It’s time for Tech of the Week, where we bring you an eclectic mix of new stuff that turned our head this week. The latest round-up includes a flash new skinsuit from Castelli, bling bars from Reserve Wheels, some fun from Strava and Pinarello’s most premium shopping experience possible. But first, we need to talk about indicators (again)…
Inventor of hand-worn cycling indicator thinks new brighter lights will win cyclists round… after lukewarm crowdfunding campaign
Every so often the idea of indicators for cyclists, whether on bikes, helmets or hands, pops up. This is often during tired morning chat show segments about cycling safety, but also sometimes in the real world in the form of a new product hoping it will finally be the indicator that cracks the market and becomes a common sight on streets all over the world. I’m sure the comments section will do a good job of representing many riders’ scepticism towards the idea of cyclists needing indicators, after all if you’re sticking your arm out to display your intended direction to other road users via a hand-worn indicator, doesn’t the arm signal do the job for you?
Well, someone who is sold on the idea is Paul Tolley, the creator of a hand-worn combined mirror and indicator LED light for cyclists. He has previously pitched his product via crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, the initial campaign back in 2018 surpassing its £500 funding goal, but still only attracting a rather modest £735 from a total of 21 backers.
That original product was the same as the one he’s about to reshare on Kickstarter, just not as bright.
He wrote on the campaign page, which says it is launching soon: “When I first invented mirror indicate (Mark 1) I only had access to the cell batteries CR2032 which gave out a total of 320 lumens. The LEDs were the strongest at that time, however as battery and LED technology and size has now moved on beyond recognition I can now replace the cell batteries with a rechargeable battery via USB which can produce 1,000 lumens. this brings the product to life during the day as well as being very bright at night.
“This is game changing because the new indicator (Mark 2) which I want to achieve with Kickstarter will give an indicator which is very bright in full sunshine, the Mark 1 version can only be seen clearly at night which meant that I could not launch the product to industry and distributors which of course was very disappointing but it did give me a huge amount of experience dealing with developers and manufacturers which in turn means that I am well positioned second time around because I have many contacts in the industry and know every aspect that needs to be addressed inside and out. The design will remain the same but include the enhanced features of new LED’s and a rechargeable battery.”
There’s no pricing info yet, but the original Kickstarter offered an early bird price at £30, although all the usual Kickstarter disclaimers apply too. Here’s the campaign page for all the info.
Castelli launches a speedsuit for… gravel riding?!
This is probably testament to how big gravel racing has become, one of the world’s leading cycling clothing manufacturers turning its aero expertise to off-road racing. It’s not the first – with our pals off.road.cc reporting on the launch of the Nopinz Pro-1 Gravel skinsuit back in 2023 – but you know things are serious when Castelli jump on the bandwagon.
Now, as with many ‘gravel-specific’ products over the years, this does attract the inevitable questions about ‘what makes it a gravel jersey?’
In Castelli’s new Unlimited Speedsuit’s case, the answer is in those nutrition pockets on the front. Yep, you can keep your quads warm with snack wrappers and gels. We can laugh, but the easy access is definitely very useful in the relentless heat of a gravel race, plus it means fewer riders shoving gels up their shorts.
Castelli athlete Rob Britton wore a prototype to victory at Unbound XL last year, so there’s the proof.
“I received the Unlimited Speedsuit the day before Unbound, and as well as fitting really well, the leg pockets worked a charm — nothing moved around — and the hydration pocket was dialled. I was also able to replace the bladder quickly during the race.
“My favourite thing about this suit is that it’s comfortable, as well as being super fast. I’ve used it in nearly every race since my Unbound win and it’s definitely progressing what’s possible in gravel racing.”
As Britton alluded to there there’s also an integrated rear pouch for a 1.5L hydration bladder. Yep, you definitely can’t still ask if this is ‘gravel’ enough. The only limit to the Unlimited Speedsuit might be that £360 price tag. For smaller budgets, Castelli is selling the top half, the Unlimited Pro 2 Jersey, at £189. Check it out.
Reserve Wheels branches out and unveils a £500 handlebar
“Ultra light. Aerodynamic.”
That’s Reserve Wheels’ to-the-point sales pitch for its new RD1 handlebar. The brand who, as its name suggests, is big on its wheels, has branched out. The one-piece carbon bar and stem comes in 36-42cm widths and stem lengths from 80 to 120mm (just don’t tell the UCI). It weighs between 301-349g and will set you back £500 on the nose. Fast group rides, crits, WorldTour racing, Reserve Wheels is confident the RD1 can do it all. There is also a lifetime warranty, so that’s another plus.
“RD1 is built to deliver WorldTour performance with modern geometry and sleek integrated routing,” the brand tells us. “Proven in the wind tunnel, on the road and on the scale, RD1 delivers strength, a streamlined aerodynamic profile and responsive ride characteristics.”
A very bling shop for some very bling bikes: Pinarello reopens flagship Regent Street store
Pinarello’s London store is back open after a couple of months closed for refurbishment. There’s now a bike-fitting studio, improved workshop, dedicated consultation area for Pinarello’s MyWay customisation configurator and, of course, enough fancy bikes to ogle until your heart’s content. The full Pinarello range is on-site, as well as sections for Q36.5 kit, Amacx nutrition and Partington Wheels.
Sophie Quy, Pinarello’s UK managing director said it was an easy decision to extend the lease for another 10 years, with the decade-anniversary a fitting time to give everything a refresh. Well worth a visit if you’re in the big smoke and want to look at some of the blingest bikes on the market.
Vittoria adds 30mm Corsa Pro Speed (at the request of the pro peloton)
Vittoria has added a 30mm width to its Corsa Pro Speed range, meaning it is now available from 24mm all the way through to 30mm. It was developed at the request of WorldTour teams, the tyre manufacturer tells us, and it will be in stock for the paying public from 11 March with an RRP of £89.99.
Burnt out from the bike? Strava adds padel, dance and cricket as activity types
Strava has added five new activity types for users to more accurately log their active efforts and easily keep track of hours spent engaged in activity. Fear not, dear readers, you will never again have to worry about logging your wedding dancing as a bike ride or run… Strava has added dance, padel, cricket, basketball and volleyball to its activity types. We don’t want to know how you achieve a KOM on the dancefloor…
25 thoughts on “Inventor of hand-worn cycling indicator thinks new brighter lights will win cyclists round after dim start to crowdfunding campaign — plus some very bling bars and… a speedsuit for gravel?!”
What is the point of the mirror?
Are you supposed to check your hair when riding on the tops?
You can use it to check whether it’s raining.
Dance and padel is all very well, but when is Strava going to let me record my gardening?
Lol. I’ve been saying the same to my watch. It keeps prompting me I need to do more calories on certain days and I tell it – but I did some gardening in the afternoon which included digging but u don’t let me record that. And then I have another biscuit with my tea.
But it’s a ‘game changer’. Use of this phrase means automatic disqualification from any further consideration, even if I can check that my helmet is at a suitably jaunty angle.
it’s a ‘game changer’. Use of this phrase means automatic disqualification from any further consideration
Agreed! I automatically abandon any written, audio or video material, even scientific or medical, which includes any ‘game changing’ rubbish
That’s a great heuristic. Game changer.
What! It’s a game? Ugh, I’ve been cycling seriously 🙁
It’s so when a driver ignores the stupid indicator and hits you, you can hold the mirror over your mouth to see if you’re still alive.
That was a reply to Hirsute by the way, which I naïvely assumed would appear on the thread underneath his comment given that I clicked the reply button on his comment. The Admins really need to sort this, and various other problems, out before people stop bothering.
I pretty much have stopped bothering. I also find when I come to the site it loads the previous days page and I have to refresh to see today’s front page.
Hard to see who replies on any thread.
I only visit the site a couple of times a week as it is not usable.
It’s like they want to get rid of the comments/commenters beneath the articles.
Have to control those invasive squirrels somehow.
So that you can look the person who bought this ridiculous thing directly in the eyes and ask why?
So that when you are at the side of the road in a heap on the ground after being mowed down and the indicator is still flashing the police can ignore it?
I have just sent off for a helmet mounted mirror, partly because an average week’s riding includes town centre roads (food shopping) and the A603, a single carriageway road with 50mph traffic including eighteen ton lorries.
If anyone is seriously interested I will post a description of how useful it is.
The new site is an disaster. The pages are cached (set the cache timeout to zero!), When I logon it keeps forgetting I’m logged on and doesn’t return me to the page I was at when I logged on. I use Chrome and frequently content is rammed up against the right margin for some reason.
It has been ten years since I built websites but I remember getting this basic stuff correct. If you are using WordPress, don’t!
It’s become some kind of amateurish website now. Bring back the old one lads, only for the simple fact that it wasn’t janky-looking and dysfunctional.
If you really want to see a bad cycling website have a look at the Singletrackworld one……………..
But is it functional? This one has become quite a bit less (at least in mobile, which is what I’m using ATM).
It’s not just comment stuff for us hang-outs – it’s now clunky even if you’re just on here for the articles (“good lord – you mean it’s a media outlet *too*, and not just an outhouse wall?!”)
I’ve recently had a rotator cuff shoulder injury which has made signalling with my right arm difficult and painful (but cycling all day has been fine). This got me thinking I might need indicators (but bike mounted). Thankfully my shoulder is improving now, but I would have welcomed them if the only way to keep cycling safety. That, or move to Europe and have the left arm indicate my moves across traffic lanes.
I have indicators on the bikes I use for commuting, and a bar-end mirror because an old back and neck injury means sometimes I struggle to look over my shoulder.
Unit 1 and Lumos both make indicators that are pretty good (the Lumos is probably the better of the two).
I tried some others which were junk and returned to the seller.
I don’t see the point of an indicator on my hand/glove – the whole point is to keep my hands on the bars.
I have just sent off for a helmet mounted mirror, partly because an average week’s riding includes town centre roads (food shopping) and the A603, a single carriageway road with 50mph traffic including eighteen ton lorries. A few years ago my right shoulder side tendon (supraspinatus) was totally torn, too close to the shoulder for repair surgery. I (slowly) learned to use all the other muscles around the shoulder to compensate… I hope you too will be able to adapt.
If you are interested I will post a description of how useful the mirror is.
I have just sent off for a helmet mounted mirror, partly because an average week’s riding includes town centre roads (food shopping) and the A603, a single carriageway road with 50mph traffic including eighteen ton lorries. If anyone is seriously interested I will post a description of how useful it is.
I wrote the above in answer to to two people’s comments, but re-post it here in case it is not accessible for everyone else.