Alongside all the positive benefits that riding an ebike brings, it’s probably the fun factor that keeps most people getting back on their bikes time and time again. However, that fun is completely lost the moment you feel unsafe on your ebike. For example, when cycling in what can sometimes be nerve-wracking everyday traffic. Indicators on an ebike are a way of making you more visible in these situations and can give you a new sense of confidence. If this is something that matters to you, you might want to take a look at the Turnlite indicators, which the components manufacturer Büchel will soon be offering.
1. Ebike indicators use modern technology
2. Büchel Turnlite with central control unit
3. Realistic operating time of ten hours or more
4. Special mode saves power in everyday use
5. Cable-free design makes fitting Büchel Turnlite easier
6. Two potential positions for the rear indicators
1. Ebike indicators use modern technology
The set from indicator pioneer Velorian, the Turntec T2 and Turntec T4 from Busch + Müller, and the equally brand-new Blnkr solution from Motogadget – these are just a few of the indicators for ebikes currently available on the market. Specialist online shops offer an even wider range, though they tend to place less importance on compliance with the German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) or approval from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). The Büchel Turnlite adds another splash of colour to this diverse product landscape. And let’s get this out of the way straight away: When it comes to safe approval for road use, the Turnlite clearly gets the green light.
In principle, however, yellow or orange would be more appropriate colours for the Büchel set. After all, that’s the colour in which the indicator light flashes. But you could also think of it as red for ‘caution’. Because – attention, attention – these are the only bicycle indicators we know of that can be installed and operated on an ebike without a single cable. All four indicators – two at the front on the handlebars, two at the rear on the rear rack – as well as the accompanying control unit are connected to one another via wireless communication.
2. Büchel Turnlite with central control unit
At the heart of the control system is a small remote control designed to be positioned on the left-hand side of the handlebars. The same has always been true of shift levers, brake levers, perhaps the lever for the dropper post, or perhaps a control unit for the display. Consequently, you’ll need to assess for yourselves whether you have enough space available and, if so, how to arrange the individual components so that you can still reach them all. Büchel makes this task a little easier for you. The clamp for the control unit is so flat that it can, for example, be fitted beneath a Bosch LED Remote.
Thanks to a left and a right button on the ergonomically shaped control unit, the indicators are intuitive to operate. After pressing one of the two buttons, the two corresponding indicators flash for 30 seconds. This increases to four minutes if you press and hold one of the buttons. Pressing a button again stops the indicators from flashing. Good to know in the event of an accident: Pressing and holding the left and right buttons simultaneously activates the hazard warning lights.
3. Realistic operating time of ten hours or more
In addition, there are two narrow, short LEDs on the control unit, one beneath each of the two direction arrows. The LEDs indicate that either an indicator is not active or the battery level is getting low. If the LED flashes red, the battery in one of the indicators is flat. If, on the other hand, it glows red continuously, the battery level in both indicators is so low that they need recharging.
Recharging is required after 5.5 hours at the earliest. According to Büchel, the Turnlite can flash continuously for that long. In everyday use, they should therefore last considerably longer. None of us cycles around with our indicators flashing constantly. 😉 In practice, the ‘true’ battery life will probably settle at ten hours or more. You can get a fairly good rough estimate of how much charge each battery has left at any time. All it takes is a simple click of the button on the back of each indicator. The number of the eight LEDs on the front that light up afterwards shows approximately how much charge is left.
4. Special mode saves power in everyday use
As all components have their own built-in batteries, you can remove them individually for charging via USB. A suitable multi-port USB charging cable is included in the set. According to the manufacturer, if all five components are connected to the cable, the charging process takes around three hours.
To ensure that charging doesn’t become too frequent, the manufacturer has integrated a motion sensor into the indicators. If the ebike is stationary for at least two minutes, the indicators switch to a power-saving mode. But be careful: If the ebike has not been moved for that long and you press one of the indicators, it will not respond. You’ll need to give it a slight nudge to wake the system up again.
5. Cable-free design makes fitting Büchel Turnlite easier
As the set doesn’t require any cables, there aren’t any that need to be routed during installation. The manufacturer clearly wanted to keep the fitting process as simple and convenient as possible. Consequently, the whole process is quick. You simply need to attach a few brackets. Two of these are designed for the handlebars. Thanks to their hinges, all the other parts can remain on the handlebars whilst you find the right position. Once you’ve found it, the brackets can be screwed into place using the Allen key provided. The indicators slide into the bracket from the side. When you hear a slight click, they’ve reached the stop. Simply push up a small locking lever on the back of the indicator, and the indicator is fitted.
For the rear indicators, the ebike must have a suitable rear rack. This is where they are mounted. You can either use one of the side struts of the rear rack or use the holes intended for fitting a tail light. For the side struts, Büchel has once again included two hinged brackets. The indicators protrude sideways from these. A flexible joint allows the indicators to give way should you, for example, bump them against a bike stand or another bike whilst parking your ebike. We’re familiar with a similar solution from Busch + Müller’s Turntec T4.
6. Two potential positions for the rear indicators
However, in some circumstances, the position on the struts may quickly come into conflict with a pannier on the rear rack. In that case, mounting them on the strut at the rear of the rack is a viable alternative. The manufacturer has designed a special adapter plate for this purpose. It features numerous holes, so you’ll probably find it quite easy to find a spacing that suits the strut. Once the adapter plate is screwed onto the rear rack, the brackets for the indicators can be slotted into the plate and also screwed in place. Fitting the indicators works in the same way as for the front indicators.
You can check which indicators are linked to which button on the control unit before fitting them. To do this, simply unpack the indicators and deactivate lock mode by double-clicking the button on the back of each indicator. Then press the left or right button on the control unit. Two indicators should then light up. If you press the other button, the other two indicators should light up.
The lock mode mentioned is designed to prevent the Turnlite from being activated unintentionally, for example during transport. You can activate – and deactivate – it by double-clicking the button on the back of each indicator. When lock mode is active, the indicators no longer respond to a signal from the control unit.
According to the manufacturer, the Turnlite is set to go on sale in the coming days. Büchel is initially pricing it at 129.95 euros.
