DIY bicycle turn signals

If you often ride your bike at night, then you will need more than just a front headlight and a rear red light. For greater traffic safety, the bicycle must be equipped with turn signals, because Hand signals may not always be visible to pedestrians in the dark.

Let's install a set of bicycle turn signals. The design of the signals is very simple and does not require any complex tools to make them. If possible, we will use ready-made factory-made parts that you can buy in a sports store, electronics store or online store.

This article discusses how to make turn signals for a bicycle with your own hands. You can install the same exact signals on the front of your bike.

Making turn signals for a bicycle

In this article you can learn how to assemble simple turn signals for a bicycle with your own hands. This will be especially useful for those who constantly ride a bike around the city. After all, showing the direction of turn with your hands may not always be convenient, and sometimes even unsafe, since you have to steer with one hand, and your attention is reduced.

The author assembled his homemade product from three flashlights that he found at home. In order not to come up with a separate circuit for flashing the lights, it is best to purchase ready-made, cheapest “flashers” for a bicycle. If you get by with the most budget option, you can assemble a simple circuit using a blinking LED.

Materials and tools for homemade work: - three bicycle flashers; — two toggle switches for turning on; — USB cable (the author’s is 1.83 meters long); - clamps, wires and other small items.

The process of creating a homemade product:

Step one. How to choose the right lights

You will need to buy the most common and cheap bicycle flashers. The simpler the design, the better. Two flashers with three LEDs and one button to turn off are perfect. You can choose any one to suit your taste as a central lantern.

Next, you can connect the flashlights, as you know, a USB cable has four wires, and each flashlight will have two wires. The connection points need to be wrapped with electrical tape, and it is best to use heat shrink. Finally, the wire must be securely attached to the base of the structure, that is, to plywood or board, depending on what was used. You can use a stapler; for maximum reliability, it would be a good idea to drip some hot glue on top.

Step four. The final stage of assembly

Next you need to install the turn signal switches. There should be two of them, one on each side. The switches should be convenient so that the turn can be turned on quickly and without much effort. They must also be waterproof, since if water gets in, the turn signals may turn on spontaneously. Of course, the right turn signal is connected to the right switch, and the left one to the left.

To connect, the author again uses a USB cable with a female connector, or vice versa. Subsequently, to connect the entire system together, you need to connect the USB cables. However, a regular four-wire wire is also suitable for these purposes. After this, the system can be tested.

If everything works correctly, now all that remains is to route the wire along the frame. The length and method of laying may vary, depending on the bike model. A cable 1.83 m long was enough for the author. It is important to understand that the wire in the steering wheel area should not be too tight, otherwise it will break when turning. The wire can also be secured to the frame using plastic clamps. Do not pull the clamps over the brake cables, otherwise they may become strained. The author secured the switches using clamps and electrical tape. The switches were borrowed from an old toy keyboard.

For those who decide to continue using classic cyclist signals, the picture below will be useful.

Source

MY MOTORCYCLE

LEDs have recently become much more dominant than conventional light bulbs and other lighting elements. They didn't leave motorcycles aside either. Quite a few people are trying to convert their turn signals to LED ones, and the motorcycle manufacturers themselves (not all of course) are slowly introducing these economical illuminators. But in this post we will talk specifically about LEDs in corners.

Standard turn relays come with two and stirrup terminals. If your motorcycle has three, consider yourself lucky: such a relay does not care which lighting devices it interacts with. But two-pin ones do not want to coexist with LEDs.

To understand why, let's look at how simple devices work, like those that were installed on Soviet equipment and old scooters. In them, the blinking of the lamps is controlled by a metal thread located in the relay housing. When the turn signals are turned off, it compresses the contacts; when the indicators are turned on, current passes through the contacts and the thread. The thread heats up, stretches, a gap forms between the contacts, and accordingly, the current stops flowing and the light bulbs go out. The filament cools, shortens and compresses the contacts - the lamps light up again... If one of the lamps burns out, the current consumed is not enough to heat the filament - and the surviving lamp shines constantly. Some modern two-terminal electronic relays behave the same way. In conjunction with others, the surviving lamp, on the contrary, begins to blink very quickly and thereby, as it were, warns the driver of a malfunction. But LEDs consume several times less current than a light bulb - that’s why LED turn signals in an electrical circuit with a two-pin relay either stay on constantly or blink like crazy. But don't be discouraged - it's not difficult to pacify crazy electronics.

METHOD ONE: DECEPTION. The simplest and most unsuccessful way is to connect standard lamps parallel to the new turn signals and hide them out of sight somewhere deep inside the motorcycle. Please note that the power of the lamps is high, and while you wait with the turn signals on for the traffic light arrow to light up, the lamps will have time to heat up to a hundred degrees or more and melt the plastic surrounding them. And besides, they need to be securely fastened - otherwise the vibration will either break the glass or break the filament.

Deceive wisely! I’ll tell you how: using additional resistors. They are also installed parallel to the turn signals, and one on the right and left sides of the motorcycle is enough. You can select resistors by trial and error (they are inexpensive) from 20-watt resistors with a nominal value of 5-20 ohms - so that the lamps blink approximately 90+20 times per minute (according to GOST). But radio engineering parts are not designed to operate under vibration, and if they are not secured properly, they will quickly fall apart. It is advisable to install the resistors outside - here they will be cooled better and will not melt anything. Unless, of course, you manage to attach them to the plastic. Another thing is that “overboard” they can be damaged by dampness. In addition, they must be carefully isolated from ground so that a short circuit does not occur.

There are special additional resistances on sale. LED turn signal kits from some companies already contain such parts; they are well insulated, but keep in mind that parts with a ceramic body are short-lived (first photo): they can fall apart in just a year. Metal cases are strong, reliable, they have eyes for fastening and fins for cooling. Everyone likes these parts... except for the price - it is comparable to the cost of turn signals. In addition, additional resistors negate an important advantage of LEDs - low current consumption. Maybe this is not so important for a “liter” superbike, but for a scooter with its weak generator it won’t hurt to save an extra ten watts.

METHOD TWO: REPLACE THE RELAY . If you are an electrician, take the risk of replacing a two-pin relay with a three-pin one yourself. Connect one of the three contacts to the ground of the motorcycle. Find out which one exactly by studying the electrical diagram of the motorcycle for which the device is intended “according to the state”. Usually, electronic turn signal relays are very reliable - you can safely buy them at “showdowns”. But when purchasing, still ask to check their performance, and at the same time you will find out which output is connected where. During installation, you will have to resolder the connector of your device. It’s easy to find the “plus” in it - turn on the ignition and connect one by one to both wires a voltmeter or a light bulb, connected with the second terminal to ground. The wire on which there is no “plus” goes to the switch on the steering wheel. You will have to figure out how to connect it yourself - no instructions are included with them.

METHOD THREE: RECONFIGURE . And if you are also friends with a soldering iron (it’s better, of course, for it to be friends with you), you can do it even simpler. Buy a turn relay from Zhiguli with index 495.3747A, using a thin screwdriver (it’s easier to work with two) disassemble the housing, as shown in the photo. Try not to skew the base so as not to break anything. If the wires leading to the terminals come off the board, don’t worry: soldering them back in place is a matter of minutes. The main thing is not to damage the board. Inside you will see a mechanical relay, a microcircuit and a capacitor. You will also see resistors, but you don’t need to touch them. Typically the capacitor capacity is 2.2 µF and it is rated at 50 V - all this is written on the case. In order for the turn signals to blink at the “correct” frequency, the capacitor must be replaced with another one, approximately twice the capacity, for example, 4.7 uF and also 50 V (about 10 rubles). When you start soldering the parts, pay attention to where the “minus” is drawn on the body of the standard capacitor: the new one must be soldered in exactly the same way! After assembly, it is advisable to seal the relay housing connector - lubricate it with silicone sealant. But that's not all. Usually, the Zhiguli relay does not want to just work with LEDs - the relay does not click, the turn signals do not turn on. Solder parallel to one of the left and right indicators with a resistance of 2, or maybe 1 kOhm with a power dissipation of at least 0.25 W. The current flowing through these resistors is negligible, and they practically do not heat up. Therefore, the parts can be attached with electrical tape or heat shrink casing directly to the wires. And the turn signals will begin to work in accordance with GOST: immediately after switching on, they will light up for a while, and then blink at the required frequency.

The main disadvantage of the redesigned relay: it will no longer notify the driver that the turn signal has burned out. In addition, it is equipped with mechanical contacts, and they, like any mechanics, are less reliable than electronics. But this drawback can be neglected: “LED” currents are too small for the contacts to burn.

METHOD FOUR: DO IT YOURSELF RELAY:

If you like to tinker in principle, build a fully electronic turn signal relay. It has no mechanical contacts and will work equally well with light bulbs and LEDs. But this relay also has a drawback: it immediately starts working when the ignition is turned on. It is impossible to predict whether the turn signals will light up immediately when turned on with the switch on the steering wheel or a little later. The homemade relay is based on the NE555 timer (it can be replaced with a domestic analogue KR1006VI1, but I cannot guarantee reliability). It controls the power field-effect transistor IRFU5305. It can be replaced with a part with a P-channel of similar properties. Moreover, resistance is only needed if you install an analogue one. IRFU5305 works just fine without resistors. Resistances R1, R2 and capacitor C1 must be selected experimentally - the blinking frequency of the turn signals depends on them. The only requirement: the resistance of resistor R1 must be 10 times less than that of R2 When selecting parts, the starting point can be the values of R2 200 kOhm, and C1 - 2.2-4.7 μFx50 V. The lower the resistance value and capacitance of the capacitor, the more often direction indicators flash. All this can be placed in the housing of any automotive relay - at the nearest service station, electricians will probably have one that you wouldn’t mind giving as a gift.

In addition to these tips, I think there are still plenty of options for converting turns and relays to LEDs that folk craftsmen come up with. My friend changed and redid the turns on his sportbike himself and he succeeded. I’ll try to post the information for you on the website someday. Also, if you have. Dear site visitors, if you have your own options, don’t hesitate to write.

Author of the main technical material Andrey SUSLOV; source MOTO Magazine.

What are bicycle turn signals?

The signaling system can be installed to complement the main lighting - front and rear lights. It is a three-section flashlight, which is controlled by a special unit mounted on the steering wheel. The block and lights are connected to each other by wires. All the cyclist needs to do is press a button on the remote control, and the light will blink on its own. Everything is the same as in the car!

The signaling system lamp consists of parts:

The active areas of the turn signal lamps can be made in the form of arrows in the corresponding direction, but this does not change the essence. When installing rear turn signals, a standard flashlight acts as a marker. It usually has several flashing and non-blinking modes. As soon as you start driving with turn signals, it is better to switch the “standard” light to non-blinking mode so as not to mislead drivers when the lights turn on.

Selection and installation of bicycle hooks

The simplest and cheapest way to secure a bicycle is to use bicycle hooks, which are divided into two large groups:

A bicycle wall mount in the form of hooks for horizontal storage can be one of the following types:

Individual wall mounted hooks

Fastening in the form of hooks mounted on the frame

Hooks for vertical hanging:

Device for hanging a bicycle from the ceiling

Vertical hanging device

Installation of hooks is not difficult. To install you need:

Drilling holes for attaching hooks

Preparing to Attach the Hook

Advantages and disadvantages

What is better and more correct: to inform about maneuvers with an outstretched arm or to use light signals? At first glance, the answer is obvious - the second option is much safer. But let’s not rush, this method also has both light and dark sides. As they say, it's a double-edged sword.

Type	Convenience	Visibility during daylight hours	Visibility in the dark	Weight
Hand feed	—	+	+	+
Turn signals	+	—	—	—

When giving signals using an outstretched arm, it is not always possible to keep the steering wheel in a straight position, especially if the leading hand is released from it. Needless to say, road instability is a safety hazard?

With turn signals everything is simpler: just press the button. In addition, giving a hand signal is done only before a turn, and at this time not all drivers will be able to see it. The turning lights turn on throughout the entire turn.

The bulbs are almost invisible during the day, especially in the sun. Perhaps this can be attributed to their significant disadvantage. In the dark and twilight, light has an advantage over the standard method, unless, of course, the cyclist decides to put LED strips on his hands. But if dynamics and acceleration are of fundamental importance, then it is not recommended to install turn signals on a bicycle. Why? It's simple: any suspended device will increase the weight, which makes itself felt very well in motion.

Brackets, horizontal and vertical fastenings

Storing a bike at home is a challenge, especially when there are several of them. How to hang a bike? Bike racks can save the day.

Hanging a bike is a great idea in small, cluttered apartments. Placed on the floor, it blocks passages, makes it difficult to move around the apartment, pollutes the floor, and leaves marks on the white walls. A practical solution that allows you to avoid many troubles is bicycle hangers.

This is the least complicated way to store a bicycle in an apartment. Usually the bike mount bracket is installed on the wall, but sometimes they are installed on the ceiling and on the door. Thanks to the fasteners, you can hang your cycling equipment next to the wall without taking up much space.

There are several types of hooks for mounting a bicycle:

Even clean wheels can stain and scratch the wall, so it is worth painting these areas with a darker paint or choosing a surface that is resistant to damage. Look at what models experts recommend, check whether the apartment matches them.

Remote turn signals without wires

An advanced version of the light signal system is used on steep bikes riding on roads. The key features of wireless turn signals are, of course, the absence of wires from the control unit to the bulbs and good visibility even in very good natural light. Every car driver will take into account such a cyclist, and on equal terms. It goes without saying that the “coolness” of such a device does not free the cyclist from the need to give a signal in advance and control the traffic situation.

The kit of such devices includes special batteries and chargers. An additional function – “hazard warning light” – will allow you to indicate a stopped bicycle in the wrong place, as well as signal bike malfunctions to other cyclists if, for example, they are moving in a group.

This option is perfect for cyclists who often cross open spaces along busy city streets and highways. The disadvantage is, of course, the high cost.

Varieties

A typical bicycle signal unit consists of side turn signal lights and a center section that visually separates the light output from the indicators. There are several types of “flashers” for bicycles:

Indicators located on the vest. In this case, the control panel is located on the steering wheel. The indicator is only present on the back, so cyclists should also install a front headlight and tail lights.
Classic turn signal system with wired switching method. In this case, some installation difficulties may arise. In the store you can find standard flashlights with LED or incandescent bulbs. There are rectangular panels, and there are also signs with a luminous arrow.
Wireless products. In this case, you will need batteries, transmitters and signal receivers. The device is not well protected from radio frequency interference, so it should be secured to the frame using harnesses.

A distinctive feature of wireless turn signals is good visibility even in sunny weather.

How to make turn signals for a bicycle with your own hands

This article discusses how to make turn signals for a bicycle with your own hands. You can install the same exact signals on the front of your bike.

Electrical diagram and description

The bicycle flasher is a 2 or 4 LED system. For clarity, we present both options:

Schematic diagram of a flasher with 2 diodes

Signal flasher circuit for 4 lamps

A 4 LED circuit generally consists of:

2 transistors (VT) – control element of the electrical circuit;
a pair of resistors (R) - responsible for converting current into voltage and vice versa;
2 capacitors – C1 and C2 ─ respectively determine the electrical capacity of the circuit;
SA1 – switch – closes and opens the electrical circuit.

The blinking of the lamps is ensured by capacitors - electricity storage devices. The entire capacity of the capacitors is spent on flashes. Once the energy is wasted, the lamp will turn off until the capacitor is energized again through the circuit.

Electric bicycle horn

The device runs on standard batteries, which are inserted inside the case. It is installed on the bicycle handlebar - in the middle or on the side, whichever is more convenient. The working part of the electronic device is connected through a wire to a button. It is, in fact, that we set the buzzer into action.

Electric bicycle horn equipment:

audio machine - a small compact device, no more than 7 cm in length;
horn mount;
the wire;
button;
button fastening.

The optimal location on the steering wheel is the horn in the middle or closer to the center, the button next to the grip/shifter. This makes it more convenient to press and release it without being distracted from the controls.

Standard Electric Bicycle Horn Kit

Advantages of an electric signal for a bicycle:

simplest installation;
excellent audibility, especially on noisy streets (intensity up to 105 dB ─ no joke) - much more effective than a bell;
compactness;
universal design: can be installed on both road bugs and cooler bikes.

The disadvantages of this device go side by side with the advantages:

very sharp sound: harmful to the cyclist himself and unsafe at short distances from other road users;
unlike a bell or horn, an electric horn breaks easily, and the probability of this happening is almost 100% if it falls;
Not very reliable plastic fasteners.

And once again briefly on functionality. Electronic signals can be: “beep”, croaking intermittent sound, imitation of a car alarm. And there are also devices that have a whole collection of melodies built into them.

Simple electronic bell for bicycle (K561TL1)

If you want to replace a regular mechanical bicycle bell with an electronic one, you can make such a simple device, the circuit of which is described here. The main advantage of this device is the scanty current consumption with sufficient sound volume. This is achieved by using a piezoelectric sound emitter from an old push-button telephone as an acoustic element in this circuit. It sounds loud, but consumes little current. And in silent mode, the circuit does not consume anything at all, because power is supplied to it only during a call.

Another advantage is the ability to operate in a very wide range of supply voltages, from 3 to 15V. But the lower the supply voltage, the lower the volume. Optimal, in terms of size and volume, is a 9V power supply from a Krona battery or its equivalent.

Air signal for bicycle

It remains to talk about a bicycle signal, which is driven by an air flow, or about pneumatic horns.

It is in these devices that the owner of a bike can show his love for antiquity, for some “steampunk” charm. The hoarse, airy sound of a horn can remind you of the days of automobile youth, and the unbearably sparkling copper or brass, reminiscent of a jazz wind instrument, is mesmerizing:

For some fans, having a set of different-timbre horns clearly left no room on the steering wheel for anything else:

In general, the advantages of a manual horn are quite significant:

The specific, hoarse, but natural, airy, non-electronic timbre does not frighten people; they react to it as expected.
The device does not require any lubrication or waterproofing. Only in winter temperatures does the horn bulb become fragile.
The most important thing for the safety of a cyclist is the simplicity and speed of using the horn: pressing the bulb with all fingers can be done without taking your eyes off the road. If you use your thumb, you still need to shift your gaze to it.

The disadvantage of the horn, of course, is the need to remove your hand from the steering wheel completely, even if only for a split second. On a difficult track this can be dangerous.

In addition, the design of the horn itself practically excludes its compatibility with the aggressive sports design or brutality of trial bikes.

Guess which bike the air horn would look good on?

Of course, on the top.

Air horns: air horns and horns

As the name suggests, this bicycle signal is powered by pressurized air. There is no need for batteries, such a device is easier to use, and the buzz is no quieter than its electric “competitor” and especially the shock bell. There are two types of airborne audio signals - air horn and horn.

Pneumatic horn is a sound supply system, which consists of:

air tank;
curved tubes;
transit hose;
nipples for air injection;
shutter buttons;
mounts on the frame and handlebars of a bicycle.

The air in the bottle is under pressure. Pumping occurs through an auto-nipple; the tank can be filled with a conventional wheel pump.

Car nipple for pneumatic system

How does a pneumatic signal work:

We lower the white cover onto the nipple - this is the inoperative state of the horn.
By pressing the protrusion of the lid, the spool is lowered, a vacuum is created, due to which air is pushed out of the bottle.
After passing through the transit hose, the air enters the curved tube and oscillates at a certain frequency.
When the edge of the cover is released, the spool returns to its place and the air release stops.

The sound of a pneumatic horn is quite sharp, but does not cut into the ears, unlike an electric signal. A good thing for sound warning pedestrians, motorists and other cyclists about a possible emergency situation. The disadvantage of pneumatics will be the fairly rapid release of air from the bottle and complete dependence on the condition of the nipple - if the spool spring is damaged, the horn will not work.

Aesthetic side: more suitable for road models, cruisers, choppers and lightweight city models. Doesn't look good on mountain bikes and doesn't suit hybrids or road bikes at all.

A horn is essentially the same pneumatic system, only simpler. It looks like this:

A simplified model is a horn with direct air outlet. Its meaning, however, does not change: air passes through the expanding tube with force and creates a wave of a certain frequency. The sound is more natural for perception. Pedestrians and motorists react to it calmly and without irritation, so it is only recommended to install horns on city bikes instead of regular bells.

What does a horn consist of:

straight or curly tube;
rubber bulb;
rigid and reliable mounting on the steering wheel.

In general, everything is cheerful, simple and quite cheap. And at the same time, the advantages of the horn in comparison with other signals:

no additional hoses or wires;
compact, unlike pneumatics, where a bottle will take up a lot of space;
soft and loud sound;
unique retro style.

In terms of versatility, however, this horn lets us down: it will fit perfectly into the style of city bikes, retro bicycles, choppers, etc. But on models that have even a small amount of sportiness, it will look ridiculous.

We assemble the “quack” at home

An original homemade horn will cost you only 200-500 rubles - that’s how much the parts needed to create it will cost. You will need:

a metal case in which the device will be placed;
asymmetrical multivibrator or electronic device for a bicycle;
transistors Kt 805 or Kt 819;
LEDs;
ordinary capacitors and resistors;
chip TDA 2005;
speaker;
switch.

Diagram of a device based on an asymmetrical vibrator

Power to the multivibrator is supplied from the machine's battery. In order for the sound signal to be powerful, it is necessary to assemble an amplifier - for this purpose, a bridge circuit assembled on the basis of the TDA 2005 microcircuit is used.

A self-assembled low-frequency amplifier and a multivibrator, placed in a metal case, are mounted on a radiator. The sound that our homemade “quack” horn makes comes from a dynamic head - you can use either a regular Soviet 25 gd or a similar one. It must be placed under the hood of the car and connected to the amplifier output.

Power amplifier connection diagram

A signal simulating quacking is fed to an asymmetrical multivibrator by pressing a button. It then passes through an amplifier, which makes the sound more powerful and punchy. To make a self-assembled “quack” sound louder, you can install a dynamic head in a metal pipe 20-30 cm long. Two such homemade installations, hidden under the hood, will create an incredibly powerful sound effect.

Received device

In conclusion, we would like to warn those who decide to make such a horn with their own hands that the use of this signal is not permitted by law and may be punishable by a fine.