Riding your bike is a great way to get exercise and help the environment at the same time. Unfortunately, it can be perilous if cyclists and drivers do not practice safety and consideration. This is especially true at night. That's where Monocle comes in.
Monocle is a new app, currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, that turns any iPhone 5, 4 or 4s into a bike light in a flash. The product consists of two components — a holder that attaches to your belt, backpack or u-lock, and an app that controls the frequency of your flash and monitors its battery use. The holder features a red filter that slides over your phone, turning your existing flash function into a pulsing beacon of safety. It fits "naked" phones or those with a slim, hard case and has a reflective strip for extra visual precaution.
The app features a battery life estimation tool that allows you to enter the anticipated duration of your ride and receive a suggested flash frequency appropriate to the length of that ride. You can also see at a glance the impact its use will have on your battery life. The application will even alert you when your battery is running low.
Monocle allows you to ride safely at night, using a product you already own. And unlike traditional bike lights, it's designed to stay with you, eliminating the concern that it could be stolen when your bike is parked. The retail price has not been finalized, but it's anticipated that Monocle would sell for approximately $15.
What do you think of this product? Would you like to see it go into production?
More Info: Monocle | Kickstarter
(Images: Monocle)
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It's cheaper than $15 to just buy a light.
If you are riding at night, you need an inexpensive flashing light as well as a more powerful front and rear light. Reflective gear is a good idea as well. If you are vain like me, check this out: http://www.adelineadeline.com/accessories/apparel/lightning-vest.html
Does the phone clip outside the back pocket? Can't it be easily swiped? You're out of a light and an expensive phone!
It looks like the same type of tumor that rudolph the red nose reindeer has on his nose.
doesn't seem terribly safe or helpful to me- as a rider, I'd rather have the correct lights- and not worry about my phone falling out on the street as I bike.
Surely that is not going to be bright enough to do any good?
... meh.
I own an Android phone. The one thing that I've always been jealous of the iPhones for is that there are many more cool products for them. I realize this is largely because of volume of sales and the fact that all of the phones are the same size (or, at least, they were) and thus products could be one size and more mass-produced.
Unfortunately, this also leads to a lot of serious silly products by people looking to make a quick buck. I think I need to place this into the "silly" bucket.
Absurd. For lack of a $10-20 bike light, you are going to risk your pricey iPhone? And you're going to rely on that inadequate light to protect you? Buy an oscillating bike light and reflectors, reflective tape, cable lights. Buy a reflective vest or jacket. I have to drive at night in an area where cyclists think they rule the streets. I cringe when I see some dope on a bike with no light, in dark clothing. Is it a style thing that keeps people from getting the protective gear? You won't look very cool when you're lying on the road bleeding out because some innocent driver couldn't see you in the dark.
so much for riding in the rain...
If you can afford an iPhone, you can afford a $16 bike light.
http://www.target.com/p/bell-led-bicycle-lights-black-red/-/A-13290177?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=|13290177&CPNG=sports&ci_sku=13290177&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=
I could see it as a backup in case the battery on your bike light dies, but how long will the battery on the phone hang in there? My boyfriend often goes on 200k and 300k rides and has to turn off his phone to preserve the battery.
You'd still need a front light, so you'd still have to deal with either batteries or a dynamo.
A good bike light runs in the hundreds, not tens of dollars. The bigger issue here, which no one yet seems to have noticed, is the safety issue, i.e, the number of lumens you can get out of your phone vs the lumens from a proper bike. You need a minimum of 200-400 lumens for safety, up to 800 for riding in areas without streetlights.
This just seems like a terrible idea in the making. Idiots will say, "oh, I have a light so I'm totally safe!" and use this, potentially causing accidents.
I'm pretty sure that an iPhone camera flash is not bright enough to supplant a decent conventional bike light. It also does does not cast the light out at a wide enough angle for the light to be seen from the side.
I'll give them credit for their creativity, but some ideas have serious safety issues when it comes to real world application.