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Would you like to be more visible when you ride a bike? If you’ve ever driven on public roads with hordes of distracted drivers, the answer is almost always a resounding yes. Lights are a great way to improve visibility, and lights on a helmet help even more by placing them closer to motorists’ eye level.
Lights on a helmet aren’t new, but lights like the new Giro Ethos MIPS? These take your visibility to the next level.
All images c. turn
As Giro’s new premium commuter helmet, the Ethos Mips features four integrated LED lights, two at the front and two at the rear. The front is primarily white and the back is red, though both turn yellow at the touch of a button.
That’s because the Ethos MIPS has integrated turn signals that are operated via the included wireless remote on the handlebars. Press the L or R button for the left or right turn signal and both left or right pairs of LEDs will flash amber to indicate you are turning. The helmet will also emit a short beep to alert you that the turn signal is on.
Upon pointing, the buttons on the remote will also light up orange as another reminder that your blinker is still on. When your turn is done, press the turn signal button again to turn off the turn signal.
The remote can also control the light modes of the helmet, including low flash, high flash, low flash, and high flash. At the highest level, the front light offers 45 lumens with 25 on the back, with a run time of 2.5 hours. Change it to Low Flash to get 11 hours of operation. us only We got a sample, so we didn’t have much time with the Ethos, but we found that you can also turn off the helmet entirely with the remote; we are still trying to figure out if it can turn in The helmet with the remote control.
Both the helmet and remote control are rechargeable via the USB-C charging ports and include charging status LEDs to alert you when charging is complete.
The helmet features an in-mold construction with “full hard body” coverage, meaning there is no exposed EPS foam making the helmet more durable. Twelve internally channeled vents should keep you well ventilated.
As the name of the helmet suggests, the Ethos features the MIPS brain protection system with an integrated Roc Loc City retention system liner with additional reflective accents.
The reflectivity continues on the strap, which includes adjustable ear loops and a magnetic FidLock buckle.
Clearly integrated eye protection can be a polarizing feature; Fortunately, there are two different versions of the helmet. The Ethos MIPS Shield contains the clear, retractable eyeshield, while the Ethos MIPS has a soft, waterproof rubber rim instead.
With the built-in lights, battery, and protector, the Ethos MIPS Shield won’t be light, but at 501g for our medium-sized example, it doesn’t feel too heavy on the head.
Helmets are available in three colors in both the Ethos MIPS Shield and Ethos MIPS and are offered in the typical sizes small, medium and large. The price is $250 for the Ethos MIPS and $270 for the Ethos MIPS Shield. Both are available now.
