Video: 25 years with NiteRider lights
Founder Tom Carrol talks about the company’s early years.
Mtbr visited NiteRider and we talked with founder Tom Carroll about the start of the company 25 years ago. He said he was an avid surfer who was so in to it that they surfed at night. He devised a waterproof lighting system that was 150 watts and worn on the head with a waist battery. All the technology and innovation failed to make a splash in the market, but it paved the way towards bike lighting. The main issue in surfing was there was too much whitewash and the lights just lit up the spray or coastal fog.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee5ZaBShZv8
But he applied the same innovation into bike lights and the orders started coming in. He worked in construction and started taking orders on the job site. It was a hectic and exciting time as he had to request the other workers to stop hammering and cutting wood. He rarely had paper handy, so he often wrote the orders on 2×4 blocks of wood! Then he took it home to his wife and they worked until 1am every night to assemble the lights and drop them at the post office.
Three years later, he quit construction and went on to grow NiteRider. It’s been a great ride and the industry is better with all their contributions and innovation.
Assembly of the enthusiast and high-end lights is done at the San Diego Headquaters.
Founded by Tom and Veronica Carroll, the couple set out to light up the surf breaks and trails so Tom could escape the crowds on Southern California’s iconic waves. A surfboard shaper, skilled designer, builder and carpenter, he combined his talents and passion and before long, was able to launch NiteRider in the fall of 1989. “The recipe I needed for a light was hands-free, waterproof and extremely bright. That proved to be exactly what cyclists needed too. I couldn’t find a solution so we started building them myself at our kitchen table,” explained Carroll.
Founder Tom Carrol and Director of Engineering Alex McKay show off their massive integrating sphere used to measure actual lumen output of a light.
The crew goes goes out for a night ride on the local hills of San Diego.
Sponsored rider Josh Tostado may be four time national endurance champ but even a short night ride is a blast for him.
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