Bike Pedal Light Warns Motorists (Jan, 1935)
Filed under: Origins, Sports — @ 12:03 pm
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1935
| Buy on Ebay
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1935
| Buy on Ebay
It’ll never catch on.
Bike Pedal Light Warns Motorists
COLORED reflectors designed for mounting on bicycle pedals were recently introduced in England as part of a “safety first for cyclists” movement.
The colored glass crystals, being continually in motion as the cyclist pedals along, glow brilliantly when in headlight beams of approaching cars.
It only took another forty years for the bicycle industry to start making these pedal reflectors standard equipment, and then only because the CPSC mandated it.
Comment by Eli — October 20, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
Awesome.
@Eli – It’s still not common on high-end road bikes. Mine didn’t even come with a bell (Mandatory on bikes in Ontario)…
Comment by Emad — October 20, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
Well, if you’re buying a high-end road bike, obviously you’ll have a very specific need for a weight/size/polycarbonate casing/etc. for a bell and will be happily spending $150 or more for one just to make sure you’ve shaved off every gram possible. Right?
Comment by fluffy — October 20, 2009 @ 5:15 pm
That particular design looks like a twisted-ankle hazard; I wonder how much longer it took to develop the flush-fitting kind?
Comment by nlpnt — October 20, 2009 @ 7:14 pm
Emad: Technically, they don’t have to supply reflectors and bells in bike shops – you *could* be buying a specialized off-road or track bike, after all. Or a recumbent, where nobody can see your pedals. But the rear rack had reflective tape.
And the last bike I bought didn’t come with pedals (I brought my own when it was ready to be picked up.)
Fluffy: They did supply a bell – a nice light weight one in fact.
Comment by Toronto — October 20, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
Way to rain on my snark parade.
Comment by fluffy — October 20, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
And for visibility from the sides….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1QTTJH3oIs
Comment by jayessell — October 24, 2009 @ 10:49 am
It always seemed to me that if people really wanted to ride for health, they’d want heavier bicycles, not lighter.
“Gee, Bill. How did you get in such great shape?”
“I ride around the block every day on my bicycle which is equipped with Lance Armstrong Tour de Weights.”
Comment by George — October 26, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
George, it’s just the opposite. I have a heavy hybrid bike for going to work, and lightweight road bike for excercising. It’s just much more pleasant to be able to go faster and much further away with light bike. With heavy bike, even that using the same time, it would be more like rowing in a galley; not fun at all. I’d rather try to enjoy, when I’m excersising.
Comment by Jari — October 28, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
@8: George, it’s a lot more efficient to just let half the air out of the tires and wear a poncho while you’re riding. That works all the time, not just when accelerating or riding up hills.
Comment by Randy — October 29, 2009 @ 12:34 am