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Bicycles

Bike headlight goes wide for better, less obnoxious visibility

By Ben Coxworth
September 13, 2024
Bike headlight goes wide for better, less obnoxious visibility
The Light Rail is presently on Indiegogo
The Light Rail is presently on Indiegogo
View 4 Images
The Light Rail's beam is focused downward and inward to illuminate the road directly in front of the cyclist, without spreading the glare into the eyes of oncoming motorists
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The Light Rail's beam is focused downward and inward to illuminate the road directly in front of the cyclist, without spreading the glare into the eyes of oncoming motorists
The Light Rail is presently on Indiegogo
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The Light Rail is presently on Indiegogo
Pictured here in daytime running light mode, the Light Rail is claimed to tip the scales at 13 oz (369 g)
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Pictured here in daytime running light mode, the Light Rail is claimed to tip the scales at 13 oz (369 g)
The Light Rail is water-resistant, and can be quickly installed and removed from the bike via an included handlebar mount
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The Light Rail is water-resistant, and can be quickly installed and removed from the bike via an included handlebar mount
View gallery - 4 images

Some bike headlights are designed to get you seen by motorists, while others are made to help you see the road. The Light Rail is claimed to excel at both, with a unique rectangular design that emphasizes light spread and movement over intensity.

Currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign, the Light Rail is made by Salt Lake City startup Intrinsic Cycles. The company previously brought us the rubber-coated Bumper Pedals, which were designed to spare cyclists' shins from nasty pedal strikes.

Within the Light Rail's weatherproof aluminum body is a row of 35 white LEDs. Three in the middle form the spotlight, which stays on steadily (without flashing). Its beam is focused downward and inward to illuminate the road directly in front of the cyclist, without spreading the glare into the eyes of oncoming motorists.

The Light Rail is water-resistant, and can be quickly installed and removed from the bike via an included handlebar mount
The Light Rail is water-resistant, and can be quickly installed and removed from the bike via an included handlebar mount

The remaining 32 LEDs – to either side of the spotlight – illuminate sequentially to form a pulsating-back-and-forth light pattern. According to the designers, this setup has several advantages over a traditional flashing headlight.

For one thing, the wide-yet-not-crazily-bright light display reportedly catches drivers' eyes without blinding and/or annoying them. It's also claimed to give them a better sense of the cyclist's speed and position, as opposed to a light that is constantly flashing on and off. And because the spotlight portion stays on steadily, riders should have a have a safer, less strobe-like view of the road.

Pictured here in daytime running light mode, the Light Rail is claimed to tip the scales at 13 oz (369 g)
Pictured here in daytime running light mode, the Light Rail is claimed to tip the scales at 13 oz (369 g)

For boosted visibility during daytime use, the Light Rail can be set to have all 35 of its LEDs shining continuously. They have a combined brightness of 1,000 lumens when set to maximum brightness.

Battery life runs from four all the way up to 80 hours per charge, depending on the intensity and lighting pattern selected. A "fuel gauge" LED on the side of the headlight transitions from green to red as the battery's charge level diminishes.

Assuming the Light Rail reaches production, a pledge of US$129 will get you one. The planned retail price is $170.

It's demonstrated in the video below.
Light Rail Bike Light Bar from Intrinsic Cycles

Source: Indiegogo

Note: New Atlas may earn commission from purchases made via links.

View gallery - 4 images

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Bicyclesbike lightsCyclingRoad SafetyIndiegogo
4 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

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4 comments
paul314
That definitely sounds better than some of the superbright strobing ones, which (in my experience as a driver) mostly disorient everyone around them.
Trylon
No, thanks. I'll stick with my Busch + Müller StVZO-compliant headlight. Plenty bright. Complies with German government regulations regarding not dazzling oncoming drivers by cutting off light above a certain height. This light can't even be sold in Germany because it doesn't comply with StVZO.
MarylandUSA
Trylon is correct. Several headlights already meet the German standard for not blinding oncoming drivers. My Fenix BC25R and BC35R (rechargeable) have a cut-off facula line that blocks off the top of the light beam. On top of that, they have a relatively high CRI (color rendering index).
fred
Looks nice, but I am a fan of the blinding strobes. Hit twice by oncoming motorists at a certain intersection on my daily commute (setting sun behind me) after getting the $25 super lights never hit again and only yelled at by one lifted pickup who had headlights too high on his track. Of course one must be polite and not strobe and cover the high powered light around pedestrians and other bikes.