Best Bike light in the world

cat_with_no_tail

SmoggySteve wrote:

OK , Scenario

You get knocked off your bike and end up with a bad injury. You are off work for weeks or even months recovering. You try and sue the driver for loss of earnings after the accident. He gets a half decent lawyer who says you were not conforming to these rules http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations

He can say he didn't see you are were not lit up right. Maybe your light malfunctioned or something and there was no reflector to show you up in the dark.

YOU WOULD GET SWEET FA. Your life, your risk. I only want people out on the roads to be safe. Not just for themselves but for all road users. If you think you can go on with an attitude of I dont need them, then you are a selfish ignorant person.

If my light had malfunctioned (both of them) and I was still riding and got knocked off, I'd mtfu, accept it was my fault, just one of those things, and move on. Just like if he was blinded by a UFO, or squirrels attacked his car, or any other equally unlikely scenario you want to concoct to try and prove your ludicrous point.

As for someone trying to argue I wasn't lit up properly (assuming both lights were working). If that was the case, and someone tried to claim that they didn't owe me anything because (despite being much more visible than if I'd ONLY conformed to the minimum legal requirement) I didn't have a reflector it would be pretty easy to prove otherwise. If it still went the other guys way after this, so be it.

As for your assertion that I'm a "selfish ignorant person" because I choose to be better lit up than most other cyclists I see on the roads, therefore making it much easier for drivers to see me well in advance, I'm not quite sure how you come to that conclusion, but you're welcome to your opinion.

smoggysteve

Cat With No Tail wrote:

bazzer2 wrote:

Cat With No Tail wrote:

No it isn't. I have no reflectors n any of my bikes. Why? because they take up space which would be better used by another light.

As long as you've got a front and rear light which is bright enough for the conditions, reflectors are surplus to requirement and no copper in their right mind would ever bother to try and argue otherwise.

With respect - you're wrong. If you think a light can be as bright and obvious as a reflector to a person driving a car you've never been in that position. A proper reflector will show up much, much brighter than a light when it's hit by a car headlight *from a close point of view* (so, *my* car headlights, not the one in front or behind)

With respect, no, I'm not.

Ok, a PROPER reflector does a reasonable job if light hits it at the right angle to fully utilize the reflective surfaces but for you to suggest that it is brighter or more visible than my Smart Lunar 2 shows you've clearly not got a scooby what you're on about. Most of the reflectors bike manufacturers supply with bikes are crap. They only supply them because they have to, same deal with a bell, and no, I don't have one of those on my bike either.

As I've already said, I'd much rather rely on 2 good quality rear lights, 1 constant, 1 flashing, and some reflective kit, than to have a stock reflector and a supermarket rear light. The latter is the "legal" version, but I know who'd stand out more to traffic.

Over hear in Germany, they have reinforced the laws on bike lights to say you MUST have a dynamo powered light. Why, beacuse they say that battery power in itself is not reliable. You must have reflectors, front, rear and also on pedals and amber or white on wheels. This is no archaic law as its just been updated. Now, I feel a thousand times safer riding on German roads than anywhere in the UK. Mainly because there is non of the driver Vs rider rhetoric that exists in the UK. They also know alot about road safety and generally do not pass laws just for the sake of it. Here I can fly down the Autobahn in my car legally in places at 130 MPH. Speed slightly more than 30 in a residential area and they will have you. Point is, you are not above the law. Go ahead and do what you want on your bike, but do not come onto an open forum and preach it as something that is acceptable. As I have said before. We get a bad enough reputation without people thinking they can flaunt the law just because it doesn't suit the aesthetics of their bike. I Don't want my road bikes covered in lights and reflectors so I dont ride it at night. If weather is bad I take a red rear light for extra visability for other traffic to see me. I stay within the law as it is written and I don't just make it up to suit myself. You can carry 10 lights on your bike but if the law says reflectors must be used then you do so. The law is the law.

danlikesbikes

pkripper wrote:

erm, the reflectors thing may be an archaic law, but it's there. My understanding is that it's a law that's valid and technically enforceable, and potentially an insurer could seek to limit their exposure by arguing something like contributory negligence (not sure whether that's the correct term) on the cyclists part. Not as far fetched as it may sound.

As for lights, it's not an arms race.

Yes correct term.

If the bike had no lights & no reflectors then this could be used & is a case in court at the moment with a rider wearing black clothes and no reflective logos or markings on either so will see how far it gets in terms of creating a precedent.

If the bike had lights on & no reflectors would be are V hard case to argue as the lights would have been on and easy to spot.

smoggysteve

Cat With No Tail wrote:

If my light had malfunctioned (both of them) and I was still riding and got knocked off, I'd mtfu, accept it was my fault, just one of those things, and move on.

Is this your view on seatbelts also? It's a law designed for your own safety. If you got hit by a car and were left serously injured, by all means go MTFU. But don't post it here as being acceptable behaviour.

slowbike

VTech wrote:

I find it increasingly hard on this forum to get into the mindset of the "average" user.

The average user will argue black is white - and then when you agree will then argue the reverse - you cannot win so don't bother rising to it.

As for lights - it is nice to see how a light performs - it's ok reading the stats, but that doesn't give you the whole picture - a picture is literally worth a thousand words ... so thanks for posting your pics of the front light.

Really need to get a whole load together and take comparative photos though ...

Reflectors ? FFS ppl - get over it ... can you give examples of anyone who has been pulled up by the police for not having a fixed reflector - when they've had lights on and appropriately clothed? ..

If you're riding in the dark you want to make sure you can be seen - so for me this means reflective clothing, at least 2 rear lights and reflective tape on the mudguards. One of my rear lights just happens to have a reflector built in. I don't use a reflector on the front - I have a front light - and in the dark I have a spare alongside it. Clothing is reflective forward as well as behind. Really - nobody has any excuse not to see me ... but does this meet the legal requirements? I'll happily demonstrate the visibility to any police authority if they so wish ... but it will exceed the minimum requirements set out by law.

cat_with_no_tail

SmoggySteve wrote:

Cat With No Tail wrote:

If my light had malfunctioned (both of them) and I was still riding and got knocked off, I'd mtfu, accept it was my fault, just one of those things, and move on.

Is this your view on seatbelts also? It's a law designed for your own safety. If you got hit by a car and were left serously injured, by all means go MTFU. But don't post it here as being acceptable behaviour.

If I found something that made me safer than wearing a seatbelt, yes it would be my view on them.

You're skirting round my points, or just ignoring things completely.

Why do you keep on bringing up aesthetics? It's got absolutely naff all to do with this argument. I have pointed out SEVERAL times now that I've got 2 rear lights on my bike. 1 constant, 1 flashing. Please, go ahead and tell me that I'm not as visible to a driver as someone with a basic rear light and a reflector.

I'm not going to put my self at risk by blindly following a law that was written before we had the technology to produce lights that are significantly brighter than a reflector could ever be. I'd rather employ a little common sense. You are quite welcome to do so, but don't post it here as being acceptable behaviour.

I'm not suggesting I'm above the law. If I ever get pulled over and told I need to be less bright by replacing a light with a reflector, I'll do so. Until then, I'll continue to employ common sense. Make myself as bright and visible as possible.

As you don't ride at night anyway, I expect you probably have no clue how bright a good rear light is.

This is a picture of the smart lunar R2, the same light I have on my bike, plus another one set to flashing, plus reflective patches on my helmet (oh, I wear one of those, even though it's not compulsory to do so. Perhaps we could have an argument about that next), my tights and my top. With a front light that clearly illuminates the road in front of me.




Oh, and here's another one

cat_with_no_tail

Slowbike wrote:

VTech wrote:

I find it increasingly hard on this forum to get into the mindset of the "average" user.

The average user will argue black is white - and then when you agree will then argue the reverse - you cannot win so don't bother rising to it.

As for lights - it is nice to see how a light performs - it's ok reading the stats, but that doesn't give you the whole picture - a picture is literally worth a thousand words ... so thanks for posting your pics of the front light.

Really need to get a whole load together and take comparative photos though ...

Reflectors ? FFS ppl - get over it ... can you give examples of anyone who has been pulled up by the police for not having a fixed reflector - when they've had lights on and appropriately clothed? ..

If you're riding in the dark you want to make sure you can be seen - so for me this means reflective clothing, at least 2 rear lights and reflective tape on the mudguards. One of my rear lights just happens to have a reflector built in. I don't use a reflector on the front - I have a front light - and in the dark I have a spare alongside it. Clothing is reflective forward as well as behind. Really - nobody has any excuse not to see me ... but does this meet the legal requirements? I'll happily demonstrate the visibility to any police authority if they so wish ... but it will exceed the minimum requirements set out by law.

Finally, someone with some common sense.

smoggysteve

Cat With No Tail wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

Cat With No Tail wrote:

If my light had malfunctioned (both of them) and I was still riding and got knocked off, I'd mtfu, accept it was my fault, just one of those things, and move on.

Is this your view on seatbelts also? It's a law designed for your own safety. If you got hit by a car and were left serously injured, by all means go MTFU. But don't post it here as being acceptable behaviour.

If I found something that made me safer than wearing a seatbelt, yes it would be my view on them.

You're skirting round my points, or just ignoring things completely.

Why do you keep on bringing up aesthetics? It's got absolutely naff all to do with this argument. I have pointed out SEVERAL times now that I've got 2 rear lights on my bike. 1 constant, 1 flashing. Please, go ahead and tell me that I'm not as visible to a driver as someone with a basic rear light and a reflector.

I'm not going to put my self at risk by blindly following a law that was written before we had the technology to produce lights that are significantly brighter than a reflector could ever be. I'd rather employ a little common sense. You are quite welcome to do so, but don't post it here as being acceptable behaviour.

I'm not suggesting I'm above the law. If I ever get pulled over and told I need to be less bright by replacing a light with a reflector, I'll do so. Until then, I'll continue to employ common sense. Make myself as bright and visible as possible.

As you don't ride at night anyway, I expect you probably have no clue how bright a good rear light is.

This is a picture of the smart lunar R2, the same light I have on my bike, plus another one set to flashing, plus reflective patches on my helmet (oh, I wear one of those, even though it's not compulsory to do so. Perhaps we could have an argument about that next), my tights and my top. With a front light that clearly illuminates the road in front of me.




Oh, and here's another one

1. I do ride at night. I said I just dont on my road bike, I use another. Read what I say before commenting.
2. YOU NOR ANYONE ELSE IS ABOVE THE LAW. THE LAW SAYS REFLECTORS. You can carry all the lights you like it doesn't remove the fact that the laws as they stand say you need a non powered reflective area ON THE BIKE!!
3. I never said put yourself at risk to follow the law, Carry your two lights front and rear, just make sure you have reflectors on as well. Personally I couldn't give a damn what YOU do with your bike. My gripe is saying it in an open forum where others can take your ideas that you do not need to use reflectors as being OK. You do not know who is reading this. Youngsters getting into cycling. I would prefer they were aware that they should stay safe and on the right side of the law. Not listen to someone who thinks its ok to dodge around them cos he carries what is his own mind more then enough.

cat_with_no_tail

Oh my god, you're doing it again. I'm not sure if you're trolling or just stupid.

You do not know who is reading this. Youngsters getting into cycling. I would prefer they were aware that they should stay safe and on the right side of the law.

They're much safer being SEEN than following the letter of the law that is never enforced. I'd rather a youngster got a telling off from some copper on a power trip, than got mowed down because they'd listened to you and got a reflector instead of another light.

How about this. If anyone who reads this, EVER gets pulled over for having bright lights, reflective clothing but NO REFLECTORS, I'll personally sort you out with a whole team of lawyers.

I don't have enough room for 2 lights, AND a reflector. Which is why I chose the brightest option. Having a reflector wouldn't make me any more visible than I am now anyway.

Oh, and if you're going to get pedantic, we're on the ROAD forum here. So I was responding to your comment about how you don't ride your road bike at night.

This is going nowhere. For that reason, I'm out. Smoggy, I wish you luck with your reflectors.

VTech

Check out this site, I did before my purchase, I think it helped a lot.

http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/bi ... abase.html

VTech

This may also be info to some of you guys.

Laws on lights and reflectors.

http://ukcyclerules.com/2010/11/08/bike ... he-basics/

smoggysteve

http://bicyclepaper.com/articles/415-Can-a-Light-Be-Too-Bright-

Last thing I will add on this thread.

BTW, The last article you posted VTec shows lights on a dark country road. How do they stand up on road use with traffic?

pkripper

Cat With No Tail wrote:

Oh my god, you're doing it again. I'm not sure if you're trolling or just stupid.

You do not know who is reading this. Youngsters getting into cycling. I would prefer they were aware that they should stay safe and on the right side of the law.

They're much safer being SEEN than following the letter of the law that is never enforced. I'd rather a youngster got a telling off from some copper on a power trip, than got mowed down because they'd listened to you and got a reflector instead of another light.

How about this. If anyone who reads this, EVER gets pulled over for having bright lights, reflective clothing but NO REFLECTORS, I'll personally sort you out with a whole team of lawyers.

I don't have enough room for 2 lights, AND a reflector. Which is why I chose the brightest option. Having a reflector wouldn't make me any more visible than I am now anyway.

I can't disagree with you re. the immediate and distance visibility of having lights. Neither on the point that you can have all sorts of other reflectives and bright kit on your person. However, in the event of an incident, the fact that you don't have reflectors, and therefore are not technically complying with the law may significantly alter the outcome of any subsequent action if it were to transpire.

For the sake of a bit of plastic, it's not really a problem.

philwint

SmoggySteve wrote:

2. YOU NOR ANYONE ELSE IS ABOVE THE LAW. THE LAW SAYS REFLECTORS. You can carry all the lights you like it doesn't remove the fact that the laws as they stand say you need a non powered reflective area ON THE BIKE!!

But remember

"Rules* are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men."

Douglas Bader

*And Laws

sloppyschleckonds

VTech wrote:

There is so much wrong with this bar/stem/shifters/garmin set-up I don't know where to start LOL

And how are those deep rims in the windy weather LOL

VTech

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

VTech wrote:

There is so much wrong with this bar/stem/shifters/garmin set-up I don't know where to start LOL

And how are those deep rims in the windy weather LOL

Care to elaborate ?
The bike was setup by one of the best in the industry, the garmin is on the correct seat, the gopro mount is a work of art and the light on the only site possible, it doesnt intervene anything.

MattC59

VTech wrote:

The bike was setup by one of the best in the industry

Genuine question; who was that then ?

supermurph09

Adrian Timmis

supermurph09

Hope the riding is going ok Vtech, honestly not having a dig here but it was only a couple of weeks ago you didnt dare ride on the road and now you are riding at night? Whats changed?

danlikesbikes

Supermurph09 wrote:

Hope the riding is going ok Vtech, honestly not having a dig here but it was only a couple of weeks ago you didnt dare ride on the road and now you are riding at night? Whats changed?

I'd dare say that despite saying it doesn't bother him some of the stick he has been getting might have motivated him.

VTech

I started with a night ride when working abroad, I did it with a group and loved it.
In truth I've not done one in the UK yet but have joined a local club and have done quite a few small group rides so far.
I was never against cycling on the road, it was all taken way out of context as most things are on this forum but I do stand by my original comments in that it is dangerous for anyone to get back into cycling, buy a road bike and go straight out on the main roads, especially in something that is almost certainly twice as quick as anything else they may have ridden as a kid.
I was also ridiculed for using the turbo yet having read the forum for several months now it seems that so many other members do exactly the same to maintain or gain fitness which was exactly my original point and for me it has worked a treat.
When I started I couldn't manage 5k and now I'm knocking out 40-50k without a hitch.
I'm nearly a stone lighter so yes, motivation has been incredibly high and on a secret note, I have to admit that when the pain hurts I have thought back to the 3-4 people here that have openly mocked me about having more posts than miles and chuckled to myself. I didn't feel the need to post earlier as an argument to their posts as it wouldn't have changed anything but I'm enjoying cycling now and as he weather picks up ill be cycling daily into the office as well.

On a totally different note, I'm starting to see things that I've never seen before, I've driven some of the routes I cycle many times and have been oblivious to the scenery where I live and also when I started to cycle them at first yet now I'm getting fitter and more confident I'm noticing new things, new sights. I like it.

seanoconn

VTech wrote:

I started with a night ride when working abroad, I did it with a group and loved it.
In truth I've not done one in the UK yet but have joined a local club and have done quite a few small group rides so far.
I was never against cycling on the road, it was all taken way out of context as most things are on this forum but I do stand by my original comments in that it is dangerous for anyone to get back into cycling, buy a road bike and go straight out on the main roads, especially in something that is almost certainly twice as quick as anything else they may have ridden as a kid.
I was also ridiculed for using the turbo yet having read the forum for several months now it seems that so many other members do exactly the same to maintain or gain fitness which was exactly my original point and for me it has worked a treat.
When I started I couldn't manage 5k and now I'm knocking out 40-50k without a hitch.
I'm nearly a stone lighter so yes, motivation has been incredibly high and on a secret note, I have to admit that when the pain hurts I have thought back to the 3-4 people here that have openly mocked me about having more posts than miles and chuckled to myself. I didn't feel the need to post earlier as an argument to their posts as it wouldn't have changed anything but I'm enjoying cycling now and as he weather picks up ill be cycling daily into the office as well.

On a totally different note, I'm starting to see things that I've never seen before, I've driven some of the routes I cycle many times and have been oblivious to the scenery where I live and also when I started to cycle them at first yet now I'm getting fitter and more confident I'm noticing new things, new sights. I like it.

I've not read your previous posts on the subject but it took me a few months to get my confidence riding on the roads. So much so that I planned my journey to work making left turns only. Any right turns needed, I'd get off and cross the road pushing the bike

supermurph09

Glad to hear you're enjoying it. That's the main thing.

apreading

VTech wrote:

When I started I couldn't manage 5k and now I'm knocking out 40-50k without a hitch.
I'm nearly a stone lighter so ...

Well done - cycling is a terrific way to lose weight and gain fitness - I am 4 stone lighter since starting up 18 months ago and feel so much better for it.

VTech wrote:

On a totally different note, I'm starting to see things that I've never seen before, I've driven some of the routes I cycle many times and have been oblivious to the scenery where I live and also when I started to cycle them at first yet now I'm getting fitter and more confident I'm noticing new things, new sights. I like it.

What I find (and if you havent you will soon) is that its the smells that I notice - driving around in our hermetically sealed boxes, we are totally isolated from our surroundings but on the bike I love the smell when you pass a house with an open fire (particularly if its coal as it brings back memories of visiting my grandparents in the welsh valleys during childhood), a bakery, people barbequeing or if going along a canal on a sunday morning everyone seems to be cooking bacon.

The scenery is great and you do see and experience so much more on a bike, but its the smells that I find more evocative and that you are oblivious to in a car.

Keep up the good work - sounds like you are really enjoying it and it will only get better when (eventually) things get warmer around here!

philwint

VTech wrote:

When I started I couldn't manage 5k and now I'm knocking out 40-50k without a hitch.
I'm nearly a stone lighter

Fantastic progress, well done

whitestar1

Cat With No Tail wrote:

You've colour co-ordinated your radiators with your bike? Now THAT'S commitment!
Looks exactly like one of the magicshine lights. I've got something similar.

It does look like a Magicshine, I have been seen different brands using the same style.

bondurant

Has smoggysteve (metaphorically) self-combusted yet? Like a Peperami sausage on those adverts from a few years ago where it ate itself.

So much pompousness.

Johnny12

VTech wrote:

GoPro stem mount (very high quality and works a treat);
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GoPro-Aluminu ... 3f17f931fd
The unit I have is the sealed waterproof item, see it here;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261193966495? ... 1439.l2649
Wheels are Carbon units from China.
Im not worried about people getting annoyed, a typical HID gives 3200 lumens, its all to do with beam direction, if you point forward and slightly left you will be fine.

wowo man .. Awesome light. I think these are xenon light. I really want it. I had never seen such kind of good looking light before.

wishitwasallflat

Nice light but the same and better can be got much much cheaper. Also its wise to have two fronts to see with in case one goes on the blink and with 501bs or similar they are so cheap you can! The real bike lighting experts are here:

viewtopic.php?f=20005&t=12660193

viewtopic.php?f=20005&t=12807034

VTech

I just went for the one that got the best reviews.
Most people rated them as the best and I thought it was fair value considering most similar were in the £300 range.