Wet and Dark Commuting - Lights Advice?

[Quillfred]

Hi and New Years Greetings To All!

I am taking up the challenge of wet and dark commuting and want to get a bike with disc brakes that is fairly decent So far I am looking into: Redline Conquest Disc R, Gary Fisher Montare, Kona Dr. Dew models. Any thoughts on these or others greatly appreciated. Oh and my fair weather bike is a WSD Trek 1500.

After that, my biggest concern is lighting. I will mostly be on a paved trail (with occasional tree-root bumps) going about 20 mile RT. I've heard there is a water-resistant light. Would 10 be the minimum or ?

Thanks in Advance
Carole

[Trek420]

I was just looking this up, elsewhere here Veronica had suggested a Flashlight and mount such as Surefire light, mounted with a Twofish Cyclopblock. The mount is available at nashbar. That's what I'm looking into.

One of my goals this year was to ride later into the season, which I did, now just start the ride to work earlier in the season.

[newfsmith]

There are tons of lights out there. For basic commuting a 10W halogen is usually enough to be seen by. If you are riding on a dark path it will let you see in a puddle of light. At my age I prefer 20W. I have used primarily NiteHawk commercial lights in the past, reliable and not too expensive. Light & Motion seems to have some well built lights, including some non-HID systems. They run a high price tag but seem to be reliable. NiteRider has the distinction of being the only system I have actually thrown away in disgust. I know there are lots of happy NiteRider customers out there, but I got one of the ones that eats batteries. At a $100 a pop that is no small matter. Neither is having a 3 day old replacement battery fail on your way home on a cold, dark, night. Look at Performance or Nashbar, at this time of year they start having sales on lights. If you are interested in a home brew PM me and I can give you some web-sites to help you get started, it really is not hard. I've been running a home brew system for 2 years now. I like the battery only costing $30-40, and being able to get a replacement bulb locally. By the way, I've never had a problem with water leaks, even in my home brews.

[Geonz]

I got a 10W (or maybe it's 15W) from Planet Bike and I LOVE it... except I can't find it. Somewhere in the layers of life, I HOPE, but it's rechargeable battery was doing fine (until a month ago when it disappeared) for the commute.
Now I'm just using one of those Cateye's with the 5 round LED thingies in the front... and I am amazed at how quickly and thoroughly I've adapted to that much light. I also have some hokey-spokes ( www.hokeyspokes.com ) which sometimes (but not that often) get cheers and comments, but strangely enough, I *have* been pulled out on from driveways more often with them spinning around in my spokes. I wonder if there's a perception problem - that with just the little lights, they know it's a bike but have no idea how fast I'm going (with the big light, they have no blooming idea what I am) ... with the hokey spokes they *think* they can tell. Or, it's just that those two yahoos were out those two nights. (No harm done either time; I could avoid 'em because there wasn't enough other traffic.)
The thing I am totally, utterly lusthing after now (freudian typo, I'm drooling so much I can't even say lusting ) is a Free Radical so that I *can* take the trainer (and bike) to the group indoor training rides, and I *could* pick up that microwave Amy's giving me tomorrow. ( www.xtracycle.com - and since I've just saved a hundred bucks on a microwave, I reckon I'm that much closer... )

I also have a reallite (or is it a reellight?) that's an oversized rear blinker, but it doesn't fit on the red bike so I use regular blinkies.

The other thing I added was a red blinker light on the left handlebar that I use for a turn signal. Not sure if it helps or not but I think so.

[newfsmith]

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I also have a reallite (or is it a reellight?) that's an oversized rear blinker, but it doesn't fit on the red bike so I use regular blinkies.

Actually it is a RealLite. I have several. They are very easy to hang on a rear rack trunk or a pannier. In this case, bigger is more visible.

[Quillfred]

Thanks to all who responded. I think I will try a 15W Cygolite. They seem like a good like for the $. Today I just bought a lightly used 2004 Redline Conquest Pro for my wet commute. I can't wait to switch out the tires, add fenders, lights, new pedals and a little gore-tex.

It is so great to see so many willing to bike commute. The women here on TE are inspirational!!!

Carole

[newfsmith]

Did you get disc brakes or rim? Disc would be perfect in the wet.

[amg]

I recommend more than one light front and rear - for visibility of you to cars, not the path in front of you - and reflective tape on your bike. Trust no one in a vehicle to do what you expect them to do, they're crazier than us. Some people around here have helmet mounted rear red LEDs, which I think is a great idea. Then you're still visible should the worst happen and you get separated from your bike.

The wet winter commute is exhilerating once you get out there - it feels like you're part of a secret underground community of crazy cyclists, exchanging nods with the people you see regularly and taking guerilla bike shortcuts while the cars are stuck in traffic. I always have a better day for it. It's great...even with the doughheads driving SUVs who are inching into the bike lane trying to turn right while talking on their cellphone. I find yelling to get their attention very cathartic after a long hard day.

[DebW]

I ride with a 10W light on my helmet as well as flashing lights on front and rear of the bike. Something about being able to put light where I'm looking makes me prefer the helmet-mounted light. The other advantage is that when a car approaches you from a side street and you're not sure if the driver has seen you, you can flash your light in the driver's eyes and be pretty sure he/she knows you're there.

[Quillfred]

The bike actually came with non-disc Avid brakes. I can switch out to disc though. After buying Cygolite's 16W handlebar light, new Shimanon 520 pedals, rack, fenders, rack bag, winter gloves and shoe covers I am just about set except for a helmet cover that I will buy from our lovely TEAM ESTROGEN.

Thanks for the extra light tips. I am a safety freak.

I just got done from my first clipped in ride. Almost, but didn't fall (yet : )

[CorsairMac]

The bike actually came with non-disc Avid brakes. I can switch out to disc though. After buying Cygolite's 16W handlebar light, new Shimanon 520 pedals, rack, fenders, rack bag, winter gloves and shoe covers I am just about set except for a helmet cover that I will buy from our lovely TEAM ESTROGEN.

Thanks for the extra light tips. I am a safety freak.

I just got done from my first clipped in ride. Almost, but didn't fall (yet : )

I figure the more we "shine" the more we'll be seen! Good luck on the commute - let us know how it goes!!

and Bravo on the first clipless ride!! Well Done!!!

[Susan Otcenas]

I want light and lots of it!

For me, the brighter the better. I am currently using a NiteRider Moab HID headlight, which sells for the OBSCENE price of $600. It's bright, like really bright, like blindingly bright. Did I mention bright? It's professed battery life is 8 hours on high, 12 hours on low (which is still dang bright.)

I guess I'm paranoid about being hit. If I get hit, I want to be able to say "Are you kidding me? Do you know how BRIGHT my lights are??? How could you NOT see me???"

Riding here in Portland, the roads are obviously wet alot. I find that lights tend to wash out on wet roads (same with headlights) and I want to put as much light on the ground as possible. I still have times when oncoming headlights are so bright that it washes out my headlight (situational blindness, basically) but that comes with the territory. On really dark streets, it lights up the road very well.

The Moab's light beam is very concentrated. Usually I like this, though sometimes I wish for a wider beam (My old dual headbeam Niterider has a concentrated light and a wide angle light, 25W altogether. That was a great feature).

Jeff uses a Light In Motion HID light (cost about $500 2 years ago), that's excellent as well. Puts out as much light as my Moab, but casts a bit of a wider beam. I actually prefer the pattern of his light to mine, but went with the Moab because I wanted the extended battery life (kicking around the idea of doing a 24 hour time trial here in Oregon).

So, what do I dislike about the Moab?

A) Well, it doesn't attach to the bike well. It has a battery that is designed to "hang" under the top tube, secured by a velcro strap. Two problems with that. 1) I use a Zefal frame pump, so that spot is taken. And 2) the velcro strap doesn't loop through any part of the battery, so I'm afraid the battery will slide out of the strap. I solved this problem by putting the battery in a water bottle, and threading the battery cord through the top of the lid (removed the stopper). Seems to work well.

B) Battery life has been closer to 6 hours or so on high, not the advertised 8. Perhaps the battery will "season" with time and improve.

C) My first light was sent back on warranty twice. I made them replace it with a brand new light, which so far is working well (fingers crossed). The first time the pins were too short, so the contact between cord & battery was too loose and the light would not stay on. Then once I had a working battery, I discovered the light flickered in all settings. The replacement seems fine so far.

D) Dang, it's expensive.

Besides the headlight, I make sure to have two rear red lights (one solid, one blinking), reflective apparel, and plenty of reflective strips on my bike. Here's a tip: Put reflective strips on your crank arms. The up and down visual as you pedal really attracts driver's attention and immediately communicates that you're a cyclist. That's why I like shoes and tights with reflective bits on the back. Motion attracts the eyes.

Best of luck with your commuting efforts. I always feel SO much better about my day when I bike to work instead of drive.

Susan

[Richard Janson]

Actually it is a RealLite. I have several. They are very easy to hang on a rear rack trunk or a pannier. In this case, bigger is more visible.

The RealLITE can be seen at night from over 2 miles away. It has 18 LEDs and can come with a seatpost mount or a recumbent seatback mount. They can only be ordered through www.NecessaryOptions.com, or by calling me at 517 675-7340.

[maillotpois]

I have a Moab also and love it. I used it on my 600k brevet. I found the battery issue to be problematic as well, but I ended up using it as a headlamp, with the battery in a pocket, so it really was no big deal. I love the headlamp - you can put light right where you want it.

[Geonz]

I have a Reallite - what with that thing and my hokey spokes and headlight and flashing taillight on my camelbak (but it wasn't even the HI-Viz one), that's what made that guy in the truck holler "Got enough F**in' LIGHTS??"
The warranty statement is worth the purchase :-)