How bright is too bright? Rear light.

eddiefiola

I think this is an Exposure Blaze Rear light?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVCH9C3Gyfc#t=93

Was thinking about buying an Exposure TraceR for day and night, but on CRC it actually warns visitors from Germany that the light isn't allowed by law here.



Any recos for something bright but not potentially illegal over here?

Scotter

Moon shield. Small, lightweight, re-chargeable and ultra, ultra bright.

I thought my Smart Lunar R2 was good. The little Shield blows it out of the water!

Garry H

It makes the guy's hi viz redundant from behind. looks brighted than the exposure. sure it wasn't a hope red district or something?

rickeverett

Seen some absolute idiots on bikes with those multi thousand lumen front lights. They are brighter than main beam car lights and a distraction to oncoming traffic.

ride_whenever

shield every day of the week.

I'm also fairly sure that the german thing is because they have daft rules about lights.


With super bright rear lights point it down just behind you, the side light is enough to keep cars off and they don't get close to the red area it casts on the floor giving you noticably more space.

redvee

rickeverett wrote:

Seen some absolute idiots on bikes with those multi thousand lumen front lights. They are brighter than main beam car lights and a distraction to oncoming traffic.

I run a Magicshine 880 2000 lumen front light but only on full power on the unlit 1.5 mile I have either way I ride home from work, once I hit the roads I drop it down to 200 lumen for the remainder of the ride home.

gavbarron

Scotter wrote:

Moon shield. Small, lightweight, re-chargeable and ultra, ultra bright.

I thought my Smart Lunar R2 was good. The little Shield blows it out of the water!

I use a Shiled too, great light and I keep mine pointed ever so slightly down as it can be a little bright if on full power and pointing at you

Giraffoto

To answer the original question, "too bright" is when the eye can't easily focus on it so the other road users can't judge distance to you. There probably aren't that many lights that this applies to. Size matters as well - it's better to have a larger area of light than a point, so avoid single LEDs with no reflector.