Revolights: The Future of Bicycle Lights?

Revolights revolutionized bicycle lighting when it tossed aside the conventional single lamp and designed a system of LEDs that mount right onto the wheels. The result is one of the smartest inventions to hit the cycling industry in years—and it has the potential to drastically improve the safety of cyclists around the world.

But is the function and design practical enough to have a lasting impact on cyclists of all types? Let's take a look at the good and bad to see if this creative new design is right for you.

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How It Works

Two plastic arcs attach to each side of a bicycle rim. Each plastic arc contains 12 LED lights and is connected to a battery that connects around the hub. A magnet that attaches to the frame of the bicycle operates a timing mechanism that keeps the lights illuminated on the front portion of the wheel only (and the reverse on the rear wheel). This creates an arc of light from the wheel that shines on the road to the front and rear while also increasing side visibility, designed to prevent one of the more common causes of car-bicycle related accidents.

The Good

1. The amount of light these 24 LED's create on each wheel was much brighter than expected. Because the light source is so close to the road, the lumens of the LED's don't need to be as bright to create a sufficient amount of light to see the road in front of you, which cuts cost considerably. Compared to the Lupine Betty R 9, which costs $1,095, these lights are a steal at $200.

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2. The side visibility is second to none. It's nearly impossible for a car not to see you when these are attached to your wheels. There is a true 360 degrees of visibility that provides a level of safety that other lights can't match.

3. The Tron effect of the light arcs looks pretty cool.

4. If you're cramped for training time, especially during the winter when daylight is shortened, these lights will allow you to train safely for longer amounts of time.

5. The customer service for setup and the videos on the Revolights website that are to be used as a guide are detailed, easy to follow and well made.

6. Once the lights are on, they are really fun. Not only do they attract attention from motorists (which is a good thing), they change the cycling experience. I've had zero close calls using these lights for over a month riding at night, which gave me a feeling of safety that I hadn't felt before when riding in the dark.

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The Bad

1. Though there is a new option that lets you buy wheels with the lights already installed, the setup can be tricky and time consuming.

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2. The weight. The plastic arcs that attach to the wheel are secured with bolts and washers that add a good amount of weight to the wheel. Add in the batteries that fit around the hub, and you've just doubled the weight of a nice race wheel.

3. The type of wheel you can use with these lights is limited. If you have anything other than a standard spoke pattern, setup will be tricky, if it's even possible. If you have bladed or thicker than normal spokes, the hardware is difficult to attach. The lights also can't be used with aero wheels deeper than 40mm.

4. Transferring the lights from wheel to wheel would take too long to make it worth the effort.

Who It's For

Revolights is a company that has one thing in mind: Making the roads safer for cyclists. From that point of view, these wheels lights are a win. At $200, there aren't a better pair of lights on the market. You can rest assured you'll be seen by every motorist on the road. The lights attract so much attention that you shouldn't be surprised if cars actually stop you to ask about them.

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Ingenuity and creativity aside, these lights do have some limitations. The weight, complicated setup and inability to transfer from wheel to wheel make it a hard sell to serious cyclists who've shelled out a bunch of money to buy light or aero wheels. If you have a spare set of old training wheels that you can devote solely to nighttime riding, these could still be an excellent option.

Revolights is continually taking steps to advance their products, and the Revolights Arc is one example of this. As of now, these lights seem better suited to urban cyclists who commute to and from work in the dark and rank safety as a top priority. From that point of view, these lights are the best you'll find anywhere.

For most roadies, these will be hit or miss. If you fall into the latter category, be on the lookout for other new products from this company. A lighter, easier-to-install wheel light could be coming soon.

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