see.sense bike lights

Jo Roek

I like the sound of these lights. They're fairly new on the market so there aren't that many reviews on them online.

They use "sensor technology from smartphones" to asses the environment and will flash brighter when at a junction or roundabout.

This sounds great but can anyone enlighten me as to what this "sensor technology" is?! It is an app you download? Or do you just turn on GPS on your phone? Or plan out your route on google maps?

Can't seem to figure it out by looking online so hoping someone on here can help!

Thanks

martyc5674

I'd guess they use similar sensors to those on smartphones... Nothing else.

BrianHenryIE

Jo Roek wrote: »

This sounds great but can anyone enlighten me as to what this "sensor technology" is?! It is an app you download?

The video doesn't suggest you need anything else and they exhalt efficiency so I imagine it's not a whole lot more than your regular back-garden motion sensor.

I'm not sold on the idea. How long does one spend in the view of any single car. An adequate solution to this "problem" would be to have a light that flashes fast.

What I once read here: have two lights flashing at different rates so drivers focus on them to try to see a pattern between them. I'd love see an academic reference for that but I do notice myself doing it when I see car indicators.

gickna1

I have a set,
You don't need any apps or smartphones to use them, you turn them on by twisting them left the right 4 or 5 times and turn them off by placing them face down.
They change according to road conditions and car lights (shine brighter when hit by car headlights). I'm fairly impressed so far bit pricey but worth it. I picked mine up in Fitz Cycles Stillorgan.

Beer Assistant

Have one on the rear great light, extremely bright, charge it leave it on the bike any movement of the bike and it turns itself on, or off if not in motion, go to you tube and search see.sence. It's made in North Irl.

ryan_sherlock

I bought a set but haven't used them yet. Cool tech and a sign of things to come. Supporting Irish/Northern Irish business too.

Jo Roek

thanks for the replies!
so it's just a motion sensor then? how would that detect a junction/roundabout? Is it just detecting that you're slowing down?

Cyclewizard

i have a set of the INTENSE ones and have dealt with them regarding an upgrade programme they do for version 1 to version 2. i love the lights (fronts a bit bright / strobe like but excellent in the day) and the rear is brilliant. i have to say i was really impressed with their customer service and got an email back from the main man very quickly answering all my queeries regarding the upgrade. would definitely reccomend.

I was driving behind a chap in Ballymount who seemed to have one of these. They seem to change brightness / flashing tempo when I approached from behind. Interesting concept!

stecleary

Have a set and love them. I generally leave the house about 6 a.m. and since getting these I feel a bit more confident on the road. It could be all in my head but for that alone they are worth the money. I had an issue with mine on Friday, the was a constant red led on turns out it was a moisture warning light, shot of an email and with in and hour I got instructions on how to strip and clean the unit. great bit of kit and great customer service

CatFromHue

I like the look of the silicone mounting feature.

Looks pretty nifty and easy/quick to get off.

I don't understand how the light changes when it's going around a roundabout or filtering, I presume it ups the flashing frequency?

stecleary

Absolutely fantastic customer service. I had made a comment on stickeybottle about the lights not sitting on my bars right and wrapping it around the headset instead, not a word from anyone or a second though from myself as it's a non issue really. Then today I arrive home to this. Thank you so much guys. Keep up the good work.

Cyclewizard

they are brilliant with the customer service, really impressed

Tenzor07

All the above positive comments is as a result of the lights being designed and manufactured in Ireland, let's see more of this!

ryan_sherlock

So I have been using my light for about a week now on the rear (Mel and I out together so if she is sitting on my wheel for most of the ride, I put it on her bike).

So far, so good - bright as you'd expect (only been using it during day time training and even then it is very bright) - simple to operate/attach and the charge I get from it is at least what they advertise (I recharged after 11hrs of training - it was still going fine but the next day was going to be 4+ hrs so wanted to recharge).

desertcircus

Really looking forward to seeing how they do with their planned power meter.

tomasrojo

The other night, I got talking to a man outside my local supermarket who had his son on his bike with him. He was interested in my bike trailer and then got talking to me about this light he'd got for his son's bike, which it turns out was this see.sense one. I got a demo, and I did think it was very good. A bit bigger than rear lights tend to be now, which to me is a good thing, and was comparable to though not quite as bright as the 1W Smart Lunar I had with me.

He mentioned that he had actually found the light on the road, or rather part of it, contacted see.sense to explain that he wouldn't mind getting it working, and they provided him the other components he needed. As mentioned above, that seems to be very good customer service.

traprunner

See.Sense have a kickstarter going at the moment: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1670187625/see-sense-icon-the-intelligent-and-connected-cycle

Anyone have any reviews since the last ones 9 months ago? I was thinking of the rear light for my wife in particular as she is quite a nervous cyclist. Is it worth the investment compared to other lights?

Alanstrainor

traprunner wrote: »

See.Sense have a kickstarter going at the moment: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1670187625/see-sense-icon-the-intelligent-and-connected-cycle

Anyone have any reviews since the last ones 9 months ago? I was thinking of the rear light for my wife in particular as she is quite a nervous cyclist. Is it worth the investment compared to other lights?

Not a bad price considering what the old models cost at the moment. If only the euro/sterling rates were better.

Internet Friend

I have a see.sense 95 lumen 2.0 rear light and I have to say I love it. From day 1 using it I've felt safer on the road, I have it on no matter what time of the day. In and around the Dublin city centre I find moving about on the road is easier, changing lanes, etc. I've also noticed passing vehicles giving me a bit more space, apart from the odd delightful character.

It's very well built, easy to operate, decent battery life, very bright and responds to the environment in the way advertised. Definitely worth the investment. I've had plenty of your standard flashy rear lights and none of them come anywhere near this.

traprunner

Internet Friend wrote: »

I have a see.sense 95 lumen 2.0 rear light and I have to say I love it. From day 1 using it I've felt safer on the road, I have it on no matter what time of the day. In and around the Dublin city centre I find moving about on the road is easier, changing lanes, etc. I've also noticed passing vehicles giving me a bit more space, apart from the odd delightful character.

It's very well built, easy to operate, decent battery life, very bright and responds to the environment in the way advertised. Definitely worth the investment. I've had plenty of your standard flashy rear lights and none of them come anywhere near this.

Thanks for that. It would be worth the investment if she feels safer on the roads. She doesn't commute by bike so only heads out once a week for about 30-40k so I suppose I could use it for commuting too

Statler

Got the 95L rear light last week and would echo what's said above, very bright, easy to use, and definitely feel traffic gives you a wider berth.

marty_crane

Got set of these earlier this year having seen them while driving one night. use the rear one on all spins night or day. Have booked a new set with Kickstarter. Can't recommend them highly enough.

Alanstrainor

I bought the kickstarter one yesterday, looks like a good buy! Pity it'll be Jan when I get it but oh well!

Senecio

Thanks for this, I just went ahead and backed it myself. I was keen on the first version but never pulled the trigger.

Unknown Soldier

This is beyond my tech understanding and I know the future ones must have bluetooth or something to connect/talk via a phone for the new GUI but is it implausible that the old USB version couldn't have a mini PC/Mac GUI to adjust the settings?

Bit weird the current "using" the light itself to choose its settings. Green/red colour blindness doesn't help

Great lights all the same!

If you can catch the see.sense lads at any shows/events they are usually doing a great deal on their lights by the way. A recent example being the Great Dublin bike ride 2015.

Alanstrainor

Received mine in the post on Monday. See.sense Icon rear light.

First impressions:

It seems sturdy and robust enough. However there's one gripe... there's a rubber cover for the charger port, which is not tethered on at all, which seems easily lost. This cover also acts as part of the mounting on the seat post, so I'm not too impressed that it's so easily to lose.

As for connecting your phone to it. I assumed it would be possible to somehow turn the bluetooth on, without the insanely bright light being on at the same time. But that doesn't seem to be the case. apparently you shake the light to activate the bluetooth, without the light being on! The app from the app store is clunky and unclear and should be more polished.

Once connected you can play around with the light intensity and different options. You can also set feature such as theft alert, and crash alert. None of which I expect to use really.

The light is very bright, and does change depending on different factors when moving. However I haven't had it long enough to really notice how it changes, and the fact it's on the rear of the light makes it harder to see!

I wont rate it out of 10 just yet since it's so new to me. But for now, it seems like a good light, but the added phone connectivity seems to be a gimmick.

Has anyone else received one?

Statler

Got the front and rear set, agree that the app is a bit clunky but I'd assume it can/will be updated in due course. The rear light is very, very bright, I'd prefer more choice with the flashing pattern, but again presume this may follow in due course. The front light is also very, very bright but it's definitely a 'be seen' light rather than 'see'. Again limited choice of flash pattern, and the beam doesn't seem to be too focused so it's probably going to annoy oncoming motorists.
Agree also about the rubber charger port cover, way too easy to come off.

ted1

German regulations don't allow flashing lights, as it makes it harder fir cars to judge distances and also because they are hypnotising to both drunk and tired drivers.
What are people thoughts on the German regulations when compared to these lights

Alek

Non-flashing lights are much, much less effective in urban environments where you have non-flashing white and red lights everywhere.

tomasrojo

Alek wrote: »

Non-flashing lights are much, much less effective in urban environments where you have non-flashing white and red lights everywhere.

I've switched to constant lights all round (one front, one rear, two wrist lights pointing to the side). As lights have got brighter, I've started finding the flashing really annoying -- my lights, I mean, not the ones on other bikes.

I don't think there's a huge amount of research done into how effective various bike conspicuity aids are and how effective they are in different modes. Judging by the record of Dublin bikes, constant lights, provided they're fairly bright, work ok.

Alek

I can tell Dublin bike lights from a mile - they flicker with very high frequency.

Also, I have almost crashed into cyclist coming from the front along the Clontarf bike lane (at least 2-3 times in the night) when their steady front light simply blended with the lights of cars...

tomasrojo

Alek wrote: »

I can tell Dublin bike lights from a mile - they flicker with very high frequency.

Good point! They do too.

GreeBo

Alek wrote: »

Also, I have almost crashed into cyclist coming from the front along the Clontarf bike lane (at least 2-3 times in the night) when their steady front light simply blended with the lights of cars...

Wouldn't that mean that you would have also crashed into that person had they been a motorbike/moped/car?

Also, ROTR state

You must not fit blue or red flashing lights which are solely reserved for Gardaí,
ambulance and other designated service vehicles

Alek

A motorbike coming towards me full speed on a 1m wide separated cycle lane? I'd probably think I'm hallucinating and crash into it alright.

Wishbone Ash

GreeBo wrote: »

....Also, ROTR state

Disregard the ROTR - they're only a lay man's interpretation of the law. For the proper facts you need to consult the Statute Instruments.

S.I. No. 487/2009 - Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2009 amended the original legislation to allow flashing lights on a pedal bicycle once the light flashes more that 60 times per minute.

Allabaah

There is a 10% discount for Cycling Ireland members for these lights available from their website using the discount code CyclingIreland10

Also video on YouTube ... Very slick!

https://m.youtube.com/user/cyclingtechnology

Allabaah

There is a 10% discount for Cycling Ireland members for these lights available from their website using the discount code CyclingIreland10

Also video on YouTube ... Very slick!

https://m.youtube.com/user/cyclingtechnology

GreeBo

Alek wrote: »

A motorbike coming towards me full speed on a 1m wide separated cycle lane? I'd probably think I'm hallucinating and crash into it alright.

and yet you couldnt see it when it was a bike?
Mad Ted.

If this is such a problem, why dont bikes simply use a different coloured front light? Also, which one of you was heading in the wrong direction on that separated bike lane?

Flashing halogens are very distracting at any frequency, almost as bad as the head/helmet lights/lighthouses that some seem to insist on these days.

Alek

.

Alek

and yet you couldnt see it when it was a bike?

There are two bike paths there, perhaps 1m wide each. Its a long stretch with a gentle turn inward when you are going from the Howth side: https://goo.gl/maps/uUFdQQ5gPi82

In the night you can see car lights all the way, a bike light coming from the Clontarf side simply blends in. It was raining, wet glasses didn't help either.

Also, which one of you was heading in the wrong direction

Neither, we were both going near the middle line between bike paths.

Flashing halogens are very distracting

Depending on intensity they may be indeed.

If this is such a problem, why dont bikes simply use a different coloured front light?

Most people recognize a flashing white / red light as a bicycle straight away - as it became a norm already, there is no need for another colour.

I commute via city centre every day and have a flashing 100lm front light at all times - I noticed that when I forget to take it, the amount of close lefthand turns rises noticeably. A flashing light in your mirror triggers the brain quicker than a silhouette of a cyclist.

traprunner

GreeBo wrote: »

and yet you couldnt see it when it was a bike?
Mad Ted.

If this is such a problem, why dont bikes simply use a different coloured front light? Also, which one of you was heading in the wrong direction on that separated bike lane?

Flashing halogens are very distracting at any frequency, almost as bad as the head/helmet lights/lighthouses that some seem to insist on these days.

I'm all for flashing lights,as a cyclist and motorist. Excellent way of highlighting a bicycle. I don't know what is distracting about them. Like any light you should not be looking directly at them. If a driver notices them then they work. It is up to the driver not to get distracted.

Alanstrainor

What modes are people using on the see.sense? I wish they had names to them... there's one or two that are seizure inducing! I have it set at a more normal frequency high instensity flashing. Which speeds up depending on movement I think. I also think it reacts to headlights from cars, but I'm not too sure!

traprunner

Alanstrainor wrote: »

What modes are people using on the see.sense? I wish they had names to them... there's one or two that are seizure inducing! I have it set at a more normal frequency high instensity flashing. Which speeds up depending on movement I think. I also think it reacts to headlights from cars, but I'm not too sure!

Not sure what mode mine is but I did a vox pop of people in work and they generally agreed on one mode in particular to be noticed. I think it was more like a US cop car the way it alternates between LEDs.

tomasrojo

Alek wrote: »

There are two bike paths there, perhaps 1m wide each. Its a long stretch with a gentle turn inward when you are going from the Howth side: https://goo.gl/maps/uUFdQQ5gPi82

[...]

Neither, we were both going near the middle line between bike paths.

That's a well-known problem with two-way cycle tracks with combined width of less than four metres. People tend to hug the centre line, especially when visibility conditions are bad, so collisions ensue. Less of an illumination problem (though people not using lights at all or weak lights exacerbate the problem) than a problem of substandard design.

GreeBo

traprunner wrote: »

I'm all for flashing lights,as a cyclist and motorist. Excellent way of highlighting a bicycle. I don't know what is distracting about them. Like any light you should not be looking directly at them. If a driver notices them then they work. It is up to the driver not to get distracted.

Flashing lights are designed to get your attention, if your attention is on them then you are distracted.

Alek wrote: »

In the night you can see car lights all the way, a bike light coming from the Clontarf side simply blends in. It was raining, wet glasses didn't help either.

Halo effect wouldnt help alright!

Alek wrote: »

Most people recognize a flashing white / red light as a bicycle straight away - as it became a norm already, there is no need for another colour.

I commute via city centre every day and have a flashing 100lm front light at all times - I noticed that when I forget to take it, the amount of close lefthand turns rises noticeably. A flashing light in your mirror triggers the brain quicker than a silhouette of a cyclist.

Indeed they do, but as you pointed out, unless they are very bright/flashing they blend into the background of much brighter car lights.
And a flashing light, while probably alerting the motorist of your presence, is potentially distracting them from other road users.

traprunner wrote: »

Not sure what mode mine is but I did a vox pop of people in work and they generally agreed on one mode in particular to be noticed. I think it was more like a US cop car the way it alternates between LEDs.

Exactly, flashing lights are there to draw your attention, driving along a cycle lane during commuter time, especially in the rain is hard enough, add to that 10+ flashing halogens on bikes and a few of the lighthouse variety and perhaps some rain and it gets very difficult to focus on everything, the flashing is constantly drawing your attention, its how our brains are wired.

I think a specific colour for a bike lights would help it to be seen but also not constantly distract as flashing lights do.


Really only the rear should need to flash as thats where you are going to get hit from, you should be perfectly visible to oncoming traffic with a constant light. Side by side bike lanes with no median are a silly idea and should be done away with, impossible to get the required clearance.

traprunner

GreeBo wrote: »

Flashing lights are designed to get your attention, if your attention is on them then you are distracted.



Halo effect wouldnt help alright!


Indeed they do, but as you pointed out, unless they are very bright/flashing they blend into the background of much brighter car lights.
And a flashing light, while probably alerting the motorist of your presence, is potentially distracting them from other road users.



Exactly, flashing lights are there to draw your attention, driving along a cycle lane during commuter time, especially in the rain is hard enough, add to that 10+ flashing halogens on bikes and a few of the lighthouse variety and perhaps some rain and it gets very difficult to focus on everything, the flashing is constantly drawing your attention, its how our brains are wired.

I think a specific colour for a bike lights would help it to be seen but also not constantly distract as flashing lights do.


Really only the rear should need to flash as thats where you are going to get hit from, you should be perfectly visible to oncoming traffic with a constant light. Side by side bike lanes with no median are a silly idea and should be done away with, impossible to get the required clearance.

I am capable of acknowledging a flashing light without suffering target fixation. If someone can't do that then they shouldn't be driving/cycling/walking.

Alanstrainor

traprunner wrote: »

Not sure what mode mine is but I did a vox pop of people in work and they generally agreed on one mode in particular to be noticed. I think it was more like a US cop car the way it alternates between LEDs.

I know the one you mean, I'll give it a go!

So I have a question for anyone with a light, when I connect it to my phone, and open the app there's a brightness slider bar that you can change. As you reduce the brightness it obviously reduces on the light. However when I disconnect my phone it seems to go back to full power brightness? And if you connect again the slider is all the way to the right on full, despite setting it lower. I guess it's just a bug...

traprunner

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I know the one you mean, I'll give it a go!

So I have a question for anyone with a light, when I connect it to my phone, and open the app there's a brightness slider bar that you can change. As you reduce the brightness it obviously reduces on the light. However when I disconnect my phone it seems to go back to full power brightness? And if you connect again the slider is all the way to the right on full, despite setting it lower. I guess it's just a bug...

I've noticed that too. I presumed it's a bug too. Which reminds me, I must submit a bug report for it!

cdaly_

GreeBo wrote: »

Really only the rear should need to flash as thats where you are going to get hit from, you should be perfectly visible to oncoming traffic with a constant light. Side by side bike lanes with no median are a silly idea and should be done away with, impossible to get the required clearance.

There's plenty of opportunity to get hit from the front. Typical options are car emerging from a side road or car turning right across you. IMO, in these situations what light you have is less important than your road position. Drivers will be looking for other cars and not at the kerb. I have found that being mid-lane means that they notice me and give way. Left edge of the road, not so much.

tomasrojo

cdaly_ wrote: »

There's plenty of opportunity to get hit from the front. Typical options are car emerging from a side road or car turning right across you. IMO, in these situations what light you have is less important than your road position. Drivers will be looking for other cars and not at the kerb. I have found that being mid-lane means that they notice me and give way. Left edge of the road, not so much.

Off-topic, but both also scenarios where hiviz underperforms, as car lights throw to the left, not towards the cyclist.