How many lights?

DrLex

Indeed; the P7 is the model number in the 'P' for professional range- I have an L3, L5 (polycarbonate, so L for "lightweight") and a T7 (T for "Tactical"). Good torches, but not cheap and not cutting edge- beware some sellers are shifting old, lower lumen stock.

DX stuff tends to take at least 4 weeks, plus the Chinese New Year is coming up soon to delay things further.

leodis75

How about this?

downfader

leodis75 wrote:

How about this?

Is that a jellyfish?

porlyworly

reminds me of one of my favourite TV baddies:

HebdenBiker

The OP (and others) shouldn't flagellate themselves over whether or not they are visible enough. If they are complying with the law then it is up to other road users not to try to kill them.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for being safe and being seen - but you could be lit up like a Christmas tree and White Van Man will still pull out on you. It's not your fault.

downfader

HebdenBiker wrote:

The OP (and others) shouldn't flagellate themselves over whether or not they are visible enough. If they are complying with the law then it is up to other road users not to try to kill them.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for being safe and being seen - but you could be lit up like a Christmas tree and White Van Man will still pull out on you. It's not your fault.

True.

My Father's best friend was put in intensive care just before christmas and was the kind of rider who was like a christmas tree (always had 3x rear lights on, 2x front, helmet light - knog frog I think, always covered in reflectives etc) had been riding for 40 years, defensive riding skills the lot... He's on the mend now. Sometimes you're unlucky, sometimes it takes the other party to not take the risk in the first place. :?

HebdenBiker

downfader wrote:

My Father's best friend was put in intensive care just before christmas and was the kind of rider who was like a christmas tree (always had 3x rear lights on, 2x front, helmet light - knog frog I think, always covered in reflectives etc) had been riding for 40 years, defensive riding skills the lot... He's on the mend now. Sometimes you're unlucky, sometimes it takes the other party to not take the risk in the first place. :?

Sorry to hear that. But it does rather make the point.

The problem is not that cyclists need to add yet another 1000 lumen light to their arsenal, but that dangerously stupid people are allowed to drive.

bails87

8

DrLex wrote:

Indeed; the P7 is the model number in the 'P' for professional range- I have an L3, L5 (polycarbonate, so L for "lightweight") and a T7 (T for "Tactical"). Good torches, but not cheap and not cutting edge- beware some sellers are shifting old, lower lumen stock.

DX stuff tends to take at least 4 weeks, plus the Chinese New Year is coming up soon to delay things further.

DX have a uk warehouse that you can order from to get your stuff in a few days.

Applespider

I never appreciated how bright those spoke reflectors are. I have them on but obviously, you don't really see them while you're riding. Cool!

I have a decent sized Cateye on steady on the front and a 5 LED flash on the back. Plus two Knog flashes on my helmet (one white, one red facing appropriate directions) - I like helmet lights since just I think the combination of a high and a low light is more visible - and I like the fact that if I turn my head, it's visible to side roads too. I used to leave my front light on flash but since I've left it on steady, I've had no drivers try to run me off the roundabout that I use as opposed to a few with it flashin.

Most of my bike clothing has a little bit of reflective piping here and there but at night, I do also have a reflective silver Sam Browne belt and some ankle wraps.

DrLex

bails87 wrote:

DX have a uk warehouse that you can order from to get your stuff in a few days.

True, but one pays quite a premium for such. Do at least get a 3-pin plug, though!

Applespider wrote:

[...] I do also have a reflective silver Sam Browne belt [...]

May I ask where it came from? Only seen yellow ones on sale.

Wallace1492

HebdenBiker wrote:

The OP (and others) shouldn't flagellate themselves over whether or not they are visible enough. If they are complying with the law then it is up to other road users not to try to kill them.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for being safe and being seen - but you could be lit up like a Christmas tree and White Van Man will still pull out on you. It's not your fault.

Completely agree with the sentiments of this. However. Nowt wrong in making sure that you are seen, doing that wee bit extra for safety, after all it is your OWN safety. Plenty of times while cycling or driving I have come accross bikes with one light on back and one on front, not seen them till I was close, and powe on 1 light can fade without the rider knowing it. £30 or £40 for an extra couple of light, not exactly bank breaking stuff, and if it helps that old granny who might have pulled out see you then brilliant.

It will not stop the stupid drivers though that pull out when they clearly see you, or the WVM.

Helemts? If you want... Red Lights? stop, go I dont care. But 2 or 3 good lights front and back - a must!

downfader

I think there has been an arms race in bike lights (in fact even car lights) in recent years. Extra lumens or lux is fine, but when the beam pattern is so uncontrolled (the magicshine models I have seen are an example of this). Too bright and uncontrolled means the rider is masked, and this will present issues when signalling and turning on roundabouts ime.

I wont use anything brighter than around 250 lumens and have always checked that I am personally visible behind the light if changing set up. (I do this by getting a family member to wear one of my tops and hold the bike whilst I nip around the front)

Agent57

SimonAH wrote:

I reckon that absolutely the best thing you can put on your bike are the 3M spoke straws that sometimes appear in Lidl (but can always be found in Halfrauds). Put one on each spoke and your wheels are just masshoof disks of light from almost any angle - astonishingly bright.

Got them on my Brompton:

MarksMintness

That's fricking amazing - Looks like a close encounter off the third kind! Gotta get some...

htsw5

I always look forward to the annual lightfest, trying to find new and different ways to light up the bike.

I might have taken this too far...

Current set up is

Main Bike
2 Front lights on handlebars
1 Rear Spoke light
1 Rear light on rack

Tag-A-Long
1 Rear light on seat post
1 Spoke light

Wee Man
2 Red helmet lights (1 on top & 1 rear)

Me
1 Rear light on rucksack
1 Front Light on helmet
3 Rear lights on helmet (2 built in and brighter one added!)



I've not had any problems so maybe it works...or maybe I've just been lucky!

Before anyone asks - the majority (but not all) of my commute to nursery is offroad, however, the remainder of mine (with empty tag-a-long attached) is onroad.

I did wonder if having too many lights mean that other road users loose reaction time while they work out what they are looking at - UFO or Bike?

Applespider

DrLex wrote:

Applespider wrote:

[...] I do also have a reflective silver Sam Browne belt [...]

May I ask where it came from? Only seen yellow ones on sale.

Origamist on BR helped me find it. It's a company called Glo-marka. It's quite thick webbing and very solid feeling on the catch. I got the medium and it's big on me - although it is adjustable.