I’ve come across some pretty hip bike-lighting ideas in the last few days. The Turn Signal Biking Jacket requires a little bit of DIY ingenuity. The LED signals are built around a LilyPad Arduino microprocessor.
The LilyPad, designed by Leah Buechley and SparkFun Electronics can be programmed with the company’s software. The processor can then be sewn into garments to control your own personal wearable light show.
In the case of the Turn Signal Jacket, arrow-shaped LEDs adorn the shoulder blades and wrist-mounted control switches trigger the signals. Conductive thread connects the system.
If dealing with microprocessors is a bit overly-techie for you, maybe the Pedalites are more your speed. Pedalites replace a bike’s stock pedals and provide 360 degree lighting for visibility from all sides. Best of all – Pedalites operate battery-free! The pedaling motion provides the power with negligible extra effort. The pedals store enough juice to enable them to continue flashing for five minutes after the cyclists stops, perfect for traffic lights.
The Puma Glow Rider, due out this spring, adds a glow-in-the-dark frame to their Urban Mobility Bike line. Known more for their hipster sneakers than commuter bikes, Puma teamed up with ultra-cool Danish bike designer Biomega to produce the Urban Mobility Bike.
The frame paint “charges up” on sunlight during the day, then glows for several hours at night. The bike comes with a headlight and taillight for maximum night time visibility.
The bike combines a stylish look with a handlebar-mounted “Basket Case” pouch, a rear rack that holds up to 22 pounds, and an 8-speed internal hub that is low-maintenance and provides a good chain line. The traditional down tube has been replaced by a high-tension cable, which doubles as a bike lock when parked. The Urban Mobility Bikes are also collapsible, making them terrific for mixing modes of transport and bringing the bikes on buses, subways, planes, or even elevators.
See also Wire Your Bike: Tech Goodies
Via GizMag & HighSnobiety.
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