Lumos Sonorus Kickstarter page to see if you’re impressed.
Mavic’s Comete 50 wheels offer “speed, instant reactivity, and ultimate control”
We’ve not heard much from Mavic lately, but the French brand has just launched the Comete 50 wheelset, which it describes as a “do-it-all carbon aero wheel optimised for all road profiles, built for speed, instant reactivity, and ultimate control”.
Mavic is covering a lot of ground there, but in short, it’s intended to be an all-round aero wheel for the road.
The Comete 50 comes with 50mm-deep hooked rims (with a 23mm internal width) made from T700, T1000 and 3K carbon fibre, aero-shaped carbon spokes (21 per wheel, locked in spoke heads), and new Mavic ceramic bearings. The freehub uses a 40-tooth ratchet for quick engagement.
The wheelset weighs a claimed 1,315g and is priced at £2,299. We have a pair here at road.cc so we’ll get a review up shortly.
www.mavic.com/en-int/c/comete-50
MAAP x Quoc unleash wild new M3 Pro Leopard shoes in limited edition drop
2026 MAAP x Quoc M3 Pro Leopard (Image Credit: MAAP)
The latest instalment of the partnership between Aussie cycling apparel brand MAAP and London cycling footwear brand Quoc brings big-cat energy in the shape of this M3 Pro Leopard shoe.
road.cc reviewer Ollie Smith raved about the M3 Pro when reviewing it last year.
He said, “Quoc has found a great blend of light weight, stiffness, durability and comfort, making the M3 Pro a really lovely shoe to wear day to day as well as in situations where every gram, second, and watt count.”
The MAAP x Quoc M3 Pro Leopard is a new colourway with “an improved contrasting lining and toe guard”, and we really like the wildcat styling – safari chic, we’re calling it – although, granted, it won’t be to everyone’s taste.
It’s available in limited quantities for £340 – which is £20 more expensive than standard versions – at maap.cc, quoc.cc, and various retailers around the globe.
Stand out from the crowd with the Portal x Met Trade Winds helmet
If you fancy a distinctive helmet – one that you’re unlikely to see anyone else wearing out in the wild – check out the Portal x Met Trade Winds design, limited to 200 units worldwide.
At the heart of things, you get a Met Trenta Mips – which road.cc‘s Ben Woodhouse described as “an excellent helmet that combines comfort, ventilation, and style” in his review last year – but with a limited edition finish.
> Read out review of the Met Trenta Mips
Met says, “Trade Winds is a series by cyclist, runner, and artist Hugh Scott Douglas that highlights the juxtaposition between nature and technology. The layers are derived from organic ocean patterns, contrasted with the direction of currents and winds.”
Okay. We just think it looks pretty cool. The Met Trenta Mips Portal limited edition is priced at £260 and is available at portal-brand.com.
Santini and Pirelli unveil 2026 Sport Club collection aero gains and espresso-bar cred
Santini has teamed up with fellow Italian brand Pirelli for a Sport Club 2026 collection – because simply riding your bike fast is no longer enough; now you must also look very Milan while doing it.
Santini says, “Inspired by the Pirelli Sport Club, founded in Milan in 1922 to promote employee wellbeing through physical activity, the collection renews the dialogue between two Made in Italy excellence brands united by a passion for cycling, further strengthening the bond between tradition and technological research.”
The Fast jersey (£160) makes its debut, featuring lightweight fabrics and a “second- skin” fit that’s designed to minimise drag.
The Pirelli SC wool jersey (£170) is another new option with an embroidered Pirelli logo, mother-of-pearl buttons, and a metal front zipper. This one has a vintage look to it.
All jerseys are made to a unisex fit and are paired with the Pirelli SC bib shorts (£190) with C3 chamois, designed for long-distance rides.
The range also features baselayers, a packable wind jacket and gilet, alongside various accessories and a lifestyle (off the bike) line: T-shirts, sweatshirts and casual clothing.
Check out the whole Santini x Pirelli Sport Club 2026 range here.
Litelok launches Theft Intelligence to raise global awareness of bike security
British lock brand Litelok has launched a new live interactive map showing bike theft statistics, designed to increase global awareness of bicycle and motorcycle theft trends and hotspots.
Litelok says, “The feature, now available on the Litelok website, enables cyclists, motorcyclists and scooter riders to explore real-time, continuously updated data showing where thefts are occurring around the world. The tool aims to help riders better understand risk patterns and promote greater vigilance and prevention.
“We have combined attempted theft data reported by Litelok customers, government crime statistics, and insights from community engagement to better understand patterns in bike theft activity and targeted locations. Our goal goes beyond simply securing bikes, we aim to keep riders informed about theft trends so they can stay aware, make informed decisions, and better protect their property.”
Check out Litelok Theft Intelligence here.
Ornus’ wood bike goes direct-to-consumer with fresh new builds
Italian bike brand Ornus has rolled out new versions of its Grain wooden gravel bike, and it’s now selling direct to consumers for the first time.
> “The first high-performance wooden gravel bike”: check out the Ornus Grain
Born in a Tuscan workshop back in 2020, Ornus has built a cult following thanks to its bikes’ unusual construction and claimed vibration-absorption capabilities.
It says that the ash-framed Grain uses a construction technique derived from aerospace applications. The frame weighs 1.5-1.8kg and is certified to ISO 4210 (safety requirements for bicycles) standards.
The Grain is available in a SRAM Force XPLR 1×13 build for €6,600 (around £5,700). It comes with a 3T carbon fork, Ornus Carbon cockpit, Fulcrum Soniq Carbon GR wheels, Fizik Vento Argo X5 saddle, and Vittoria Terreno Pro tyres.
The Grain Shimano GRX Di2 12 is €5,100 (around £4,400). This one has a Shimano GRX Di2 RX717 groupset and Fulcrum Soniq ALX aluminium wheels, while the other components are similar.
> Around the world on a wooden bike: British rider’s post-heart-condition adventure begins
A Grain frameset is €3,600 (around £3,100).
For every tree used, Ornus says it commits to planting new ones, contributing to forest regeneration and reducing the carbon footprint of its supply chain.
You can order direct from Ornus’s website.
Islabikes continues fork replacement programme and renews appeal to owners
Islabikes is continuing its voluntary fork replacement programme on 7,677 children’s bikes sold around five years ago, and encourages anyone with an affected model – Beinn 24, Beinn 26, Beinn 27 or Creig 20 – to get in touch.
Back in 2022, a fork failure was reported on one of these models. The child wasn’t harmed, and the issue was isolated, but Islabikes chose to replace the forks on every affected bike as a precaution.
Since then, the company has been contacting registered owners to arrange a free replacement, and 82% of the forks have been switched.
It is now hoping to reach the remaining bikes. The replacement is free, applies even if the bike has changed hands, and remains available indefinitely.
Owners of Beinn 24, Beinn 26, Beinn 27 and Creig 20 models can quickly check whether their bike is affected by visiting the recall page on the Islabikes website.
If you then believe that you have an affected bike, you should mail info@islabikes.co.uk to arrange a replacement fork.
Specialized makes S-Works Evade helmet 2.4% cooler
You love a good marketing statistic, right? If not, today’s road cycling news maybe isn’t the place for you; the whole landscape is littered with them. Anyway, case in point, Specialized has just released its S-Works Evade 4 race helmet.
It says, “Evade 4 is 2.4% cooler [than the Evade 3] thanks to redesigned vents, the reintroduction of a new MouthPort, optimised internal channels, and a meticulously updated headform that improves fit, comfort, and airflow. All with zero aero penalty.”
> Check out our 2022 review of the Specialized S-Works Evade 3 helmet
Specialized gets its figure through the use of thermal headform testing, which it intends to use across all future helmet development.
It says that larger vents and the redesigned MouthPort increase intake airflow, while internal channels guide air deeper through the helmet and updated padding – including Mips Air Node Pro pads – improve sweat management.
Specialized gives a weight of 290g (CE version). Price? £279. We have one on the way for review.
Rouvy connects outdoor and indoor activity with new companion app
Rouvy, the indoor cycling app that was bought by Zwift last month, says that it has “furthered the connection between riding outdoors and indoors with the relaunch of the Rouvy Companion App 2.0”.
> Zwift announces “strategic acquisition” of rival indoor cycling app Rouvy
“Maintaining many of the popular features of the original Companion App, the new 2.0 version now serves as a comprehensive training partner thanks to its ability to collect data from both indoor and outdoor riding, creating a platform that further helps riders progress towards their cycling goals,” says Rouvy.
“The Companion App 2.0 integrates with a variety of devices to bring together your indoor rides, outdoor training and other activities into one complete view of your training and progress. Use compatible Garmin devices like the Fenix 8, Forerunner 970, and Edge 1050 cycling computer to track additional activities like running, swimming, hiking and strength training.”
> Read our review of the Garmin Edge 1050 cycling computer
You can use the app to track your training load, for example, and get a readiness score. There’s also a new suite of training plans which combine outdoor and indoor workouts. You can take your Rouvy workouts outdoors with compatible devices.
You can use overall activity tracking in the Rouvy Companion App 2.0 without a subscription, but you’ll need to subscribe to ride the training plans generated according to your performance and fitness levels. A single monthly subscription is £17.99 per month, or £13.99 per month billed yearly.
In case you missed it earlier in the week…
- We built an elite Chinese bike for Emily to race at the Welsh gravel champs… for under £4,000
- “The UCI framed its gear restriction as a safety measure – the science showed it wasn’t”: SRAM hits out at “deeply flawed” gear ratio trial and calls for “reform now”
- Hunt launches lightweight 4AM Limitless aero wheels with carbon and steel spoke options
- Look adds more vision to Geo City Vision LED pedals and slashes price by 40%
- Estarli launches 250kg-capacity E-cargo Longtail 2.0 with lower-step frame and sub-£3,000 price
- Canyon’s Grizl gets cheaper with new alloy gravel bike starting at £1,249
- Want pockets on your kit? Have nine! Rapha updates its Brevet long-distance collection
- Brompton’s latest P line folding bike, Skarper’s eBike Drive System, plus more cool things from Rapha, Poc and Pro
1 thought on “Lumos adds talking to do-it-all helmet + loads more tech”
I would dearly love to read a full review of that wooden bike!