Engineerstudent

Hello, I am an currently designing electronic bicycle indicators for a project. The indicators will have an integrated 555 timer chaser circuit, this will cause the indicators to function visually similarly to that of the new Audi indicators.

I was hoping that you could answer a few questions I have so that I can see the feasibility of the project.

Question 1. Do you find it difficult to brake and/or turn while indicating with your arm raised? If so, does bad weather such as rain affect this more?

Question 2. Would you agree that an indicator on each end of the handlebar would be the most ideal place to put them? If not what other part of the bicycle would you recommend the indicators being placed?

Question 3. Would you want a setting to increase and decrease the brightness of the L.E.D display/indicators?

Question 4. What would be the maximum price you would pay for the indicator?

Question 5. Does the highway code require cyclists to indicate with their arms?

Question 6. Would the weight of the product affect your choice to purchase it?

Question 7. Would the Aesthetics affect your choice to purchase the product?

andy_p

I have thought about a project like this in the past. Before I answer your questions, I'll give you the main issues I saw.

1. How will these indicators be turned on/off? As self-cancelling would be very difficult to achieve (most motorbikes don't self-cancel, and motorbikes have had lighting for a long time), there's a good chance they'd be left on.
2. They would have to be very bright, and anyway, in my experience motorists are not paying any attention to what cyclists are trying to indicate anyway. Even in bright daylight, with a reflective jacket on, I can stick my arm out to indicate and start moving over, and someone will still try to overtake. I wouldn't be confident that I could safely move after putting on my little bicycle indicator.
3. What kind of bars will they fit? (drop / non-drop). Either way, they will have to have some protruding elements for full visibility, which puts them right where they will get knocked, as well as potentially looking goofy.

Your questions:
1. It can be hard, depending on the junction. Yes, in the rain, I'm more focused on braking than indicating.
2. Maybe, if they can have rear and front-facing lighting.
3. Not really. I'd want them maximum brightness all the time
4. I wouldn't buy them at all
5. I don't know
6. No
7. Yes

wphamilton

1 yes
2 no (I have drop bars). Where - same places as motorcycles
3 no
4 $30
5-7 yes

jon c. 

This is an idea that's been around all my life. I think it's a solution in search of a problem. Hand signals work quite well enough and illuminated turn indicators would not, IMO, be sufficiently visible to make a difference,

steelbikeguy

Bike indicator lights... is this just the turn signals, or is a brake light also included?

I don't personally have trouble making manual turn signals, but there are times when I need to use both hands to brake at an intersection. At that time, perhaps a turn light would be helpful.

Can I ask whether this project is just a design & fabrication exercise, or is there an expectation that this might be a commercial success? If it is the latter, I'd recommend looking at the history of this sort of product. These are invented over and over, and I've yet to see any become widely adopted. Even in places where utility cycling is common, I don't think I've heard of anyone using indicator lights.

regardless, good luck with the project! Electronics can be a lot of fun!

Steve in Peoria

angerdan

Sounds interessting

1. yes, but it depends on the level of elevation (downhill) and degree of the curve.
2. not, for backward visibility definitely not. for side visibility yes. Maybe an (optional) combination of handlebar and rackmount.
3. maybe an lux-sensor to automatically adopt to the ambient brightness (direct sunlight = very bright, darkness -> medium to low)
4. ~ $50
5. depends on the country
6. no
7. yes

KraneXL

It has been around since I was a kid (I owned one) but never worked very well and never caught on. I'm both for and against it. I'm for it because it would be handy and increase safety. I'm against it because bike are suppose to be about simplicity and freedom.

Unfortunately every day bikes are losing their purity and becoming more and more electronic gadget overwhelmed.

noglider 

I think the narrowness of bikes makes turn signals pretty useless. I see one regular commuter on the river path who has a light bar of sorts on the front of his bike. It's 3 or 4 feet wide, with a row of headlights on it. I think it's very smart, but it might have been a fair bit of trouble and expense to make. For a rear-facing turn signal to work, I think you would need a light bar of tail lights, and the light on the end would flash. It might also be amber instead of red. The turn signal should be a contrast with the array of tail lights.

I think the next opportunity is in offering light bars. They should come before turn signals. It's possible that the lights don't need to be high intensity since the number of lights and width of the bars would compensate. Or maybe the middle light should be intense.

fietsbob

With Abundant power , I did see a motorcycle with a large tail light with many LED In it , and it had a turn signal function in it..

to misuse or ignore .... just like the ones in cars..