I’m not one for Kickstarter campaigns particularly, having seen too many poorly reimagined versions of things that work perfectly well as they are – Bluetooth bike locks needing phones to unlock them spring to mind for example. I saw this recently though and reckon it could offer a decent option for people who regularly ride in traffic. At night, obviously.

The idea was prompted by something I think we are all aware of, the near invisibility of bikes when seen side on, particularly at T junctions. Despite paint searing levels of lumens when seen from the front (and increasingly from the rear with super bright rear lamps), most bikes from the side are less visible than a Klingon starship with its’ cloaking device activated.

This is a problem not just at the T junctions mentioned already, but as bikes move through traffic – if you’re alongside a vehicle you are not easy to see.

So the solution employed by Ding Lights is to supplement the requisite forward facing lamps with a secondary beam which throws light down and outwards, perpendicular to the bike. The effect is to provide a pool of light that illuminates the rider and bike from the side as well as from the front., without blinding other road users.

Ding Lights currently have a Kickstarter campaign running (until 18 June 2015) to fund this with some good offers on the anticipated retail cost – the offer is about £60 for a 400 lumen lamp and a choice of colours.

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About the author

Matt is one of the founding Molefathers of the Muddymoles, and is the designer and main administrator of the website.

Having ridden a 2007 Orange Five for many years then a 2016 YT Industries Jeffsy 29er, he now rocks a Bird Aether 9 and a Pace RC-627.

An early On-One Inbred still lurks in the back of the stable as a reminder of how things have moved on. You can even find him on road bikes - currently a 2019 Cannondale Topstone 105 SE, a much-used 2011 Specialized Secteur and very niche belt drive Trek District 1.

If you've ever wondered how we got into mountain biking and how the MuddyMoles started, well wonder no more.