Lifesaving Stuff for Cyclists

Well, it looks like the long cold winter weather is finally coming to an end and with the warmer temperatures for many will come a return to cycling.  There is nothing like being out on a smooth country road on a sunny day on a bike.  Unfortunately, all journeys on two wheels don’t always end on a positive note.  No new digital device can assure that you won’t get into an accident but there are some that can help prevent one and a very special device that can help you if you should get in trouble.

For any cyclist, an investment in a good set of lights for the front and back of the bicycle is a must.  Even if you never ride at night, good lights can save your life.  I use my lights on the sunniest of days.  One key to safe riding is being seen by motorists.  Because a bike is small and many drivers are not used to seeing one on the road, they often look right through you.  A strobing white LED headlight can be seen even on the brightest day.  The same holds true for a bright red LED tail light.  A car approaching from the rear can’t miss the red blinking light. 

The good news is that LED technology has made very bright lights affordable and, since they consume very little power, they are easy to maintain.  I have a tail lamp that can stay bright for more than one month of frequent riding on the power of two AAA batteries.

You can get light kits starting at about $25 at most big box stores and, of course, on line and at local bike shops.

Another somewhat pricey device is aimed at serious riders who frequently ride alone, either on trails or the open road.  The ICEdot Crash Sensor is a small Bluetooth connected device that is affixed to your helmet.  It is very light and about the size of a half dollar coin.  The device detects motion changes and changes in forces and impacts.  In other words, if the helmet hits the ground it is activated.  

The device connects to an app on your smartphone and once triggered begins an audible countdown.  If you do not stop the countdown your phone will connect with a predetermined person giving them the coordinates of your location.  So if you are indeed incapacitated, the ICEdot calls for help.  It is priced at about $125.   More information is available on the web at www.icedot.org.

I can’t write an article about biking without encouraging all to always ride with a helmet.  In biking circles we have a saying.  There are two types of riders: the first group always wear helmets, the other group are organ donors.  

LEDs Can Save Your Life

Having just returned from a week of riding my bike across the cornfields of mid-America, I am still very much in two wheel mode this week. While the number of riders in the Harrison area does not compare to the throngs riding with me last week, there is an increasing number of bikes on the streets, roads and trails in our community. Unfortunately, pedal power and horsepower don’t always play nice together. While the bad guy is often the automobile driver, the cyclist is not always in the right.

One of the biggest safety issues with mixing cars and bikes on the same roads is visibility. There are several inexpensive devices that can assist. For about 10 bucks you can purchase a small tail light for your bike. The light uses high intensity LEDs instead of traditional light bulbs. These tiny LEDS are very bright and the circuitry allows you to change the display from a standard red tail light to a pulsating strobe effect. While these lights are made for riding at night, I find that since they are so bright, they can be seen even in bright sunny weather by anyone approaching from the rear. Since one of the often heard comments by car drivers following a bike / car accident is “I never saw him,”
the red strobing light is just enough to get the car drivers’ attention.

There are also very bright white LED headlights available. Again, these lights are intended for riding at night so the cyclist can see the road ahead. In the day they serve the same purpose as daytime use of headlights on motorcycles and more recently on new cars: visibility. I ride a lot in the Harrison area, and on the open roads and hills you can ride at a good clip. My experience is that cars don’t realize you are approaching at 25 mph or more and as a result often pull out in front of you. Seeing a bright white light often gets their attention.

These LED lights are amazing as they are small, light weight, very bright and consume very little power. I use my tail light for months at a time using two standard AAA batteries. While the headlights use a bit more power, a couple of inexpensive batteries will last many hours. This is a small price to pay for safety.