When it comes to riding a bicycle, visibility is a major safety concern. Not only is it important for the bike to be easily visible to others, it’s also important that cyclists are able to see what is going on around them.
The Hexagon is the ultimate safety addition to any bicycle. All in one package, it combines a tail light, rear-view camera, brake lights, turn indicator, and more. This way, everyone can easily see each a biker’s intentions.
For easy use, the Hexagon attaches directly to the bike’s seat post. An included quick-release system ensures that riders can take the device with them to prevent theft and to keep the device charged. The biggest feature is its rear-view 1080p/30fps camera. Using Wi-Fi, the camera wirelessly streams real-time video to a mounted smartphone. Beyond using the video for visibility, it can also be saved onto an SD card or live streamed via the app. That same app can also be used to track various metrics including speed, calories burned, and distance traveled.
Other safety features take advantage of red LED clusters to show the cyclist’s intentions. When the breaks are applied, an accelerometer and gyroscope within the device detect the sudden change and automatically light up the LEDs. In an event of a crash, those same sensors will detect it. If the rider doesn’t respond to the notification within 10 seconds, the Hexagon will send a text message to any family or friends who have been programmed into the app. What they receive is a set of GPS coordinates of the rider’s location. Cyclists can also manually send these alerts for other emergencies.
Whether or not the rider is recording the video, the Hexagon is always buffering the last few minutes of footage. When it detects a crash, the video is automatically saved to the SD card. This way, if the crash was caused by a driver following the cyclist, the footage might be able to prove it.
The red LEDs can also operate as turn indicators. A wireless handlebar remote can be used to activate these signals.
With a full charge, the Hexagon should last about three hours with its two included batteries. There is an option to double this time with two additional batteries. A smaller, cheaper model is also available and can only take two batteries.
The Hexagon launches on Tuesday. Prices range from $129 to $179 depending on which model is chosen. Anyone interested should request a launch notification on Hexagon’s website to save 50 percent off the final price.
