Given the pending time change, I'm wondering how TE's have equipped their bikes for commuting during dusk or in the dark. Especially interested in front light setups.
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Given the pending time change, I'm wondering how TE's have equipped their bikes for commuting during dusk or in the dark. Especially interested in front light setups.
I have a spanking new Light and Motion Stella 180 on my mtb currently commuterbike, that's one helluva bright baby on full but if I'm careful to tilt it down I may not blind all oncoming drivers. I may move it to my helmet, but again, I'm worried about accidentally swiping someone and blinding them. I ride mostly on bike paths and city roads with some lighting, some stretches that are just partially lit. Mostly paved so I don't really need to see the ground that well.
I have a Sigma Karma on my winter bike. I like it, or did last I used it, last winter. A Superflash in back, love that one. And a couple of small blinkies in reserve in case my batteries run out unexpectedly or I break something.
I have a Light & Motion Stella 120 on my commuter bike (I love it!), and a Knog Toad as a front blinkie. I have a Trek blinkie taillight on the back. I'm pretty happy with this setup.
I have ree lights on my front and rear tires (magnetic lights that blink with the rotating tires and don't need batteries) and on my head I have a really bright Petzl light. Most of the roads I ride have streetlights, so I don't really need bright for seeing, just for being seen.
Now on the back I'm lit up like a Christmas tree. A seatpost knog blinking, a super bright blinking light on the rear rack, a light on the back of my helmet, and a safety triangle that has a built in LED strip that blinks (along with reflective tape on the frame and fenders) and the ree light on the rear tire. You can't miss me from the back.
For side illumination I have a green "glow stick" thing that blinks that sits under my downtube. It illuminates from the side and down onto the street.
During the winter, I use a NiteRider TriNewt headlight, and Cateye LD1100 and Planet Bike Superflash taillights. I also recently added a FibreFlare side light that I obtained from Australia with a friend's help. They'll be available in the U.S. in another month or two.
It sounds like a lot of lighting, but my commute is poorly lit and has heavy vehicle traffic along most of the route. I'd rather err on the side of caution.
I forgot to mention all the reflective tape (DOT certified for trailers/boats/etc.) I have on my fenders, helmet and rack, as well as large front and rear regular reflectors. I decided to err on the side of being seen.:)
Deb
Recently bought a Mity Cross light by Cygolite. I'm very satisfied. It has all the modes I need (high, med, low solid beam, flashing, SOS), and it lights my way very well. (I ride through a totally dark road with no lights at all, and high-speed traffic.)
When I was just riding across town on semi-lit roads, I was fine with a small solid beam and a Planet Bike front light, just to be visible.
I have at least two or three rear lights for some reason.
My commuter has dynamo lights that it came with - I think the headlamp is Lumitec brand. I'm happy with it but it's positioned low down the stem and if I put anything in my front basket some of the light is blocked. I'm currently looking at the Knog Toad or Skink to put on the handlebar as a "be seen" light.
I also added these lights to my wheels which I love - I don't know how much more they help me be seen from the side, as I've never seen them on another bike but they certainly get lots of comments!
The other item I've been eyeing up is a bicycle helmet with rechargeable lights integrated into it. Not bright enough to light your way but good to be seen by.
Thanks everyone!
So far I have a Superflash on the back (I ride with this on all the time). Some sort of blinkie that hangs off my pannier. An inexpensive headlight that I set on flashing mode whenever I ride. I also have reflective tape on my helmet and bike spokes. They are lightweights.
I'll take a look at these suggestions and make sure I have enough lighting 'omph'.
I use Ayup (http://www.ayup.com.au/) lights and swear by them. The first time I rode with them, it was like night and day (ha ha, get it?) compared to my original lights.
On my first ride out with them, I was able to discern the presence of a Path Ninja at 100m. At 50m, I was able to determine what exactly it was (Path Ninja = pedestrian wearing nothing but black, in the middle of the night, with no lighting whatsoever), and take steps to avoid them. With my other light, there’s no chance I would’ve seen them.
On that same ride, on the tail end of the ride which goes through a shopping centre, cars actually gave way to me. These bright lights command respect, yo.
With a handlebar light directed about 10m in front of me, and the helmet-mounted light giving me visibility whereever my head happens to point, these lights are a winner.
The lights are very bright indeed. Ayup have just released a flashing battery pack, but unless you want to induce seizures in other road users, I do not recommend using these lights in flashing mode. Even those little blinkies sometimes do my head in (literally).
Now, I know what you’re thinking.. this is an Australian product! You want to buy local! Well.. I hear ya. I’m sure there are alternative products that are local to you. On the other hand, don’t let geography limit you.
Check out their YouTube samples :)
As for the back.. I use a Basta superflash. True to its name, it's super-bright. It does the job, but now that I'm going to be commuting, I think I'll need to get another rear light or two - particularly something that can attach to my backpack.
Max
After 8 years of riding with battery powered lights I finally adapted to the reality of my work. I often get caught staying late at work in the summer months, when I'm not always charging my batteries every night and having my main light die on the way home. This summer I decided it was time to go to a generator/dynamo so there is always a full powered lighting system. I have a Shimano hub generator with a BM Lumotec IQ Cyo N Plus LED headlight and a BM D toplight taillight. These are always there, and both have capacitors that keep them running at stoplights.
I'm a strong believer in redundant systems, so I also have Petzl Myo RXP mounted on my helmet, in flashing mode usually, as well as a Planet Bike Superflash, also in flashing mode on the back of my helmet. This gives me both a steady and a flashing light front and rear, plus all of the reflectors & safety triangle. For side lighting I have Pedal Lites that shine white to the front, yellow to the side, and red to the rear. These are also magnetic generators and require no batteries.
My investment in my dynamo & it's lights was $330. I am quite satisfied. My light would not do for singletrack or technical riding, but it is at least as good as my old 30W halogen system, and almost as good as my Princeton Tec Switchback 2. Admittedly, the tail light doesn't put out nearly as much light as my old home-built 56 LED taillight, but it weighs 10 pounds less.
A 56 LED taillight? Holy moly!:eek: That must be one bright light!Quote:
Originally Posted by newfsmith
I'm looking into getting this light after daylight saving's time and the mornings get dark again:
http://www.rei.com/product/795699
It recharges by plugging into a USB port- which is easy to do at work. Plus, it's more than twice as bright as my current Petzl light, small, and needs no batteries (I'm all about using things that don't need batteries).
I need to look into those pedal lites.
i am just dealing with night riding for the first time, and my lighting was insufficient.. back to the drawing board.
I'm very happy with the light that I recently purchased. It's the Light and Motion Vega 120. I struggled last year to find the right light for me but this one is perfect.
The Magicshine 900 lumen Lightset is a pretty sweet light for a really good price. My husband uses these for night riding on the mtn bike trails. They have a high, low and strobe mode.
http://www.geomangear.com/
I agree with some of the previous comments to be concerned about being seen from multiple directions ... and to have redundant systems. I like to ride at night. It is easier to see the cars and, with proper lights, it is easier for them to see me.
My typical winter setup - Cygolite Mity Cross light on handlebars (I often get comments about how bright it is - even when set on low). Di Notte dual headlamp/red taillight mounted on helmet. Two Serfas seatstay lights on the rear seatstays. And finally one of those spoke lights (or sometimes I use the Tirefly's on the valve stems) on the wheels to aid in side visibility. Oh, and I use tires with reflective sidewalls. I also dress with care when I know I will be riding after dark to make sure my clothing has a lot of reflective areas.
My next investment is probably the Di Notte tail light which I believe is the brightest rear light sold. I just wish it didn't require the separate battery pack. I'm interested in the pedal lights - will have to check into them.
I want to see and be seen! Ask a friend to drive all around you and report back what's working and what needs to be improved.
I love my Dinotte lights - I have the Li-ion headlights and a set of AA head and tail lights. I prefer the separate battery pack because it's much easier to mount it out of the way, and swap out the batteries without having to change how I've mounted the light.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaclyn
OH my, now this is a question for me.
I love lights as I've commuted and been riding at night as long as I can remember. Lights have really evolved, as well, in the past 3 years. Now LED is the light of the future, batteries are smaller and everything more affordable.
For commuting <2 hours I use a Vega 200. It has various light settings, charge time of 2 hours, and at full (200 lumens) it runs for 2 hours.. but if you put it at medium/low it runs for much longer.
From there lots and lots of blinky lights. I use a reelight on my front hub so that is always blinking, as well as one on my rear. My rear rack has a long Cat Eye light with various settings. If I have a backpack/messenger bag I also have a light on those.
The other suggestion I have is 3m reflective tape. We sell it by the 3 foot length at the bike shop for <$10. It comes in various colors to better match your bike. I have strips on my rear seat stay, fork legs, and small pieces on my wheels for when they are rotating it catches attention.
Very last thing is I use, if wearing normal clothes, these pant holders made by Trek. They have an led strip in them for steady or blinking and really catch folks eyes as they are blinking and moving when you pedal.
I just got my Magicshine a few days ago. Decided to go with something nicely priced before further investment. Used it Tuesday on the way home. It was not really dark by the time I got home but I did turn it on about 2 miles from home. I think it will work pretty nicely.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ja Da Dee
To those with helmet lights, do you keep them on your helmet even for your daylight rides?
I decided to mount my light on my helmet instead of my bike because I like the aspect of being able to see where I'm looking, not just where the bike is heading. I also have 2 bikes, so I can ride either one without changing lights. I have a second helmet without a light for days when I know I won't be riding in the dark, but on commute days, when it's light in the morning and dark at night, I use the helmet with the light.
There are a few things I don't like about riding with it in daytime, none of them involve comfort. Physically, I don't even know it's there. However, I have been recognized more frequently since I have this thing on my helmet. I've been beeped at by someone in a red truck several times. Maybe I know them, but I don't recognize the truck (which has a vanity plate, so I know it's the same person). I think without the light, I was more anonymous.
I also had a friend, who never noticed me riding before, call and ask if she just saw me riding with a camera on my helmet. I guess it's not the worst thing in the world for people to think I am filming them, but yesterday's Oreo cookie incident makes me think I'm perhaps attracting the attention of the jackass crowd. Has anyone else noticed an increase in weird incidents (objects thrown, beeping cars, yelling, etc.) with a helmet light?
I currently use a MiNewt headlight, plus a blinking PlanetBike Beamer (with side windows) on the handlebars. On the back of the bike I have a blinky and a solid red light mounted on the rack. On my helmet I have a small red blinky facing the rear and a headlight facing front. The helmet headlight is an old hiking headlamp called the Petzl Duo with a separate battery pack on a wire that can go in a pocket. It's amazingly good for the application, because it can be attached to my helmet with a short piece of Velcro One-Wrap (I don't ride with it in daylight, so it comes on and off every day), and its high beam is as strong as the MiNewt, though not as even. So I have two front lights good enough to see my way home in very dark conditions (redundancy if one fails, which has happened). On roads with streetlights, I turn the helmet light to low beam, but flick it to high on the unlit bike path or on windy streets to see around the curves. The helmet light is also very helpful for fixing flats in the dark or unlocking my apartment door when I get home.
This thread has been so helpful! It's pitch dark when I ride home, and three times during the ride the bike path takes me through completely unlit parks. The first time I rode it I was terrified. With the help of this thread I have gone circus... blinking lights on the wheels, another on my backpack, a strobe on my helmet, a flashing red back-light, and a new Cygo-Lite MiliOn 150 USB LED headlight. The ride is much more calm now.. I'm also glad that the ninja joggers can see my headlight coming up behind them and move to the side of the path.
I, too, have found this thread helpful. I don't commute, but do want to start riding at night, and want to do so safely. Thank you!
I just got a tiny Firefly Supernova light from RoadID -- they were having a 15% off sale* and I'm a sucker for sales. :cool:
http://www.roadid.com/common/firefly.aspx
I got a red one and it attaches very easily using a thin strip of velcro to the back of my helmet (a Bell Array helmet which I just purchased from TE at 20% off -- I've been needing a new helmet for a while now, and did I mention I'm a sucker for sales? :cool:)
The light fits perfectly and snugly strapped onto the back of my helmet -- I didn't use the little clip provided, I just ran the strip of velcro through the small loops on either side of the light and wrapped the velcro strip through the nearest vents in the back of the helmet. It's tiny and lightweight and I don't even know it's there, and it turns on & off by a simple twist of the cover. It can change from flashing light to solid light by opening the case and flipping the battery, so it's not a change you can make on the fly. I'm going to keep it as a solid light anyhow so no biggie for me.
Anyhow, I've been wanting to have a taillight at head height and this fits the bill nicely.
(*I just checked the terms of the deal -- you have to be a previous Road ID customer, and you have to log in using the email addr you used to place the previous order. So if you're eligible for the discount you've already received an email from RoadID)
I love my Firefly. I hang it on the loop on the back of my jacket and I don't even know it's there. But I like your idea of strapping it to the helmet. The Planet Bike blinky I've got on my helmet is bigger and flops around a bit. I might have to buy another Firefly for my helmet.Quote:
Originally Posted by jobob
And RoadID.com has the lowest prices on batteries for the firefly (cr2032) I've ever seen.
I didn't get an e-mail about 15% off, though. Hmmm...have to check the stuff from my half marathon. Usually they've got coupons in the goodie bags.
I got the Planet Bike Spok Lite for my helmet. I have one for the back, and a white one for the front (folks are constantly asking me if it's a video camera). There was a thread - I think on the bike section - about helmet lights impacting the fit of the helmet. I don't find that to be the case with these lights. However, I imagine I will have to remove at least the white light if I ever use a helmet cover.
Oh, and I think this one is on the short list to attach to my rear rack. I worry that my seatpost light is obstructed by my saddle bag and/or pannier.
My Trek rear blinkie clips very securely to the back strap of my saddle bag. I have the seatpost mount as well for when I'm not carrying anything, but that is rare. The back of my rack has a very large red reflector.
Deb
Does anyone have any experience with black reflective tape? I was searching online and found several types but I'm not sure about how well they would actually reflect? I have a matte black commuter and it really needs some reflectors from the sides. I have a Stella 200L for a headlight and I use two tail lights (just in case one dies). My panniers have reflectors too but I could still use more. I like the idea of black tape for not completely destroying the aesthetics of my bike during the day but being seen better at night. Any thoughts?
Where I am, it's a matter of being seen, as I am on well lit roads. It's the drivers that need to be alerted to my presence. So I got the Sefras TL-ST blinky that I strapped on the seat stay, and a Viewpoint Flashpoint blinky (really bright) on the seatpost. Lots of white, yellow and red reflective tape and a Serfas SL-200 front light (may end up with something better if it doesn't cut it.) I also found a neat light at REI that is a long thin (like a thick spaghetti strand) tube that I wrapped around the main triangle and it glows blue or flashes. It is bright enough to light up the bike and ME from the side and was only $25 bucks. I also found a 5" long light with a clip on the end that looks like a glow stick but runs on a 2032 battery and glows orange or blinks, and I put that on the back of my backpack. Everyone calls me the christmas tree rider but heck if you can't see me coming from any angle you are blind.