After a first photoluminescent marking in Canada in 2021 for the signage on the "P'tit train du Nord" tourist site, LuminoKrom® is back in Quebec! Now, to support BIXI Montreal users on their night-time rides by making the network's bicycles more visible to other cyclists and pedestrians.
The marking on the bikes was done by our Canadian partner T.R.A.
Photoluminescent bicycles for improved BIXI users safety
The collaboration was unveiled during Le Tour la Nuit, a nocturnal event organized on June 2, 2023 in the heart of Montreal in which cyclists take over the city's streets.
There are no cars on the road that night, and bikes are free to roam the streets of Montreal.
This photoluminescent marking project is the initiative of the BIXI organization, created directly by the City of Montreal. Its mission is to manage and develop a bike-sharing system in several Quebec cities to enhance the urban cycling experience.
A worldwide first: 60 bicycles painted with LuminoKrom®
BIXI Montréal offers two-wheeled vehicles as a means of urban public transport. The service has nearly 800 stations across the province, with no fewer than 10,000 self-service bicycles.
Some of these bikes were painted in LuminoKrom® to celebrate the organization's 15th anniversary.
During the event, Bixi Montréal presented its bikes freshly repainted with our paint. No fewer than 60 vehicles were marked with LuminoKrom®. They will be available on the network throughout the summer season. The possibility of a long-term solution is also being considered.
Completely autonomous, the bikes will store light during the day for recharging, and the markings will become phosphorescent at nightfall to guide cyclists on their night-time journeys.
In a city where bicycle mobility is at the heart of urban planning, luminescent markings were an obvious solution to ensure the safety of cyclists at night.
During the day, bicycles display a neutral color, and luminescence appears as soon as the absence of light is noticed.
Cyclists become more visible to other road users when visibility is poor. Thanks to the bike's structure which turns photoluminescent as soon as night falls, cyclists can be seen more easily by others.
Do you have any questions? Discover our FAQ
What is photoluminescence?
Photoluminescence is a physical process whereby a material absorbs photons from a light source and re-emits them. To achieve this, the body is subjected to radiation of varying intensity, which excites the electrons present in the substance. These electrons store the light, store the energy and release it when there is a total absence of light.
Thanks to photoluminescence, the substance can be recharged indefinitely by daylight or artificial lighting. Our LuminoKrom® photoluminescent paint exploits exactly this physical phenomenon.
What are the advantages of photoluminescence?
Installations marked with photoluminescent paint require no special maintenance or servicing. Only standard road maintenance is required.
What's more, this type of marking is totally autonomous, requiring no charge or power source. So it's an economical and sustainable solution.
How long does paint luminescence last?
The paint itself emits for a very long time. The most important parameter to take into account is the length of time its light emission is perceptible to the human eye.
In an outdoor environment devoid of any light, we consider that the eye can perceive light emission up to around 8 millicandela/m², i.e. after 10 hours of emission. If the environment presents light pollution (full moon, proximity of public lighting), this threshold will be raised and the duration of visibility will be shortened.
Indoors, in absolute darkness, the perception threshold is much lower, and you can observe the luminescence of our paint for over 12 hours.
What surfaces can LuminoKrom® paint be applied to?
Our LuminoKrom® paint range can be applied to a variety of substrates and materials. We offer different references to suit every circumstance, whether for indoor or outdoor marking, for example.
Our road and urban paint references are ideal for use on concrete, cement, bitumen and asphalt mixes. A waterborne version is also available for interior applications.Concernant les applications sur du métal, il faudra choisir notre peinture LuminoKrom® pour Métal.
Our luminescent paint is applied over a white primer, so you can apply LuminoKrom® to any surface where the white paint will adhere.