Trek’s CarBack Might Keep You Safer

The CarBack (the name is taken from what cyclists say to each other when they hear a vehicle approaching from behind) can track vehicles as far away as 240m (787 ft.—more than a tenth of a mile). And thanks to a battery with seven hours of life, you can ride all day, or go days between recharging if your rides are shorter.

The light offers four different flash modes, depending on the time of day and whether you want a steady or flashing light.

Connecting a GPS unit or smartphone to the CarBack can be accomplished either by Bluetooth or ANT+, and it will work with phones running either iOS or Android. Once connected, the CarBack will send out an audible alarm to alert you to approaching vehicles. On the screen of the GPS or smartphone, there will be a visual display showing how many vehicles there are as well as how far away they are and how fast they are closing—everything a rider needs to know to stay informed.

Another helpful feature of the CarBack is that it will indicate if the vehicle is moving to their left or right, such as when they are moving out to give you more room as they pass.

It charges with a USB-C cable and is rated to IPX7, which is enough to withstand torrential rain (IPX7 can be submerged to a depth of 1m for up to 30 minutes). A four-bar LED indicates battery level. It goes for $199.99.