Velovision reviews DLG

If you thought riding an unusual bike was a good way to attract attention - think again! We've astonished the good citizens of York with many an unusual bike over the last few years, but nothing comes closes to the eye-grabbing effect of the Down Low Glow.

Neons for bikes have arrived with the Down Low Glow from - where else - California. But do we cyclists really want to share technology with the spoilered-up cars that cruise the streets on a Friday night, thumping thei music, and splashing that distinctive neon glow on the street below?

Well, maybe we do. What better way to reach out to the non cycling masses than to put the cool back into cycling -- and maybe turn some youthful creativity away from pimping cars and on to cruising on bikes? One thing's for sure -- the local youth population will definitely want to ask you about these lights.

But spreading the love for cycling isn't really my cup of tea, at least not in a 'hanging out with the kids on the street' sort of way -- usually I just want to get somewhere on my bike. So it was the other aspect of the Down Low Glow that I was keen to test: the idea that it could be a spectacular boost to personal safety, what the makers call "Gimme Some Room Technology". Riding along over a glowing cushion of light has got to get you noticed by even the most dopey driver.

The Down Low Glow comes in various configurations. We tested the most popular, a two-tube system with optional smart charger for the NiMH batteries -- the smart charger works on both US and UK voltage. Ours was Plush Red, and Ice Blue and Envy Green are also available. Different mounting hardware can be proide for attacing it to various recumbents, but we just used the normal upright bike fixings and managed to fit it easily enough to the Bacchetta Cafe test bike.

The two tubes are designed to fit with the fatter one (1" diameter) on your down tube and the other (3/4") on the left-hand chainstay. Neat rubber cushions sit between the tubes and the frame. Stretchy rubber straps hold the down tube unit in position, even wrapping round the huge Bacchetta maintube no problem, and a plethora of Velcro straps are provided to fix the rear tube and the little box of electronics which sits between tube and battery.

The battery attaches via a simple plug and socket, and a wide Velcro strap secures it to the frame. All of the wiring seemed solidly made in sort of home-industrial style: the neat tape and heat-shrink rubber around the battery a clue perhaps that these units are hand made.

And therein lies one serious drawback for UK conditions: the battery and electronics box aren't waterproof. The instructions make it clear that your warranty will be void if you ride in the rain without carefully plastic-bagging them both first.

The tubes themselves are waterproof, but the fact that the reat isn't means that you can't really leave the DLG on your bike permanently unles it's a bike you take out only in the dry. Those handy at DIY could probably knock up a waterproof container for battery and electric box, but it's a shame it's necessary.

The manufacturers are now aware that their customers in wetter parts of the world need waterproofing, so we can hope that they'll make it happen eventually.

So, just need to charge the battery and go for a ride. The smart charger does the business in 2-3 hours, or the standard one will do it in 10-12. Burn time with both tubes running is around 2.5 hours. The battery weighs 350g, and the rest of the kit just 200g in all.

Switch on - and wow! A red carpet rolls out under the bike, easily visible under streetlights but stunning on unlit roads or paths. As well as making you more visible -- and boy does it do that -- there's a feeling that it's defining your personal space on the street. The extents of the red glow, easily a metre or more each side, give passing motorists a clear idea of your territory. I never got cut up riding with the Glow.

Incidentally the Down Low Glow isn't meant as a substitute for normal front and rear lights. With these in place, it's perfectly legal. I rode past a couple of policement at one point -- they certainly batted an eyelid but didn't seem to have any problem with it. But if thery were silent on the subject, many others were not. From the bizarre "Those aren't legal on motorways mate!" to the straightforward "Where d'you get your lights, mister?" and the inevitable "How much?" the Down Low Glow is seldom ignored. If you fancy a conversation starter these are fabulous, and if you space on the roads they'll also do the trick -- in the dry -- but you can't have the safety with out the attention. Great fun, but not for the shy or retiring!

I decided in the end to buy the review set for myself -- partly because they'll be fantastic ppomotional attention-grabbers at trade shows and events, and partly just for the fun-factor. They're not super-cheap, but they are well made, unique and like no other lights you've ever had on your bike. And they're very cool indeed.