In a place like Portland where darkness covers commutes for several months a year, two projects currently seeking funding via Kickstarter — a theft-resistant bike light and a wireless dynamo light — are well worth your consideration.
I shudder to think how much money I’ve lost in stolen bike lights over the years. That’s why the new anti-theft light from Gotham Bicycle Defense (love that name) caught my eye. The light locks onto your bars and its designers say “no tool from a hardware store can remove it.” It’s also waterproof, and it’s shaped like a revolver for good measure. Watch the video below and you won’t be surprised that this project has already gone way over it’s funding goal…
And then, perhaps an even more exciting bike light breakthrough, is the “Magnic” light from Germany. Hub-dynamo powered lights are becoming standard issue on serious city bikes these days, but they require a wire from the light into the dynamo. Not only are wires a nuisance, but dynamo hubs are heavy and they don’t roll as freely as standard hubs.
The tech geniuses behind the Magnic Light have figured out a way to use the movement of the spinning wheel to power a crazy-bright beam. Watch the video below to see for yourself how cool this is.
It will be interesting to see if either of these products ends up being widely available and/or to see if major bike light manufacturers like Planet Bike license the technology.