If there’s one thing a cyclist needs for the dark commutes during the winter months, it’s more visibility to other road users. South Philly company RedShift has made the Arclight pedal to help with this.
A combination of pedals and removable light elements, RedShift’s innovative approach builds on one of the most effective night-time be-seen devices: the pedal reflector.
The Arclight pedal is a stratospheric elevation of the pedal reflector idea. First, it provides illumination to the sides, which can be a significant factor in accident prevention. Second, it throws out red light to the rear, and white light to the front, so the car driver or text-eyed pedestrian will notice you both from the front and the rear. Third, you can pull the LED light elements out from the pedals if you wish and place them on other parts of the bike such as the handlebar, depending on the situation.
According to RedShift, some studies show that the combination of motion and light can make a cyclist up to 57 percent more visible than fixed bike lights. Anecdotally, this reporter has found when seeing cyclists at night from behind the wheel of a large automobile, pedal-based illumination—be it a reflector or a light—is the most visible form from a distance.
The Arclights are USB rechargeable; have three modes: flash, eco, steady; 36 hours of run-time in eco mode; automatically shine white when pointing forward; and an automatic on/off switch.
Booth staff were delighted with the reception by the Philly Bike Expo crowd, noting that overall attendance was well up this year, and lighting the booth up like a Christmas tree helped draw in the crowds.