The Orp is a small, but mighty bicycle light equipped with a strobe and a horn with two settings: The first is a polite 76 dB chirrup that’s for use on shared use paths or anywhere else you need to gently remind others of your approach – the second, a far louder 96 dB siren for when you really need to warn another road user of your presence.
The subtle changes in light and temperature as one season ebbs into the next are there for every cyclist to enjoy. The cusp of Autumn is no different: the beautiful colours and earthy smells tempered only by the dark commutes that loom ahead. With less than six weeks until the end of British Summer Time, now is the imte to think about the cycle lights you’ll be relying on all too soon.
Win your own Orp smart horn
The Orp costs around £45, but we have one to give away. Leave us a comment at the bottom of this page and we will pick a winner next week.
World’s loudest bicycle horn
Significantly louder than the Orp, but considerably less practical, is The Hornster – a bicycle we built to highlight the challenges facing urban cyclists.
City cyclists who battle to get themselves noticed on the roads can now buy the ultimate deterrent against inattentive truck drivers; a bicycle equipped with a horn that is louder than Concorde.
At close quarters the Hornster bicycle emits a level of sound so powerful that, if used in anger, it could deafen any motorist who veered too close.
The Hornster bicycle was developed by the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) to highlight the dangers that cyclists face on city roads. Trucks are involved in over half of cyclist fatalities that occur in London. The triple air horn fitted to the bicycle is an Airchime KH3A from an American locomotive, which has been adapted to run off a scuba diving cylinder.
The Hornster is so powerful that at a distance of 100ft it is far louder than a standard truck horn and more than noisy enough for a cyclist to make themselves heard above the din of the urban jungle.
Environmentally friendly cycle insurance
On the face of it, one cycle insurance policy is much like another, but the devil is the detail. How much excess you will be charged is just one of the things that varies wildly between providers. Another is so called ‘new-for-old’ replacement – many insurers use this term, but if your bicycle is more than a few years old, they devalue it severely. This means you are left out of pocket when you come to replace it.
ETA cycle insurance has a low standard excess of 5% (minimum £25) and offers a new-for-old for life – however old the bike, if it’s stolen you get enough to buy a new model.
For over 25 years we have been providing straightforward, affordable bicycle insurance. Whether you use your bike to commute, shop, race or amble in the park, ETA Cycle Insurance has you covered. We never devalue bikes no matter their age, allow you to buy your replacement bike wherever you like, replace stolen quick release components and handle claims in-house.
The Good Shopping Guide rated us ethical in Britain.
Stuart lamb
Nice! Would serve me well when cycling through underpasses
Alastair Seagroatt
It gets dark early in Scotland!
TD
What a great mix! Horn interchangeable with something more polite. Can’t wait.
KH
Sounds good!
Jennyve Salvato
My bike really deserves this light! Do it for her please 😛
George Baker
Looks very jazzy. pick me, pick me, pick me pls 😊
Fiona Hunt
Anything that makes it safer to cycle is good news to me.
Joe
I’m not sure there is actually a horn loud enough for London roads!
Eric Ludlow
Hope springs eternal….
sara garside
Wow ! Looks fab for unlit back lanes. Will keep my fingers crossed.
Clif Abbott
Now you see me, now you hear me.
Vanessa
Part of my cycle path to work takes me through a local park, and people always walk on the cycle path without looking. Trying to use a standard bell doesn’t seem to work too well – either they don’t hear it or they get startled and freeze in the middle of the lane. I like the idea of the “polite 76 dB chirrup” – although I could see using the louder (ruder?) sound as well!
Michael Davis
Would make a nice accompaniment to my See.Sense smart rear light.
Jan Heatley
I ‘orp I win it!!!
L Woodman
Looks and sounds good
Graham
Handy!
Keith Graham
Looks absolutely brilliant (sorry about the pun).
Ian Ramsey
Cycling around central London and Westminster this would be a welcome addition to my handlebars. Especially in peak Tourist season!!
stewart kerr
A very good and practicable idea
Linda Caston
I could really do with a front light as winter approaches, and having a horn attached sounds like a great idea
Gavin
A bright idea.
Charlotte
I genuinely once had Orp (ops resource planner) as my job title! Just seeing that word brings back good memories. 🙂
Simon Randall
What a really good design; integrating the horn and the light in one unit certainly will help reduce handlebar cluttering!
TheCyclist
YES! I want one of those. To make myself visible AND heard would be fantastic!
Alex R
Great idea….
VicK
I want one. Orp! Orp!
Bettina Becker
yeah, great, I want it….
Damian C
Looks fab – fingers crossed!
Alison
I could perform my very own sound and light show through the numerous pedestrians on the canal bank on my way to work!
Nick L
Looks cool and ‘sounds’ like it does the job
Ian
Just what I was looking for a light with a built in horn
Joel Halligan
Ooh, pretty lights and tinkly bells. Right up my street.
Mark B
Great. Fingers crossed,
Kirsty
Perfect for my commute along the Thames tow paths. The addition of a bell is a brilliant idea.
Steven
Sounds good to me… ha ha!
miriam taylor
chirping light and loud
sandy
yes please! 😀
Carl Hanratty
Super
Tim Day
A great compact design to incorporate both the light and horn in one. It would be just the job for the inattentive yummy mummies I encounter on my way home 🚴📣
paul
I want the Hornster but sadly will have to make do with the Orp.
Stephen Perkins
I hope it comes with colour matching ear plugs
Phil
Me me me
Peter Chisnall
Blinding!
Peter Clark
Top idea.
Christine Nuttall
This mighT help me stop worrying so much about my daughter cycling on London roads. Maybe….
Philip Campbell
I like this – especially with the remote button option.
I get way too many pedestrians walking off the kerb with their noses in their phones and cars coming up on your right mean you don’t want to lift a hand to a bike bell…….
Chris Wrigley
Would be great cycling home along the dual carriageway in the dark nights to come.
Su Gilroy
‘Sounds’ brilliant!
Ben
I’ve always thought that unlike children, cyclists should be see and heard 🙂
James
See and be seen, and awareness by sound is what cycling on our busy roads needs sound a great idea
Mark
me please
Vincent Procter
Bright lights a loud horn I want one, please.
Al Reed
Useful for my commute through a half lit tunnel
Deirdre
Great device, would declutter my handlebars to have two in one.
Angela
I thought about getting a bell, but this is far far better, especially with the remote.
Owain
Neat and functional, would love one of these.
Charlie
Great piece of design and exactly what I need to keep me on the road during the rapidly approaching autumn months
Lisa Taylor
Would love to have this for cycling in London
Lynne H
Great Stuff. So many options. I love there is even an anti door mode. Sign me up!
Nilam Patel
Yes please
Ian Nicholson
Looks like a great idea, but what does the video mean by “mount on the left handlebar, opposite the rear brake”. Is it beside the rear brake (on the left) or opposite the rear brake (on the right – so I can use the rear brake while honking)?
Tom D
Honk! Honk! Honk!
Lyn
Looks great
Jenny
Brilliant idea – will save trying to find space on the handlebars for a light and horn! I find a horn is the only thing to get through to pedestrians who insist on wearing earphones and are totally oblivious to their surroundings.
Lois
That’s sound and brilliant. I’d love one.
Peter Shirley
Good vibe about this
Will Watts
Great idea for keeping safe on the gloomy morning and evening commutes.
David
I presume the horn used less energy than the light.
Rosie
A perfect tool to help me on my rides across Bristol 🙂 there are a good few underpasses on the way!
Greg
Yes I want a loud one
Roger Birchall
What a great idea!
Dario
That looks awesome!
Dick Willis
Excellent device, I’d love one.
Francis Voon
I would like an Orphorn!
James Russell
Sound and vision…
like it!
Darren C
Yes please, count me in.
Phoebe Cross
This looks cool, I want one!
Chris
A neat and most useful safety product. I’d love one (please).
Chris Long
Great for Bristol – where drivers are apparently the most inconsiderate in the UK! A real aid therefore for cyclists in this city.
richard scrase
Yes please!
Penny
Love the colour! Are they thinking about a back light too?
Janet Robertson
Would love to win one of these!
Pat
In the words of the late, great David Bowie:
“I will sit right down, waiting for the gift of sound and vision
And I will sing, waiting for the gift of sound and vision
Drifting into my solitude, over my head
Don’t you wonder sometimes
‘Bout sound and vision”
Eleanor Vamplew
Would be amazing to use and certainly warn all the dogs and owners who let their dogs run madly on the pavements and school children to take care and keep to side of pathway! Would love to win for my daily commute!