Lazer Genesis LifeBEAM

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As with the Lazer Genesis, at its foundations the LifeBEAM is a good quality comfortable helmet. With 19 air vents the helmet kept me fairly cool (although I'd want better ventilation on the hottest days) and Lazer's RollSys fit system worked really well allowing me to adjust the fit of the helmet on the move.

This innovative helmet is effectively a standard Lazer Genesis with an integrated heart rate sensor- meaning no need for a chest strap!

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The technology used in the helmet was originally developed by LifeBEAM to monitor the vital signs of pilots and astronauts. A sensor integrated into the headband at the front of the helmet detects your heart rate and the unit at the rear transmits data to a compatible cycling computer using ANT+ or Bluetooth.

The LifeBEAM is charged using a USB connector and I found the claimed 15 hours of battery life to be accurate. Set up and connecting the LifeBEAM to my cycling computer was straightforward and, importantly, it consistently gave recordings close to that of my chest strap. However, on occasion it briefly lost signal and the sensor doesn’t work if you wear a hat- which might be an issue on colder rides.

Compared to the standard Genesis the LifeBEAM weighs 60g more and costs a significant additional £80.