Point your eyes far enough ahead and look in the direction you want to go. This sentence is used in this or a similar form in almost every basic course on cycling technique. And absolutely justifiably so. If you act according to this maxim, you can prepare better for what lies ahead and make a suitable line choice more quickly. It’s just a pity if you can’t even see what’s in front of you. For example, because it is not detected at all by the front light when riding in the dark.
A swivel for more safety
Soon, lighting specialist Busch + Müller will have a new solution ready for precisely this case. Similar to the adaptive bend lighting on car headlights, the front light on an ebike will also be able to swivel in the future. In the case of the bicycle, the technical solution has been implemented somewhat more simply. The bottom line, however, is that the result should be comparable: You steer to the left or right while the light field of your headlight remains constantly horizontal.
Manufacturer Busch + Müller announces that the light/dark boundary is always at the level of the horizon and does not tilt sideways with the steering movement. This is to prevent you from no longer being able to see the area you are entering when cornering, as soon as the ebike is also vertical again. Sometimes there is an unpleasant surprise waiting there, which are suddenly so close that there is no time left for possible evasive manoeuvres or the like. Some of you are probably familiar with such situations. Until now, one of the most popular solutions was a second light on the helmet, which always illuminates the line of sight while the headlight on the bike takes over the steering direction.
The photographs illustrate the difference between a headlight with (bottom) and without (top) curve light assist.
Electronically controlled assistant
An inconspicuous, small box would like to make such alternative measures superfluous. Leval is what Busch + Müller calls the new bend lighting assistant. This is an adapter. You can mount it between the ebike and the headlight just like any other mounting. Inside, there is a gyroscope with seven ball bearings and a servo motor. Electronically controlled, it reacts to the steering movements and provides the corresponding compensation.
This is how the Leval bend lighting assistant from Busch + Müller looks like.
Ebike not mandatory
Leval draws the power for the integrated motor from the e-drive. The energy reaches the adapter via a light cable. From there, a separate cable leads to the headlight. The whole thing is designed for connection to conventional ebike batteries with a voltage of six to 15 volts. If you want to use it on a regular bike, a suitable battery should work as well.
The headlight you combine the Leval with must have a power rating of 16 watts. This is the highest rated power of the most powerful headlight that Busch + Müller currently offers for ebikes.
The usual options are available for mounting – fork crown or handlebar mount. The adapter itself can be mounted both vertically and horizontally. So, you are free to choose what you think fits best into the overall look of the respective bike.
-
- The simulation shows Leval attached to a handlebar mount.
-
- In this example, the box is aligned vertically.
Gimmick or useful tool?
The important question remains: Who needs a swivelling front light on a bike? Probably not every cyclist. However, we can think of two situations where this innovation could be really useful. Firstly, generally in connection with any headlight that casts a relatively narrow beam of light. Relatively narrow means: the entire width of the road is not illuminated. When turning and cornering to the left and right, the aforementioned black spots quickly appear, which are not illuminated by a classic lamp. This is where the Leval increases driving safety. Especially in the dark, when generally something tends to happen more quickly.
Secondly, we think of passages with narrow bends, both on the road and off-road. Depending on the general illumination of such a section, you can easily steer into the unknown. And a well-lit hairpin bend is definitely more fun to ride. However, this has to be worth around 75 euros. This is the price Busch + Müller is currently charging for the Leval. The adapter should be available in the first quarter of 2022.
At the Eurobike 2021, Busch + Müller already showed the assistance system behind a glass wall.
Wide-ranging compatibility
A pleasant side note: The assistance system can be retrofitted. This means that no additional new light from the manufacturer is needed. Even for someone who relies on other manufacturers for lighting, the Leval could be interesting. The only decisive factor for compatibility is the size of the front light mount. For products from Litemove and Supernova, this should work out on the Leval. For Lupine, the dimensions are somewhat smaller. However, a few additional spacers may help.
Pictures: Busch + Müller KG