Brand new company Torch was started by industrial designer turned entrepreneur, Nathan Wills. After regularly commuting 14 miles across LA by bike and not finding the right lighting solution to feel safe in traffic, Nathan was inspired to create a new brand around products designed to make bike riders more visible to motorists.
Torch's first product, the T1, is a bike helmet with integrated lights. It features ten high-fluxLED lights that are integrated into the body of the helmet and project onto front (white) and rear (red) lenses that help to diffuse the light across a large surface area. This large lit surface area makes you visible from every angle.
With lights integrated into your bike helmet, you never have to worry about forgetting your bike lights at home or having them stolen. The large lenses protect the LEDs from water, dust, and debris. The bike helmet itself is made from a high impact EPS body with a thin polycarbonate shell, rendering it very lightweight.
The LEDs can be switched to either steady or flashing mode, and will run for about 3-5 hours. The USB rechargeable batteries take around 1.5 to fully charge. The front LEDs currently emit 50 lumens which although great for visibility, is not quite enough to act as a headlight for dark roads.
Nathan's plan is to eventually grow Torch into a full line of lit apparel, including a variety of helmets, bags, and other gear that focuses on added safety for the bike rider with a flair of urban styling.
The Torch T1 ($120) comes in three colors (red, black, or white) and in two different sizes (S/M and L/XL) with dial adjuster for the perfect fit. Torch also sells a special Midnight Edition ($130) bike helmet that comes in black with smoked lenses. You can pre-order your bike helmet from the company website today for shipping in November.