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After initially launching in 2015, the SmartHalo is back with a new design that is up there with the best cycling gadgets on the market right now.
SmartHalo’s original release, as an accessory for your handlebar which pairs with your phone, made getting around on your bike easy enough, and proved a roaring success, selling roughly 25,000 copies in more than 70 countries.
But the new release, which is expected to hit the shops in December 2019, takes it a step further into the future.
Features/Benefits For Cyclists
With the SmartHalo 2 on your bike, you will able to use it for so much more than just navigation.
Unlike the old design, it has a 1.5-inch OLED screen, called PeekDisplay, which can show you all sorts of information from your phone, such as the weather forecast, your current speed, calories burned, or even messages from apps like WhatsApp or Messenger.
It’s extremely easy to use, too; you can scroll through the various metrics just by swiping below the screen, and is roughly 30 per cent lighter than the old model, so will not weigh your bike down at all.
Not only that, but it stays securely mounted on your bike, and can only be only unlocked with a unique HaloKey tab. It also contains a 100-decibel alarm which sounds whenever someone moves your bike, so it’s an excellent deterrent to thieves, too (but won’t go off for slight, unintentional contact, e.g. touching the bike next to it in a bike rack).
It also offers you a 250 lumens light which can also blink or pulse, so that even when you’re cycling in the dark, you can remain clearly visible to those around you.
Plus, the old features have been enhanced, especially navigation, so it now helps you find new routes and gets you to where you want to go through clear, minimalistic signals.
Background
Starting in Montreal, Canada, SmartHalo began with a Kickstarter campaign that was so successful that it has now transformed into a company of more than 15 cyclists and technology experts providing state-of-the-art cycling gear.
Since then, they have grown enormously; its SmartHalo 2 fundraiser on Kickstarter currently has more than £680,000 pledged and in excess of 7,000 backers.
As well as their new technology, SmartHalo also promote greener transport and more cycling more accessible, and want to see themselves as an ‘influencer on bike-centric city planning’.
How Much Does It Cost?
Well, first of all, it is not out yet, and is only available for pre-order.
But you can do so now for about £70 on its Kickstarter page, where you can become entitled to certain perks depending on how much you decide to pledge, including the ‘Early Bird Special’ for the SmartHalo 2, the Family Pack and the Cycling Team Pack.
So, if you want to be one of the first to step in to the future of the cycling world, the SmartHalo 2 has almost everything you could want from a cycling gadget, and is sure to enhance your commuting experience.
