A Swiss start-up, Velohub, has just launched Blinkers — an aptly named bike lighting system for urban cyclists which includes front, rear, and laser lighting which can easily be attached to any bike for added safety.
As you can see, Blinkers add turn signal, brake light, and laser projection capabilities to your bicycle. Controlled by a simple remote control, the system allows cyclists to indicate when they are turning or braking. The laser set also projects a semi-circle on the ground to indicate a “safe zone” that the cyclist requires.
Cycle use has been increasing in the UK with 1.9 million people cycling every day and more people cycling at least once a week. With so many bikes and 71% riding on roads, safety is paramount as cyclists are among the most vulnerable users of the road. Using two wheels to balance, no chassis to protect them and only able to communicate by hand with other vehicles, they are often left in risky situations particularly when riding in a busy city. With cars and bikes always struggling to share the road together, the concept behind Blinkers is to allow cyclists to communicate with fellow road users more efficiently and become a more natural part of the road.
Charged by USB, the lights can be used for up to 20 hours on a single charge and the remote indicates when the lights need to be recharged. Once the included universal attachments are mounted on the bike’s handlebar, saddle, or rack, Blinkers can be easily removed from the magnetic mounts so they aren’t stolen while the bike is unattended.
If the demo below is any indication, these lights should be pretty handy for cyclists and hopefully, we’ll have a set to review at some point in the future.
Blinkers are now available from the Blinkers website and start at £89/€99/$120 USD for the rear light without the laser functionality and cost £175/€199/$240 for the complete rear and front light with laser solution.
What do you think about the Blinkers smart lighting system? Are you a cyclist who would find these useful? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
