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A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
I have had countless bike lights stolen over the years. Part of this is due to forgetfulness, but also to the difficulty of quickly removing the light from the bike when I’m finished with my ride.
Knog lights have fixed this problem through the use of silicone cases. The stretchy silicone easily wraps around any bar on the bike, providing a secure, but flexible, attachment on even the bumpiest of roads. In the past, Knog has been criticized for producing lights that were were more ornamental than functional given their under-powered LEDs. However, the Knog Boomer changes that.
Unlike previous Knog lights I’ve seen, the Boomer tail light is super bright. The three LEDs produce 15-lumens on their highest setting, which, while not significant compared to many high-end flashlights, is plenty for its intended use as a rear tail light.
The unit’s battery life is respectable (12-hours flashing on full brightness) and is made even more palatable through the design’s inclusion of a USB-port that allows for easy charging on any powered USB hub. It might seem strange to rely on a USB-port for charging, but the ubiquity of the interface has made it almost more commonplace than outlets (and even without an outlet you can substitute any iOS charger). Not only does my laptop have two, but my desktop monitor has six, while my external keyboard has another.
While many may complain about the lack of versatility that is associated with using AAs or AAAs, the convenience of a built in charging unit has, for me, far outweighed the benefits of quickly being able to switch out batteries. For those less inclined to charge via USB, Knog makes a non-USB version.
When riding after dark you really want some good marker lights for your bike to *help* drivers see you. I find though that most of these lights are either too big, or they use short lasting and hard-to-find watch type batteries. Recently though there are more and more companies making USB rechargeable lights. Knog in particular makes a great series of surprisingly bright LED lights for your bike in soft silicone that recharge in any USB plug. This also means that you dont have yet another wall wort to lose, and you can always do a last minute charge at work or even in the car. These lights are also low profile and light enough to just leave on your bike so they are always there when you need them. — Alexander Rose
I wear a reflective yield symbol pinned to my bike pack. It’s arrestingly bright, alarmingly visible. I’ve been stopped by motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike inquiring about or thanking me for wearing it. It can be seen from 3000 feet. — Michele McGinnis
For the past 6 months I have been using the cat eye orbit wheel light. It clips onto my bicycle wheel spokes. By squeezing the housing the light turns on. It makes a soft, but bright, illuminated glow which spins with my bike wheel while riding down the road. I have seen car drivers noticing the lights.
here are two remarkable things about the orbit. First, in 6 months of parking my bike on the street I have not had to change the battery once. Second, ask any cyclist in San Francisco how long they expect their bike to last before it’s stolen by some thieving hipster. The answer is “not long.” I don’t have to worry about the orbits being stolen because they look like old fashioned reflectors.
I love ’em.
There is a similar product from Nite Ize called the Spoke Lit, but I haven’t tried it. — Andy Bot
As a year-round bike commuter, I rely on the previously-untried Glo Gloves, which work as advertised — great! — for adding reflective spots. They are a one-size-fits-all, fingerless stretchy nylon glove with reflective patches sewn on. During a winter of bike commuting, with my schedule, that means two hours of riding in the dark each day. When I stick out my arm to signal a turn, the gloves give a strong visual cue to drivers about my intent. I can even twist my hand from vertical to horizontal to make the reflective patches blink in a turn signal pattern. They’re intended to be worn over your regular gloves. I’ve worn them over leather work gloves, fingerless cycling gloves, full finger cycling gloves, Smartwool lightweight wool “liners”, and just my bare hands. They’re very thin and don’t interfere with touch sensation. I have both the original and sport gloves. All models are designed to stretch and fit over your gloves of choice. I consider them as essential as lights and reflective ankle bands for riding at night. — Michael Rasmussen
As a bike commuter, I use these gloves to signal to indicate my intentions at intersections, even to wave traffic through. I have the sports version, which I stretch over regular bike gloves. I’ve found they can even stretch over ski gloves up to about size M or L, depending on the ski glove. After three years of use on hundreds of rides, the stitching on one of the reflective patches has come a little loose, but otherwise they’ve worn well. The main difference between the regular and sports versions is a patch of abrasion resistant fabric on the palm. — Jun Nogami
These Ortlieb bike panniers are not the cheapest, but they are the best. They are 100% waterproof. Sensitive electronic gear inside will stay perfectly dry after riding all day in storms. You roll up the top opening to close (no zipper to break). Extremely rugged, super easy to lift on and off the rack, and will fit inside a tent. They hold a lot in a single bag (no internal pockets), more than I like to carry. I know folks who use them for hauling groceries in the city. I live out of them on the road. They come for either rear or front wheel placement, with very visible reflectors on the ends. — KK
