Cycling today is an integral and growing part of our transportation solutions and culture. Bicycles exist as one piece of a complex ecosystem of transportation. Riding is often part of a mixed transportation routine: home - bike - train - bike - office - bike - bar - train - bike - home. The use of a bicycle comes with its own set of complications, hassles, and real dangers. It also provides an incredible degree of autonomy to the riders - a fact to which thousands of New Yorkers realized early this November and a fact to which thousands of others celebrate daily. Beyond climactic aberrations, biking in the US is on a steady upward slope bolstered by the Obama Administration's mandate to promote biking and walking infrastructure on even footing with highway development. Bicycling participation is wholly varied in both who and how and how much they ride.
Aside from all the interesting sub-cultures there are more and more individuals turning to cycles for their daily transportation solution. A new class of company has emerged to service the fashionable and functional needs of these daily commuters. Sparse of San Francisco, CA launched 2 weeks ago via Kickstarter.com and found early funding success. Sparse is a company founded by surly, bike-riding designers. Founder Colin Owen jovially growls, "We think bikes make for better cities. We're doing everything we can to nudge the needle to more ridership. - that includes removing hassles, but also simply escalating the quality of the daily working bike experience."
Sparse LLC introduced two bicycle lights that integrate onto the bike. The Spacer Light replaces a spacer in the headset of the bike and illuminates the path of travel in front of the rider. The Seat Post Light has a chassis with a die-cast metal ring that slips over and clamps down on the seat post of the bike. Each light is impossible to remove without disassembling the bicycle. "Getting your bike stripped is a bummer, and an unnecessary one. We want everyone to ride safe. We think you can do so with grace and style" says Owen.