Lights

OOtzen-Booty
OOtzen-Booty Posts: 116
edited February 2009 in Road beginners
As a nebie I tend to get up extremeley early to avoid traffic[it gets on my tits] my question is how many lights do you have ???

Health and Safety and all that i dont fancy being pole-axed at 6 o clock in the morning by a rally wanabe

Comments

  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    2 on the front, 2 on the back. Normally have more but a couple popped off their mountings and broke and I haven't replaced them yet.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Two bright rear and two on the front.

    If you want to save money, get a smart superflash for the rear, 8 quid at wiggle atm and brighter than my £40 cateye.

    For the front check out the front light thread, grab a fenix of some description and then something road legal to get side coverage.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Yep, definately, Smart Superflash for the rear: - look like they're under £8 each at Wiggle.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Smart ... 360026001/

    The Superflash is even bright enough for daytime use.

    Lights - I use 2 rear and 1 front.
  • Steve Kish
    Steve Kish Posts: 216
    One or two on the back and two halogen on the front with a mega-bright LED head light.
    AT MY AGE, I SHOULD KNOW BETTER !!!
  • AlanW
    AlanW Posts: 291
    Two Lumicycle HIDs up front, spot and flood, plus a Cat Eye EL410 if its to light for the HIDs.

    Then two Cat Eye rear lights 1 x LD1100 & 1 x LD610, plus a Topeak Redlite

    Then to finish the set up, a Petzl Tika Plus head torch on the helmet, but only used in case of punctures.

    Then the icing on the cake is a orange reflective waist coat with 20 red flashing LEDs at the front and rear powered by 2 x AA batteries. :lol:
    "You only need two tools: WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40. If it moves and it shouldn't, use duct tape"
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    My light setup keeps changing but lately it's been 3 at the back (1 'kidney' on my helmet, 1 on the bike and 1 of these) and 3 Tesco torches (1 on my helmet) at the front. I'm hard to miss!

    Sainsburys is currently selling the kidney style rear lights for £1.19 including batteries. At that price they're practically disposable. They also do fronts for 99p but they're green and a bit crap.

    Matthew
  • Mr_Cellophane
    Mr_Cellophane Posts: 690
    Front - 2 tesco torches + 1 flashing 5 LED light
    Rear - Smart Kidney LED on Helmet, MARS 3 and one of these saddlebag3.jpg
  • doyler78
    doyler78 Posts: 1,951
    Seems strange to me that any of you can answer the question given what the OP has said ie we don't know whether the route is on unit or lit roads. Makes a huge difference to the quality and price of lights that will be required.

    I do agree though with everyone saying that 2 lights for the front and back are good however on lit roads with footpaths then 1 front light will do ok for the small chance that it will blow then if it does you can just ride the pavement to get you home (yeah your breaking the law but better safe than sorry and I think the police would understand in these circumstances). 2 on the back a must because, unlike the front, you will not know immediately a rear light goes so you must have both running throughout the whole journey so that you aren't left in danger of being hit because you can't be seen.
  • gkerr4
    gkerr4 Posts: 3,408
    Mettan wrote:
    Yep, definately, Smart Superflash for the rear: - look like they're under £8 each at Wiggle.

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Smart ... 360026001/

    The Superflash is even bright enough for daytime use.

    Lights - I use 2 rear and 1 front.

    another vote for the smart superflash - an unbelievably bright rear light - don't look anywhere near straight into it cos it hurts!
    a bargain at £8

    agree with doyler about the front lights though - you need to know and tell us if you actually need the lights 'to see' or just 'to be seen' with? - makes a massive difference (especially in cost terms!)
  • Nick6891
    Nick6891 Posts: 274
    i have a fenix l2D and a cateye on the front and just one light on the back, although it is a 1watt light that you can miss, i also wear reflective bands around my wrists and ankles just in case they somehow cant see the lights :lol:

    this is my rear light (highly recommended)...
    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Black ... 360037937/
  • hugo15
    hugo15 Posts: 1,101
    +1 for the Smart Superflash. Was riding home last night and someone stopped me to ask what the light was they had been so impressed with it.
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    Rear: Smart Superflash and a Cateye AU100-BS (so I'm legal, and also for use when riding in a group - riding behind a superflash is unpleasant to say the least).

    Front: Schmidt LED dynamo light plus a Fenix L2D as backup. I also use the L2D on fast descents just in case of light failure, having once had the interesting experience of doing 44mph in total darkness when a previous light failed.

    I also use reflective ankle bands in place of the pedal reflectors I don't have.

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