Cycling with p.iss poor lights ...

colintrav

Earlier this afternoon whilst out for a walk . and heading up the road a lady passed me riding her bike ..

What struck me was the fact she was on the road and the lights on her bike were actually so bad it was embrassing .. to witness .

The type of lights she had fitted were those godawful flickering of the really poor kind and the rear light was non existant to put it bluntly ...A car Indicator is brighter ..

fossyant

Flat batteries....? Common...........

downfader

you've just reminded me. I was standing on a bridge on tuesday waiting to cross the road with my bike and get ready to hop back on... I could see cars approaching from my right and they were flicking around something. This something turned out to be a cyclist who looked unlit, as as he drew up I realised he had a front light but it wasnt on.

"I think your batteries are dead mate!" I politely said.

Nothing. Not even acknowledging me or the fact I quite clearly pointed at his light. No head phones on as far as I could tell, he just blanked me. :? I wonder if he survived the way home as it was pretty dark. :roll:

Flasheart

I went out for a night ride last night. I saw cyclists with no lights and I saw cyclist with lights and the usual ninja pavement pansies.
The one cyclist that stuck in my memory was a woman with lights BUT her bloody great coat was covering her tail light and all you could see was a feint flashing red glow around her backside :roll:
Either that or is was a killer case of Hemorrhoids :twisted:

singlespeedexplosif

Flat batteries....? Common...........
indeed. two rear lights always a good move in case batteries die in one..

iPete

Had a nice chat through London with another cyclist the other day, he complemented me on my lights, visibility & helmet, turned out he was a bike medic, said he had to pick bike ninjas off the road all the time!

Funny thing is I have a Hope Vision 1 & Mars 3.0 coming in the post still

Do people not value their lives?

squired

I remember a while back when I politely pointed out to a fellow cyclist that his mud guard was actually blocking his rear light. He responded, "so what, I don't care". I did point out that he might when a car drove into him, but I quickly realised I was getting nowhere. Some people can't be told. I always have a smile on my face when I see people cycle past at night dressed head to toe in HiViz, wearing a helmet, but with no lights.

bobgale67

Hello all, my first time posting! Please be gentle with me.
I totally agree that the clowns with no lights appear very keen on their removal from the gene pool. On the other side of the coin I saw a chap on my daily comute who had what appeared to be a hi-vis jacket on but it also had two rows of white leds down the front and two rows of red leds down the back, combined with his other lights it seemed a very effective package. Anyone any idea where i can get one of those hi-vis vest things?

shouldbeinbed

bobgale67 wrote:

Hello all, my first time posting! Please be gentle with me.
I totally agree that the clowns with no lights appear very keen on their removal from the gene pool. On the other side of the coin I saw a chap on my daily comute who had what appeared to be a hi-vis jacket on but it also had two rows of white leds down the front and two rows of red leds down the back, combined with his other lights it seemed a very effective package. Anyone any idea where i can get one of those hi-vis vest things?

I see quite a few horse riders with these on, it might be worth a trip to a horsey outlet.

quite agree, they do look good but I wonder of the wattage would be sufficient to be seen clearly in a heavily light polluted environment. They look on a par with the LED dog collar/slap bands that ai use round my ankles, still not a bad thing to have tho along with lights that warn drivers you're there from further away too.

RufusA

+1

A common issue I also see are roadies who clip their only rear light to the top of their rucksack then go down on drops so the bulk of the rucksack blocks the light!

Rufus.

RufusA

bobgale67 wrote:

On the other side of the coin I saw a chap on my daily comute who had what appeared to be a hi-vis jacket on but it also had two rows of white leds down the front and two rows of red leds down the back

Welcome to the forum!

There are a few versions of this type of thing, but BikeRadar reviewed the LEDWear version recently:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... t-09-34862

Available direct from ledwear, or all good cycle retailers (and a few bad ones to boot).

Rufus.

prawny

RufusA wrote:

bobgale67 wrote:

On the other side of the coin I saw a chap on my daily comute who had what appeared to be a hi-vis jacket on but it also had two rows of white leds down the front and two rows of red leds down the back

Welcome to the forum!

There are a few versions of this type of thing, but BikeRadar reviewed the LEDWear version recently:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... t-09-34862

Available direct from ledwear, or all good cycle retailers (and a few bad ones to boot).

Rufus.

I saw a guy in one of those last week when I was in the car, very good for side on visibility bizarrely but from the back you couldn't see it until you got close, a good rear light (or 3) is much more effective, luckily this chap's were also very good.

Bassjunkieuk

I actually did comment to a rider I approached the other day that her rear light might need new batteries. I was coming up the final hill in the commute and could just about make her out on the road ahead due to on-coming cars and the occasional street light. Once I got closer I realized she did have a light in the mesh part of her bag but it wasn't to bright.

As I pulled up alongside her I said "Your rear light looks like it might need new batteries" and she said that she had noticed when she left work.

I've got into the habit of carrying a pair of AA (for front EL-135) and a pair of AAA (for the SMART 1/2 WATT rear) in my bag, along with a couple of the small wrap around LED lights just incase I get caught with failing batteries.

iain_j

I get the feeling some think that merely putting a light on their bike makes them visible. The light itself doesn't need to be bright, unobstructed and noticeable.

Or maybe it's the other way. They're noticeable because they're so cr@p. Hence, job done - you've seen them.

bobgale67

Thanks RufusA, shouldbeinbed and Prawny for the advice. Think i will look out for one as still feel a bit exposed even with three sources of LED lighting at my back. Loving reading all the posts on the forums, feel the need to go join in on the more random ones.

Vegeeta

I actually would like to get someone to ride down the road with my light setup on and I will drive my car and see if it's effective. I think it would be but I'd like to see it!

At the moment I'm using on the rear the big Cateye 1100 on the seat tube, a Trek Flare 3 on my bag and a Knog Frog on my seat stay. During the day when there is reduced visibility eg fog or when the sun is low I use all the lights on flashing mode. When it is actually dark I set the Cateye to constant as it is very bright and I use rechargeable batteries so I can keep it that way. The other 2 are flashing. This gives me visibility to drivers regardless of sports car or lorry.
On the front I am using a Trek Ion Recharge and as of next week a Light & Motion Seca 700. I use a Madone for my commute on unlight roads so need something powerful.
Again in low light conditions I stick to flashing mode but once dark I use constant on the larger light and flashing on the smaller.

I also use a yellow jacket and some reflective bands.

I might look like a moving Christmas tree, but I think it's for the best.

hivizyellow

I commute through west london every day and have totally given up talking with the fanatical members of the lightless brigade. They seem to delight in not being seen.

Hi viz gloves with refector strip, hi viz hump pack cover, hi viz long sleeved top, ankle reflectors, 3 rear lights, 2 front lights all checked every ride.
You only need to be hit the once......

andyb78

Vegeeta wrote:

I actually would like to get someone to ride down the road with my light setup on and I will drive my car and see if it's effective. I think it would be but I'd like to see it!

At the moment I'm using on the rear the big Cateye 1100 on the seat tube, a Trek Flare 3 on my bag and a Knog Frog on my seat stay. During the day when there is reduced visibility eg fog or when the sun is low I use all the lights on flashing mode. When it is actually dark I set the Cateye to constant as it is very bright and I use rechargeable batteries so I can keep it that way. The other 2 are flashing. This gives me visibility to drivers regardless of sports car or lorry.
On the front I am using a Trek Ion Recharge and as of next week a Light & Motion Seca 700. I use a Madone for my commute on unlight roads so need something powerful.
Again in low light conditions I stick to flashing mode but once dark I use constant on the larger light and flashing on the smaller.

I also use a yellow jacket and some reflective bands.

I might look like a moving Christmas tree, but I think it's for the best.

+1. However, no matter how well you're lit up ( and I look like a Christmas tree too.. ) it's your road sense that saves you more often than your lights normally IMO...

Trailradar

hivizyellow wrote:

I commute through west london every day and have totally given up talking with the fanatical members of the lightless brigade. They seem to delight in not being seen.

Hi viz gloves with refector strip, hi viz hump pack cover, hi viz long sleeved top, ankle reflectors, 3 rear lights, 2 front lights all checked every ride.
You only need to be hit the once......

any chance of uploading a pic' of you in all that clobber? what lights are they?