Bicycles

Cyglo bike tire embedded with LED lights

View 2 Images
The Cyglo bike tire embedded with LED lights
The Cyglo bike tire embedded with LED lights
The Cyglo bike tire embedded with LED lights

We’ve covered a number of products designed to light up a bicycle to increase the safety of nighttime riding. Such devices usually involve adding lights to the pedals or spokes of a bicycle but a new invention from Night Bright Tyre Ltd. adds LED lighting to an altogether new part of the bike – the tires themselves. The Cyglo bike tires feature tough and durable LED bulbs that are built into the tread or wall of the tire to form a perfect ring of light when the wheel turns.

Switched on using a motion sensor within the tire, the lights are powered by the spinning of the wheel and can be set to flash or be permanently on. Patented in the U.S. and U.K. by designer James Tristram, the tires are aimed at increasing safety for commuter cyclists, police officers, paramedics and postal delivery workers. For those more concerned with looks than safety, Night Bright also offers aftermarket colored and flashing light options for “trend setting BMX riders and fashionable mountain bike enthusiasts.”

We’re not sure what kind of life you could expect from LEDs built into the treads of a bike tire but, with the price of the tires not likely to be cheap, it might make riders think twice before laying down a skid in the local BMX park.

Via Wired

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
5 comments
Facebook User
Just remember to make the TRON lightcycle sound effects when riding with these tires. :)
Mr Stiffy
This is actually quite clever....
But some how, like Dr Smiths Rectal Rear Light for the modern prone positioned night racing cyclist - I just don\'t think this is going to catch on.
Reasons:
Expense.
Availability.
Durability.
AND
Replaceability.
Personally - without ever having seen one up close, or any understanding of all the development that has gone into it - I am a bit skeptical about them still working after riding along 20Km of railway track ballast.
JLR
Is the green version of Pimp My Ride on the horizon?
ArcticNemo
I am already on the way to modifying my motorcycle tires to do this, such a simple idea. Definitely easier for tube-type tires, but even my Buell will get the treatment. Legality will be another issue, but it IS for safety.
John Hagen-Brenner
Seems like embedding this stuff in tires could compromise the integrity of the tire wall... making it wear faster or stress where they're embedded. It would be nice if they could power off a generator in the wheel hub or something.