Hacking a Smart Bike's Dumb Lights: A DIY Repair

The author's friend's smart bike, from a now-bankrupt company, had a frustrating problem: the lights only worked with the app, which was useless. After a cheap replacement light was stolen, the author decided to hack the bike's existing lights. Using a 3D printer and some basic soldering skills, he bypassed the app requirement by adding a simple button switch and upgrading the charging port to USB-C. The result? A functioning light controlled by a button, a testament to simple solutions and the limitations of over-reliance on software in smart devices.