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View Full Version : New light idea for night riding ...

RABikes2
10-29-2011, 07:44 AM
We came across this video yesterday at the shop. If you commute or ride at night, this young man has developed a great idea for lights.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/revolights/revolights-join-the-revolution

RA
charliedid
10-29-2011, 08:34 AM
It's a clever idea but can't be easily transferred from one bike to the next, especially those with different size wheels. I also see a liability issue with one of those things coming loose and ending up jammed in the spokes.
Lifelover
10-29-2011, 08:46 AM
Super cool!
martinrjensen
10-29-2011, 10:14 AM
It's a cool looking toy but doesn't even come close to replacing a headlight, which it sounded like the inventor was trying to do. That's got to be heavy and affect handling especially in the front wheel. this goes with the guy that "neon" lamped his whole bike.

You can get a very similar effect with a motion activated tri color flashing light that screw onto your valve stem for about $10 bucks and appear to be a circle of lights when in motion.
benb
10-29-2011, 10:33 AM
Most of us are trying to raise our lights and he goes and almost puts it on the ground.
RABikes2
10-29-2011, 10:53 AM
[QUOTE=benb]Most of us are trying to raise our lights and he goes and almost puts it on the ground.[/QUOTE

I wouldn't think you would want to use only this for lighting, but in addition to handlebar lighting. For brevets and PBP '07, I had a small LED light mounted on each side of my fork and also two on the handlebar. The two on the fork lit up the road immediately in front of me and the two on the handlebar lit up the road out in front of the bike. It worked for me ... just saying.
xjoex
10-29-2011, 07:44 PM
As side lighting it is a great idea. Side visibility is an oft overlooked aspect of commuting lights.

I have been using Nite Ize spoke lights, and night ize arm bands on rainy/snowy days for increased visibility.

-Joe
keevon
10-30-2011, 08:31 AM
For 360-degree visibility, this is a great idea.

It would be more commercially viable if they could make it wireless. Perhaps use the spokes themselves as conductors? You could clip each light directly to the spoke (near the nipple) and have a central controller / battery pack at the hub. Maybe you could even do something with a generator hub...

Promising stuff.
dekindy
10-30-2011, 05:41 PM
As side lighting it is a great idea. Side visibility is an oft overlooked aspect of commuting lights.

I have been using Nite Ize spoke lights, and night ize arm bands on rainy/snowy days for increased visibility.

-Joe

Nite Ize are fantastic lights IF you have a minimum on 28 spoke wheels to attach them to. Otherwise they do not work as I found out when I got my Dura Ace wheels with 16fr/20r spokes.
xjoex
10-30-2011, 07:38 PM
Nite Ize are fantastic lights IF you have a minimum on 28 spoke wheels to attach them to. Otherwise they do not work as I found out when I got my Dura Ace wheels with 16fr/20r spokes.

Oh yeah, very true. But not any more, they have a new one now that attaches to just a single spoke.

-Joe