Bike Vest Reads Your Speed in Giant Glowing Digits
#1
Tandem Vincitur
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 3,317
Bikes: BMC Pro Machine SLC01, Specialized Globe, Burley Rock 'N Roll tandem, Calfee Dragonfly tandem.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Bike Vest Reads Your Speed in Giant Glowing Digits
What is really needed is a vest that displays watts. About Speed Vest, from Wired.com:
Bike Vest Reads Your Speed in Giant Glowing Digits
The claimed purpose of the Speed Vest is safety: It gives a glowing, live readout of your speed to increase "motorists' awareness of both cyclists and speed limits."
What it's really for, though, is showing off. The six inch high digits are made from electroluminescent wire which will glow for six hours on a single AA battery. The brain of the operation is the Arduino, a programmable circuit which in this case takes the speed readings from an on-wheel sensor and uses the information to control the lights.
Here's a video of a test run done last week in Minneapolis.
We're all for bike safety, especially on the hostile roads of North America, where car drivers view bikers as targets in some kind of deadly duck-hunt. We think we could go one better, though, to stop the evil car drivers from speeding down our roads: Put one of these displays on every car, front and back. The social stigma attached to speeding will be huge, on a level with drink driving and that most filthy and disgusting of habits, smoking.
Bike Vest Reads Your Speed in Giant Glowing Digits
The claimed purpose of the Speed Vest is safety: It gives a glowing, live readout of your speed to increase "motorists' awareness of both cyclists and speed limits."
What it's really for, though, is showing off. The six inch high digits are made from electroluminescent wire which will glow for six hours on a single AA battery. The brain of the operation is the Arduino, a programmable circuit which in this case takes the speed readings from an on-wheel sensor and uses the information to control the lights.
Here's a video of a test run done last week in Minneapolis.
We're all for bike safety, especially on the hostile roads of North America, where car drivers view bikers as targets in some kind of deadly duck-hunt. We think we could go one better, though, to stop the evil car drivers from speeding down our roads: Put one of these displays on every car, front and back. The social stigma attached to speeding will be huge, on a level with drink driving and that most filthy and disgusting of habits, smoking.
#4
Uber Goober
I think most motorists would just wonder why there was a glowing number there, and wouldn't think to associate it with speed.
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 197
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#6
Descends Like Avalanche
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere between Funkytown and Margaritaville, PA
Posts: 5,769
Bikes: Lynskey R240, Sportive, and a Helix Sport disc model in the works; Eddy Merckx MX Leader; Specialized Rock Hopper Comp (1988!)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
As someone on the verge of escaping the Clydesdale Division, this inspires three thoughts:
- Can I turn it off on the climbs? That's just too depressing to think about.
- What is the maximum speed it will display? I'd hate to "crash" my vest on a descent and make it burst in to flames!
- Too bad Armstrong wasn't wearing one of those when he passed Ullrich in a time trial at the Tour de France a few years ago. Not only would it have demoralized Ullrich even more, but it would have caused great angst for Road Nazis such as pcad.
__________________
The rider in my avatar is David Etxebarria, not me.
Last edited by HigherGround; 09-14-08 at 09:09 PM. Reason: Adding third comment
#7
Uber Goober
Anyway, seems pretty useless to me. "My cadence" or "My Inseam" or "My Wheel Size" would be about equally useful numbers to post on your back.
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
#10
cab horn
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 28,353
Bikes: 1987 Bianchi Campione
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 26 Times
in
19 Posts
Yeah drivers will steer towards things they are looking at. Guess what that vest turns you into. Yes, a ****ing unintentional target. And who rides upright enough for that to be even easily visible from afar anyways?
#11
Peloton Shelter Dog
The Fred Bar has been raised yet again.
Who would have thought it even possible? Only on BF.
Who would have thought it even possible? Only on BF.
#12
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Fail.
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
#17
Found my way
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: On the shore
Posts: 1,013
Bikes: Salsa Campeon, Specialized Crux, Bottechia Mixte
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#18
How much does it weigh?
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Weight Weenie on a budget.
Posts: 3,427
Bikes: Lotus Fixed, Bianchi Virata 2004
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I could easily see a driver using that as a good reason to speed by you, in fact. Perhaps at a closer-than-comfortable distance in order to show off how fast they're going by using a car. There are *******s out there that try to over compensate by revving their engines or passing by at unnecessarily high speeds - this, I think, only encourages that behaviour.
#21
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
One should never pass up this good an opportunity to post some Fail pics.
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
Last edited by DrPete; 09-21-08 at 06:28 PM.
#22
Mmmmm Donuts!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Crownsville, MD
Posts: 2,069
Bikes: 1998 IF Crown Jewel
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I not sure whats worse. The vest or the prose describing it.
'Social stigma' attached to speeding? WTF was the writer smoking?
'Social stigma' attached to speeding? WTF was the writer smoking?
__________________
John
'09 Cannondale CAAD9 - Team Latitude/ABRT Special.
'04 Lemond Victorie Ti
'98 IF Crown Jewel (dead)
'92 Trek2100 (TT)
'50 something Gino Bartali (fixer)
'02 Ducati ST4s (Moto-Ref mount)
My Blog
John
'09 Cannondale CAAD9 - Team Latitude/ABRT Special.
'04 Lemond Victorie Ti
'98 IF Crown Jewel (dead)
'92 Trek2100 (TT)
'50 something Gino Bartali (fixer)
'02 Ducati ST4s (Moto-Ref mount)
My Blog
#23
Descends Like Avalanche
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere between Funkytown and Margaritaville, PA
Posts: 5,769
Bikes: Lynskey R240, Sportive, and a Helix Sport disc model in the works; Eddy Merckx MX Leader; Specialized Rock Hopper Comp (1988!)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Last night I saw someone at a mall wearing a bright orange vest with the words, "Can you see me now, *******?" printed on the back. That would do wonders for cyclist - motorist relations.
__________________
The rider in my avatar is David Etxebarria, not me.
#24
Has Been
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 124
Bikes: 95' Trek 1000, 08' Motobecane "le champion"
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
As someone pointed out earlier...unless you were in a 10' tall "git 'r' dun" truck (many of the 'necks drive them here in FL), nobody would ever even see the damn thing...especially if you're riding in the drops.