Magnic Microlights add smart lights to your bike, but no cables, batteries, or extra friction

Another bike light? Yawn. But wait, because this one’s properly smart. There are no cables, no batteries, and it doesn’t add noticeable resistance. That probably sounds like magic, but Magnic Microlights (€99 for the smart version) in fact works on the principle of ‘eddy current induction’ – it’s all done with magnets, basically. Installation involves Magnic Microlights going in the spot where your brake shoes live; then you’re good to go, with the resulting electricity generated by your pedalling powering your lights indefinitely. And that’s not all: the brake light gets brighter when you slow down, and you can double-tap a brake lever to trigger a turn signal – all without switches and a smartphone. There’s even the promise of crash detection, to fire off an emergency call when the generators abruptly stop if you ride into a tree through being distracted by Rammstein’s dulcet tones in your earbuds.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.