Brooklyn’s streets would be safer if all of the cyclists looked like extras from “Tron.”
That’s the vision of Anthony Clune, a Red Hook bike rider and designer who has created a reflective armor that transforms two-wheelers into glowing neon rides.
Bikes decked out in the decals resemble futuristic vehicles ripped from science fiction movies — and they’re certainly more visible to motorists.
“This will keep your brain inside your skull where it belongs,” said Clune, 31, who goes by the name Tonky. “It would be a dream come true if I could prevent an accident.”
Called RydeSafe, Tonky’s diamond-shaped stickers are made from the same heavy-duty decals used on emergency vehicles and they fit on frames, rims, seats and helmets — potentially illuminating more parts of bikes and their riders than lights.
The entrepreneur created his cool night-riding accessory a few months ago after surviving his own bone-chilling bike accident, involving a text-messaging motorist on 15th Street in Park Slope.
“It happened so fast, and it bumped something loose in my caveman brain,” said Tonky, a lifelong biker. “I realized I was still alive due to dumb luck.”
So far, pedal-pushers love the glinting strips, which are meant to be used in tandem with city-required bike lights.
Michael Green, the Park Sloper behind Bike Blog NYC, said the borough’s biking community is experiencing a do-it-yourself renaissance.
“The more lights, the better,” he said. “I only have a couple of places where I didn’t have stickers.”
Tonky, who’s temporarily working on a project with elite creative agency Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, said he’s planning on filming a “Tron”-style race in the streets to promote the decals.
He hopes to bring the flashy futuristic movie to Brooklyn too.
“It is a rare blessing in a world of knick-knack-bric-a-brac to make something with the potential to improve lives and not end up in the landfill,” said Tonky, who refers to his decal-clad bike as the “Lean Green Safety Machine.” “Hopefully it will bring attention to the scourge that is distracted driving.”
Each RydeSafe kit includes 51 decals for $16.50. Visit www.rydesafe.com.
Reach Kate Briquelet at kbriquelet@cnglocal.com or by calling her at (718) 260-2511.r
