See.Sense Intelligent Bike Light

 
So what is this advanced, intelligent sensor technology doing that works this magic? Both the front and rear See.Sense light’s sensors continually monitor motion, orientation and light. This enables the See.Sense to react to three variables: the environment, such as the road surface and light levels; your bike, such as its orientation, movement and speed; and it also responds to light such as car headlights or, if used during the day, it will respond to a sudden change in light, such as entering an underpass or tunnel. Apparently, and importantly, it ‘keeps a careful eye on the light…’.
 
For a bike light that has obvious road safety applications, See.Sense has been designed to be very visible in daylight. Unlike most bike lights which are OK at best in the day, See.Sense use very bright LEDs made by lighting experts, CREE, apparently making it brighter than the rear lights of a car. This means that you can be seen clearly, even in daylight, and I can vouch for that brightness having only used it in the day so far, which makes it an exciting proposition for commuters but also for hard training cyclists putting in the miles in all weathers.
 

 
The See.Sense is rechargeable, its lithium ion battery recharging via a simple USB socket. Efficient power usage means there’s a decent, up to 12 hour run-time though we are warned that this may vary, as the amount the light flashes is dependent upon how risky your ride gets! The See.Sense has a ‘Fuel Gauge’, showing remaining run-time, which illuminates when you first ‘switch’ on the light.
 
Side visibilty was an important consideration for the manufacturers, and Fresnel lens elements (the series of concentric grooves etched into the lens) are used to increase the viewing angle, making the See.Sense visible from every angle whilst progressive optics spread the light more than 180 degrees illuminating you and the road around you. The lens itself is made from Lexan, a polycarbonate used to make the helmet visors of the Apollo moon missions no less, so it should be tough. It has been designed to make sure that drivers high up in HGV cabs or motorists viewing you from a side angle can see you. This extra wide viewing angle means that See.Sense lights can be made to be really bright without any risk of dazzling drivers, a common complaint with many powerful bike lights.
 
If the standard settings do not suit you, then it’s possible to personalise your See.Sense light, adjusting power levels, whether it has a flashing or a steady beam, how it reacts to certain variables, and so on. Clever stuff.
 

 
Well all of the above means that I am left immediately impressed, but also means that there’s a lot for me to test here, so check back for the full review soon…
 
[rps-include blog=127.0.0.1 post=30185]
 

 
See.Sense