# Reelight, the battery-free bike light



## PomPilot (May 17, 2006)

I’ve been reading about the Reelight, battery-free bike light for about a year. I first heard about these on the Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog, Copenhagenize.com site of Mikael Colville-Andersen. Mikael hinted that these Danish designed blinky lights were popular in Denmark, a country where it is taken for granted that you will ride your bicycle, instead of hopping in a car to do most of your everyday errands. So, to me, commuters would be a targeted market.

What makes these lights unique is that they do not require an external generator of some sort, or a battery. These lights are instead induction powered. A pair of magnets are attached to each wheel’s spokes to power the lights, which are mounted on the axel of the front and rear wheels. In effect, the light housing is the stator and the wheel is the rotor of a generator. This enables the lights to operate any time the bike is in motion.

Reelight, manufactures three separate models. The basic SL100 only operates (in a blinking mode) while the bike is in motion. The SL120 (which is reviewed here) are a blinking light, but incorporates a capacitor circuit to enable the lights to continue flashing for a couple of minutes after the bike stops (say for a traffic light). The model SL150 differs from the SL120 only in that it is a steady light source, instead of a blinking light. They make versions with compact or extended brackets, depending on whether or not you have disk breaks. Reelight also offers a version for use in markets that have right-hand side drive cars (Australia, Great Britain, etc), and require bikes to operate on the left-hand side of the road.

The Reelights consist of two LED emitters in a housing that is approximately 4cm by 2cm, which is attached to a ferric metal bracket that mounts on the axel, to the outside of the fork (or frame) wheel mounting dropouts. J&B Importers is currently the US distributors of Reelights, so your favorite local bike shop should be able to order a set for you. I’ve also seen them available on eBay, and several internet sales sites.

So much for the marketing portion of the review, now for the real world use of these remarkable lights. I’ve been using them now for a couple of weeks, and have come to the conclusion that I purchased the right light for the job. And that job was to have a light that is visible at least 500 feet away (as required by Oregon Revised Statute) at night. These blinking lights do not provide enough light in my opinion to be one’s sole light source if you need to illuminate the roadway ahead to avoid potholes or other road hazards. However, since they do not require batteries, the Reelights will work, even if the batteries of your headlight are drained. And since they are held in place by the axel retention device of your wheel, they are always with you. So the choice is yours.

Photos: 
Front view during late daylight
Front view at night, with an Electra LED bullet-style headlight on
Front view, with flash
Rear view during late daylight
Rear view at night with a combination reflector/LED blinky.
Rear view, with flash


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## Stickarm (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks for posting this review! I've ordered a set of Reelights myself and am excited to give them a try next week.


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## loogerberuger (Jan 6, 2009)

*Reelights on the Brompton*

Loads of the guys here at work have Reelights and got them cheap at www.ledbikelights.co.uk. Unfortunately I ride a brompton for commuting and they don't fit this bike, though I've heard the hub ones might. Anyone got them fitted to the Brompton?

A few days later... turns out they do fit the Brompton - I now have them fitted and they work great!


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## bikelight (Jan 14, 2009)

*On normal 26 inch wheels bike, reelight is not legal*

UK bicycle law says, back light must higher than 35cm from the ground.

Reelight products installed on 26 inch wheel bike is lower than 35cm, it is illegal.

If any thing happened on road, otherside lawyer will pick up this point against Reelight users.


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## loogerberuger (Jan 6, 2009)

Ah, great point - so legally no good on my Brompton (on their own). I'm keeping my other lights on as well so have 2 front and back. Shame Reelight don't offer lights that work at a distance from the inductor.

Just measured the 4 road bikes in the office here and they all have 28 inch wheels and the light of the Reelight system sits 35cm (bottom) to 39cm (top) from the floor. So from what you say these are OK.


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## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

bikelight said:


> UK bicycle law says, back light must higher than 35cm from the ground.
> 
> Reelight products installed on 26 inch wheel bike is lower than 35cm, it is illegal.
> 
> If any thing happened on road, otherside lawyer will pick up this point against Reelight users.


Lot of people in the UK get arrested for having low bike lights?  Puhleeeeeezeeee


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## kudude (Mar 17, 2008)

Hopefully the Reelights would help prevent the other side from ever needing a lawyer.


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## bikelight (Jan 14, 2009)

The problem is not police arrest you or not. 

The problem is, after any thing happened on road, other side (insurance company's lawyer) pick up this point against you, how do Reelight users answer?


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