Brilliant Bicycle Safety Light System!


 		   Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Hokey Spokes:    
What color combination works best?
Any selection is eye-catching! It is a matter of personal taste but three different colors on one wheel seems to work best.
Which is the most popular Hokey Spoke?
    The most popular Hokey Spoke is the Rainbow, a combination of  different LEDs all on one blade: 4 Reds, 3 Greens, 3 Yellows, 3 Orange and 2 Blue LEDs    
How many Hokey Spokes do I need on one bicycle wheel?
    We have experimented with one, two, three, even as many as six! One may create an imbalanced wheel at higher speeds. Two Hokey Spokes mounted opposite (180 degrees) of one another would balance it but you have to go 12 mph to get the full visual effect. Having three different Hokey Spokes on one wheel (spaced at 120 degrees apart) gives the best visual effect at 7 mph. You can load as many as six or more but you don't seem to have better images. So we recommend three on each wheel.    
Why are Blue Hokey Spokes more expensive?
    It has to do with the individual cost of the Blue LED light from the supplier. Since there are Blue LEDs on the Rainbow Hokey Spoke, the price is a little higher.    
Why don't you offer a White Hokey Spoke?
    White is now available! Actually one of the first prototypes that premiered at the Boston Gift Show in 2001 had a White Hokey Spoke on a wheel along with Red and Blue Hokey Spokes. They were beautiful and very patriotic. But the price of White LEDs is even higher than the Blue LEDs which would raise the price for the White Hokey Spoke. 

The Red White & Blue package is also now available at a discounted price for those wanting a more patriotic flair.  They are really beautiful !

    
What makes the Hokey Spoke work?
    Each Hokey Spoke contains a microprocessor chip which runs on specially patented software developed by the inventor, Dave Hoch. At the base of the Hokey Spoke there is an LED emitter which sends out an infrared signal allowing it to "talk" with all of the other Hokey Spokes installed on that wheel. When you turn on one Hokey Spoke, they all turn on. When you shut off one Hokey Spoke, they all turn off. There are no wires between the Hokey Spoke blades.    
I have one Hokey Spoke that blinks when it is turned off. Why is that?
With the first version of Hokey Spokes the inventor, Dave Hoch, wrote the software so that the one LED would blink when the unit was shut off as a battery indicator. Dead batteries left in the battery chamber could eventually leak and damage your Hokey Spokes beyond repair, voiding the one-year limited warranty.  The blinking LED consumes very little power and will not drain your batteries but people thought they would. Mr. Hoch later changed the software to remove the blinking LED. The only other change was on the blue cap that went from a pressure spring to a brass plug designed to tighten the batteries in the battery chamber. Other than that, your Hokey Spokes are all the same! Just be sure to remove dead batteries to protect your Hokey Spokes!
 
I turned on my Hokey Spokes and now they are on and they won't shut off. What's the problem? 
In "Program" mode, the spokes will not turn off when you press the PWR key. You must press PWR-SEL 
keys at the same time to get the spokes out of  programming mode first. Another solution is to remove the 
batteries, reinsert the batteries and then PWR up again. (See second solution below...)
I turned on my Hokey Spokes and now they are on and they won't shut off. What's the problem?
We've noticed, too, that sometimes a Hokey Spoke will not turn off. In examining this, it requires three 1.5 volt batteries for a total voltage of 4.5 volts. When we check the voltage of a Hokey Spoke that would not shut off, it measured 3.0 volts (the total of all three AA batteries). Hence, when your batteries begin to fail, there is not enough voltage for it to work properly. It will not respond to the infrared signals from other Spokes on your bike and is sluggish or refuses to power down... Try replacing all three batteries and it will work just fine. 
Are Hokey Spokes difficult to install?
    Not at all.  You may want to carry a small Phillips head screwdriver but you can put them on and take them off in minutes using a Phillips screwdriver.    
How do you program the graphics on Hokey Spokes?
    You don't.  Each Hokey Spoke comes with a pre-programmed microprocessor that contains six different images. You  turn one on, they all light up, and once every 10 seconds or so, the image pattern change on all of your Hokey Spokes as they communicate with each other.    
How do I enter text messages?
    You may enter text messages manually by using the PWR and SEL keys. Instructions are on the back of the insert card that comes with each Hokey Spoke. You may download an Instructional Sheet for more detailed information.

DOWNLOAD
INSTRUCTIONS

  
    The second way to program text messages is by using your Palm Pilot. You may download special software that will enable your Palm Pilot to "talk" to your Hokey Spokes!  But the inventor, Dave Hoch, wanted your Hokey Spokes to be "computer independent"... so you can program them and change the message manually.

PALM PILOT
DOWNLOAD

  
Can I use Loctite on my Hokey Spokes to keep the screws tight?
Absolutely not! There are dangerous chemicals in Loctite that interact with the plastic resins used on the Hokey Spoke housings. It dissolves the plastic and will cause permanent damage. While some people think this will keep Hokey Spokes on "tight", it has the opposite effect. When properly installed, Hokey Spokes will not come off the spoke. Check your attachment screws occasionally to make sure they are tight at all times. That's why we send a free Phillips screwdriver with each order!
Where can I buy my Hokey Spokes?
Right now, Hokey Spokes are sold directly but we are in the process of setting up dealers throughout the United States and around the world. If you would like your bicycle dealer to sell Hokey Spokes in your community, please tell them about Hokey Spokes, then email us with their name, phone number and email address. We will invite them to become a Hokey Spoke dealer so people in your neighborhood can buy them locally.
If I order on-line, how long will it take to get my Hokey Spokes?
We take pride in shipping the same day your order is placed (before 4 pm CST). We ship everything USPS Priority Mail which means you will receive your Hokey Spokes in two to three days.  Now based in the Midwest with a central geographical location, we have good shipping links to both the East and West Coast as well as the Gulf states.
What is your policy on returns if I have a problem?
At Hokey Spokes, all sales are final with the exception of mechanical defects. Hokey Spokes (purchased from us) have a one year limited replacement warranty.  Please read our  Returns Policy for more information.
Who are you guys?
The Hokey Spokes Company is now owned and managed by Carole and Richard Barnes who bought the company in May 2005 from the inventor, David Hoch, a graduate of MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Richard Barnes holds a doctorate degree and was on the faculty of Boston College when he bought an electronic contract manufacturing company in 1996. One of their clients was Technology Arts, Inc., a company owned by Mr. Hoch.

In early 2001,  Barnes' company worked with Hoch to build and develop the prototypes for Hokey Spokes. With the new ownership, new and more aggressive marketing strategies are being employed that will provide a steady stream of product to customers, dealers and distributors.

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