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The days may be getting light a little bit earlier and dark a bit later, but as any good bike commuter knows, it’s still quite gloomy out there. We’ve all got loved ones and prefer to keep our limbs, so any piece of bike tech that helps keeps us safe on the roads is of potential interest to BikeRadar.
With that in mind, we caught up with Blaze, the UK firm behind an innovative safety device called Laserlight. The basic idea is that it projects an image of a bike in front of and behind you, to make car drivers aware of you. Our reviewer called it a "unique and innovative piece of safety kit".
Laserlight will be on display at the London Bike Show’s Innovation Zone next week (11-14 February), where a selection of the bike industry’s cleverest new products can be found.
We've got a 10% discount off advanced adult tickets – just enter the code 'BR1620' when registering at www.thelondonbikeshow.co.uk.
Related: Best bike lights for road cycling
BikeRadar: Can you describe your product in two or three sentences?
Blaze: "The Laserlight is a high quality bike light that also tackles the blind spot – it is a front, white light, that also has a green laser that projects the symbol of a bike down onto the road ahead of the cyclist."
What makes it innovative or unique?
"The Laserlight gives the cyclist a bigger footprint on the road and allows them to be seen when they are otherwise hidden. Even with every bike light and piece of high-vis in the world, if you are caught in a vehicle's blind spot, you are otherwise invisible."
What was the hardest thing about developing it?
"Figuring out manufacturing was a steep learning curve – it involved five trips to China in the first 12 months of production, but seeing the first finished product made the whole process totally worthwhile."
Where is it developed and made?
"Our supply chain is spread all over the world, with the most important components coming from Japan and Germany. The Laserlight is assembled in Shenzhen, China but the device we are currently building into the Santander Cycles is made in the UK."
How much does it cost and where can people buy it?
"You can get the Laserlight direct from www.blaze.cc, one costs £125 and we ship around the world for free."
Do you have new designs or iterations in the works?
"The latest iteration has been the Laserlights we are integrating into the Santander Cycles – this is a very different device, it is powered by the dynamo, it has a light sensor, and the laser comes on automatically when the bike is moving and in darkness."
More info on the London Bike Show
There’ll be more than 300 bike brands exhibiting at the London Bike Show from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 February at ExCel London, ranging from road cycling to mountain biking, commuting, BMX, cyclocross and more.
Adult tickets cost £15, with concession tickets at £9, and children under eight going free. A ticket gets you entry to three other events that are running simultaneously: the Triathlon Show London, The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show, and the London International Dive Show (Saturday & Sunday only).
We've got a 10% discount off advanced adult tickets to the London Bike Show – just enter the code 'BR1620' when registering at www.thelondonbikeshow.co.uk.
