I hate to be that guy, but this looks just like an existing product: http://www.lunasee.com
The major difference seems to be that Lunasee is powered by a hub dynamo (rather than batteries). It's also currently only available pre-installed on some bicycle models, and as an aftermarket part for motorcycles, but they say they plan to sell an aftermarket bicycle part, too.
Thanks for pointing this out ken, and i would like to add that we have several patents around this in US and Canada, and several pending in other countries.
We would also like to do a battery aftermarket version, but it does come with complications (rim, battery life, etc).
Reflective tape on the rims is a common solution. There's reflective tape that looks black in daylight and is available at any bike shop. There are reflectors you can put on the spokes, too, also available at any bike shop.
As for actively illuminated lights, there are a large number of commercial products available. I'm too lazy, but anybody tempted to donate to a project melodramatically promising to "save lives" in the name of somebody's beloved grandfather should first drop by their local bike shop and see if perhaps it's already possible to light themselves up however they want for a modest amount of money.
Indeed. Pretty much all Schwalbe commuting/city tires have huge bands of retroreflective material around the sidewalls that make your bicycle quite visible to anything beside you with a light. (They're really good tires, too.)
Most bicycle lights also intentionally spit out a little bit of light to the side to also make you more visible. I'd recommend investing in a good front light and good rear light (with built-in reflector) before bothering with wheel lights. Wheel lights are cool if you're willing to maintain twice as many lights as you need (batteries, remembering to turn them on, etc.), but I prefer ease of use and so will not be getting these. (My rear light automatically turns on when there is both darkness and vibration, and it's a reflector, so there are few cases when I ever need to think about it. I keep my front light with me at all times and just need to press one button to turn it on. And I carry spare batteries, just in case.)
The single biggest problem seems to be that the adhesive phosphorescent strip is attached to the rim, which on most bikes is what the brake blocks press against to stop the bike. If you look closely in the video, his bike has no brakes!!! (You even see him use his feet to stop.) So much for "saving lives"!
Disc brakes would overcome this, but that's going to be an expensive retrofit for most cyclists.
As it's a cruiser the more likely explanation is that it's equipped with a rear coaster brake. Not sure why he's not running anything up front, however.
In the "updates" section, he shows that there is a new system to attach some phosphorescent plastic between the spokes next to the rim. It isn't clear if these are included with the standard backer price, but it does allow the system to be used on bikes with brakes. Hopefully he updates the front page to make this more apparent, since it was my first question also.
There's a flat part right by the tire where the brakes contact the rim, but there's also a partially sideways-facing surface as the rim curves around to the other side. You can put tape on that surface without affecting the brakes.
I like that bicycling is gaining in popularity outside of my country (The Netherlands), but do you need to re-invent the wheel every time? Simple (theft-resistant) reflector strips have been the norm here for a long time:
http://www.fietsen.123.nl/thumbs/300x205h/2010-03/2bs_bicycl...
The answer: yes, they really think they do. As a Belgian living in North America, I find myself repeating the same thing over and over again: Europe figured this shit out 30 years ago. Just do what they are doing.
But then they insist it couldn't possibly work. So they do dumb things like requiring bike helmets, but not reflectors or brakes.
I don't understand why certain for-profit products are allowed on Kickstarter and others aren't. Is the decision-making process totally random? Or is it just up to the particular whims and desires of those at Kickstarter making the decisions?
Sorry to gripe, but I've seen far too many undeserving products (I'm not making any judgment about this particular one) make the cut while deserving ones get rejected. And if you have a web app you're trying to fund, forget it. Why hardware products make the cut and software ones don't is a complete mystery.
This is genius, how come no one thought of this before, it is cheap, provides more safety for bicyclers and freaking looks like tron bikes!
This guy deserves to make money.
This is really cool, and doesn't require car headlights shining on your bike like reflectors do.
When driving in my car at night, I would occasionally notice some bicycles with reflective strip around the tires. Car headlights just light them up, making it very easy to see a bike from the side. I finally found that many Schwalbe tires have this reflective strip (e.g. http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schwalbe.asp third paragraph).
I saw a bike the other night with a half-dozen or more of those in-spoke reflectors. Very visible in headlights.
Dutch law requires bicycles to have spoke or tire reflectors since 1987. In addition, reflectors on the pedals and a white strip (30 cm) at the back of the bike are also mandatory.
Laws for lights on bicycles are generally separate from laws for lights on motorized vehicles. For instance, in California, the law requires 5-9 reflectors and a white headlight, but only disallows a blue light. Any light of any kind other than blue is allowed.
I expect/hope that if so, any attempt to prosecute would result in wide media coverage/negative publicity for the prosecutor. The case would be dropped, and/or the product would be made legal - by adjustment of the law and/or the Nori.
Hi guys. Yes this product already exists at www.lunasee.com and we have several patents around this technology. We have not produced an aftermarket version for bicycles yet primarily due to many of the complications addressed in this string. We do have aftermarket versions on the drawing board though.
We have tried to contact Nori Lights with no response so far. We have invested time and money to protect this -- and hope Nori Lights and interested consumers will respect this.
If you look at the video you can see how the amount of black light in a given spot changes the brightness of that spot.
It could be cool to create different light patterns, changing the intensity of the leds with the speed of the bike.
No. Most countries rightfully regulate light sources on vehicles. That would only serve to irritate drivers, not warn them or make it easier to identify you.
These systems look neat, but I find them inelegant in that they're only visible from the sides, so they're more of a supplement to front and rear lights than a complete solution.
[+] [-] ken|13 years ago|reply
The major difference seems to be that Lunasee is powered by a hub dynamo (rather than batteries). It's also currently only available pre-installed on some bicycle models, and as an aftermarket part for motorcycles, but they say they plan to sell an aftermarket bicycle part, too.
[+] [-] lunasee|13 years ago|reply
We would also like to do a battery aftermarket version, but it does come with complications (rim, battery life, etc).
Thanks for your comments... Lunasee team
[+] [-] dkarl|13 years ago|reply
Here's a video showing what reflective tape looks like in the dark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm5muia44XI&feature=relmf...
As for actively illuminated lights, there are a large number of commercial products available. I'm too lazy, but anybody tempted to donate to a project melodramatically promising to "save lives" in the name of somebody's beloved grandfather should first drop by their local bike shop and see if perhaps it's already possible to light themselves up however they want for a modest amount of money.
[+] [-] jrockway|13 years ago|reply
Most bicycle lights also intentionally spit out a little bit of light to the side to also make you more visible. I'd recommend investing in a good front light and good rear light (with built-in reflector) before bothering with wheel lights. Wheel lights are cool if you're willing to maintain twice as many lights as you need (batteries, remembering to turn them on, etc.), but I prefer ease of use and so will not be getting these. (My rear light automatically turns on when there is both darkness and vibration, and it's a reflector, so there are few cases when I ever need to think about it. I keep my front light with me at all times and just need to press one button to turn it on. And I carry spare batteries, just in case.)
[+] [-] scoot|13 years ago|reply
Disc brakes would overcome this, but that's going to be an expensive retrofit for most cyclists.
[+] [-] nickbarnwell|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] z2amiller|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dkarl|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] andrewcooke|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] maartenscholl|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unconed|13 years ago|reply
But then they insist it couldn't possibly work. So they do dumb things like requiring bike helmets, but not reflectors or brakes.
[+] [-] rexreed|13 years ago|reply
Sorry to gripe, but I've seen far too many undeserving products (I'm not making any judgment about this particular one) make the cut while deserving ones get rejected. And if you have a web app you're trying to fund, forget it. Why hardware products make the cut and software ones don't is a complete mystery.
[+] [-] dexter313|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nachteilig|13 years ago|reply
Still, this is a pretty neat addition to this increasingly crowded bicycle light accessory space.
[+] [-] pmahoney|13 years ago|reply
When driving in my car at night, I would occasionally notice some bicycles with reflective strip around the tires. Car headlights just light them up, making it very easy to see a bike from the side. I finally found that many Schwalbe tires have this reflective strip (e.g. http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schwalbe.asp third paragraph).
I saw a bike the other night with a half-dozen or more of those in-spoke reflectors. Very visible in headlights.
[+] [-] clogs|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ddrmaxgt37|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] freiheit|13 years ago|reply
http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21201.htm
[+] [-] moreati|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] lunasee|13 years ago|reply
We have tried to contact Nori Lights with no response so far. We have invested time and money to protect this -- and hope Nori Lights and interested consumers will respect this.
We appreciate all feedback.
Lunasee Team
[+] [-] omegant|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] revelation|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blehn|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] milesokeefe|13 years ago|reply
[+] [-] marizmelo|13 years ago|reply