Lamps for Road Bike - Page 7

07-19-2004, 09:47 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> On 19 Jul 2004 15:44:12 -0500, Frederic Briere <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
> wrote in message <40fc31e5$0$11361$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>:
>
>>IMHO, all rear lights do a fine enough job.
>
> Gotta disagree. I use Busch & Muller 4D Toplights as reflector &
> lamp, and have one or two Cateye TL-AU100 in flashing mode for backup.
> And on the back of my bike bag, a RealLite :-D
>
> The B&M has LEDs in the edges for all-round visibility, and the Cateye
> does that, too. Smaller oval rear LEDs don't work half as well. The
> old VistaLight rectangular ones used to be quite good.

A foggy, moonless night is a good test of the efficacy
of lights. Just get a friend/associate to take your bike
down a ways from you (doesn't necessarily have to actually
ride it -- maybe just walk it down the sidewalk,) and see
how well your lights perform from various distances and angles.

Frank Krygowski has previously mentioned what a good idea it
is to get a real, first-hand view of the visibility of your bike,
as an onlooker. I whole-heartedly agree with that approach,
because then you absolutely /know/ what you look like to others.

It sounds like you've already done this test. I'm just reiterating
this stuff for the benefit of other people wondering about how
good their lights are.

The sagery is: don't ask; just see for yourself.

And IME, the cheapest blinkies, while they are perhaps technically
legal,don't emit enough light to the sides. Same as too-small,
cheap reflectors.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

07-20-2004, 12:14 AM

>Likewise, I need something for the front that can be seen *and* will shed
>worthwhile light on the road.

Heh...

This is me if I'm cycling at night...

helmet mounted single LED white light
2 x Cateye 5 big LED white front lights (HL-EL300)
1 x white flashing LED
Rear rack mounted bright red LED light
"ordinary" British Standard red rear light
1 x red flashing LED
Acres of reflectives to self and bike.

I don't often cycle at night, but when I do, it's around unlit narrow country
lanes and the above work well - the Cateye HL-EL300 lights shed a reasonable
amount of light on the roads for me to cycle by. The helmet mounted LED is
excellent for the "What the f**k id that!" reaction from any motorists - the
difference it made to how much any oncoming traffic slowed as it approaches is
noticeable - plus it's great for reading maps/street signs. The other lights &
reflectives make me more visible to any traffic. Here in the UK, it's law to to
have front & rear lights on during hours of darkness (white at front, red at
rear), I just have a few more than most ;-) What I like about the big LED ones
is the run time - I used to have some Smart rechargeable twin frontlights, but
the run time was only 2 hrs max and the battery pretty sonn knackered anyhow.

If you hear of any reports of UFOs with flashing red & white lights in Norfolk
UK, it's probably just me out cycling the lanes of a winter night ...

All lights are going to add weight - for me the key isn't the weight it's the
"see and be seen" value.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

07-20-2004, 12:14 AM

>Likewise, I need something for the front that can be seen *and* will shed
>worthwhile light on the road.

Heh...

This is me if I'm cycling at night...

helmet mounted single LED white light
2 x Cateye 5 big LED white front lights (HL-EL300)
1 x white flashing LED
Rear rack mounted bright red LED light
"ordinary" British Standard red rear light
1 x red flashing LED
Acres of reflectives to self and bike.

I don't often cycle at night, but when I do, it's around unlit narrow country
lanes and the above work well - the Cateye HL-EL300 lights shed a reasonable
amount of light on the roads for me to cycle by. The helmet mounted LED is
excellent for the "What the f**k id that!" reaction from any motorists - the
difference it made to how much any oncoming traffic slowed as it approaches is
noticeable - plus it's great for reading maps/street signs. The other lights &
reflectives make me more visible to any traffic. Here in the UK, it's law to to
have front & rear lights on during hours of darkness (white at front, red at
rear), I just have a few more than most ;-) What I like about the big LED ones
is the run time - I used to have some Smart rechargeable twin frontlights, but
the run time was only 2 hrs max and the battery pretty sonn knackered anyhow.

If you hear of any reports of UFOs with flashing red & white lights in Norfolk
UK, it's probably just me out cycling the lanes of a winter night ...

All lights are going to add weight - for me the key isn't the weight it's the
"see and be seen" value.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

07-20-2004, 12:14 AM

>Likewise, I need something for the front that can be seen *and* will shed
>worthwhile light on the road.

Heh...

This is me if I'm cycling at night...

helmet mounted single LED white light
2 x Cateye 5 big LED white front lights (HL-EL300)
1 x white flashing LED
Rear rack mounted bright red LED light
"ordinary" British Standard red rear light
1 x red flashing LED
Acres of reflectives to self and bike.

I don't often cycle at night, but when I do, it's around unlit narrow country
lanes and the above work well - the Cateye HL-EL300 lights shed a reasonable
amount of light on the roads for me to cycle by. The helmet mounted LED is
excellent for the "What the f**k id that!" reaction from any motorists - the
difference it made to how much any oncoming traffic slowed as it approaches is
noticeable - plus it's great for reading maps/street signs. The other lights &
reflectives make me more visible to any traffic. Here in the UK, it's law to to
have front & rear lights on during hours of darkness (white at front, red at
rear), I just have a few more than most ;-) What I like about the big LED ones
is the run time - I used to have some Smart rechargeable twin frontlights, but
the run time was only 2 hrs max and the battery pretty sonn knackered anyhow.

If you hear of any reports of UFOs with flashing red & white lights in Norfolk
UK, it's probably just me out cycling the lanes of a winter night ...

All lights are going to add weight - for me the key isn't the weight it's the
"see and be seen" value.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

07-20-2004, 12:14 AM

>Likewise, I need something for the front that can be seen *and* will shed
>worthwhile light on the road.

Heh...

This is me if I'm cycling at night...

helmet mounted single LED white light
2 x Cateye 5 big LED white front lights (HL-EL300)
1 x white flashing LED
Rear rack mounted bright red LED light
"ordinary" British Standard red rear light
1 x red flashing LED
Acres of reflectives to self and bike.

I don't often cycle at night, but when I do, it's around unlit narrow country
lanes and the above work well - the Cateye HL-EL300 lights shed a reasonable
amount of light on the roads for me to cycle by. The helmet mounted LED is
excellent for the "What the f**k id that!" reaction from any motorists - the
difference it made to how much any oncoming traffic slowed as it approaches is
noticeable - plus it's great for reading maps/street signs. The other lights &
reflectives make me more visible to any traffic. Here in the UK, it's law to to
have front & rear lights on during hours of darkness (white at front, red at
rear), I just have a few more than most ;-) What I like about the big LED ones
is the run time - I used to have some Smart rechargeable twin frontlights, but
the run time was only 2 hrs max and the battery pretty sonn knackered anyhow.

If you hear of any reports of UFOs with flashing red & white lights in Norfolk
UK, it's probably just me out cycling the lanes of a winter night ...

All lights are going to add weight - for me the key isn't the weight it's the
"see and be seen" value.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

07-20-2004, 12:14 AM

>Likewise, I need something for the front that can be seen *and* will shed
>worthwhile light on the road.

Heh...

This is me if I'm cycling at night...

helmet mounted single LED white light
2 x Cateye 5 big LED white front lights (HL-EL300)
1 x white flashing LED
Rear rack mounted bright red LED light
"ordinary" British Standard red rear light
1 x red flashing LED
Acres of reflectives to self and bike.

I don't often cycle at night, but when I do, it's around unlit narrow country
lanes and the above work well - the Cateye HL-EL300 lights shed a reasonable
amount of light on the roads for me to cycle by. The helmet mounted LED is
excellent for the "What the f**k id that!" reaction from any motorists - the
difference it made to how much any oncoming traffic slowed as it approaches is
noticeable - plus it's great for reading maps/street signs. The other lights &
reflectives make me more visible to any traffic. Here in the UK, it's law to to
have front & rear lights on during hours of darkness (white at front, red at
rear), I just have a few more than most ;-) What I like about the big LED ones
is the run time - I used to have some Smart rechargeable twin frontlights, but
the run time was only 2 hrs max and the battery pretty sonn knackered anyhow.

If you hear of any reports of UFOs with flashing red & white lights in Norfolk
UK, it's probably just me out cycling the lanes of a winter night ...

All lights are going to add weight - for me the key isn't the weight it's the
"see and be seen" value.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

07-20-2004, 04:51 AM

On 19 Jul 2004 15:44:12 -0500, Frederic Briere <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
>good reflector can be just as bright, if not brighter, than a rear lamp;
>it won't ever run out of power, and you never have to remember to turn
>it on/off.

You still need a rear light; it's not uncommon for drivers to forget
to turn on their lights, or to be driving with broken lights. At
least not around here.
--
Rick Onanian

07-20-2004, 04:51 AM

On 19 Jul 2004 15:44:12 -0500, Frederic Briere <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
>good reflector can be just as bright, if not brighter, than a rear lamp;
>it won't ever run out of power, and you never have to remember to turn
>it on/off.

You still need a rear light; it's not uncommon for drivers to forget
to turn on their lights, or to be driving with broken lights. At
least not around here.
--
Rick Onanian

07-20-2004, 04:51 AM

On 19 Jul 2004 15:44:12 -0500, Frederic Briere <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
>good reflector can be just as bright, if not brighter, than a rear lamp;
>it won't ever run out of power, and you never have to remember to turn
>it on/off.

You still need a rear light; it's not uncommon for drivers to forget
to turn on their lights, or to be driving with broken lights. At
least not around here.
--
Rick Onanian

07-20-2004, 04:51 AM

On 19 Jul 2004 15:44:12 -0500, Frederic Briere <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>
wrote:
>good reflector can be just as bright, if not brighter, than a rear lamp;
>it won't ever run out of power, and you never have to remember to turn
>it on/off.

You still need a rear light; it's not uncommon for drivers to forget
to turn on their lights, or to be driving with broken lights. At
least not around here.
--
Rick Onanian