OGC Optik7 Flashing LED Warning - Page 6 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-18-2004, 03:30 PM

Mike
I wouldn't call it a "rant". A really good & useful post. The kind of
stuff I read rbt for. BTW I stick w/ the Cateye that has a useful
reflector even when it's not turned on.
So far as I'm concerned, it has everything for it. It's bright, small,
dependable, light, really lasts a long time on batts., cheap. What
more could one ask for? I've almost never ridden in the rain w / it.
It's 'agin Ma rayligion to ride in the rain in California. My guess is
that it would be fine.
Thanks again, John

12-18-2004, 03:30 PM

Mike
I wouldn't call it a "rant". A really good & useful post. The kind of
stuff I read rbt for. BTW I stick w/ the Cateye that has a useful
reflector even when it's not turned on.
So far as I'm concerned, it has everything for it. It's bright, small,
dependable, light, really lasts a long time on batts., cheap. What
more could one ask for? I've almost never ridden in the rain w / it.
It's 'agin Ma rayligion to ride in the rain in California. My guess is
that it would be fine.
Thanks again, John

12-18-2004, 03:30 PM

Mike
I wouldn't call it a "rant". A really good & useful post. The kind of
stuff I read rbt for. BTW I stick w/ the Cateye that has a useful
reflector even when it's not turned on.
So far as I'm concerned, it has everything for it. It's bright, small,
dependable, light, really lasts a long time on batts., cheap. What
more could one ask for? I've almost never ridden in the rain w / it.
It's 'agin Ma rayligion to ride in the rain in California. My guess is
that it would be fine.
Thanks again, John

12-18-2004, 05:42 PM

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:58:05 -0500, Frank Krygowski wrote:

> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this.

Agreed. I currently ride in the city with one of the super mini CatEye
lights (looks like a red disc with a cord), reflectors on my rims,
reflective tape on my rear fender, and usually my Gill jacket with "safety
orange" back and reflective piping. I've never felt like motorists can't
see me. I've even had them thank me for taking time to be visible.

I've also been hit by a car from the rear wearing the same jacket and
running one of those Zefal tail lights with 5 LEDs, fresh batteries, and a
full 180 degree view, offering a sheer carnival of blinkage. The motorist
was laquered like a fine Japanese curio...no amount of blinkiness can
prevent that. :/

I do most of my night time riding in an old victorian neighborhood close
to my downtown. The traffic is leisurely and the lighting is good so YMMV.

The main problem with the LED lights I've found is people not replacing
the batteries a timely manner--they'll get dimmer and dimmer and you won't
notice. I make sure to lean my bike again something every few nights,
leave the flasher on, and step back a few meters to see if I'm low on
juice.

So redundancy is good, but I'm really more concerned about the 90% of
evening cyclists I see around here w/o lights or reflectors rather than
myself. I'd like to see the cops pull them over and give them a choice of
a $20 ticket or purchasing a basic quality Cateye flasher on the spot for
$10.

12-18-2004, 05:42 PM

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:58:05 -0500, Frank Krygowski wrote:

> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this.

Agreed. I currently ride in the city with one of the super mini CatEye
lights (looks like a red disc with a cord), reflectors on my rims,
reflective tape on my rear fender, and usually my Gill jacket with "safety
orange" back and reflective piping. I've never felt like motorists can't
see me. I've even had them thank me for taking time to be visible.

I've also been hit by a car from the rear wearing the same jacket and
running one of those Zefal tail lights with 5 LEDs, fresh batteries, and a
full 180 degree view, offering a sheer carnival of blinkage. The motorist
was laquered like a fine Japanese curio...no amount of blinkiness can
prevent that. :/

I do most of my night time riding in an old victorian neighborhood close
to my downtown. The traffic is leisurely and the lighting is good so YMMV.

The main problem with the LED lights I've found is people not replacing
the batteries a timely manner--they'll get dimmer and dimmer and you won't
notice. I make sure to lean my bike again something every few nights,
leave the flasher on, and step back a few meters to see if I'm low on
juice.

So redundancy is good, but I'm really more concerned about the 90% of
evening cyclists I see around here w/o lights or reflectors rather than
myself. I'd like to see the cops pull them over and give them a choice of
a $20 ticket or purchasing a basic quality Cateye flasher on the spot for
$10.

12-18-2004, 05:42 PM

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:58:05 -0500, Frank Krygowski wrote:

> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this.

Agreed. I currently ride in the city with one of the super mini CatEye
lights (looks like a red disc with a cord), reflectors on my rims,
reflective tape on my rear fender, and usually my Gill jacket with "safety
orange" back and reflective piping. I've never felt like motorists can't
see me. I've even had them thank me for taking time to be visible.

I've also been hit by a car from the rear wearing the same jacket and
running one of those Zefal tail lights with 5 LEDs, fresh batteries, and a
full 180 degree view, offering a sheer carnival of blinkage. The motorist
was laquered like a fine Japanese curio...no amount of blinkiness can
prevent that. :/

I do most of my night time riding in an old victorian neighborhood close
to my downtown. The traffic is leisurely and the lighting is good so YMMV.

The main problem with the LED lights I've found is people not replacing
the batteries a timely manner--they'll get dimmer and dimmer and you won't
notice. I make sure to lean my bike again something every few nights,
leave the flasher on, and step back a few meters to see if I'm low on
juice.

So redundancy is good, but I'm really more concerned about the 90% of
evening cyclists I see around here w/o lights or reflectors rather than
myself. I'd like to see the cops pull them over and give them a choice of
a $20 ticket or purchasing a basic quality Cateye flasher on the spot for
$10.

12-18-2004, 05:42 PM

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:58:05 -0500, Frank Krygowski wrote:

> Redundancy is good, but one needn't be paranoid about this.

Agreed. I currently ride in the city with one of the super mini CatEye
lights (looks like a red disc with a cord), reflectors on my rims,
reflective tape on my rear fender, and usually my Gill jacket with "safety
orange" back and reflective piping. I've never felt like motorists can't
see me. I've even had them thank me for taking time to be visible.

I've also been hit by a car from the rear wearing the same jacket and
running one of those Zefal tail lights with 5 LEDs, fresh batteries, and a
full 180 degree view, offering a sheer carnival of blinkage. The motorist
was laquered like a fine Japanese curio...no amount of blinkiness can
prevent that. :/

I do most of my night time riding in an old victorian neighborhood close
to my downtown. The traffic is leisurely and the lighting is good so YMMV.

The main problem with the LED lights I've found is people not replacing
the batteries a timely manner--they'll get dimmer and dimmer and you won't
notice. I make sure to lean my bike again something every few nights,
leave the flasher on, and step back a few meters to see if I'm low on
juice.

So redundancy is good, but I'm really more concerned about the 90% of
evening cyclists I see around here w/o lights or reflectors rather than
myself. I'd like to see the cops pull them over and give them a choice of
a $20 ticket or purchasing a basic quality Cateye flasher on the spot for
$10.

12-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Ron Hardin wrote:

> The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
> and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
> avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

I found that the flash flag is good for this (day or night).

> A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
> not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.

You have to laugh when you read the packages for some of these lights,
where they claim that its visible 1/2 mile or a mile away. Sure it is,
on a straight road, on a clear night, with no competing lights, when the
light is properly mounted at the correct height.

While driving, I don't see bicycles with the el-cheapo flashers until
I'm very close to them. I give a silent "right-on" when I see a cyclist
who's equipped with good "being seen" lights.

12-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Ron Hardin wrote:

> The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
> and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
> avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

I found that the flash flag is good for this (day or night).

> A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
> not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.

You have to laugh when you read the packages for some of these lights,
where they claim that its visible 1/2 mile or a mile away. Sure it is,
on a straight road, on a clear night, with no competing lights, when the
light is properly mounted at the correct height.

While driving, I don't see bicycles with the el-cheapo flashers until
I'm very close to them. I give a silent "right-on" when I see a cyclist
who's equipped with good "being seen" lights.

12-18-2004, 05:53 PM

Ron Hardin wrote:

> The condition you have to work for is the one where there are other competing lights,
> and the idea is to impress on the driver that he has to do something unusual to
> avoid you, like give you lane clearance.

I found that the flash flag is good for this (day or night).

> A bike alone on a dark road is okay but not the worst case. In a busy area he's
> not seeing you any 20 seconds ahead.

You have to laugh when you read the packages for some of these lights,
where they claim that its visible 1/2 mile or a mile away. Sure it is,
on a straight road, on a clear night, with no competing lights, when the
light is properly mounted at the correct height.

While driving, I don't see bicycles with the el-cheapo flashers until
I'm very close to them. I give a silent "right-on" when I see a cyclist
who's equipped with good "being seen" lights.