Ok cycling in city at night with averager bike lights?

Anonymous

Hi.

There is this 18 mile loop I like to do in Manchester, about 98% of it is on lit roads and the parts that are not lit have cycle lanes on them, just wondering if its safe for me to go on these roads at night when it is pitch black with your average bike lights?

My cycling jersey is bright white and so is by bike too, I'd understand if it was on 100% unlit roads as then I am in great danger of crashing into the side.

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/p_details.aspx?id=2134

Thats the light set I have.


Thanks
Will

avoidingmyphd

with bad lights, you're safer (from traffic) on unlit roads than lit ones!

In the city, there is so much other light that you're relying on yours to get you seen. Somewhere with less light, you have less to compete with and so are easier to see.

So the question is, do you think those lights are bright enough to be seen?
Where does your loop go?

If you want a good budget upgrade, consider these: http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 152c003243

Anonymous

Hi.

I have a map of the routes:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1238742
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7034746


I was hoping I'd be able to get away with it for the time being on the lights I linked to, I mean the street lights are not overwhelming I would have said.

Dr Nosh

In my opinion a cyclist can never have enough illumination.

Me in the dark, commuting home - 4w LED front, flashing on traffic road, steady on the unlit paths, steady white light clipped to top front of fitted yellow gillet, SMART rear with 'strobe' flash, steady red light clipped to collar of gillet.
Gillet has scotchlite stitched to it to increase viz.
Overkill maybe, but I least I try to stand out on a dark night.

Anonymous

What I am trying to ask is:

With the lights I linked to, bright white bike and jersey, reflective lines on my tights, am I ok to cycle through the city on the loop I linked to which is 98% lit roads?

redddraggon

Those lights look rubbish to be honest, I'd beef up on both the rear and front lights quite a lot.

..........and I've got to say that the loop doesn't look too enjoyable, too many traffic lights and far too busy (unless you go around at 3 or 4am.

Anonymous

redddraggon wrote:

Those lights look rubbish to be honest, I'd beef up on both the rear and front lights quite a lot.

..........and I've got to say that the loop doesn't look too enjoyable, too many traffic lights and far too busy (unless you go around at 3 or 4am.

Well its that or going out of the city and doing longer than I want to, I like the route anyway, traffic lights and traffic don't bother me I like it as its got some really fast sections.

The lights are pretty bright, I could see the rear one reflecting on a sign about 100meter back once.

Any other better ones apart from the ones the other poster linked to? I don't want to spend over 20 quid.

blackhands

Have a look at a smart 1/2 watt rear and the smart front - Wiggle did the set at just under £20 recently.

avoidingmyphd

i'm glad you posted the route.

redddragon's concerns about how fun it is aside, I have to agree that you should get some more lights for riding that.

most of it is exactly the kind of urban riding that means you should dress up like a xmas tree. city roads like that (esp. the wilmslow road bit and curry mile, and through Chorlton sections) are dangerous because there are so many other lights (traffic in both directions, shops all lit up, traffic lights) that unless you overpower it all, you're basically invisible. This might sound crazy, but the part of that route where you're safest on inadequate lights is the quiet stretch, Manchester Road between Cheadle and Parrs Wood where your lights have no competition.

I wouldn't ride the rest with your lights. I suggested the edinburgh bike coop option because they were good value. Now I've seen your loop goes outside the shop, I'd say go in, and buy the brightest flashing front and rear set they have for £20. it will probably be the ones I suggested.

Anonymous

avoidingmyphd wrote:

i'm glad you posted the route.

redddragon's concerns about how fun it is aside, I have to agree that you should get some more lights for riding that.

most of it is exactly the kind of urban riding that means you should dress up like a xmas tree. city roads like that (esp. the wilmslow road bit and curry mile, and through Chorlton sections) are dangerous because there are so many other lights (traffic in both directions, shops all lit up, traffic lights) that unless you overpower it all, you're basically invisible. This might sound crazy, but the part of that route where you're safest on inadequate lights is the quiet stretch, Manchester Road between Cheadle and Parrs Wood where your lights have no competition.

I wouldn't ride the rest with your lights. I suggested the edinburgh bike coop option because they were good value. Now I've seen your loop goes outside the shop, I'd say go in, and buy the brightest flashing front and rear set they have for £20. it will probably be the ones I suggested.

Where abouts is the shop?

Also should I still use my current lights with those? And do those lights have the ability to clip off and quickly be put on another bike aswell? As I need them for commuting 3 miles to college.

redddraggon

willhub wrote:

avoidingmyphd wrote:

i'm glad you posted the route.

redddragon's concerns about how fun it is aside, I have to agree that you should get some more lights for riding that.

most of it is exactly the kind of urban riding that means you should dress up like a xmas tree. city roads like that (esp. the wilmslow road bit and curry mile, and through Chorlton sections) are dangerous because there are so many other lights (traffic in both directions, shops all lit up, traffic lights) that unless you overpower it all, you're basically invisible. This might sound crazy, but the part of that route where you're safest on inadequate lights is the quiet stretch, Manchester Road between Cheadle and Parrs Wood where your lights have no competition.

I wouldn't ride the rest with your lights. I suggested the edinburgh bike coop option because they were good value. Now I've seen your loop goes outside the shop, I'd say go in, and buy the brightest flashing front and rear set they have for £20. it will probably be the ones I suggested.

Where abouts is the shop?

Also should I still use my current lights with those? And do those lights have the ability to clip off and quickly be put on another bike aswell? As I need them for commuting 3 miles to college.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... 13&iwloc=A

avoidingmyphd

wot he said. on wilmslow road/oxford road (it changes at that junction) where it crosses moss lane east and oxford place. just north of the curry mile.

they'll clip on and off easy enough to not get stolen, but you won't be able to put them on another bike (easily) unless you can get hold of spare brackets. (I say "easily" because the brackets are tool free, so you could unscrew them and move them across each ride, but it would be a bane.)

see if the shop can source a spare bracket? otherwise you'll be moving into more expensive territory and needing a brand like blackburn or cateye where spare brackets are relatively easy to come by.

Anonymous

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... 152c003243

I got those, I think those should be good to allow me to do the loop in the night? Sometimes at like 9-10pm I get bored and want some fresh air so like to have a cycle as weird as it sounds.

avoidingmyphd

great choice wilhub. did you go into the shop?

Anonymous

avoidingmyphd wrote:

great choice wilhub. did you go into the shop?

Yea.

So you think its safe for me to do the route I linked to now at night with those lights?