Stay safe and show off your geeky side with this DIY bike turn signal [TechHive]


Cycling is a great way to get out in the fresh air and see the great outdoors, even if bikes seem quite, well, basic. For a geekier edge though, Jenna de Boisblanc’spimpMyBike project modifies your bike to give it turn signals and a better strobe light.
This project is built around an Arduino microcontroller, which sits alongside the battery pack in a box placed between the handlebars. This central control box also houses a speedometer and odometer, and two buttons near the brakes—one on each handlebar—control the LED matrix on the back of the bike.
Tap a button to activate the turn signals (the button on the left handlebar switches on the left turn signal, the right button activates the right turn signal), and hold either of the buttons to star the strobe light.
When you hit the brakes, the LED display turns red, like a typical brake light on a car. The back display flashes amber for night bicycling, and shows amber arrows when you activate the turn signal—no need to lift your hand off the handlebars anymore.
Geek factor aside, this contraption gives you a bike that’s much safer in a dark or city environment, meaning less risk of accident. Who wouldn’t want that? For tips on getting the circuitry right and coding, check out Jenna’s “class” onSkillshare or herblog.

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