Photo: Kaiser Chang
Astra is the creation of Taipei, Taiwan-based designer Kaiser Chang, who specializes mostly in bicycles and bike-related gear. Calling things by their true name, Astra is the most beautiful and stylish bicycle headlight design we’ve ever laid eyes on and all we can think of now is to see it transformed into a real product.
Chang is no stranger to amazing accomplishments, as he just took home one of the most prestigious Red Dot Awards for Alluxia, a frameless LED panel light that won the Lighting Design category.
Back to Astra, Kaiser Chang wanted to integrate a hard mount in the bike lamp design, creating a single unit that would fit anywhere and blend form and function. On the one hand a minimalist design and on the other a most powerful statement, Astra exudes fluid lines that are both pleasant and appealing.
One of the sweetest choices Chang made was to incorporate everything into a modern aluminum unibody. The lens, the battery compartment, the on/off button, the battery meter, and the attachment collar are part of the same structure and this adds massive strength to this design.
Assertive, yet unobtrusive, Astra feels like a natural extension of the bike. Located in the middle of the handlebar, it can provide the widest beam range to light up the night, while its studied cutoff line makes sure the incoming road users are not blinded by the glare.
The on/off switch is easily accessible and the four indicator lights tell the rider how much energy the batteries have left. Power comes from two AA cells, so riders can use rechargeable batteries or even just stop by a convenience store and get a new pair.
We do believe that such a bicycle headlight would be a hit, especially if it arrives at a decent price and integrates multiple lighting modes riders can cycle through using the on-off switch. Are we the only ones who say that Kaiser Chang's Astra bike lamp should be up for crowdfunding on Kickstarter or Indiegogo?
Back to Astra, Kaiser Chang wanted to integrate a hard mount in the bike lamp design, creating a single unit that would fit anywhere and blend form and function. On the one hand a minimalist design and on the other a most powerful statement, Astra exudes fluid lines that are both pleasant and appealing.
One of the sweetest choices Chang made was to incorporate everything into a modern aluminum unibody. The lens, the battery compartment, the on/off button, the battery meter, and the attachment collar are part of the same structure and this adds massive strength to this design.
Assertive, yet unobtrusive, Astra feels like a natural extension of the bike. Located in the middle of the handlebar, it can provide the widest beam range to light up the night, while its studied cutoff line makes sure the incoming road users are not blinded by the glare.
The on/off switch is easily accessible and the four indicator lights tell the rider how much energy the batteries have left. Power comes from two AA cells, so riders can use rechargeable batteries or even just stop by a convenience store and get a new pair.
We do believe that such a bicycle headlight would be a hit, especially if it arrives at a decent price and integrates multiple lighting modes riders can cycle through using the on-off switch. Are we the only ones who say that Kaiser Chang's Astra bike lamp should be up for crowdfunding on Kickstarter or Indiegogo?
Google News