The ECLAIREUR is a stylish, double-breasted and illuminated jacket aimed squarely at the smart urban cyclist.
The jacket is waterproof and breathable, featuring back and side vents, a removable reflective arm band that stores in discreet pouch within the sleeve, and built-in lights – white LED lights at the front and a bank of red ones at the back. However, its real trick is to manage all that without looking like a piece of sports clothing.
It’s now possible to be dressed almost entirely head to foot in illuminated clothing – The Aura belt holds up your trousers by day and signals your presence to other traffic by night, and now even the jacket on your back can have powerful lights sewn into its fabric.
The jacket costs 600 euros.
John Mallows
Such clothes seem always to be greeted with enthusiasm. I have my doubts. What’s wrong with the proper & legal lights and reflectors, including pedal reflectors which more than anything signify ‘cycle’ (pity there’s not an easy clip on reflector for most enthusiasts’ pedals). OK, we don’t want to be camouflaged – but going beyond what is effective & sufficient risks this being expected by the police, courts, insurance companies, anti cycling media and politicians – be very aware, If you are off your bike then the need is no different from the need when you are walking. We’ve even had lights which project cycle symbols onto the road as a virtual cycle lane – encouraging a lorry driver to use absence of such as an excuse??. The likes of Dyson have deemed such things as worthy inventions, further endorsing their very dubious validity. And where’s the research evidence that this additional hi viz works ? I cannot find it. Much of it is too high for catching dipped headlights, unlike the traditional lights and reflectors. Enough of this money grabbing scaremongering nonsense.