Bicycles are a fantastic way to get around when the weather is good and the biking infrastructure is safe, With cities around the world improving their streets, biking is also becoming more popular. Bicycles are definitely an old transportation method, with nearly 200 years since their verifiable invention. Even with such a long history, there is still one component issue that hasn’t really been solved: turn signals. In most places, the law expects to complete difficult turning maneuvers using only one arm to steer their bike, while the other waves foolishly in the wind indicating the direction they intend to travel. This is even more ridiculous for night riding, as an outstretched arm is not really visible.
Luckily, a company called CYCL has come up with a solution: WingLights. These tap-on tap-off indicator lights are the perfect way to maintain control during your turns while being confident that your intentions are clearly understood.
The lights are super easy to install, with absolutely no tools requirements. They come with bar-end inserts to slip into the ends of handlebars. They have a rubber grip that expands when the end is twisted, holding them firmly in the handlebar.
The bar ends are meant to be left in the ends of the handlebars, with the lights themselves easily snapping on and off with a satisfying magnetic click. This is perfect for locking your bike up in a city, where anything worth more than $5 will get stripped within minutes. The indicator lights are directional, so they also have small pegs on the lights and slots on the bar ends to help you line them up perfectly for the best visibility.
If you’ve ever put bike lights in your pocket, you know they have a tendency to turn on when they bump into everything else in there. CYCL has thought of that as well, and ship the lights with a handy carrying ring that can be clipped anywhere.
The lights themselves work great when riding. If you’re used to signaling with your arms, expect a week or so before the buttons become second nature. They are extremely bright and are visible even in daylight. They are both powered by two CR2032 batteries. Non-rechargeable batteries are a downer, but since these lights are only on for a few moments at a time, they should last a long time before they need changing. Plus the lights time out if you accidentally leave them on, so you won’t end up draining your battery if you accidentally leave them on.
It’s hard to find anything wrong with these lights, they are an extremely well thought out product solving a real need for cyclist safety. They are well constructed have thought of everything, even offering extra bar ends on their own in the near future for people with multiple bicycles. WingLights are available in Carbon Black, Electric Red (red and silver) and in red and black (Nite Rider). CYCL currently sells the WingLights for $49.99. If a bicycle is a part of your daily commute, WingLights are a must-have.
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