For those of us that commute by bike, it is inevitable that we will be caught out in the dark at some point. As you are carrying a backpack anyway, why not make it one that adds an extra level of safety? Lumos Design Technology claims that their new Aster bike commute pack addresses 75% of the causes of bike accidents–something to be thankful for day or night.
The Aster bike commute pack sports a bright red light on the back to alert cars that you are on the road. The 16-LED rear light is visible from a distance of 250 meters and grabs more attention because it’s in the driver’s line of sight rather than under your seat.
The pack features a profile light on either side of the bag to highlight your width on the road. This also helps cars judge your relative speed and distance–research shows that it’s easier to judge the relative speed of cars than motorcycles, because they have two lights moving in the same direction when compared to a single light.
A built-in accelerometer in the Sidekick handlebar unit senses when you slow down and flares the solid red 30-LED brake lights. The brake lights are 2 times larger and brighter than the regular rear light in order to grab the attention of cars behind you when you brake. Aster also comes with built-in indicators to let the cars behind you know when you are turning or plan to change lanes.
So you can be seen from the front and not just from behind the company added low-power, high-visibility lights into the straps of the bike commute pack.
Aster and the Sidekick can connect to your phone via Bluetooth where you can use an app to control the light settings and check battery life (the Aster battery should last for 10-15 hours of use). The app, together with the Sidekick, also enable you to lock your bike in its place with one tap. If your bike is moved for more than 5 seconds once locked, an alarm is triggered to attract attention. This functionality is offered through the accelerometer built into the handlebar unit.
The Aster bike commute pack comes in an 18 liter and 24 liter size. The pack features a minimalist helmet holder, a whistle buckle, tuck-away U-lock holder loops, zippered bottle pockets, rain-cover. and an ‘In Case of Emergency’ information slot–in the event of a crash, important information such as blood type, allergens and emergency contact numbers can be accessed easily.
The company is running a pre-order campaign on Indiegogo (buyer beware). For a minimum pledge of $69, you can get an Aster bike commute pack and Sidekick–expected delivery is in December. If you regularly bike commute to work, this pack looks pretty darn awesome.