As bicycle headlights continue to get brighter, a certain problem is starting to occur – they can actually be too bright, blinding oncoming drivers and cyclists. Lessening their output isn't a particularly appealing solution, so British designer Paul Cocksedge came up with an alternative. His Double O lights distribute the individual LEDs out around a ring, instead of concentrating them in a searing cluster. The lights also offer a few other handy features.
The result of a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Double O product line includes both a head- and tail light. Both of them are water-resistant, and can be attached to various parts of the bike (or the rider's helmet, or backpack) via an integrated heavy-duty elastic O-ring strap.
The headlight puts out 85 lumens, with the tail light throwing out 50. Each light is powered by three AA batteries. Depending on the settings used (flashing, steady, etc.) one set of batteries should reportedly be good for up to 50 hours of use.
While some bike lights are designed to thwart thieves by remaining permanently attached to the bike, the Double O design takes a different approach – the two lights can be taken off the bike and joined together back-to-back via integrated magnets, then threaded onto the shackle of a U-lock like beads on a bracelet. Riders not using that type of lock could, of course, just take the lights inside with them.
The Double O lights are available now for preorder, priced at £25 (about US$40) for one of either light, or £45 ($73) for a set of both. Shipping is expected to begin in November.
Source: Double O
