brake lights

Amprodude

Just wondering when cycling with my club yesterday, there were moments when riders were slowing down and shouting "braking", it came to my mind why dont they fit brake lights to back of road bikes? Is there a reason besides weight? It would be a useful addition IMO.

HivemindXX

They do make brake lights for bikes:
http://www.rosebikes.com/search/find/?q=toplight%20brake

These are dynamo lights and they work by detecting a change in frequency from the dynamo which relates to a change in speed.

Rear dynamo lights are a hassle because you need to run a cable from the front of the bike to the back and this would most likely apply to any sort of braking light.

niceonetom

Good question. And only the tip of the upgrade iceberg. Why don't we have indicator lights? We should really all have wing mirrors too. And horns. Maybe a handbrake for when we're stopped at the lights. Seatbelts of course. Safety first!

TheBlaaMan

I think its a car you need.....or maybe a motorbike.

Seriously though, a bike is a bike is a bike for the reason that its a simple device, start adding circuitry for brake lights and the plot is lost.

Also, add something complicated to a bike and if other road users get used to its presence but it is not maintain by the cyclist and fails to work at some stage, you now have a device that's not only complicated, but now actively dangerous to the user. No thanks !

Just get used to reading the road, the conditions and other road users behaviour and you'll be the better for it.

at1withmyself

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

Seriously though, a bike is a bike is a bike for the reason that its a simple device, start adding circuitry for brake lights and the plot is lost.

You mean like when they added Air tubes, chains, gears, or even Disc brakes etc.. Bikes are a science and I for one enjoy the progress albeit some good or some bad I see no issue with brake lights.

OP do a search on google and you'll see there are already a lot of options out there. Although as we flashing rear lights how effective would the brake light be for everyday riding???

Amprodude

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

I think its a car you need.....or maybe a motorbike.

Seriously though, a bike is a bike is a bike for the reason that its a simple device, start adding circuitry for brake lights and the plot is lost.

Also, add something complicated to a bike and if other road users get used to its presence but it is not maintain by the cyclist and fails to work at some stage,.

How is adding a working brake light complicated? Something basic like having a small lightweight rechargable battery using the bikes wheels to keep it fully charged.

We live in a world now where we can send remotely operated robotic vehicles to mars and stuff. Hardly complicated to get something like that installed but i do think the only time i think they would handy is in club spins or sportives.

Amprodude

at1withmyself wrote: »

OP do a search on google and you'll see there are already a lot of options out there. Although as we flashing rear lights how effective would the brake light be for everyday riding???

Club spins or organised cycling events where there are multiple riders cycling together. No where else really.

Ryder

Amprodude wrote: »

How is adding a working brake light complicated? Something basic like having a small lightweight rechargable battery using the bikes wheels to keep it fully charged.

We live in a world now where we can send remotely operated robotic vehicles to mars and stuff. Hardly complicated to get something like that installed but i do think the only time i think they would handy is in club spins or sportives.

exactly, the only place it would be useful would be a club ride, but you're all riding so close then that by the time you registered the brake light, you would be in the back of the guy in front.....which is why you don't stop suddenly in a chain gang, and you learn to read the road ahead