E-Bike Indicators

[dkohara]

I have bought a set of the Bicygnals lights (the big space ship shaped ones) from Halfords website, at a cost of £50+, but can't get them set up. The manufacturer's instructions are very poor and scant. I'm thus not sure if I doing something wrong, or if the item is faulty.

Does anyone have any experience with them and have you successfully set these up?

 

[Tim]

A little flash of genius

I have bought a set of the Bicygnals lights (the big space ship shaped ones) from Halfords website, at a cost of £50+, but can't get them set up. The manufacturer's instructions are very poor and scant. I'm thus not sure if I doing something wrong, or if the item is faulty.

Does anyone have any experience with them and have you successfully set these up?

Sad to say we thought of carrying these but the sample they sent is still in its packaging. Simply too big and cumbersome to imagine fitting to one of our bikes. We've not got as far as trying to set them up.

We do like the Spooklight wireless cycle light though, which is a wireless rear indicator, very small and light, though quite bright, which is also a brakelight and a power source for charging up phones, mp3 players, etc. Rechargeable via USB rather than AAA batteries.

 

[dkohara]

I've contacted goeco on the email address further up the thread who say they think that it is Halfords responsibility to explain how to set these up properly, but i'm not sure it is. I'll contact the manufacturer and see what they say and report back.

 

[CeeGee]

I have bought a set of the Bicygnals lights (the big space ship shaped ones) from Halfords website, at a cost of £50+, but can't get them set up. The manufacturer's instructions are very poor and scant. I'm thus not sure if I doing something wrong, or if the item is faulty.

Does anyone have any experience with them and have you successfully set these up?

All I did was put the batteries in the main front unit, then in the rear unit, with the two units facing back to back. They flashed a few times (you don't have to turn them on), then stopped. I then turned the front unit on first, followed by the rear unit and that was that.

They are not perfect but they do a good job, although I do prefer the design of the "spooklight" - but not the price

A question to Tim about the Spooklight.
What is the maximum distance they will work between front unit and rear? I like the indicators to be right a the back of the bike, fitted onto the end of my top box, remembering that a lot of e-bikes (like my Wisper) are a fair bit longer than normal cycles.

Colin

 

[dkohara]

After emailing the manufacturers yesterday, I received a phone call this morning from them. We talked about the problems I was having and the Bicygnals guy said he would mail me out a new set of lights (tested beforehand) and I should return the faulty ones when I was happy the replacements worked for me.

Excellent service - they rang back when they said they would, replied to my emails and have done everything they can to resolve the situation and keep me happy. Nice people too.

 

[Tim]

A question to Tim about the Spooklight.
What is the maximum distance they will work between front unit and rear? I like the indicators to be right a the back of the bike, fitted onto the end of my top box, remembering that a lot of e-bikes (like my Wisper) are a fair bit longer than normal cycles.

Colin

Range is about 15 metres. Someone contacted us about range with a novel use in mind. He and his wife are motorcyclists and he was thinking of fitting the control unit to his wife's bike and the light unit to this own so that they could communicate - e.g. if she wanted to pull over and have a rest, or to indicate the route. Wouldn't work given the relatively short range, but I like the idea.

 

[Alex728]

Being 2.4GHz I would guess it's bluetooth based, so off the shelf stuff I would imagine. If so, you could control it with your phone or laptop 8)

unfortunately not so simple.

Lots of devices, with various incompatible protocols use the 2.4GHz band because by international agreement the modules do not require the same level of licensing other wireless comms equipment does.

Even bluetooth stuff can be an absolute nightmare to get set up and working reliably...

I trust the manfacturers of these devices took precautions to prevent false signalling from stray RF fields

 

[CeeGee]

Thanks Tim,
I don't think my bike is quite 15 metres long.
I may switch the Bicygnals onto my Shopper and get the Spooklight for the Wisper sometime in the near future.

Thanks again
Colin

 

[Mussels]

Range is about 15 metres. Someone contacted us about range with a novel use in mind. He and his wife are motorcyclists and he was thinking of fitting the control unit to his wife's bike and the light unit to this own so that they could communicate - e.g. if she wanted to pull over and have a rest, or to indicate the route. Wouldn't work given the relatively short range, but I like the idea.

I take it that means he takes off ahead of her all the time and she get's annoyed at being left behind.