1000th post, new Brake Free light!

[Iahawk]

I just hit 1000 posts, woo hoo! In honor of that odd occurrence...I thought I'd post about a new toy I have. I bought a Brake Free helmet mounted, wireless, tail, brake light. I've seen some ads and info on this and finally watched a youtube vid recently that made may me say, what the heck, I'm ordering it.

It attaches to the back of your helmet, has no wires and has a rechargeable battery in it. It has built in accelerometer / gyroscope, etc, to detect when you slow down, down shift, etc. Many times on bikes (scoots) we don't use our brakes as much due to the engine braking. This flashes a bright light when it detects you slowing. It's also mounted closer to car driver's eye level, making us easier to see. The pic on my helmet is just the tail light on, not the brake light.

I only have about 3 rides with it so far..but so far so good. I'll keep using it and report back the good or bad in the future.

One more step in my never ending, nerdy, safety quest! (and it looks kind of cool)

Safe riding to all.

[Ruffus]

Good to know, something like this exists.
..and of course congrats to YOUR millennium.🍹

[Neil955i]

Looks good Hawk, think I’m going to check if it’s available on the UK market!  And like Ruffus said, we’ll done on passing the 1K mark!

Update - not currently available in UK and I see the price Stateside is $170? I shudder to think what the shipping to here would be on top of that!

[Iahawk]

Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.

[jak51]

Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.

Looks like the current price is $169.99, and shipping is free in the U.S.

Hawk - are you really, really happy with it.  I'm considering getting one, and would appreciate any pros and cons you may have about the unit.

Jeff

[Iahawk]

jak51 - I am happy so far but I've only used it 3 times for less than 3 hours, total. It appears solid and well made. It does work...I can swing my helmet and stop it and it lights up like a Christmas tree! I'm waiting to get a reaction from a driver or another rider..hasn't happened, yet. I can only think that it will help. It is really in the car driver's line of sight and is bright.

My new Honda Helix has a brake light at about child knee level...terrible...so this will be wonderful when I'm on that scoot.

Other than wondering about battery life (they claim 10 hours..) and actual battery lifetime...(all rechargeable batteries crap out, eventually)...I'm very pleased with this. I'm sure you're right on the price...I was going off my fuzzy memory.

The con is it is fairly expensive for what it is...but the Pro is it may save my life..saving my life always wins!

(I can picture Stig wearing this on his early morning, dark and foggy rides...)

[Stig / Major Tom]

Interesting accessory.
Have seen several variations of this idea.
Yes, I quickly enhanced my rear running & brake lighting,  on each of 4 scooters. The LIKE has wraparound LEDs on giant top case; the Liberty has a nearly blinding AdMore LED light bar.
Now, after 8 years I'm looking into enhancing my visibility by trading in my cab yellow helmet for a hi vis yellow helmet. Shopping another modular with the most hi vis yellow available.  Search hampered somewhat by needing a 3 or 4 X. Usually found only in special larger shell.
Stig

[jak51]

jak51 - I am happy so far but I've only used it 3 times for less than 3 hours, total. It appears solid and well made. It does work...I can swing my helmet and stop it and it lights up like a Christmas tree! I'm waiting to get a reaction from a driver or another rider..hasn't happened, yet. I can only think that it will help. It is really in the car driver's line of sight and is bright.

The con is it is fairly expensive for what it is...but the Pro is it may save my life..saving my life always wins!

Thanks.  My brake light on the GV 250 is painfully low, and the brake light on the GIVI trunk box is not so bright.  I think the helmet light could be a real plus for enhancing visibility to drivers behind me.  From the research I've done since I read your earlier post, the Brake Free is expensive, but seems much more well designed than cheaper alternatives.  I don't like the helmet lights that require bluetooth linkage via a hard wire connection to the scoot's brake light, and the wireless ones on Amazon don't have the technical efficiency the Brake Free light has.  So I may bite the bullet and order the Brake Free light in the next day or so.

Thanks again.

Jeff

[Iahawk]

if you get it, be sure to let us know what you think of it!

[jak51]

I ordered it.  I'll let you know what I think once I get it.

Jeff

[Neil955i]

Neil, I believe it's a relatively new, start up company. Hopefully they will be successful and expand the distribution of their product to other markets. I recall mine was around $159 USD with free shipping? I bought direct from the manufacturer.

As you say Hawk, let’s hope they are successful and expand. Who knows that may even come with an economy of scale price cut?  Yeah, maybe.

[jak51]

Brake Free Light is supposed to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday, 6/30) via FedEx.  No status updates available on the FedEx tracking website, however.  The package hasn't been scanned since it arrived at a FedEx facility in Bloomington, CA last Thursday evening.  This morning, a FedEx customer service rep couldn't tell me anything more about where my package is then what I could already see on their website.  Here's hoping it will actually show up tomorrow.

Jeff

[Iahawk]

hope it shows up! ...and you just reminded me that I haven't ridden in about 2+ weeks...vacation...work...lousy weather...oh, boy.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Brake Free Light is supposed to be delivered tomorrow (Wednesday, 6/30) via FedEx.  No status updates available on the FedEx tracking website, however.  The package hasn't been scanned since it arrived at a FedEx facility in Bloomington, CA last Thursday evening.  This morning, a FedEx customer service rep couldn't tell me anything more about where my package is then what I could already see on their website.  Here's hoping it will actually show up tomorrow.

Jeff

Recently,  I did a free return of expensive riding jeans bought on ebay. Put jeans back in shipping bag, stick on (tape) free return label.
Took it to post office to drop in the lobby mail  chute. At last minute I saw that mail clerks were free, so went to the counter, handed it over got USPS printed receipt.
The tracking for the package stopped 3 days later in SoCal at "out for delivery". Was never delivered. Ebay waited 4 weeks, then advised seller to give me full tefund.

Very glad I went to the counter, and got a receipt !!
Thrilling stuff, this😊
Stig

[jak51]

So the latest in the traveling road show is that now FedEx shows a status of my package being received in Perrysburg OH, near Toledo.  Next stop should be Highland Heights, OH. the local FedEx facility near me.  I also got an email from Scott in Brake Free Light customer support, and here's the quote:

"Sorry about the weird tracking system. I would trust the FedEx tracking number. On our end it looks like something went really wrong with the tracking on the package. It shows it bouncing all over North America. Hopefully it actually arrives tomorrow."

Well, at least I can say with confidence that my package is still somewhere on this planet, and maybe even this continent...

Jeff