tatfiend 

I am running a 600 lumens front headlight (Cygolite) and about the brightest rear blinker made (Planet Bike's brightest). Still the front is not near as bright as a automobile's headlight or the rear light as bright as new car taillights generally speaking. Also considering getting a helmet mount taillight for redundancy. I want to see and be seen.

I have seen a local bike with about 7 taillights going. Definitely noticeable.

How much light is to much? Can I get a WWII searchlight somewhere to mount on the front and one or more of the European accessory red for foggy conditions taillights for the rear?

mkael

Everything to be said about lights must have been already been said on bf.

Is it just me but have car lights gotten brighter over the years. They make a big halos which a dark clothed dressed cyclead can really disappear in. Assuming there is adequate street lighting the cyclist would be visible if it was not for the cars tail lights. Your lights are too bright or misadjusted if I can't see anything after I saw you on the street. Which isn't really a problem with cars headlights except under the most unusual conditions. You can have too much light.

If you are on a long road and have a blinker say on your backpack it might not be as visible from far away because it not being centeres. Also put one on your bike.

I think a single round light now matter how strong needs to go with something else. It often looks like street lighting and general lighting. And your bike isn't really turniong most of the time. It also can be really unnoticeable if there are cars in front and behind. Cars are more noticeable because they have two headlights. Also lots of motorcycles have a pattern. A pattern is good. Like two lights next to each other. Maybe a blinking light next to a static light. The blinking gets their attention and the static light is a dot they can follow. This is the reason they put reflectors on pedals because they move and look different from general lighting.

I don't think reflectors are outdated. They can't run out of batteries is an advantage even if a tiny one with leds nowadays. I think their advantage is they look different from all the random lighting out there. When light hits them they sorta pulsate like stars seem for me eyes. Those yellow construction worker vests can be seen from faar away. saw a yellow vest from far away and closeer I saw 3 cyclists all with lights. Just that many reflectors reflect as much light as a brick wall is the problem.

10 Wheels

Might be Ghosts

K'Tesh

If it doesn't peel paint off of the International Space Station, then it's not bright enough...

Honey, NASA Called Again... Can you point that somewere else?

tatfiend 

Mkael;

Car headlights have definitely gotten brighter. First was the change from the old sealed beams to halogen lights and many cars now have HID headlights. Each type has increased the light output considerably. I do not think taillighs have gotten much brighter in the last 20 years, since the time they started requiring the high mounted taillight/brakelight on autos.

harleyfrog

I know the average motorist hasn't gotten much "brighter", either.

And one more for the "You're headlights might be too bright if. . . " thread. You're headlights might be too bright if on Christmas Eve three men show up on your doorstep on camels bearing gifts.

mkael

"is adequate street lighting the cyclist would be visible if it was not for the cars tail lights"
I meant head lights there. Sorry my mistake.

I disagree. It blinds people for a few seconds. 95% of the time this is only a problem on dark trails. Some of the people are extremely visible from far away . They might be visible enough with less. There are obstacles and the road is curvy anyway. It's nice if someone gets noticed a km away but how useful is that really. I have no problems at all noticing the camoed people. It's trade off which gives only small benefits for one and big disadvantages for everyone else. It would be nice if people would tune their lighting smaller in such enviroments and use all their lighting power on say two lane high speed roads and the like.

I mean the rare extreme cases blind me more than cars on a lit road.

Feldman

Too much light on a bike? No such thing.