lights

ictech

Hi
with the nights drawing in. i am looking at getting some new lights for my commute. nothing too bright nothing too expensive, i ride on quite well lit roads so its more a case of be seen not for seeing. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Ian

linsen

I have a cateye opticube on the front which is good fro being seen in flash mode. They are around £15. If you wanted to be very conspicuous, get 2. They have a mount built in (a little strap) which means they can move from bike to bike, which is good for me.

Otherwise there are lots of lengthy discussions on here about lights - take your pick!

N4PALM

There have been loads of threads about this recently.

Anyway I recommend the Blackburn Quadrant and Mars 3 combo

If anyone says they didnt see you with those on then theyre either blind or lying.

ictech

can you run just a flasher, or do you have to have a steady as well. whats the legal side of things?

ictech

n4palm is 30 quid about right for that combo?

N4PALM

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=589&categoryId=33

Cheapest place I know of for them, although they are sold out atm.

DanielCoffey

ictech - here's the highway code lighting section...

At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp.

In summary, yes, flashers are allowed. Oh, and before anyone brings it up here, the pedal reflectors on clipless pedals has been discussed recently in another thread.

Cunobelin

Bes
bet at the moment is a Cree 3 watt torch @ £10 from Tesco and a Two fish LOck Block @ £7

Lighting system that puts most of Cateye into the shade at half the price!

N4PALM

Cunobelin wrote:

Bes
bet at the moment is a Cree 3 watt torch @ £10 from Tesco and a Two fish LOck Block @ £7

Lighting system that puts most of Cateye into the shade at half the price!

Thats not the sort of light you use to be seen with. That has no side visibility for one.

They arent all that good either, although they are cheap. Not a patch on a Fenix but then it is a third of the price. Whats more its quite big and heavy compared to a Fenix.

Thats all besides the point cos the OP asked for a light to be seen not a light to see with.

ictech

thanks for the recommendations and advice guys. i think ill give the blackburns a go. seem a reasonable light for about the right price. not sure about the styling though.

Thanks

Ian

humf

i have a set of cats eye off road lights are thay ok for cpmmuting :?

daniel_b

I just bought 2 of these for my gf's commuter:


http://www.parker-international.co.uk/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/5811/groupID/1/categoryID/11/v/64e21671-792e-4466-baec-953bf38b9304

At 9.50 a pop it's pretty stonking value, and they are too bright to look directly into, she uses one on solid, and one on flashing, as well as a set of Ayup's - but I think a pair of these on their own would suffice as commuting lights.

Dan

downfader

Found a video of the mars and quadrant:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MJucBx7Xiq4

Incidentally there was a bull**** petition on the no10 website to ban flashing cycle lights because they "cause people to have epilepsy" No they dont, otherwise everytime people put the car indicators on we'd all be at risk.

dsmiff

N4PALM wrote:

Cunobelin wrote:

Bes
bet at the moment is a Cree 3 watt torch @ £10 from Tesco and a Two fish LOck Block @ £7

Lighting system that puts most of Cateye into the shade at half the price!

Thats not the sort of light you use to be seen with. That has no side visibility for one.

They arent all that good either, although they are cheap. Not a patch on a Fenix but then it is a third of the price. Whats more its quite big and heavy compared to a Fenix.

Thats all besides the point cos the OP asked for a light to be seen not a light to see with.

Re the tesco 3w, I have compared the lights to Cateye's, Light and Motion Vega and a Ultrafire. The diff between the cateye and the tesco in night and day - I don't believe the fenix is massively better, the only one to post a comparison has the "C" cell version which is far more spotty and another Fenix user has said it is better but not by a huge amount.

Back on topic, as far as being seen the Blackburn Quadrant is good (I have one), however Halfords currently have the Bikehut Ultra Bright LED Bike Light Set for £34 http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_219842_langId_-1_categoryId_165636 used to have this until it gave up the ghost (has been dropped and repaired a few times over the last 3 years) much brighter than the Blackburn.

N4PALM

The mars 3 is insanely bright, when I ride with my friends they shout at me to turn it off. The chase flash mode is really eye catching more so than a regular flash. I use that mode a lot during dusk.

The Quadrant possibly isnt all that bright compared to many but crucially it scatters the light from those side LED's all over the shop making u really visible. Its only not so bright cos it doesnt focus its light so it just seems less bright than those that focus. The unique mode the quadrant has is to have the 2 main LED's on constant while the 2 outer LED's flash, thats another mode I like to use at dusk and dawn.

Oh and those Electron branded lights that Daniel B mentioned do apprear to be fine light. My friend has a pair of them only with a different name on, but its exactly the same light. They are more focused but that ring gives you some side visibility. It doesnt spread the light around quite as well as the Quadrant but it is a fine light.

Bikehut lights should not be overlooked, there are some nice ones in the range.

trevtherev

dinotte 5w ultralight....lovely for those dark nights...and such a cute light...view it below!

N4PALM

trevtherev wrote:

dinotte 5w ultralight....lovely for those dark nights...and such a cute light...view it below!

Yeah thats a really nice light but did u actually read the OP's post?

ictech wrote:

with the nights drawing in. i am looking at getting some new lights for my commute. nothing too bright nothing too expensive, i ride on quite well lit roads so its more a case of be seen not for seeing. Any ideas?

goldblendslurper

Does anyone use a head torch or helmet mounted light?? Apparently they are noticed more by car drivers becuase they are at an odd height (in relation to other vehicle lights). I bought a Petzl Tikka XP which comes with a flashing mode and is incredibly bright in both still and flashing modes. I don't know if I'll use it on the bike but it sounds like a good idea. Cost was £30-£35 so not cheap.


For your light choices to be seen I would go with any Cateye or Smart lights. My personal choice of rear light is the Cateye TL-LD610 which has 5 LED's. RRP is £19.99 but it is well worth the money.

singlespeedexplosif

yeah, I use a helmet-mounted light. Offroad I just use this - on-road I supplement with a bar light. Perhaps it gets you noticed more by drivers because of the height - but I like to be able to direct the gaze, if someone's thinking of pulling out at a junction up the road you can continue riding in a straight line but angle the light towards them to leave them in no doubt that you're coming...

particularly useful at roundabouts if someone is practically square on to you as you pass their lane, and thus can't see your forward-facing light..

Mr_Cellophane

I wonder if these will be any good to put on my wrists for signalling in the dark

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_7539.htm

goldblendslurper

Mr_Cellophane wrote:

I wonder if these will be any good to put on my wrists for signalling in the dark

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/58_7539.htm

Many winter gloves have reflective bits on the back which are useful. Adding lights would improve visibility when signalling though.

Kieran_Burns

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

yeah, I use a helmet-mounted light. Offroad I just use this - on-road I supplement with a bar light. Perhaps it gets you noticed more by drivers because of the height - but I like to be able to direct the gaze, if someone's thinking of pulling out at a junction up the road you can continue riding in a straight line but angle the light towards them to leave them in no doubt that you're coming...

particularly useful at roundabouts if someone is practically square on to you as you pass their lane, and thus can't see your forward-facing light..

That aspect of helmet lights never occured to me - actually shining at the driver rather then just lighting your way.... Hmmm... something to think about

Surf-Matt

Cateye EL510 is currently about £20 (was £40) now - we have two and they dish out a decent amount if light for the money and can be used as a torch if needed. Also very weatherproof.

The brighter EL520 has now taken over.

Think I might get myself an EL610 plus of teabay - seems like a "proper" light for a reasonable outlay.

downfader

Man of the head torches I have seen and tried are not suitable for a commuting cyclist imvho. The sheer brightness may get you noticed but you have to consider you might be half blinding them and causing them to see spots as they drive off after. :?

Surf-Matt

I was half blinded by a bike with a near stadium lighting system this morning (triple light job) - seemed a bit OTT for a commute in reasonable light (at about 8.30ish)!

I think their is a limit to how bright you need lights to be on road. It's a bit like all the cars with xenon lights - yes they work a treat for the driver but utterly kill every others road users vision coming the other way!

biondino

I think their is a limit to how bright you need lights to be on road.

Finally, someone says it! I want to be blinded by bikes as much as I want to be blinded by cars as much as I want to be blinded by mother sun.

singlespeedexplosif

I think their is a limit to how bright you need lights to be on road

IMO they need to be brighter than what you'd need off-road - you only really need lights off-road if you're out with someone who has lights - and then it becomes an arms war
but yes, there should be a limit. If they're brighter than car headlights, they're too bright.

humf

i have 4 offroad lights and one led so i have two spots and two fluds i commuted in all wethers and i have bean riding fore years on roads and grean ways and to be honids you cant have two meney lights genrali i set off at 5.30 in the morning so its normali dark on most roads even with street lamps if you set your lights up right you shudent dazzel eney one if cars wagens and buses can sea you thats all that maters

goldblendslurper

I just tested my Petzl on the way home, and in town it was far to bright even on the lowest light setting. But there is a decent section of cycle path that is away from the road. It was fantastic along there, but strange having a light on the bars as well. Tomorrow I might just put a small flashing one on the front and just have that and the Petzl.

I would never intentionally direct the light at a driver. Far to dangerous and provokative. If you read the law on bike lighting it says that the lights must not dazzle other road users. If only the same rule applied to cars, then fewer people would speed at night simply because their vision is limited.

humf

i dont think eney one would dazzal uther road uses on purpus its just the more you make your presants felt the smaller the ods are you wont get hit by a car i would rather be lit up like the ilumanashens than have a driver not sea me but thar are going to bo fowk that just dont look :roll:

symo

humf wrote:

i dont think eney one would dazzal uther road uses on purpus its just the more you make your presants felt the smaller the ods are you wont get hit by a car i would rather be lit up like the ilumanashens than have a driver not sea me but thar are going to bo fowk that just dont look :roll:

Have you suffered a head injury recently?