Last year I locked up my bike over on Pike street for an evening out with my friends. When I came back a few hours later, both my headlight and taillight had been stolen. What a crackhead was going to do with my budget headlight I don’t know, but the real problem was that I had to ride home in the middle of the night with no lights.
Brad Geswein and Slava Menn had a friend in a similar situation, except unlike me, he was actually hit by a car. They decided that they’d make a bike light that was not only impossible to steal, but pretty much indestructible as well. And here it is, on Kickstarter.
The Defender looks like the chambers of a revolver, and looks like it’s about as durable. It’s made from aluminum and it’s totally waterpoof. It runs on three AA batteries, which powersix bright LEDs, and they should run for 100 hours. The mount is a secure grip that can only be removed by a special screwdriver that comes with the lights, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to yield to anything less than a crowbar if someone wants to take it by force. It’s a bit… huge, but for some that’s a draw.
They’re already at over $7000 of their $18,000 goal, and they just started out today. So it’s looking good for Gotham Bicycle Defense’s secure light. And they have a taillight coming as well.
Speaking personally, I’m glad to see a challenger to the usual suspects in the bike-accessory space. I’ve been forced to buy too many second-rate products because of a lack of variety, and for items like locks and lights, quality is important. Say no to chintzy plastic that breaks after a year. I’m going to get me one of these when they come out.