Categories
Cycling Safety

A strip show on wheels, LightCycle helps nighttime riding safety

Those little red squares on the back of most bikes claim to be some sort of brake light, but, in reality, are as useful as having nothing there at all. With the safety concerns associated with an increase of bike riders in high traffic areas, you would think companies would figure out a better alternative, but that hasn’t been the case. Instead, a slew of companies over the years have presented their own solutions to varying degrees of success.

LightCycle’s small, battery-powered brake system is easy to install on any bike and lights up every time you apply the brakes. This avoids unnecessary collisions and the potential for more dangerous accidents by increasing visibility. Revolights is another brake light system that handles this issue in a similar way but includes the front of the bike to achieve maximum visibility; even if the creators of LightCycle claim to use LED lights, the campaign video wasn’t convincing enough to prove it. That said, if you’re looking to make sure everyone sees you while you ride, the 8rlicht is the way to go — a large screen with custom messages will get surely rid of any doubt. LightCycle is currently going for $65 with an expected delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking for $2,000 to make it happen.

Categories
Cycling

Veloloop helps cyclists trip traffic signals

Traffic signals are a cyclist’s worse enemy. An ill-timed red light can be an unnecessary obstacle on an otherwise smooth bike ride. This wouldn’t push a responsible cyclist to skirt safety in the name of convenience, but it does get under the skin waiting at a red light at an empty intersection with no traffic to speak of. Since bicycles are so small, the systems responsible for triggering traffic signals never really see them, leaving you stuck for what feels like an eternity.

 The Veloloop is small, electrically charged antenna that lets your bike cast a car-sized shadow onto the loop sensors that govern signals on the road. It attaches to the rear wheel and works by detecting when there is a sensor below the bicycle, reacting by returning the frequency that particular sensor is looking for, thereby changing the light. And since it does this with so little energy, even a pair of AAA batteries will last for a year or more. Combine this with the Commuter x4 to make sure other motorists see you at night and increase both your convenience and safety all at once. The product will ship in January of 2015 for $99, and the campaign need $84,000 to be successful.

 

Categories
Cycling Safety

Commuter X4 keeps cyclists visible to traffic

commuterx4Ask a cyclist and they’ll probably all say there’s no such thing as too much bike safety. For every ridiculously shaped helmet and strobe light, there’s still a dozen drivers on the road going too fast and not paying attention. Continuing the trend of shiny apparel accessories, Veglo’s Commuter X4 light is designed to create a brighter, more eye-level light that will keep traffic more aware of cyclists. With a design that fits over shoulders and backpacks alike, the bright fiber-optic light is customizable to blink or beam a constant red like the taillights of any motor vehicle. Urban biking enthusiasts can get a Commuter X4 for £25, complete with charger, in September 2014.