Let there be light! Lights keep you safe on the road in two ways: you are seen by others and you can see the road. Pretty basic, right? Well, we have found some interesting and unusual light solutions to increase your performance and safety on the road while cycling.
LED lights in wheels
Function: visibility
This solution assumes that the LED element block or strip is mounted inside the bicycle tire.
Monkey Lectric products Monkey Light are attached to the spokes and will flash in a way that it creates a warning sign or a simple image in the tires. The more advanced products will allow you to upload your own image that will appear in tires while cycling. It looks stylish and manufacturers promise a 360 degree visibility. Product price depends on the number of LED elements, colours and themes.
Price range: $ 25.90 to $ 995
Photo: Monkey Lectric
Revolights LED products are also mounted to spokes, but before that the compatibility check is required. The elements of the Revolights flash only when they are oriented forward or in the case of a rear tire, to the rear. In the dark, the bike looks like from another planet or at least from a sci-fi movie.
More advanced Revolights product Eclipse+ has built-in turn signals, bluetooth and the possibility to connect to the smartphone application.
Price range: $ 149 to $ 249
Photo: Revolights
Light in the helmet
Function: visibility, road visibility
The helmet will be needed anyway – why not combine it with the flash, so you do not have to care about two separate elements? Lumos helmet creators say that it’s the first helmet in the world that combines headlights, braking lights, turn signals and helmet into one product. Anyway, it looks stylish. The turn signals are provided by the wireless controller that can be attached to the steering wheel. Batteries are rechargeable from USB, they can last up to 6 hours and the charging level can be determined in a mobile application.
Price: $ 199.99
Photo: Lumen Labs
Light in your backpack
Function: visibility
Cyclist and accessories: a perfect combination that often results with a backpack. The Aster backpack has built-in rear lights, turning signals and braking lights. Light elements built into the shoulder straps and bag sides allow the cyclist to be seen from all sides. The bag also comes with an emergency sensor that will inform relatives in the case of an accident. By USB rechargeable battery ensures the shining of the bag for 10-15 hours.
The price for pre-ordering the bag on Indiegogo is $ 149
Photo: Lumos
LED flash and laser projection
Function: visibility, road visibility
Blaze laserlight works both as a flashlight with 300 lumen light and as a laser that projects a bicycle image 6 meters in front of the rider, so that other road users will notice it in a timely manner. It increases the safety of a bicycler on the road. The battery is chargeable from USB and is capable of operating for 13 hours.
Price: £ 125
Photo: Blaze
Flashlight without batteries
Function: visibility
Our grandparents were already familiar with the dynamo principle for bicycle lights. It’s free from batteries, but not from wires. Reelight CIO Battery-Free Bike Light is a solution where the energy for the LED element is created with the help of moving magnets. So far the solution foresees that the light element operates in moments when the magnet crosses the field of activity, meaning that it is working in the flashing mode. That means it will be difficult to oversee the the road with it. However, it has no cables or batteries, and will alert other road users of the cyclist. When the bicycle stops, the LED elements continue to blink for another 2 minutes.
Price: 60.33 €
Photo: Reelight
Bike Balls
Function: visibility, attention, fun
If the classic rear lights gets you bored and you are willing to get some attention then Bike Balls is what you need. It’s is a rear light designed to be mounted on the back of the bike seat. They hang off of the seat rail, and naturally swing around while you ride this way grabbing the attention of people behind and beside you. It’s waterproof. Just gently squeeze the Balls to turn the light on.
Price: $ 15
Photo: Bike Balls