Here’s an interesting new local product aimed at people who like to be highly visible on a bike at night but prefer not to resemble a mirror when they get to their destination.
The Portland Bike Reflector, which launched on Kickstarter this morning, is a simple concept: a two-piece “magnetic, removable reflector” that attaches to a jacket, backpack or saddle bag when you’re on the road.
It’s created by Erik Roby, a Portland-based mechanical engineer who’s been working through various prototypes produced using a 3-D printer. The Kickstarter versions will be molded plastic in one of four colors.
Because the early backers will let Roby distribute the cost of the first injection mold, it’s a perfect all-or-nothing crowdfunding project. If the project reaches its $30,000 funding goal, the first 100 backers will get a discounted $22 rate.
Advertisement
The big idea is that the reflector can attach to lots of different things and then be easily detached and stored when not in use on the road.
Here’s one noteworthy disclaimer from the product description:
In order to create a product that would attach very securely to a wide range of apparel and equipment with different material thicknesses, very powerful magnets were used. The product should be kept at least four inches away from anything that could be negatively impacted by a strong magnet, including pacemakers, ICDs and other implanted medical devices, magnetic media such as credit cards and computer disk drives, watches, televisions, CRT monitors, and other electronic devices.
If that’s not a dealbreaker for you, this looks like an appealingly simple product worth checking out.
— Michael Andersen, (503) 333-7824 – michael@bikeportland.org
Our work is supported by subscribers. Please become one today.