Side visibility for night time

giantsasquatch

Nothing new. This will of course be covered before but there is more than ever bad, careless drivers and traffic on the roads. Car drivers are mainly programmed to look for car type headlights in a split second. I was re-thinking a setup for better night time visibilty and cut out some blind spots. A big weakness,

Side Visibility.

Already got good lights front and back and reflective jacket tape. I will put some on the rear seat stays as well. Certain rear lights can be seen from the side but not the full side.

Situations such as not being seen at big mad busy roundabouts, numerous give-ways and junctions is highly probable. So getting some side visibilty, I now considering as essential.

Everybody knows white is front and red is rear. Maybe a different colour for side lights? such as flashing orange, yellow, but not lit up like a Xmas tree. Drivers would learn to recognise quickly it's a bike from side, if enough used them.

Dangerous to use red for side lights as driver thinks cyclist is moving in the same direction, when cyclist is coming across in front of them. If they see a different colour, glow or something different they more likely to slow down, think first etc. and not assume before manouvering.

A few novel lights i considered for side visibility::

Glow sticks.
http://www.happyglowlucky.co.uk/_Glow-S ... -Inch.html
http://www.glowsticks.co.uk/acatalog/HI ... TICKS.html
http://www.glow-mania.co.uk/?gclid=CJzC ... 4wodHFSSqQ

Fibre Flare Shorty
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=45866

In fact the Fibre Flare is marketed as a side light.
http://fibreflare.com/index.php?page=sh ... t&Itemid=4

Electron Backupz in flash mode. Other colours needed other than white.
2 on the front side forks and 2 on the rear side forks both left and right.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=5776

What's your view on side lights and what do you suggest?

Many Thanks.

Percy Vera

giantsasquatch wrote:

Fibre Flare Shorty
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=45866

In fact the Fibre Flare is marketed as a side light.
http://fibreflare.com/index.php?page=sh ... t&Itemid=4

What's your view on side lights and what do you suggest?

Many Thanks.

The Fibre Flare non red colours are side lights, the red is a rear light.

Wiggle is cheaper than CRC and Merlin Cycles are cheaper again!

giantsasquatch

Yes sorry the CRC link to the Fibre Flare is red.for rear so unsuitable. It's still a new product for Fibre Flare so they only have red available. The available colours are sensibly green, blue or yellow.

They must be a cheaper, pratical 'cool glow effect' alternative.

andyp

I'd suggest reflective ankle bands. £15 or less and highly visible to drivers from whatever angle they approach you from.

giantsasquatch

andyp wrote:

I'd suggest reflective ankle bands. £15 or less and highly visible to drivers from whatever angle they approach you from.

I heard these are excellent in real life tests for reflective visibility as the constant motion gives more angle chances of reflection. I had new reflective ankle bands with flashing LED's but they would keep turning off by themselves. Bad luck but they were from Aldi's. The wiring is suspect.

How about 3 taped to your back as well.

giantsasquatch

Due to last month's bad weather and the probable bad weather to come. I thought no better time than now, to get some side visibility.

Everytime it has rained, has been in the evening when dark.

yesiamtom

valve lights all the way!

One of the few things ebay is good for.

giantsasquatch

Some info on battery operated glow sticks.

http://www.dansdata.com/glowsticks.htm

giantsasquatch

yesiamtom wrote:

valve lights all the way!

One of the few things ebay is good for.

Early link but do you mean these? Valve cap lights? They must be really effective!
http://www.amazon.com/Buztronics-Tiresp ... 107&sr=8-6

Arghhh red again. No good. I see more now and on Ebay, you must mean those. Thanks.

Cheap and effective they sound but like to see video of them.

Tireflys.

cougie

I have yellow tyreflys - obviously on a bike as they make great big wheel circles in the dark - you can't mistake them. V cheap off ebay too.

giantsasquatch

cougie wrote:

I have yellow tyreflys - obviously on a bike as they make great big wheel circles in the dark - you can't mistake them. V cheap off ebay too.

I see they put them on cars as well. As long as they don't look too gimmicky. I give them a go thanks.

http://store.flashflight.com/
http://www.monkeylectric.com/
http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... LIGHT.html
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cat ... t-ec019850?

simplesimoncardiff

I'm having some of these for xmas.. Ultimate side visability i reckon!!

http://www.monkeylectric.com/m132s_gallery.htm#live10

giantsasquatch

http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... TORCH.html
http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... WANDS.html
http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... SWORD.html
http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... ESALE.html

rake

a cigarette will be seen from all angles at night. :oops:

chhin77

Good stuff !

But is there anything out there for prestas?

prawny

Cateeye spoke lights?

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... ctID=22446

I'm getting some, but they're for 32 and 36 spoke wheels only.



Oh and for some daft reason, they aren't available until the 14th Jan, good planning cateye :roll:

amaferanga

chhin77 wrote:

Good stuff !

But is there anything out there for prestas?

There are presta to shraeder converters or a presta valve cap with a bit of epoxy resin apparently works (I just got some and I'll be using the epoxy method).

cougie

Superglue tyreflys onto your valve caps - easy and durable.

Wappygixer

These are the ultimate for side visibility http://www.pedalite.com/home.aspx?gclid=CNGGm6awyp4CFSBk4wodf3SLrw
The ankle light is also really good.I saw these at the cycle show this year.Its light (not solar) powered so can be charged under normal household lighting, it weighs nothing and is easy to fix.
The pedal lights have a built in generator to power the built in LED's but it also have a capacitor which holds charge for a couple of minutes for when you are stopped.
I was very impressed with both of these items and I'm in the process of trying to stock them where I work.

STEFANOS4784

Wappygixer wrote:

These are the ultimate for side visibility http://www.pedalite.com/home.aspx?gclid=CNGGm6awyp4CFSBk4wodf3SLrw
The ankle light is also really good.I saw these at the cycle show this year.Its light (not solar) powered so can be charged under normal household lighting, it weighs nothing and is easy to fix.
The pedal lights have a built in generator to power the built in LED's but it also have a capacitor which holds charge for a couple of minutes for when you are stopped.
I was very impressed with both of these items and I'm in the process of trying to stock them where I work.

Ah this looks quite good, i have a phobia of roundabouts after the amount of times i've had narrow escapes and my hesitation sometimes annoys drivers but there's no way i'm ending up under some blind twunts wheels, aint worth the risk, cheers for the link

ride_whenever

no these:



are the best for side visibility. (ps the pic is a link)

STEFANOS4784

Dunno, still below drivers eye level and what do they look like when your stationary? That solar powered bag light jobbie looks just the job 8)

kingrollo

Wappygixer wrote:

These are the ultimate for side visibility http://www.pedalite.com/home.aspx?gclid=CNGGm6awyp4CFSBk4wodf3SLrw
The ankle light is also really good.I saw these at the cycle show this year.Its light (not solar) powered so can be charged under normal household lighting, it weighs nothing and is easy to fix.
The pedal lights have a built in generator to power the built in LED's but it also have a capacitor which holds charge for a couple of minutes for when you are stopped.
I was very impressed with both of these items and I'm in the process of trying to stock them where I work.

What type of pedals are compatible with pedalite ? - I use wellgo platform pedals with an spd cleat ? - would these be ok.

Heckler1974

kingrollo wrote:

What type of pedals are compatible with pedalite ? - I use wellgo platform pedals with an spd cleat ? - would these be ok.

I think the pedal comes as a unit (i.e. you replace your pedals with the pedallite).

kingrollo

Heckler1974 wrote:

kingrollo wrote:

What type of pedals are compatible with pedalite ? - I use wellgo platform pedals with an spd cleat ? - would these be ok.

I think the pedal comes as a unit (i.e. you replace your pedals with the pedallite).

That makes it easier then - wheres the cheapest ankelite on line ?

Wappygixer

The pedals are a stand alone unit that you can ride in trainers etc.They are not a clipless pedal design but are very rugged.
The anklelite was developed so you can use any pedal design.I was supprised at how it lit up even under the lighting of Earls court.
Not sure where you will find them online but there are a few distributors for these products.

ride_whenever

those pedalite pedals are horrible... we had a set in the shop, slippery when wet and the bearings felt like they were lubed with grease.

As for the monkeylectric stationary problem, yes when you're stationary you just have a flashing line of lights i think, but you don't need side visiblilty when stationary.

Wappygixer

ride_whenever wrote:

the bearings felt like they were lubed with grease.

but you don't need side visiblilty when stationary.

The bearings probably are lubed with grease whats what you normally use lol.It does have a little resistance but thats because they have a small generator built into the axle to charge the LED's.
As for side visibility when stationary thats when you need it the most.When your turning right you are at your most vulnerable

giantsasquatch

The SpokeLit by Nite Ize look quite cool for on the move. The picture kind of depicts the tire is glowing red hot, due to the mega speed





http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.ph ... uct_id=163

Much cheaper than the Cateye one.
http://www.theglowcompany.co.uk/acatalo ... LIGHT.html

Fitting 2 equally apart instead of 1 means you should get the circle effect at a lower speed. It still glows when stationary which is what is important at roundabouts etc. It should help alot from being wiped out setting off from giant scary roundabouts.

giantsasquatch

Tireflys claim the batteries last 200 blinking hours. Users are reporting alot less.

The Nikko Starlight has promise but can't find it
http://www.bikecommuters.com/2008/03/07 ... -at-night/

giantsasquatch

These might be a cheap alternative if they bright enough, for frame or for certan wheels. Use with coloured filters.

http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Consumer ... index.html



There is mini versions.