Thursday 12 January 2012

How to make a glowing bike

After this post about the glowing bikes of the Blackberry commercial, I made some research about how to make a bike glow. Remember it's not just a matter of hype and aesthetics, as being visible during a night ride can actually save your life.
These are the best resources I've found online about how to make a bike glow:
Here there is a very informative webpage about using phosphorescent paint for the frame. Looking at the pictures, it works wonders. Obviously as every phosphorescent object it will not last for too long, as it needs to be put under a light source to recharge. But it seems to work for some hours, which is enough for a standard night ride.
Then there is another way to make your bike more visible during night-time. Have you ever noticed that retroreflecting parts on the sides of your running shoes? There is a kit to make a bike bright in a similar way, it is made of vinyl bands that can be applied all over the frame. It is called Bright Thread. For further informations or for buying a kit, this is the link.
Happy glowing!

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