Say what you like about London Mayor Boris Johnson, but there is little doubt he is a dyed-in-the-wool cyclist – as vulnerable to the curse of the flat battery as the rest of us.
Johnson was exposed as having ridden without a rear light by a cab driver, who called the mayor during Ask Boris, his weekly phone-in show on London radio station LBC.
An illuminated belt means you need never be without a rear light
Mr Johnson agreed he was ‘bang to rights’ and promised to replace his light’s flat battery the following day.
The cabbie told the mayor: “I passed you last night in Newgate Street. You need a light on the back of your bike.”
Mr Johnson replied: “I’ve got to ‘fess up to that. A battery was temporarily pegged out on my back light and I’m going to have to put my hands up to that. I had a front light that was working. I was cycling without a functioning rear light…I can tell you it’s all hands on deck trying to get a battery into that back light today.”
The advent of low-energy, battery-powered LED lights has resulted in better illumination and autonomy, but it is all too easy to find yourself caught out with a dimly-lit, or completely dead, light as a battery nears the end of its life. Time was, almost every bicycle had a dynamo set and such lights are still available in their most basic from less than £8 on eBay.
In the Netherlands, many cyclists would no sooner attach torches to their cars than ride a bike without a good-quality dynamo. Such contemporary dynamos are not cheap, but they offer high-powered LED lighting, reserve power for when the bike is at a standstill and do away entirely with the need to buy batteries.
Belt up, Boris
The alternative to carrying a spare set of batteries is to wear a back-up light and doubles as something else – like a belt.
The £24.99 Aura belt cost is made from nylon webbing with a flexible LED and fibre optic lighting system embedded within. The belt can be set to emit a constant glow, slow pulse or a strobing flash.
The Aura is a powerful supplement to conventional bike lights because it offers 360-degree illumination.
Win an Aura belt
To be in with a chance of winning an Aura belt, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this page. We will pick a winner at random on Friday 22 November 2013. Please be sure to enter a valid a email address when you leave your comment.
Peter Clark
With a cyclist dying every two days on the streets of his city, Boris should really be doing more to role model the right behaviour.
Sue
What a good idea! Also great for walking home in the dark.
Sam Clarke
Great Idea! I want one!!
Kerena
Genius idea! Love it…
Phyllis Calvert
Looks like something that my daughter WOULD wear. Hurray
Phill
Boris is such a plonker. The Aura belt looks wicked.
Steph Whitmarsh
I think this is a brilliant idea, this would also be handy for runners!
Douglas Milsom
Great idea, which should also appeal to road runners.
Becky Dacre
The belt looks like a great idea especially when cycling on dark country roads when any extra light helps you to be seen by other vehicles. Will it fit Boris though?
Larna
Not sure if I’d wear it as a fashion item, however I like the idea and it looks great/lights up great in the dark :-). I think I’d like one.
Carl Payne
It will give motorist no excuses for not seeing us.
Darren Easton
A fantastic idea – it gives you an all-round glow. Simple but so very very effective enabling you to be seen from all directions!!
phil
Very Tron like
stewart kerr
Does not mention which batteries it needs
Paul Mnich
It’s crazy to cycle without lights at night or in weather conditions where visibility is poor – but since good lights are relatively cheap why is it not illegal to sell bikes without lights fitted – you wouldn’t buy a car or motorbike without them.
Many cheap lights fail due to design faults such as fragile, non-weatherproof cases or inflexible fittings – so prove worthless when needed.
In reality you won’t get all cyclists shelling out for effective, good quality lights if they are expensive after they have bought a bike. If they were already fitted as standard, with dynamos to charge the batteries to ensure they didn’t fail, there would be no excuse.
I’m not one to advocate laws to protect everyone from their own stupidity – but this is one which would probably save lives – and I’m sure prove to be a good marketing proposition for bicycle manufacturers.
Iain
Even better if it was white at the front and red at the back.
Alison McKee
A really good idea — you would just have to ensure it wasn’t obscured by a backpack
Don Thompson
Brill idea. No lights…no bike at night. This invention will help keep cyclists alive and drivers happy.
Rick Gregory
Good idea. Can’t forget to remove it from the bike to stop it getting stolen.
James Tinsley
The belt looks like a good idea. My only concern is how easy is it to replace batteries
Grace
Brilliant idea, anything that makes cyclists more visible and noticeable is a great idea in my book. And if it looks cool too, perfect!
Simon Hickmott
Brilliant.
MikeGraham
I know most of us will want something better as a main light but cheap LED lights, from Wilko’s and the like, make a good back-up in case your main light conks out. They usually come as a pair with a front lamp which can do the same job at the front. Even if you have a dynamo system with a standlight, it’s useful if you need to push your bike into a dark shed after the capacitor has discharged. For around a fiver it’s a no-brainer. Sure, they’re not good enough for unlit roads but to be seen in traffic they’re better than nothing.
Andrew Jackson
Living out in the sticks as I do, it would be great for late-night pedestrians as well.
Dave Procter
Great idea! Would live the belt, it would be good to be able to have smaller versions that also function as bicycle clips. Moving lights are much more noticeable.
Glyn Owen
Could be great in good weather when you are not wearing a jacket and so your trouser waist is visible. But, if you are wearing a jacket it will be hidden. That is if you are wearing it as an additional belt (which is what the article is suggesting). But looking at the pictures, the belt is OUTSIDE and over the top of a jacket. So, you would still need to remember to put it on. Maybe I’ll just remember to put on my lights!
Dave C
Sounds like a good accessory
John B Scothern
Fantastic idea if I dont win I will buy one when I know where they are sold
Dave Nunn
Such a sensible idea! Can’t wait to try one!
Neil Woolford
I’d love one, for those days when my own aura isn’t bright enough…
Neil
Sally Dorset
Great idea & I agree that it will be a bonus to be runners, too.
alan
Coolio
Michael Gallagher
Great idea. Does the belt show different colours for front and rear?
Paul Dunbar
Light weight, light emitting, light fantastic.
Ian Jolliffe
good for being visible from the side too
Bryn Jones
I never ever go out on my bike, day or night, without a hi-vis garment on. And I never go out in the night without a rear light. In future, I’ll always take an Aura belt as back-up, because although there are no batteries in garments to fail, this does not apply to even the most expensive light.
Richard Catarino
All round light, good way to be seen and to increase safety for all road users.
Christine Gage
Fantastic idea! For cycling, walking the dog, running, shopping, searching for the cat on her favourite ‘beat’ where there are no street lights…So easy to wear.
To be honest I’d keep it hanging up next to the door all winter, better be safe and be seen than sorry.
Christine
cazzz
Looks fab, and great idea too, good combination!
Colin Green
You can never have too many lights on a bike.
What Boris, and everyone else, should consider is one of these: http://www.freelights.co.uk/
I’ve had an older version for a few years now. It works a treat and is an ideal back-up for my “normal” lights.
Colin
Rafay
Useful in the summer, but I’d have to wear it over my jacket in winter. Still, a fun addition to cycling apparel.
Su Gilroy
The Aura belt is brilliant – in both senses of the word!
Paula
Might catch the eye of tired commuter drivers…..
Ian Byrne
I like the idea that you can be seen all round – one of my biggest concerns is cars coming out of side turnings and not really looking right until the last possible moment before pulling out in front of you. But I’m not sure that it really offers 360 degree illumination?
Mark Shaw
Great looking light, wonder if the politicians would have had a different response to the cycle deaths this week if it had been one of them?
David Dunnico
Blue – my favourite colour
catherine d’agrain
useful for dogs and their humans, priced not lightweight either.
Emma Griffiths (age 9)
just what i need for my cycle to school
Les Gunbie
Belt-up Boris!
Wyshniukas
It’s like dog collar we have for night walks, only bigger.
Mark Paterson
Great idea as an extra light, as they say at this time of year let it glow let glow let it glow!
Marion
Would be great for a safe commute 🙂
Alex W
I feel for Boris, he’s got to realise that mistakes like that are easy to make and hard to correct. The aura looks interesting but it’s no replacement for decent bike lights.
Katherine Bates
Good Idea, I bet you could you use them on your dog as well, rather than attaching them to lights, prefect for dog walks in winter when you can’t help but be out in the dark
alison floyd
such a good idea, i am going to buy them for all my cycling children and relatives
Gus Rochester
Great idea, but wonder how long their battery will last…
Hilary Robinson
Ideal Christmas present for cycling sons!
Cheuk Tang
Very practical and a fashion invention.
Anthony
It still takes batteries! Those button ones. I can recharge NiMHs, but dead CR2032s are dead. With it round your waist, you might notice it fading better – but why did I not spot my dimming headlight this evening? Some head and back lights are better than others at providing some sideways light.
I await lights that are powered from your body heat!
Siân
This could be useful for pedestrians using shared-use paths too. I’m usually lit up like a Christmas tree, but it can be tricky to spot people walking along until the last minute.
Barbara Disney
increased visability, increased popularity, more bikes, less cars, yay
Derek
Unless we get nuclear radiation and we all glow, I guess this is the next best thing – and safer!
Brian Johnston
Great idea,the more visible you are ithe winter the better
Julia Hayward
A blue band of light would help you be seen, but it wouldn’t make you legal if one of your lights has failed. How about a belt with a white LED strip at the front and red at the back?
chris
A good idea but you should make them as bike clips and as the legs go up and down it makes you more visable
Alastair Seagroatt
Good idea, but wouldn’t a red light be more appropriate?
Dom Reed
Perfect back up light – still need front & rear lights but at least if one fails you can still be seen.
Anita Howard
Love this! I want to be like Tron!!!
A great Christmas gift idea for cyclists.
Nathan Shipley
I like this a lot!
Anita Brayford
A brilliant idea for cyclist safety. Glad to hear you can still buy dynamo sets – they would be good for backup – even if there brighter options for general use.
Dick
I had a dynamo fitted to my Dawes for years but the additional resistance, when it was engaged, always surprised me. I abandoned it in favour of battery powered lights which I could swap easily between my tourer, MTB and road bike.
Clive Weston
Great idea – let’s hope drivers look in all directions too!
Nat
It’s nice that is 360 degress, but I don’t know if it’s bright enough.
andrew.rutherford
Brilliant idea – not just for cycling either, running, any night activity – hey even just going out and saying look at me when you need too.
Imagine – flat tyre on the side of a busy road = switch on your belt as you go to sort it out.
love this!
Dudely Pickston
I don’t cycle a lot at night, so I don’t consider a dynamo a worthwhile investment; so a belt like this would be very useful for times when I get caught out in the dusk, in case my rarely used battery lights did not work.
Tim Withall
What a splendid product which can not be “acquired” from your bike when unattended but can be seen from all directions.
I live in the New Forest where there are a lot of horse riders who don’t get back to base before it gets really dark or exersise before going to work which is hazardous. Wearing one of these would be a great safety precaution for riders and drivers. Most of the New Forest ponies are fitted with a reflective neckbands but the road toll is still bad and worse this year
Jack
Unless the thing has a ‘perpetual watch’ style flywheel, it’s still going to run out of batteries at some point. I personally think that someone should just make a set of lights consisting of a load of superbright, LEDs, NiMHs, and an ’emergency’ flywheel charge system — like those very effective torches you get for camping. The best of all worlds. That being said, I wouldn’t mind trying the thing!
L Jameson
I’ve stopped riding at night because it’s a pain to have to remove lights from the bike when parked up somewhere (some people can’t seem to stop themselves taking what’s not theirs) so an illuminated belt, or two even – one worn cross body seems genius!
greg
batteries are a pain!
What a bad idea!
Claire Blamey
Is it legal?
Richard
Not sure that will fit around my tummy – is there a larger size?
Adrian
There would be a problem for me as my waist doesn’t show under the cycling jacket that I always wear at this time of year. Still a good idea. maybe it could fasten somehow to the back of my jacket, that way I would not have to put it on and off for the dark weather journey. It would be permanently attached to my jacket.
Brian
The belt could wrap around other things too like a ruck sack if you are wearing one.
Bx
Claire
The more lights the better, I say. I am tired of seeing cyclists without proper lights and getting the rap from motorists about it. Why wouldn’t you want to be safe and be seen?
Mike Croker
German K-standard lights have to have a low battery indicator….
JEANETTE KEMP
Brilliant. Should be offered on the National Health, it will save many lives.
Darren Collard
Good idea, until you wear a bag on your back, might restrict the rear projection!
Andy
Need to make them popular as a ‘fashion accessory’ if you want to get teenagers to wear them – they will pay far more for a ‘cool outfit’ than willing to pay out for bike lights!
Rytis
It seems to emit blue light, is that legal?
Peter Chisnall
Great idea, easy to store and carry around.
Craig
Great idea. Great use for cyclists and runners and i see potential to adapt this for dog colars too. Maybe it can be clipped around a rucsac too. Child versions would be great for safety when out walking at night so they are seen. My 3 year old would think a light up belt was amazing. Great sounding product
George
I’d keep it in my pannier, but I know my partner would nick it for her running. Button cells are easy to come by now (try Boots) and hold charge well before use. Neat idea!
Richard Newman
Ok, that’s the belt – now how about the braces? 🙂
Nicola Branch
Belt up Boris!
Peter
Excellent idea! Should be made compulsory.
Andrew Harmsworth
Nice idea, anything to improve visibility of cyclists. Biggest problem in Cambridge (after those cyclists without any lights at all!) is cyclists doing daft things like hanging a bag over their back, obscuring a rear light, or mounting their front light behind a basket, then putting shopping in the basket… again obscuring the light completely!
Tom
Love it 🙂
neil earley
Next time I am told to “BELT UP” its the Aura for me. Very good safety product for cyclists and pedestrians too, can be a lifesaver during the dark winter months ahead.
Ann Marie Wrigley
Belt and braces obligatory Boris.
Punit Bharal
A great idea and looks much better than the construction-worker-look hi-viz jackets.
Annie
I want one please!
Martha Dellar
Neat idea, and I like that it can double as a running belt, especially as it’s so dark in the mornings now
TD
At least this can go round a bag as well as a waist.
richard barber
i ride with lots of lights attached, and bright clothing but it seems to make no difference to most drivers, they want to get by you at all costs, and if it means clipping you, sowhat, they dont care and neither do the police, thats what boris should address.
julia
Fantastic idea!
Margaret Turner
I do have dynamo lights and they’re great! However one snag is the leads to the back light come adrift easily and in the dark I can’t see to put them back. So an aura belt would offer an excellent back-up and supplementary light.
Paul
Seems like a decent idea as additional illumination, though it’s the wrong colour to be an alternative to a dead rear light.
Andrew
not sure if blue is such a great colour. But the idea is good.
Caroline
Brilliant – as far as I’m concerned you can never have too many lights on your bike (or you in this case!!) I always worry about my hubbie cycing his 30km to and from work at this time of year…
phil
will santa bring me one of these?
gabriele reifenberg
I agree it’s a bright idea but also that the colour isn’t right – why not red as a rear light should be?
Meg Stark
Anything brightly visible is good – also useful for otherwise unlit pedestrians
Linden Edwards
Interesting artices and info on cycling
whobiggs
Great idea and while you are at it tell Boris it is a good idea to have two lights on the back as backup.
Davemac
Good idea! Boris should get one!
Steve Foster
Flipping marvellous, but bring back dynamos!!
christina
With a back light – belt and braces.
Matt
Not Legal but better than nothing.
Also there have been flashing arm and leg bands available for years but I hardly ever see one in use. They can even double as trouser clips.
I am happy with my hub dynamo and german front and rear lights even riding on our unlit country lanes.
Regarding failing batteries; LED lights tend to fail quite quickly rather than fade gradually. The answer is to have two. they are unlikely to fail at the same time.
To all those drivers throwing stones at Boris I would say beware of glass houses. Since the hour went back I have seen hundreds of cars with faulty lights. One front light, Front light pointing up in the sky, one rear light, missing brake light, even no rear light and rear lights obscured by an unlit trailer. Don’t throw stones.
I’m collecting helmet cam clips of cars jumping red lights. I’ve even got a Stagecoach Bus.
Harriet billanie
Brilliant, I would definitely wear this, you can never have too many lights!
Damian
Great idea!! Much better than bog standard reflective strips
Chris Barber
Excellent back-up light. Easier than carrying back-up lights or spare batteries in your panniers. One or two of the other commentators have a point about the blue; I thought the only road users permitted to use a flashing blue light were emergency services. Amber?
Andy Gray
What a great idea – not to replace the bike lights but to supplement them and stand out to other road users
Judy Aplin
This brilliant idea will go like hot cakes when it hits the shops. I would like to be able to get some now; one for each of my family Christmas stockings! Even better, if they could be produced in a variety of sizes or could be shortened & extended as needed. I would certainly keep one in my bike panniers.
tommy
id go clubing in mine to
MJ Ray
“contemporary dynamos are not cheap” That depends. There’s the £20 freelights already mentioned if you do lit-streets town riding which will pay for themselves in not buying batteries pretty quickly, £30 Danish Reelights if you want something more like Boris Bikes have, £60 gets you a good-enough-for-dark-country-lanes Dutch Axa tyre dynamo set or a magtenlight – fiddlier to fit, but still basically fit-and-forget except for switching on and off – and then from £100 up, you move into the serious stuff with hub dynamos and so on.
Encouraged by good reports from others, I switched to an Axa set last month and no regrets so far!
Oh and unless you’ve got the yellow one, I don’t want that belt, thanks. I’m not sure whether blue lights are legal on a rider but they’re confusing at best.