Security and simplicity are at the heart of Sparse bicycle lights

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The Sparse team spent more than a year testing, refining, and studying not just what went right with the prototypes, but also what was going wrong

CAD rendering of the Spacer Light

The front light has been dubbed the Spacer Light since it's installed just below the handlebar stem, in the stack of spacers

The appropriately-named Tail Light slides onto a seat post and is clamped in place

Four rear-facing, board-mounted red LEDs are flanked by two more at either side for one watt of output (30 to 50 lumens) that's reported to yield a super-wide spill

The Spacer Light is compatible with both threaded and threadless headset setups

The Sparse team says that your lights should not be uglier than your bike

Both lights feature die-cast aluminum outer casings and a double lens that's been IP-4-sealed against moisture

The Tail Light gives off 30 to 50 lumens of light in a super-wide spill

The designers say that the 3-watt white LED gives off between 130 and 220 lumens

Being installed below the handlebar stem means that the light produced always points in the direction of travel

Each light is powered by its own custom Li-pol battery that's charged via micro-USB, just like a smartphone

The Spacer Light and Tail Light from San Francisco's Sparse Lights

Article Summary

The lot of a city cyclist is not an easy one. After successfully dodging and weaving through obstacles like holes, debris and even other road users, surviving being squeezed off the road by aggressive drivers or getting choked by exhaust fumes, even a quick stop at the local coffee shop for a rewarding cuppa before the final push home is not without risk. Sadly, securing your frame to a nearby post is no guarantee that some vital component won't be missing when you return. San Francisco's Sparse Lights has designed some great looking, theft-resistant and durable front and rear LED lights that, once installed, become as much a part of your bike as the brakes, grips and seat.

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