Self-Powered XBat LED Light
Find yourself often out of battery just when you need your rear flashing light the most? KHS Bicycles is distributing a nifty little motion-powered rear flashing LED light called the Xbat-M. It’s a mini dynamo light, but doesn’t require a proprietary hub or a physical connection to your wheel.
Leave it to Tomo Ichikawa, the brains behind the Clever Standard tire levers and chain breaker, to attempt to popularize such a novel light.
The Xbat M only requires a metal rim to generate its electricity, and yet doesn’t make any contact with your rim, spokes or hub. Its sensor just needs to be placed in close proximity to the rim.
The light relies on powerful magnets and “eddy currents” to power up. No, your rim doesn’t have to be steel. Aluminum and scandium work just fine.
The man behind the Clever Standard tire levers and chain breaker tools is now partnering with KHS Bicycles to distribute the new XBat-M rear flashing light the is powered by any metal rim, without touching the rim. 2018 Interbike new products. © Cyclocross Magazine
The downside? In its current form, when you stop rolling, the light stops flashing—probably not the safest when you’re waiting in the dark for a traffic light to turn green. However, Ichikawa knows this is a flaw, and says they’re soon releasing a version with a capacitor that stores up a bit of a charge for your ride’s idle moments.
The technology isn’t revolutionary, even if it requires many revolutions to work. Magniclight has been offering similar lights since its Kickstarter campaign.
Any shop should be able to get the Xbat-M light through KHS, and it’s expected to retail for $30. Wait for the capacitor version. We’ll hopefully be testing one soon.
More info: Sr Eco
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