Bike lights are one of, if not, the most important accessory a cyclist owns. I'm not going to bore you with the practical purpose behind using lights because its common knowledge. However what I will do is present you a definitive list of 10 chic, futuristic bicycle lights changing bicycle safety as we know.
The future of Bicycle Lights....
10 Chic, Futuristic Bicycle Lights
Project Aura
While it may be one of those good ideas that doesn't get out of the prototype lab, somebody should take the innovations of Project Aura to market. Ethan Frier and Jonathan Ota of Carnegie Mellon University came up with Project Aura after getting a Small Undergraduate Research Grant.
Similar to Revolights, Frier's and Ota's solution to sideways visibility is attached to the tire rims. Unlike Revolights, Project Aura works on a dynamo system, which means no batteries, always-on reliability.
Frier and Ota are continuing their studies in the Netherlands -- you can read their adventures here. Project Aura won't be on the shelves any time soon, though the idea won the student category of Core77's 2011 Design Awards.
Mini Monkey Light
Monkey Electric Monkey Lights are a full-color spoke-mounted 32-LED lighting system -- now there's a new Kickstarter campaign for what the company is calling the 2012 Mini Monkey Light.
The Mini (as opposed to its full-color $65 Monkey parent) will feature just 10 super-bright LEDs and full 8-bit graphics - with patterns visible when the bike reaches speed of 15 kilometers or more, and lighting always visible. The system runs on 3 AA batteries, and will cost $50 for pre-orders.
The company hasn't yet chosen which 16 patterns they will use -- Kickstarter investors will get to help in the decision.
Fibre Flare Side Light
FibreFlare Side Lights, which come in green, blue, and yellow, are made to combat a frightening phenomenon -- many bike-car night collisions are due to poor side visibility of bicycles by motorists.
In addition to adequate front white lights and rear red lights, FibreFlare suggests that its Side Lights are the missing piece to the side visibility puzzle. They mount on the bottom of a bike's side tube or on messenger bags or even your jersey. ($40)
The BikeGlow is 10 feet of tubular light that is flexible enough to wrap around a bike frame in whatever way you might like. Rather than a strong LED light like the LightStrap provides, this product gives more of a visible glow, and runs on standard AA batteries.
One of the uses for the versatile BikeGlow could be to wrap around a kid trailer when the family is out after dark. Introduced in 2008, the affordable BikeGlow is now completely waterproof. It also comes in eight colors, including aqua and purple. ($25)
LED by LightStraps
LED by Lite LightStraps velcro or clip onto your front frame forks and back frame so they can be easily removed to avoid theft, and the extension cords allow for some flexibility of configuration.
A rechargable battery unit is included with the system, and in a pinch, can be charged from your computer via USB cable. You can get a system with as many as 48 LED lights, and the strips pulsate for more visibility. A controller for your handlebars allows you to use the LightStraps as turn indicators, too.
Currently a Kickstarter project, LED by Lite has another 12 days to be funded.
Angella Mackey LED Jacket and Cape
Earlier this year, Canadian-born Angella Mackey introduced the Vega, her signature jacket design embedded with both front and back LED lights.
Vega has a pair of push buttons embedded in the jacket collar that allow the wearer to turn on the lights (white up front, red in the rear) and with another push, cause them to blink.
Mackey sold out of her Spring 2011 Vega line and is now making jackets to order as she perfects a new winter Vega coat and a waterproof bike cape, also with LED lights.
YouTurn Signal Glove Puts The Lights In Your Hands
Jack O'Neal's invention YouTurn fell short of receiving the Kickstarter funding he was hoping to get. So for now, O'Neal has made his idea for motion-activated gloves embedded with LED lights an open source DIY project, available to anyone.
You can build your own YouTurn gloves from Arduino parts, and the YouTube series of videos will take you through the steps for assembly.
O'Neal said getting an invention to market is hard, but he hasn't give up -- he plans to continue to improve upon the original design to make the components more waterproof and the gloves less expensive. Until then, he will make a prototype at cost for anyone who contacts him.
Verpertine Reflective Belts
Things have come a long way since a day-glow lime green vest and a bunch of blinky lights were a cyclist's only defense against darkness. While many cyclists fool themselves into thinking they won't get caught after dark, there's no need for denial, because fashion and innovation have brought so much individual choice to bike lighting technologies.
VespertineNYC is one of the edgiest of our new crop of options -- a cyclist may choose from reflective belts ($36) and scarves ($92), as well as a selection of vests and a form-fitting "dirndl."
Spot Me Reflective Buttons
A few of Katie Barton's Spot Me reflective buttons are good just about anywhere, with Katie's cute embroidery adding to the daytime appeal.
The downside is that to decorate your own raincoat as shown in the photo here would take many, many buttons, and at nearly 5 bucks a button (once you've paid in British pounds and for shipping) quite a lot of quick cash, too. 3M reflective tape on top of your own bike buttons might just work for the DIY-inspired.
Revolights Are Here
Revolights bike lights are a huge Kickstarter success story: The designers behind the project received more than five times their requested money goal on the funding platform, and since then have been hard at work perfecting the rotating tire lights.
Last weekend, version 5 of the Revolights prototype debuted at the San Francisco Bike Expo. While Revolights are still pretty in pictures, their real beauty is captured in motion, where they create a type of DIY bike lane with their mesmerizing patterning and strong illumination both forward and behind a rider.