Bicycles

Sigma puts the squeeze on bike brake lights

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The Sigma Breaklight illuminates when the brake calipers close together
Sigma
The Sigma Brakelight weighs 7 grams, and is powered by a replaceable 1025 button cell battery that should be good for about 100,000 braking processes
Sigma
The Sigma Breaklight illuminates when the brake calipers close together
Sigma

Consumers currently have their choice of several brake lights for bicycles, which use an accelerometer to detect when the cyclist is stopping. However, what if you want something that's a little smaller, simpler and cheaper? That would be Sigma's tiny new mechanically-activated Brakelight.

The water-resistant light is attached by the rider using an Allen key, to the rear brake cable between the two brake calipers (the company claims that it's compatible with any cable-activated mechanical rear brake). When those calipers are subsequently squeezed together while braking – even slightly – they cause a mechanism in the brake to likewise close up, completing a circuit and illuminating the single red LED.

The Sigma Brakelight weighs 7 grams, and is powered by a replaceable 1025 button cell battery that should be good for about 100,000 braking processes
Sigma

The Brakelight weighs 7 grams, and is powered by a replaceable 1025 button cell battery that should be good for about 100,000 braking processes. It's available in five colors, priced at US$9.99. You can see it in action, in the video below.

And in case you're thinking "Wow, it's amazing that no one thought of that before" ... they did. At the 2013 Interbike show, we spotted a similar product made by S-Sun Enterprise.

Source: Sigma via BikeRadar

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3 comments
Timelord
They're not called calipers, they're brake arms. Two arms on a single pivot form a caliper.
I have something much older than either of the mentioned products, bought about 20 years ago from Bike Nashbar. It's a flashing unit with the same kind of cable-mounted switch, but attached separately with a wire. The advantage is that it works better on cable-actuated disc brakes. The wired connection lets me put the switch low where the disc brake is and the light high up for better visibility, even on the seatpost if I want. It works as a regular flashing taillight if I want, but flashing or turned off, goes solid red once I squeeze the brake lever.
Kie
Good idea, but it won't go off if you just use the front brake of course. And the light looks horribly puny.
unklmurray
Why is it that someone always has got to worry bout the way the article is worded? It doesn't matter if they are called ''Calipers or brake arms'' or cable sliders? The point is they work and you can tell what the writer is trying to say. And, I don't know of anyone that uses the front brake only......On most bikes that are used year round ,don't even have front brakes,I know in the winter time I disconnect my front brakes entirely,If you use the front brake on slick roads it is asking to wreck,as soon as they start to slide!! I LIKE the idea you could wire up all your brake lights from this one little switch!!...............LOL :-)