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Prototype GloBars By Designer Mitchell Silva Light From Within

Written by Colin McCaleb
Globars Mitchell Silva Main
14 Comments
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Globars Mitchell Silva Main

GloBars were conceived by Mitchell Silva, an industrial designer from Boston, MA. Stripping a section of metal from the front of a traditional drop bar, he installed plastic tubing containing approximately 40 high efficiency LED bulbs. A momentary actuator button on the back of the bars activates the system. The whole setup is powered with a watch battery. Though some structural integrity was sacrificed by removing a section of bar, Silva has some plans for the future to make these rigid and stable and perhaps even more awesome.

Click more for additional images and Silva’s plans for future prototypes…

Globars Mitchell Silva Close

Globars MItchell Silva Construction

The construction process

Globars Mitchell Silva Alloy Removal

Strips of alloy removed

Globars Mitchell Silva Momentary Actuator Button

The momentary actuator on/off switch.

Silva admits that without sections of alloy, the bars are a bit unstable. He has a couple plans for future improvements. Silva will look into using an expanding foam on the inside of the bars to increase structural integrity. Or, a smaller, more precise removal of alloy could suffice. Stability aside, directional signals and rechargeable USB bar plugs are in the future plans. Design featured below.

Globars Mitchell Silva DesignClick here to view more information on Globars and other designs by Silva at Coroflot.
Colin McCaleb
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Gillis
Gillis
12 years ago

That handle bar scares the crap out of me. There are better ways to accomplish what he’s doing without cutting the structural integrity of the bar out.

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vectorbug
vectorbug
12 years ago

I’m surprised this hasn’t been patented already.

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Chris
Chris
12 years ago

Great concept. I would bet that a groove (similar to a cable groove but deeper) rather than a cut-out would work just as well. That’s probably the next iteration.

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Xris
Xris
12 years ago

We have strips of lights at work we got from China for some of our electric bike builds. They’re nice and flat and can be easily woven underneath regular bar tape. No need to cut out sections of the bars for that one. If anything you could take what you have with the cut out bar and re-weld a recessed section to accommodate the thicker lighting strips.

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h2ofuel
h2ofuel
12 years ago

Perhaps the best solution would be just take a normal handlebar (this would also mean you don’t have to use their proprietary bar), apply the LED strips to them, then wrap with clear bar tape.

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stratosrally
stratosrally
12 years ago

I use an Antec Halo 6 LED strip powered by a USB port to shine light down onto my keyboard from my monitor stand . Around $12 on Amazon and elsewhere, uses 3M adhesive to stick on. I actually got a second one and stripped the USB connector from it and will test how well it runs off a battery. This handlebar concept is great, but currently as executed is scary!

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Really
Really
12 years ago

What would be an awesome addition would to replace them if the LED’s ever broke, or if something in the wiring went wrong, and if it was transferrable between bikes…

Oh Wait – That’s a regular bar mounted light that costs less, is more convenient, and is easier to charge…

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banzai472
banzai472
12 years ago

Why not do this to a seat post so your are covered on both ends

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Greg
Greg
12 years ago

for sure he’s going to need to work on the structural execution as he’s already stated, but I think you guys are not giving him the credit for trying to actually create an integrated light system into the bike. Something without bulky lamps or wires that seemlessly works.
My recommendation would be (as others have alluded to) to make it a bar kit using tape or adhesive.
Also, I would recommend using the bar end caps as tail makers/brake lights. (although the seatpost idea mentioned above is equally cool)

Pair this system with these and you’ve have a serious light-cycle:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/revolights/revolights-join-the-revolution?ref=live

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dalec
dalec
12 years ago

Banzai472 – look at the pic titled “how it works”

It seems this could be done with a lot less material removal. As is, I agree, that is scary, unless some serious engineering has been done to determine wall thickness and materials needed for proper strength

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curious
curious
12 years ago

you all are d****s…it is a PROTOTYPE, PROOF OF CONCEPT, the are always hack jobs….I p*****d at myself for reading this website again.

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ColinE
ColinE
12 years ago

What an awesome concept. It’d be great to have integrated lights on my handlebars, so I don’t have to worry about things getting stolen.

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Sam
Sam
12 years ago

Great Concept but I have allready put a patent in last December and have my products on the market I fid this disturbing that amazingly the cut outa are the same as my product which is patent pending and I have the structiral integrity issue solved and in use on motorcycles this is not a new Idea it was copied from my product. Chopper Lab USA

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