Is this the ultimate cycle light?

In a single hour, the amount of power from the sun that strikes the Earth is more than the entire world consumes in a year. How come we do not use that free energy more often? A simple example is the new Rydon bicycle light that has an integrated solar panel. The energy from the solar panel is stored into a battery and will stop you from recharging the battery manually. Sounds logical, let’s see how it works.

Bicycle lights can be a bit frustrating; the cheap lights are often forgotten, stolen or just simply break. The more expensive lights are great, but you need to take them of your bicycle and recharge them regularly. The idea of a premium light that automatically charges the battery with a solar panel sounds promising. The Rydon uses a high capacity battery enough for 50 hours of light, that is a lot, most lights are between 10-20 hours. Normally 50 hours of light is enough for one winter but even on cloudy days in the winter, the Rydon will charge the battery with its integrated solar panel. The charging becomes much more efficient in spring and summer. After a few weeks outside in the summer the battery will be completely charged.  

The Rydon comes with a hefty stainless-steel clip and screw, the idea is that you permanently mount it on your bicycle. Rydon founder Hugo van de Watering explains: “The Rydon needs to catch as much sunlight as possible, so our light is permanently mounted and will charge throughout the entire summer when your bicycle is outside. Another benefit is that you can never forget your light, because it is already on your bicycle”. 

The idea of leaving a light on your bicycle seems somewhat strange, although other accessories like a saddle for example is usually more expensive and also mounted with a single screw. The design of the Rydon light is very durable with a 3 mm thick metal housing and stainless-steel parts all around. The Dutch bicycle light has two modes; an eco-mode with around 50 lumen and a boost mode with 300 lumen. The Rydon lights are available in the web shop of Rydon. Not the cheapest light out there but a solid solution that will last for years. The Rydon bicycle light is a great example of a sustainable solution that makes life easier.