Lights are necessary for our everyday lives. They illuminate the unseen, allow us to be productive at night, make nightlife safer, and can even create artistic displays and very special moments. When riding a bicycle, lights are a hundred times more necessary.

On a bike, front and rear lights, and even reflectors can make a huge difference in terms of safety, making riders more visible to drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists. Bikes come with reflectors installed, but as any experienced cyclist should know, a reflector alone is not sufficient in low light conditions.

Cyclists generally have 2 types of lights to choose from: lights with a battery (be them rechargeable or not), and lights that use a dynamo hub, powered by the kinetic energy from the wheel. But now, a Dutch company named Rydon has developed a third option:  a solar powered light called Pixio.

Photo courtesy of rydon.eu

Unlike other lights,  Pixio lights are made to last forever. The design uses an embedded high-efficiency solar panel that continually charges anytime it’s in the sun. The sunlight captured by the solar panel is stored in a battery capable of holding 75 hours worth of light. Depending how much night riding you do, Rydon claims a charge is sufficient for roughly two years of use without sunlight, and can fully charge again after only five days of exposure.

On top of that, the solar panel is protected by a weatherproof casing, which is fully sealed and covered with a rubber sleeve.  And while it’s not made for deep sea diving, Rydon did test it in a washing machine, and had no problems:

The Pixio is not yet available to the public, but you can get the latest news on the product’s development at www.rydon.eu.

This looks like it might be the future of bicycle lighting!  These are the kind of innovations that will lead to a green future and a happy bike friendly world.