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Night Riders:Lights

Old 01-13-20, 09:28 PM
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Payton1221
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Night Riders:Lights

For those who ride at night, do you only use lights for your bike or do you have a helmet light too? I have bike lights only, but I'm thinking about adding one on my helmet too.

I've only ridden twice since getting a light for my bike on Christmas. I live in the country and in two 50 minute rides, I had four cars pass me on my first ride and only two passed me tonight.
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Old 01-13-20, 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Payton1221
For those who ride at night, do you only use lights for your bike or do you have a helmet light too? I have bike lights only, but I'm thinking about adding one on my helmet too.
Just bike lights.

I have an 18650 powered head lamp, but leave it stowed because it gives me a sore neck.

I've only ridden twice since getting a light for my bike on Christmas. I live in the country and in two 50 minute rides, I had four cars pass me on my first ride and only two passed me tonight.
I also have a reflective vest, ankle bands, and retroreflective rims.

https://www.quora.com/Whats-a-good-c.../Drew-Eckhardt
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Old 01-13-20, 10:38 PM
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I have 2 usb headlights, Cygolites 300(?) Work much better than I expected. I point one down toward the road and one level ahead. I've had cars flash their brights at me. Also oncoming cyclists shout out that they need a light like mine.

Cygo lights are about $35 for the 500. I think mine are 300 lumens.

I also use 2 rear red blinkies. One on the seatpost and one strapped the back of my helmet via velcro strip.

I also use ankle bands for side view visibility.



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Old 01-13-20, 10:53 PM
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Shimagnolo
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Dinotte headlight (handlebar) & taillight.
Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires, which have the "reflex" sidewalls.
(Schwalbe & Continental both use the word "reflex" to indicate reflective sidewalls.)
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Old 01-14-20, 01:39 AM
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Right now, Cygolite Metro Pro 1100 on helmet, pointed basically at the ground and an Outbound Lighting Road Edition on the bars. The helmet light was formerly used mostly in sharp corners to light the way in town and in case of emergency when I am about to be struck by a clueless vehicle, in which case, I shine it at the driver's head. It works. Every time. That said. the Outboud has such a massively wide beam pattern, that I no longer need the helmet light in corners--the Outbound lights those just great now for me.
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Old 01-14-20, 04:42 AM
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For night rides I often use two headlights on the bike, a taillight, and lightweight to-be-seen lights front and rear on my helmet. Due to a neck injury I can't take too much weight on the helmet so my lights are mostly to help drivers see me.

However the white front helmet light is just bright enough to pick up the glow of most animals' eyes at a reasonable distance, so I'll have a little warning. This does seem to keep deer from darting in front of me. Generally they go the opposite direction. Unfortunately that doesn't work with skunks, squirrels or most small critters.

There are some fairly bright headlights that can be worn on the helmet, while the battery packs can be worn lower on the helmet or elsewhere to minimize the weight. I haven't tried those yet.
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Old 01-14-20, 07:11 AM
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Just bike lights. I read somewhere that whilst blinking lights draw the attention (of drivers, etc) it's easier to judge distance to a steady light so I tend to either run both or a light which blinks but doesn't go out. At the moment I have an Exposure Strada RS on the front and Exposure Blaze Reakt on the back on my main commute. The Blaze needs a seatpost to attach to which is covered up on my second bike so I have two CatEye Rapid X2 lights on that, one steady and one blinking a pseudo-random flash.
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Old 01-14-20, 08:24 AM
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At the moment, I'm just using lights on the bike. I use steady beam front and rear lights (Cygolite Expilion 850, usually not on full beam, and a Hotshot 100) all the time, and add front/rear blinkies in traffic situations.

I've used helmet lights and/or headlights (with a headband) in the past. I'm not sure that the front helmet light did much (for road riding), and it was not worth the weight/discomfort. I think a rear red helmet light is not a bad idea because it sits a bit higher, but I have not found a way to make it work with my current helmet.
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Old 01-14-20, 08:58 AM
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Moe Zhoost
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I have a small light that I mount on my helmet with velcro. It augments my other lighting: Dyno powered tail light, saddle pack mounted battery light, and 2 additional belt-mounted battery lights spaced as wide as possible. Only the helmet mounted light is on flash. The rest I run solid. The logic behind so many lights is that a big array makes it easier for other road users to determine my position and speed.

A caution about helmet mounted lights: If you ride with a backpack, make sure that it does not obscure the light when viewed as a motorist would. I've seen so many cyclists that don't get this right.
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Old 01-14-20, 09:13 AM
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good bike lights and reflective vest like they wear on the show Gold Rush

also just ordered some reflective tape to use
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Old 01-14-20, 10:17 AM
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I use 2 lights on the bike and a helmet light. That’s for on- and off-road for the same reason: the helmet light is the most useful of the lights I use. I aim it into corners where lights on the bike won’t reach. I use it to warn drivers who aren’t paying attention. I use it to spot light things...it has a tighter beam... I might not want to ride into. Currently there are spots of ice on the road that aren’t illuminated all that a well by the wide angle lights on my handlebars.
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Old 01-14-20, 10:20 AM
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woodcraft
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I have a helmet mounted light that is primarily for mtn biking, but I use it for trafficy in-town rides.

It lives on it's own helmet, ready to go.
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Old 01-14-20, 10:22 AM
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just bike lights (front/rear) altho I carry a headlamp, usually hanging from my neck. occasionally, I'll move it to my head, but for the most part I haven't found it useful enough to warrant the juice usage. always good to have some kind of backup, especially something you can use to see with while doing a flat repair


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Old 01-14-20, 10:23 AM
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I use a bike-mounted light for all night riding, and supplement it with a helmet light when I get to downtown or heavily trafficked areas. The helmet light is usually flashing, and I point it at drivers who don't look like they're seeing me. It's bright enough to get their attention.

On the rare occasions I'm out in the country after dark, I'm more concerned with traffic coming up behind me. The bike mounted light is sufficient, against a dark countryside, that I can be seen from the front. Two (or three) rear lights makes sure I'm visible from behind. And I don't worry about people pulling out of driveways and catching me sideways; I don't stop in front of their driveways, and they can see me (and I can see them) coming.
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Old 01-14-20, 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by canklecat
For night rides I often use two headlights on the bike, a taillight, and lightweight to-be-seen lights front and rear on my helmet. Due to a neck injury I can't take too much weight on the helmet so my lights are mostly to help drivers see me.

However the white front helmet light is just bright enough to pick up the glow of most animals' eyes at a reasonable distance, so I'll have a little warning. This does seem to keep deer from darting in front of me. Generally they go the opposite direction. Unfortunately that doesn't work with skunks, squirrels or most small critters.

There are some fairly bright headlights that can be worn on the helmet, while the battery packs can be worn lower on the helmet or elsewhere to minimize the weight. I haven't tried those yet.

I know what you mean. even with 1000 lumens or so on the MUP I ride a lot, those cute bunny rabbits just dart right out in front of me like I am not even there--again and again and again...
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Old 01-14-20, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Flip Flop Rider
good bike lights and reflective vest like they wear on the show Gold Rush

also just ordered some reflective tape to use
Yes I have had excellent luck with this: https://www.provizsports.com/en-us/r...ling-vest.html
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Old 01-14-20, 03:33 PM
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I commute and started putting a light on the front and rear of my helmet a few years ago. I feel it helps me be seen over cars in traffic. If you are mainly out on desolate two-lane roads, that may not be necessary.
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Old 01-14-20, 07:58 PM
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One thing to keep in mind about helmet-mounted lights: a lot of engineering goes into helmet design to reduce rotational force in a crash -- this is what MIPS is all about, for example. Hanging something off your helmet will increase the chance of your helmet getting hung up on the ground while your head and body keep moving - which is a bad thing. Perhaps the additional safety provided by a helmet light is a reasonable trade-off for some riders, but it is something to consider.
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Old 01-15-20, 05:53 AM
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Koyote
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Originally Posted by .mockingbird.
If that is truly a concern for someone they should look a light head with a helmet mount that uses a silicone ring for attachment.
Are there such things?
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Old 01-15-20, 07:37 AM
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Payton1221
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Thanks guys. I just bought rechargeable ankle straps and my jacket is reflective pieces on it too.

I have dyno powered brake lights (front too to augment the recently purchased light which is actually bright enough on its own if necessary), and I added a watch battery powered red light to my helmet but am thinking about buying one of the helmets with a rechargeable light attached. Any recommendations?
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Old 01-15-20, 09:13 AM
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this is the vest I use, just the straps
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Old 01-15-20, 11:14 AM
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Koyote
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Originally Posted by .mockingbird.
Of course.

Silicone rings are used by many manufacturers. They can be annoying when riding on overgrown trails because the light head can move easily.
I'm not following you. I don't see how the pictured item reduces the risk to which I was referring. Is there something in the photo that I am missing?
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Old 01-15-20, 07:27 PM
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Koyote
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.mockingbird. : Okay, I can see that now. Thanks for the tip - I will keep an eye out for those.
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Old 01-16-20, 12:12 AM
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I used the bar mount/ helmet mount combo this evening.

Both on the outbound leg during traffic, and on the return leg when I usually use just the bar mount light,

it ran out and turned off but I was able to just switch on the other one, & not have to stop and dig for the spare

in the pack.
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Old 01-16-20, 01:13 AM
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For road riding I dont think it matters as much but for mountain biking / trails at night the light on bars and on helmet helps a lot when navigate corners

I urban rode with a Ledlenser Neo10R over a helmet and found it very good.

james
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