Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

A New Kind of Bike Light

Search
Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

A New Kind of Bike Light

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-30-11 | 02:05 AM
  #1  
sudo bike's Avatar
Thread Starter
Bicikli Huszár
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA

Bikes: '95 Novara Randonee

A New Kind of Bike Light

I thought this was interesting. It's a kickstarter video for some bike wheel lights. Not the normal kind of neons out there... they only shine forward/backward, so as to be a little more useful for seeing. As with most projects like this, it's early, but it's interesting at any rate. My biggest grump so far is that it seems too dim to actually use as a seeing light, but video can fool you, too. Looks like it could have potential, though.

https://kck.st/nRFdb4

Last edited by sudo bike; 08-30-11 at 02:11 AM.
sudo bike is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 02:19 AM
  #2  
ijsbrand's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: the Low countries

Bikes: 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Touring; 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Racer; 1980 Koga Miyata Roadspeed; and aiming for the rest of that year's brochure

Revolight looks a lot less convenient as the somewhat similar Reelight, that's already popular in Scandinavia. Yet, mounting lights so low is not very useful -- even when that's better than no lights at all.
ijsbrand is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 06:36 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
How does the Reelight work? They don't have any videos or presentations of any sort on the site from what I can tell. I like the idea of the Revolight though.
GrantH is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 07:12 AM
  #4  
ijsbrand's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 283
Likes: 1
From: the Low countries

Bikes: 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Touring; 1980 Koga Miyata Gents Racer; 1980 Koga Miyata Roadspeed; and aiming for the rest of that year's brochure

That Reelight site explains everything if you click 'technology':
The lights are based on the electrodynamic induction principle, and work when you screw two magnets on the spokes and fix the light to the wheel’s hub. Electric current is then produced when the magnets pass the light, which incorporates a spool of copper wire. The light then flashes every time the wheel rotates. Simple, effective and ingenious.
So, the difference between Revolight is that one blinks, where the other does not. But blinking lights are illegal in some countries anyway.
ijsbrand is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 07:17 AM
  #5  
Doohickie's Avatar
You gonna eat that?
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty

Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS

I think it solves a problem that doesn't exist.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.


Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
Doohickie is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 08:43 AM
  #6  
sudo bike's Avatar
Thread Starter
Bicikli Huszár
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA

Bikes: '95 Novara Randonee

Originally Posted by Doohickie
I think it solves a problem that doesn't exist.
Sort of, but I dare say that's the case of most bike products.
sudo bike is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 09:52 AM
  #7  
Mirror slap survivor
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Florida

Bikes: Gunnar Sport, Surly Pacer, Access MTB, Ibex Corrida, one day a Simple City

Interesting concept, and I applaud the designer for his intelligence and aptitude, but it's really kind of a useless product. The forward projection of the headlight is insufficient for actually SEEING in the dark, and the taillight is too low to be useful as a safety feature. Someone who wants a headlight mounted lower can do so with a Minoura fork mount and any headlight. Better yet, for what you'll spend on the weak Revolight, you can buy a Sanyo generator hub and a B&M headlight, mount the light to the fork, and illuminate the road. As for taillight? A Planet Bike Superflash clipped to a seatbag is much more visible than the dim lights coming off the Revolight.

Still, the designer's a smart guy, and what he designed is way more impressive than anything I could do. I just think the product is crippled by it's inherent shortcomings.
Schwinnrider is offline  
Reply
Old 08-30-11 | 12:15 PM
  #8  
Banned
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 43,586
Likes: 1,380
From: NW,Oregon Coast

Bikes: 8

Reelight a Danish Company has several models. the induction powered LED, gets juice
by the long magnet attached to the spokes., light bracked under the axle lock nut ,
so part of the wheel

moving thru the price-points gets a capacitor added and a steady on light results..
and a wired light you could mount higher than the hub. level..
essentially a hub dynamo with out rebuilding the wheel.., just not quite as bright..
OK for lit city streets.

Have a Schmidt Hub Dynamo and it is the way to go.. can run 2 lights off it ,
+ a taillight.
fietsbob is offline  
Reply
Old 09-03-11 | 07:23 AM
  #9  
rumrunn6's Avatar
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
 
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,486
Likes: 4,563
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

oh yes, very cool
rumrunn6 is offline  
Reply
Old 09-03-11 | 01:09 PM
  #10  
Fenway's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 424
Likes: 1
From: Boston, MA

Bikes: 1983 Peugeot UO14, KHS Green-Heavily modified, 1972 Raleigh Sprite 27" (work in progress)

I honestly wondered why someone hadn't done this sooner. Even regular spoke reflectors with blinking lights recharging by passing a magnet on forks/stays would be useful for side visibility.
Fenway is offline  
Reply
Old 09-04-11 | 02:39 AM
  #11  
KBlas's Avatar
Mind Scrubbin'
 
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: San Diego

Bikes: Guerciotti SLX

They're ingenious, but at 200 bucks a pop, a tad out of my league for "pretty" light gear.
KBlas is offline  
Reply
Old 09-04-11 | 05:04 PM
  #12  
sudo bike's Avatar
Thread Starter
Bicikli Huszár
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA

Bikes: '95 Novara Randonee

For sure. Most things on Kickstarter are pricey since they are new products busting into the market. One hopes it drops with popularity. Until then, it's just niche.
sudo bike is offline  
Reply
Old 09-04-11 | 05:57 PM
  #13  
Space for rent
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
From: South East
Pretty cool.... But It also looks a whole lot more complicated and a whole lot more fragile and prone to malfunction than mt current light at about the same cost
Joemess is offline  
Reply
Old 09-05-11 | 02:07 AM
  #14  
sudo bike's Avatar
Thread Starter
Bicikli Huszár
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA

Bikes: '95 Novara Randonee

For sure. Practically, I think if you're really concerned about getting a light closer to the ground, it would be easier to just get a fork-mount.
sudo bike is offline  
Reply
Old 09-05-11 | 10:11 AM
  #15  
hairyman's Avatar
cyclocommuter
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Brunswick, ME

Bikes: L.L. Bean Evolution hybrid, Jazz Voltage rigid mtb

The inventor asks, "Why is my headlight, the thing that I use to light up the ground, so far from the ground?"

Because you don't need to see the ground immediately in front of you. You need to see several feet in front of you, requiring the light to be mounted up high.

These lights look really cool, but not very useful.
hairyman is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
biketocamp
General Cycling Discussion
123
09-26-21 07:27 PM
Z R I D E R
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
41
07-27-13 11:04 PM
emman123
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
10
04-16-13 05:07 PM
chefisaac
Commuting
19
10-31-12 11:38 AM
socalrider
Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets
5
11-05-10 02:39 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.