idiots with really bright rear lights
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Someone asked if the lights the OP took issue with were "brighter than the ones on cars?".UndercoverElephant wrote:bails87 wrote:As for lights being bright.
The Hope District and Magichshine MJ818 are both under 85 lumens, those are 'exceptionally' bright. Around the same as a car brakelight. The previous brightest before they came out was the L&M 180 at 35 lumens, and that was a long way ahead of the rest. EDIT: Exposure flare is apparently 75 lumens, fits in there somewhere.
A car headlight is anywhere from 700 lumens to3500 lumens
However, a car tail light is 32 lumens, roughly. Rising up to 40 when braking. It's surely better to compare apples with apples, right?
On the MTBR forum someone showed a side by side comparison (bike leaning against the car) of the MJ818 vs a cars tail lights and then brake lights. The bike light didn't seem much, if any brighter than the brake lights.
Well someone's just said in another thread that bike lights spreda the light out a lot and that "they're not lasers", so......Car tail lights also have a much better designed lenses and reflectors so spread the light over a larger area, I think where even the brightest bike lights fall down is this. Even with twice the luminous intensity, they won't be visible from the same distance, as the light is a small point all firing in a single direction. I don't know what the solution is, though, as I don't want massive lights either.
Well I haven't got anywhere near saying that have I? :roll:As for the old, "cars have 3500 lumens, why can't I?" routine:0 -
kieranb wrote:Hi J_T, maybe it's just a SE London thing as that's where I commute, as you have pointed out my post was not about the merits of these lights in getting you noticed by traffic on dimly lit country roads with hardly any bikes. And it is a pet hate, just like butter being left in the jam, used teabags left lying around the sink rather than in the bin, people taking things too seriously on forums, etc.
Yeah, I agree: some surprisingly aggressive replies to a pretty simple observation, but never mind eh.
The funny thing is I think some of the worst offenders on my route are the hipsters with a single, teeny, red LED mounted on their seat post which offers very little in the way of illumination, yet when you get the beam directly in your line of vision are like a laser pointer to the retina.
That reminds me, anyone want a set of front and rear strobing Knogs? Brand new and unopened? £12.50 posted?0 -
Jonny_Trousers wrote:That reminds me, anyone want a set of front and rear strobing Knogs? Brand new and unopened? £12.50 posted?
How bright are they? :twisted:
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UndercoverElephant wrote:However, a car tail light is 32 lumens, roughly. Rising up to 40 when braking. It's surely better to compare apples with apples, right?
Really? Are Lumens on some wierd logarithmic type scale? I'm surprised because the tail light is 5watt and the brake light is 21watt.
I'm not arguing I just don't know how Lumens work as brake lights look like they're more than twice the brightness. But I know you get all sorts of wierd scales. Richter scale is particularly odd, but doesn't help with lighting.0 -
Veronese68 wrote:UndercoverElephant wrote:However, a car tail light is 32 lumens, roughly. Rising up to 40 when braking. It's surely better to compare apples with apples, right?
Really? Are Lumens on some wierd logarithmic type scale? I'm surprised because the tail light is 5watt and the brake light is 21watt.
I'm not arguing I just don't know how Lumens work as brake lights look like they're more than twice the brightness. But I know you get all sorts of wierd scales. Richter scale is particularly odd, but doesn't help with lighting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_efficacy
basically LED lights have a much higher lumens per watt rating than incandescentChunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:Veronese68 wrote:UndercoverElephant wrote:However, a car tail light is 32 lumens, roughly. Rising up to 40 when braking. It's surely better to compare apples with apples, right?
Really? Are Lumens on some wierd logarithmic type scale? I'm surprised because the tail light is 5watt and the brake light is 21watt.
I'm not arguing I just don't know how Lumens work as brake lights look like they're more than twice the brightness. But I know you get all sorts of wierd scales. Richter scale is particularly odd, but doesn't help with lighting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_efficacy
basically LED lights have a much higher lumens per watt rating than incandescent
Sorry, my rambling probably aren't clear. I know LEDs put out more light per watt. I was surprised that 5W incandescent goes from 32 to 40 lumens when another 21W of incandescent is added. That's why I wondered if lumens are on a wierd scale. I'll look at the Wiki link from home as it won't work here due to strange IT.0 -
I've just up-graded my "blinky" lights, am I wrong?I ache, therefore I am.0
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bails87 wrote:Jonny_Trousers wrote:That reminds me, anyone want a set of front and rear strobing Knogs? Brand new and unopened? £12.50 posted?
How bright are they? :twisted:
They're visible from the moon and will burn a hole in the back of your f*cking skull if you look straight at 'em! They're awesome! 0 -
I was reminded of this thread this morning. Driving to work in the drizzle, I saw a flashing light being reflected off the road, underneath the 4x4 in front of me. Plenty of advanced warning that there was a bike ahead. As I went past I could see it was a Smart R2, so on visibility to drivers alone, I'd recommend that. Also, it didn't hurt my poor little eyesy-wysies
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bails87 wrote:I was reminded of this thread this morning. Driving to work in the drizzle, I saw a flashing light being reflected off the road, underneath the 4x4 in front of me. Plenty of advanced warning that there was a bike ahead. As I went past I could see it was a Smart R2, so on visibility to drivers alone, I'd recommend that. Also, it didn't hurt my poor little eyesy-wysies
Timely:
half price Smart R2sMisguided Idealist0 -
I use a Smart 1/2 Watt light - its very bright when I look directly into the beam, but not that bright just a few degrees off to the side. Is that one of the ones we're complaining about ?
I do turn it off when I go offroad with mates as its not needed and probably wont help their night vision.
I cant see this being a big issue really. I used to be blinded on my night rides by cars on full beams until I learnt to blot out their beams with my cap/helmet peak.0 -
cougie wrote:I use a Smart 1/2 Watt light - its very bright when I look directly into the beam, but not that bright just a few degrees off to the side. Is that one of the ones we're complaining about ?
This is what I use - haven't had any abuse about it. Girlfriend has one too and I wouldn't say it's blinding to ride behind.
I am considering the 2 x 1/2 version actually, and having the current one as either a backup or seatpost light (it's at the back of the rack at the moment).
The way I see it, anything that encourages people behind you to maintain a respectful distance (without actually blinding them!) is a good idea.Cannondale Bad Boy SLX - commute and/or bad weather
Scott Speedster S20 - weekend and/or fair weather commute0 -
I have two MJ-818's on my bike, with two Smart super flashes as backups.
Used for a year, and only one complaint from a grumpy milk float driver. Often get other cyclists asking what they are, and how 'fantastic' they are. Mine is an urban commute with loads of light pollution. They are exceptional on days where light is poor, or the sun is low.0 -
noisepolluter wrote:The way I see it, anything that encourages people behind you to maintain a respectful distance (without actually blinding them!) is a good idea.
Couldn't agree more.0
