Safety on the road is a big issue for any cyclist and recently a few videos of cyclists being hit by cars has prompted coverage from mainstream media. While no cyclist ever wants to be involved in a bike vs car accident, it’s a real possibility – especially for those who live and ride in a busy urban environment.
In light of this, we've hand-picked a selection of bike safety innovations that may be appealing and stylish to the road enthusiast and cafe racer.
ICEdot
£139
ICEdot is a small yellow pod that offers peace of mind to loved ones, letting them know if something has happened when you may not be able to. Using an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a low energy Bluetooth connection to a smartphone; the ICEdot uses a proprietary algorithm to detect an impact. The USB rechargeable crash sensor easily mounts to the back of any helmet with just a few zip-ties, or included industrial strength double-side tape.
When the sensor detects an impact, it triggers an emergency countdown in the ICEdot app. If the countdown is not turned off before it reaches zero, the app promptly sends out a text message – to up to 10 predetermined emergency contacts – informing them there has been an incident, and its location, via a Google Maps link.
Read our review of the ICEdot here.
Fly6 rear camera
£92 (TBC)
Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Australia-conceived Fly6 Rear Light is now in production and set for release towards the back end of the year. The brainchild of Andrew Hagen (CEO) and Kingsley Fiegert, Fly6 came to be after Fiegert was hit by something thrown from a passing car while riding in Perth. Combining a 15 lumen tail light and a rear facing camera into one unit, the Fly6 records 720p video onto the included microSD card. The 8GB class 10 card records about two hours of video before the device automatically loops back to the beginning – so the Fly6 is always watching your back.
Sugoi Zap
£TBC
During the day the Sugoi Zap jacket looks like any other understated cycling jacket, but after dark it truly begins to shine: artificial light from car headlights causes the jacket to light up like a fluorescent light bulb. It's made from Sugoi’s pixel fabric, which contains highly reflective ground glass ‘pixels’ that glow evenly over the whole jacket when illuminated. The jacket itself does not light up, but it sure looks like it does.
POC AVIP range
From £13.50
Swedish company POC – best known for its snow and mountain bike helmets, body protection, and goggles – has recently launched its AVIP road cycling range. While you have probably noticed Garmin Sharp sporting POC's sometimes Star Wars-esque lids (the Octal), there is also a selection of clothing and accessories (warmers, sunglasses, and gloves). POC’s entire road cycling range is underpinned by the AVIP concept, which stands for Attention, Visibility, Interaction and Protection. The collection is based around reflective logos, light and dark contrasts, and fluorescent zinc orange – all designed to draw attention.
ICNY reflective socks
£TBC (currently available direct from US, but we hope to see them over here soon)
According to a study conducted by the Queensland University of Technology, reflective strips are much more effective when located near moving joints. With many cycling shoes lacking substantial reflectivity, and the weather often being too warm for shoe covers, ICNY brings reflectivity to your feet. Employing simple 3M reflective dots, the ICNY socks come in a variety of shades and patterns. For those worried about proper sock height, the ICNY socks are 'sockdoping' approved.
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