A far cry from reflectors in your spokes, engineers at Pedalite have put lights in pedals. The reason is simple. Accident data shows nearly 75% of accidents occur from the side near an intersection.
You would think having a generator in your pedals would be a weight concern, but it is not. I didn't notice any issue. You can't clip in so you wouldn't be using these on a race bike. There are optional toe cages. The metal stubs on the pedals keep your feet secure while riding. The bump on the bottom side of the pedal lets you know your foot isn't on the correct side.
The white, amber, and red led lights flash to the front, side, and rear with your first pedal stroke and continue flashing while coasting or at a stop light. The constant flashing keeps you safe. In the daylight, the led's were bright enough to catch your attention a few blocks away. While riding with a co-tester, we learned you have to be some distance away to see the lights. Being too close and at a high angle doesn't allow you to see the full effect. In the dark, the Pedalites really shined! (I just had to say that). Although tiny, the LED's are big on brightness and visibility. I'm impressed with how bright they are. To me, the most significant aspect about them is the flashing sequence and multiple colors. It is an attention getter. The white front, amber side, and red rear also indicate the position of the cyclist. It was evident they were effective as vehicles would slow down well before coming upon me.
Pedalite Baglite.
The next weapon of illumination is the Baglite. This attaches to the straps of your backpack and consists of a red light on your back and two white lights on the front. The flutes on the lenses create a greater angle of visibility. If you ride in the drops, the view of the front lights is diminished. You can still indirectly see the flashing. More than likely, you will be on the tops or upright if riding a commuter bike. I also adjusted the straps so they were closer to my shoulders rather than on my chest. Once again, the flashing sequence was an attention getter. Conveniently one switch on the front turns on all three lights.
Pedalite Anklelite.
The third safety zone from Pedalite is the Anklelite (Armlite). The amber beam projects in all directions. Cover the front of the lens and you will see light coming out of the sides, top and bottom. The V-shaped grooves in the lens ensures the light to the side is as bright as the light through the front. My preference was to wear this around my bicep. I felt as though the Pedalite pedals did an excellent job down low and preferred the arm position as it was higher. The versatility of the band was endless. It can be placed around your ankle, boots, arm, and wrist. I even put it around my dog's neck as a collar and he didn't mind a bit! It can face forward, sideways, or to the rear.
My test unit was a non-elastic band. Sizing wasn't a problem but the stiffness of the band was. You thread the band through a buckle and fold it back over itself. Unless the fold was exactly over the portion where there wasn't any Velcro, I found myself pushing the flap of hook Velcro down on the pile to stay in place.
Large portions of the straps have highly reflective material on them. I'm talking much more than thin piping you might find in some clothing. In direct light, they shined brilliant white. This thoughtfulness shows how much Pedalite has addressed the needs for safety and being seen. The lights flash in an attention getting sequence I've never seen before. The multiple colors and directional indication creates further visibility.
There's one last thing about Pedalite products, NO BATTERIES! Everytime I got back from a ride, I habitually wanted to plug them into the charger or check the battery life. There is absolutely no need to do anything with Pedalite products other than to turn them off. As long as they are exposed to light from any source, the solar unit will recharge. No batteries and no charger are needed, ever! Be seen, be safe, and be green with Pedalite.
