Newbie lessons learned about biking in the approaching cold weather

[fidlfreek]

So lights. I need some since even here in TX it gets dark at some point. I ride almost entirely because I LOVE to go fast so I know that influences my light choices. Any ideas?

I'd love to get a good deal on ebay etc. I would like to spend less than $100 but would spring for $200 if it was too fabulous to pass up.

[pardes]

I checked out lights at PerformanceBike from cheap to low range expensive (up to $300) and I was not impressed with any of them. Actually many of the more expensive models weren't as bright as the quandrant lights I bought.

If you want to go fast at night you'll need something better. Darn it, I can't remember the link but I did a search on "bicycle light pattern comparison" and found a group of mtb'ers who did a very nice real world study with photo examples. It was surprising how many were terrible even at expensive prices and the really good ones were REALLY expensive.

Here are a few links:

http://eddys.com/page.cfm?PageID=493

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/category/lights-shootout/

[crazycanuck]

I still say the best lights i've ever owned are the Ay-ups!!!

http://www.ayup.com.au/

They are BRIGHT, small & light. Great as helmet lights!!

[SouthernBelle]

The other night I closed myself up in a dark garage to see how bright some of my lights looked. My blinkies looked good. My headlight was the pits. Oddly, a strap on my head light I got at Harbor Freight for cheap seemed really good. I haven't had to use in real conditions yet, but that should happen in the next week or so.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sometimes I go camping in big gatherings of music-connected friends.
This past summer, some people had taken to using LED lights that strap on their heads so they don't have to carry flashlights at night walking around- they just point their heads where they want the light, like on the path in front of them.
The trouble is, when they see someone else in the dark and want to try to see who it is, they naturally look at them, blinding that person in the process.
I can't tell you how many times I was temporarily blinded by someone looking at me and aiming these intense LED beams at my face- it's highly annoying! They are WAY more concentrated than traditional lights.
One woman had a head light on for the first evening of camping and so many people got mad from being blinded that she had to take it off for the rest of the weekend.
As cyclists, do we really want to be shining these intense LED lights into the eyes of approaching drivers? Remember, when you look at the car, you are basically aiming these lights right into the driver's eyes. These LED lights are very intense and bright.
For this reason I am against forward facing helmet LEDs. Red blinking lights are fine and do not have this problem. But red lights are recommended as rear facing lights only, since most car drivers assume a red light is rear-facing and moving away, not towards.
I suspect people get these strong narrow-beam LED lights because they are cheaper than a well designed headlight. But cars can see good bike headlights that light up the road in a wide swath in front of the biker. That's what headlights are supposed to do, not perform laser surgery on approaching drivers' eyes.
Thus, if you do use a steady white LED light as a forward facing light, please make sure it is pointing at the road in front of you- not up at approaching drivers' eyes.

[Crankin]

That's exactly what I did, Lisa. I pointed my headlamp on my helmet (really just a hiker's light like you are describing) all the way down at the road. It even unfolds so you can flip it down to do this. Then, I pointed my light on my bars as far down and out on the road as I could. I doubt I blinded anyone and it helped me to see.
Looks like it will be raining tomorrow, so i doubt I will be commuting to the train. One night of dark and rain was enough for me last time...

[SouthernBelle]

My headlight adjusts that way too. Actually, any of my lights are more for the purpose of being seen than seeing. My commute is completely on well-lit streets unless I decide to take a tiny of section on unlit bike path.