Smart Bike Lights (Data Field) / Bike Lights Control (Widget)

I've made two open source CIQ applications to control ANT+ lights:

- Smart Bike Lights (data field): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/0d9fd828-c932-4470-9c37-fd2828881888 

      Configurator: https://maca88.github.io/SmartBikeLights/ 

- Bike Lights Control (widget): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/fa3c2332-76e3-4ba1-8528-32a0fd617ab1 

     Configurator: https://maca88.github.io/BikeLightsControl/ 

Smart Bike Lights features:
- Automatic light control (Smart mode) based on the configured filters (sunset, sunlight, speed, ...)
- Manual light control (only for Edge devices with a touch screen or devices with CIQ 3.2 and more than 32KB memory)
- Records lights modes that are displayed in Garmin Connect

Bike Lights Control features:
- Manual light control (available to all devices)

Both applications can be installed on the same device, which can be useful for low end devices (e.g. Edge 520) where "Bike Lights Control" can be used to change light modes manually and "Smart Bike Lights" for automatic light control.

Currently registered ANT+ lights:
- Bontrager Ion Pro RT
- Bontrager Ion 200 RT
- Bontrager Flare RT
- Garmin Varia RTL500
- Garmin Varia RTL510
- Garmin Varia RTL515
- Garmin Varia HL500
- Garmin Varia UT800

in case your ANT+ light is not on the list you can help by doing the following:

1. Install Bike Lights Control
2. Pair your bike light with your Garmin device
3. Open the widget:
- Edge with a touch screen: post which numbers are displayed on the buttons and what mode each button represents when pressed
- Other devices: Select the "Light modes" menu and post which numbers are displayed in the menu and what mode each menu item represents when selected

Example for Bontrager Ion Pro RT:


1 -> High steady beam
2 -> Medium steady beam
5 -> Low steady beam
63 -> Day flash
62 -> Night flash

There are some features that could be possible to add in the future, but would require Garmin to add them to the CIQ api. In case you are interested in any of the below features, consider upvoting their feature request thread:

1. Control lights based on the ambient light sensor available on some devices:
https://forums.garmin.com/developer/connect-iq/i/bug-reports/ambient-light-sensor-api-access 

  • Thank you for doing this app. it is solving a real need.
    As a new user, I need some help with the configurator: I have Edge 1040, Bontrager ION pro RT as headlight and Flare RT as taillight.
    I would like the lights to start as soon as I start moving (even before starting the recording of an activity) and turn off as soon as I save the activity at the end of my ride.
    Is there a way to do it? can you share a configuration?
    Will I be able to load the configuration string to the configurator to do additional tweaks? I want to make the light behave differently for day/night etc.

  • a day later, the data screen just shows "error 1"

    If you have Edge 1040, this can unfortunately happen when Edge is waken up from sleep. The only reliable way to solve the problem (at least on my 1040), is to turn off Edge and then turn it back on. If that works also for you, I would recommend you to turn Edge off instead of putting it to sleep when you take a break during an activity.

    Is there a way to do it? can you share a configuration?

    Yes, here is the configuration:

    1,1!:1C]0#4587520,196641::1#3,3!DAY:1:63:0:0Er0,s0!NIGHT:1:62:0:0Es0,r0!:1:63:0:0D=1#6291461,1409482753::1#3,3!DAY:1:7:0:0Er0,s0!NIGHT:1:63:0:0Es0,r0!:1:7:0:0D=1#7,6:Ion Pro RT:0:16777215!2,:-1,Off:0!1,High:1!1,Medium:2!1,Low:5!1,Day Flash:63!1,Night Flash:62#7,6:Flare RT:0:16777215!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Day Steady:1!1,Night Steady:5!1,Day Flash:7!1,All-Day Flash:8!1,Night Flash:63#0::#0:0#123!:123!#0#0#B3843#1#1#0#0


    The lights will turn on only when you are moving (speed > 0) and by default "Day Flash" mode will be used. When the GPS location is acquired then the "Sunset/Sunrise" filter will kick in and both lights will go to "Day Flash" at daytime and "Night Flash" during night time.

    Will I be able to load the configuration string to the configurator to do additional tweaks?

    Yes, you will. Copy the above configuration, paste it in the "Existing configuration" input field of the Lights Configurator and press the "Load" button to load the configuration.

  • TREK CarBack & Garmin Edge 1040

      1 ->  Day steady
      5 ->  Night steady
      8 ->. Day flash
    63 -> Night flash

  • ###::16711680###6,5:CarBack:5614335:16777215!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Day steady:1!1,Night steady:5!1,Day Flash:8!1,Night Flash:63#0::#0:0#B3843##99#0#0

  • Thanks for the light modes! Now you can select the light in the Lights Configurator, without having to use the "Unknown" light

  • Hello maca88

    i need your assist for Edge 1040

    i wanna configure that my Varia 515 is at Daylight normal in Off Mode and only during Car Threatment flashes in Day Flash Intensity.

    Then the next step is that i wanna use the Varia in Night Mode from Sunset to sunrise as Solid On and during Car threatment flash in Night Flash Intensity.I thing Day Flash Intens is too bright

    is this possible? Or is only one Flash Intensity configurable?

  • Hi,

    is this possible?

    Yes, it is possible. Here is the configuration:

    ###0,73535488::1#5,4!RADAR:2:6:0:0Es0,r0I]-1]0!NIGHT:1:4:0:0Es0,r0!RADAR:1:7:0:0I]-1]0!:1:0:0:0D=1##6,5:Varia 515:0:16777215!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Solid:4!1,Peloton:5!1,Day Flash:7!1,Night Flash:6#0::#0:0#123!:123!#0#0#B3843##3#0#0 

    feel free to adjust the sunset offset if needed (currently set to zero).

  • I only have the RTL515 since this weekend and I already stumbled on this great IQ field. Awesome that maca88 provides so much support on this!

    I have been looking at using the solar mode of my Edge 840 Solar as a light sensor so the light turns on in tunnels, dark spots and rainy weather.

    Still searching for the “right” intensity and delays (to prevent it from being too flashy). I have come up with this, any tips are welcome of course! :-)

    ###0,73535488::1#4,3!Night:1:5:0:0Es-1800,r1800!Dark:2:5:30:5M{10M}0!:1:0:0:0D=1##6,5:Varia 515:0:16777215!2,:-1,Off:0!1,Solid:4!1,Peloton:5!1,Day Flash:7!1,Night Flash:6#0::#0:0#123!:13!0,5,4#0#0#B4062##3#0#0

  • Hello! First of all I have been using Smart Lights for years and it works great! Congratulations on your great work!

    I have just bought the new Trek CarBack tail light/ radar. It would be great if you could add it.

    Thank you im advance.

    Lourenco Roldao

  • Hello! First of all I have been using Smart Lights for years and it works great! Congratulations on your great work!

    I have just bought the new Trek CarBack tail light/ radar. It would be great if you could add it.

    Thank you im advance.

    Lourenco Roldao