hyb dynamo ist the best choice. flashiing lights only additional but stick to the basics first. set it up properly so the road is lit but you dont blind other. And forget helmet lights and other crap as replacement. Yes you can see that there is something but can not recognize what it is, where it is, how fast its moving. Fancy addons but never use them as only source of light
Big thanks for mentioning how to angle your lights, to many times I can't see anything cause another cyclist has their front lights focused on blinding others :D
But the angle doesn't matter much. This is the reason why by law cars need beam cutoffs and why germany has stvzo for bike lights. If you have a bike light without stvzo then you are blinding people, simple as that.
commuting is a madhouse on the 2 way cycle lanes after work. The Embankment cycle lane in London in particular. Hundreds of riders passing from the other direction, and all the way on that section I can barely see anything bc a few extremely bright lights ate trying to summon Batman on my face. Becomes so much better once the bike lanes are directionally separated and are on the correct side of the road.
Even retrogrouches can agree that cycling lights is one area where technology really has improved things over the past couple of decades. LED'S and better batteries mean brighter lighting, improved reliability and longer run times.
Road rules for Victoria, Australia: When riding at night and in low-light, you must use a front white light and a rear red light. The light can be flashing or steady but must be seen from 200 metres away. It is also a good idea to use flashing lights during the day to help other road users see you.
You know the rules of driving are global? Across the globe white light in front and red in back.Even most , not all, road signs are the same too. Travel much? There's a few differences with flashing lights, but we all share most of the same rules...because they've global....for good reasons .
Interesting! Day time running lights are getting more and more popular, do you run a light for day rides? It's especially important in the winter months!
I found using two front flashing lights gets the attention of drivers much more than a single one. My experience is that a single flashing light and/or bright clothings aren’t sufficient. Since I added a second flasher I’ve had way fewer close calls where a driver pulls out in front of or turns in front of me. I have a loud siren for any who don’t, just in case. It has come in handy a few times.
There are tons of front light options out there but surprisingly few with a cutoff beam pattern resembling the beam pattern of a car. A cutoff beam pattern is fantastic, especially with a wide panorama. Also, many lights tout lumens as a point of pride. Would love to see more lights also consider HiCRI options (color rendering index) so the road ahead of you looks more natural and not a washed out white light.
I bought the CatEye Volt 800 NEO while in Japan last month. It has a cutoff beam pattern and can be fliipped when mounted upside down so the pattern is still valid. It was pretty expensive at US $120, but well worth the money IMO.
How about mentioning the Highway Code Rule 59 and the requirement to wear reflective clothing rather than the predominantly black clothing worn by presenters.
My tip, if you do rides in the dark, carry a small spare taillight as a emergency backup. Nothing is worse than when your taillight runs out of charge unexpectedly or as what happened to a friend, water got into the housing, shorting out the light.
Hi Manon. Another reason I try to have 2 rear lights is if one runs out (flat battery) there's still one going. At the rear you hardly ever notice when the battery fails. Carry a set of spare baterries to save being stranded in the dark. A "powerbank" and lead with somehere to mount it might be a "getout of jail free card" for usb lights. I have found that a head light (ie attached to my head) is useful in that I can with a simple movement "flash" at on comming cars which usually results in them dipping their dazzlers. A head light also lets you see where your head is pointing, not just straight ahead. I use reflective "snap wraps" as "garters to keep my arm warmers up which has an obvious side benefit. On the wrist it might help show off your hand signals. In the UK there is a legal requirement for pedal reflectors. A problem with most if not all clipless pedals. The idea is based on research which showed that the vissible up and down motion clicked with motorists "cyclist". A pair of ankle or shoe reflector/light achieves the spirit of this requirement (if not the letter). A snap wrap also makes a good trouser clip for the casual commuter!
If you have mounting bolts on your fork, Restrap makes a mount for a front-facing light, which both sits low and is great for illuminating the road ahead
I was surprised when you said flashing lights are illegal in Australia. That's news to me. I have been riding in Australia for over 50 years and have never heard of such a rule. Please provide a citation or a source. Here's my citation... Australian Road Rule 259 says: The rider of a bicycle must not ride at night, or in hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility, unless the bicycle, or the rider, displays: (a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at least 200 metres from the front of the bicycle; (b) a flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at least 200 metres from the rear of the bicycle.... The WA Road Traffic Code 2000 Reg 224 says: (1) A person shall not ride a bicycle during the hours of darkness, or in hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility, unless the bicycle, or the rider, displays - (a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at least 200 m from the front of the bicycle; While there may be issues with lights that are bright enough to daze oncoming drivers/riders not being legal they are illegal because of the brightness, not because of the flashing.
A very informative video BUT I'm a little disappointed with the suggestion that mounting a light onto your helmet is a good idea. Most helmet manufacturers state on their web sites that mounting objects (e.g. lights, cameras, etc.) can degrade the protection the helmet provides and may even cause more harm in the event of an accident.
No mention about regulations concerning the colour of the lights, nor the big distinction in that area between wearable lights and bike-mounted lights. No mention of the availability of extremely affordable lights, nor the possibility of using multiple inexpensive lamps. But, as we have come to expect from GCN, we did see a few pictures of ridiculously overpriced lights.
For cycle commuters, I would highly recommend a hub dynamo and fixed lights. You are always ready to go and the lights will never dim half way home. Make sure that you get lights with supercapacitors so that you don't go dark when you stop at junctions.
I’m a long time bike messenger in nyc and I’ve tested out every flash pattern there is and cars give you the most distance and slow the most down with fast irregular flash patterns like with the Super flash Turbo by Planet Bike. They have the perfect flash pattern and brightness. The worst flash patterns where cars go fast by you and extremely close to you are constant on and also slow pulse. Fast slash is good but not to fast where it just looks like it’s constant on basically, the best is irregular flash pattern though.
This is apt. I just rode home halfway on the dark because my Light and Motion headlight battery died. Just charged it a week or two ago, though haven't used it since. My C2032 coin battery taillight worked, fortunately. I've had to replace that battery maybe twice in almost 10 years. Granted, it just flashes. Personally, I'm not sold on USB-rechargeable lights. Sure, recharge then at the office, but do Abby keep a charge? Now stuff to remember.
Didn’t know that there was an Australian rule about flashing lights. I just trust my own common sense and sense of safety as the guide. Happy to argue the case if I got questioned, and it would take a bit of convincing to change. The more lights the better. Cheap solution and very effective. At night - rear steady heal lights and bicep mounted side lights on low. Two lights on bike at front. Helmet light and rear light. In very dark off main road tracks without street lighting I use a helmet light (ay-up with helmet mounted battery). Also works for gravel. Daytime - moderate flashing lights on the bike - two at front and two behind. It’s not annoying to car drivers but does help make more noticeable. For low light and night I do use hyper reflective clothing too. That includes a backpack and helmet reflective cover when it’s wet. I tried but gave up on reflective frame tape or putting on wheels. Easier and more effective to do the lights. Bright clothing (yellows and hi-vis green) but not sure it’s hugely effective. The lights at night and daytime feel more effective.
I personally think that spending more than £15 on lights is not worth it. I have been using a 1000 lumen light, which cost £5 on online. It has 8 modes and is usb charged. Have been using it for a while now, and it is brilliant. I also use a rear 500 lumen red light, which works just as well. But when buying online, just check the product twice.
Any tips for mounting lights to aero handlebars? Most mounts are plastic circles that don't fit oval bars. I got a light that comes with a rubber band looking mount that works but the weight distribution of the light makes it slide up no matter how tight I strap it.
i believe that alongside lights , you really should wear a high-vis / reflective jacket .. lets face it , if it's dark it's cold enough that a thin jacket / gilet / bodywarmer is a nice extra layer
I have to say, that I use the flashing backlight that is powered by 2 "AAA" rechargeble batteries... I charge them once - and then use for the whole summer season... The light is bright enough to make me VERY visible to others, although it doesn't blind people behind me. Unlike the "Usb" lights - they need to be charged too often and they literally shoot too many lumens into the eyes of the ones behind you...
mmmm....yeah I dunno about that. Love to know what brand light and how much riding you do...but I don't know anyone that has a removable battery light that can last the whole of a season. Unless your summers are 1 week long.
In the UK you can have as many lights as you want flashing or permanent but there must be one white light fixed to your bars and a red rear light fixed to the rear around saddle hight. having a helmet light or ankle light is good but having a front and rear fixed light (flashing or permanent) is law and you may need it in the event of an accident where a driver says "I didn't see them". Legally you must also have a rear reflector and reflectors on your pedals which is a bit of an issue if you are riding a road bike clipped in at night. Despite being bright enough to be seen from space, a good lawyer will get a car driver excused if you don't meet the legal minimum requirements.
It's frustrating that lights seem stuck on micro-usb connectors instead of USB-C. They are the last holdouts that require me keeping the micro-usb cables around.
Love my dynamo set-up on my tourer. Should have done it years ago - never worry about batteries or forgetting them and they’re German so meet the road regs for there too making them much more friendly on the road
Ditto. I can ride 8 hours in the day with my front light on flash but only get 90 minutes on full high at night. Also..be ok with disposing of lights when they start only holding a short charge. I only get 4 to 6 years of use with rechargeables.
I pretty much ride with lights all the time, daytime included. Rechargeable lights that are programmable are my go to after first using some pretty average battery cheapo (Catseye) lights when I started. Great tips in this video.
I've never understood daytime light flashing. If it's super overcast and dull maybe sure...you're in Japan? But middle of summer in Australia...flashing lights do nothing. Would be better off selecting a jersey that is contrasting to the environment you are riding in imho. Each to their own though. Just find them irrelevant as both a driver or cyclist on cars or cyclists. If they can't see you in the middle of the day they won't see your light.
I regularly commute along unlit rural roads. Best for me has been dynamo powering an Edelux 2 led front light. Modern battery lights are brilliant in comparison with the “torch bulbs” of my childhood, but modern dynamos are also much better. I like the fact that I don’t have to worry about charging it. Thanks for your film. V helpful.
Nice job on bike lights, but you forgot pedal lights such as those offered by RedShift. I have a flat pedal set for commuting, but they also offer clipless options.
I think also in Germany, while helmets lights are „legal“ they might not be allowed in a defense from an accident, as the Stvo has determined there is a high risk of being cover by a jacket or hoodie, so a fixed rear light is still required.
Lights are probably my favorite accessory. I use the flashing mode during the day, and constant during the night. They also help if I have a mechanical issue, I can use one to look at the problem, and the other sort of marks where I am so motorists avoid hitting me.
It's interesting how few of the well known brands around here have USB-C charging. The lights I've seen that can connect with cycling computers seem to still be micro. I personally use a flashing rear light that isn't super bright, and I generally have it on a slower blinking setting rather than the rapid flashing. One benefit that flashing lights have aside from being more visible, which is the main reason I use them, is actually extended battery life when compared with having the light constantly on. Because I like to go on full day rides and try to get multiple day trips when there's time, decent battery life is pretty important to me.
I have a helmet with a built in front and back lights. i also have gloves that have lights and which activate when I turn. That works for me.... What really is becoming annoying is the number of people with super bright lights that blind you. completely useless especially when you ride in urban areas, annoying for other users and unnecessarily expensive A couple years ago Shenzhen police in south China had a campaign where they stopped drivers who had their high beams on and gave a choice: pay a fine (which was actually not much less than us10) or sit on a stool for 15 min in front of your high beams so you got to experience what you were subjecting people to....
1000% for the Knog Blinder rear/red light! TINY, and BRIGHT and built-in USB tab = no charging cord required - it's awesome! My only complaint is that the 1st light setting option isn't the standard on/off and you have to cycle 3 times to get to that standard setting, and it resets after each charge. I wish the 1st setting was just the normal on/off.
Always dual rear lights--Varia Radar on the bike, and a cheap usb light on the helmet. I figure having one on the helmet also brings it more level to the eyeline of all the people in giant trucks. Likewise, dual front lights. High lumen (Outbound, currently) as the primary light, and a lower lumen spotlight on helmet for directional and to flash drivers at intersections at night. And ALWAYS reflective and bright colours. It's a constant complaint of mine that very few bike clothing companies actually have a useful amount of reflective material on their garments. Two little tabs should not be advertized as "making you safer". Like....I want to wear a jersey for aero...but then I have to wear a safety vest over the top because the jersey doesn't have a useful amount of reflective. It's not a huge problem in the summer here, since it doesn't get dark until way late, but still.
Besides active light indeed a good thing to have some reflective things on the bike or clothing. I have a handlebar bag with a lot of reflective surfaces, it's glowing like day, really like it. Also besides other reflectives I found a small red reflective Oracal strip, put it on the frame near rear disc. It stealthy at day and really visible at the night.
Great idea with the ankle mount! I'm going to use that. fwiw I definitely disagree with the StVZO regs mentioned in comments. No light is pleasant to look into at night, but to be as considerate of other road users as possible, I have done a comparison to my car to get an idea of how to mount my lights safely. Imho though, 205 lumens allowed under StVZO is useless. And they don't allow a high beam like cars have! Just another example of how bikes get the sh*t end of the stick when legislatures get involved. With 5000K HID LED lights these days on cars and trucks - they're gonna limit bikes to 205lm? Lol. So yeah, In daylight I always, always, always run blinkies, front and (unless on group ride) rear to wake up the cagers before they hit me. For winter, bike packing or night MTB trail rides I run two Fenix 1600 lumen lights (next-to-useless measure but that's what they list) which I normally run on the 600lm setting (9+hrs!)
EXPOSURE LIGHTS - Not cheap so maybe they could by your second set after you have broken the cheap one. But they can actually fix / repair them for most issues and warranty period is excellent. Probably the only lights you would then ever need. My out of warranty rear light was sent, fixed, returned in about 10 days.
While mostly informative, this video fell short on a couple of points. First, dynamo systems were completely ignored. Given dynamo powered headlamps can produce outputs that rival the most powerful battery headlights...and tend to have better optics that focus light on the road and not into oncoming traffic's eyes...and never have to be recharged or have batteries replaced...it's disappointing this option wasn't mentioned. Further, hub dynamos produce more power than their LED headlamps require. This excess power can be harnessed to charge other electronics (like a rear USB driven safety light). Though some dynamos induce significant drag, others like the Schmidt SON do not. I recognize dynamo systems are more expensive and a bit niche, but to simply ignore them is a disservice to viewers. Second, USB charged lamps are superior to traditional battery powered units only in their potential for weatherproofing (which isn't guaranteed just because a unit is charged via USB). Traditional battery systems have the advantage of being easily repowered. AAA batteries are commonly available in corner shops in a pinch, it's easy to carry a couple of very lightweight AAA lithium batteries for emergency roadside replacement, and environmental concerns are addressed by using rechargeable batteries in daily use. Since lights dim as batteries drain, it's far more flexible to be able to repower a light with the readily available AAA format than to watch your USB rear light grow dim and realize you're screwed b/c you have no way to repower it on the road...unless you're running a dynamo and can connect the USB rear light into the hub powered system (or have "Hack or Bodge" rigged the rear light to a portable power bank). For context, the bicycle has been my main transport mode since 2003. I ride all year and in all weathers, and have participated in ultra-endurance round-the-clock cycling (Randonneuring) events since 2005.
Not mentioned here, sadly, but please, as Mick Jagger and Dixon of Dock Green both implored us centuries ago, "If you're on your bike at night, wear white!". Thank you
I suggest riders stand in front of their bike when light on. Even small light/low lumens overpowering and can cause other people to have safety issues. In towns/cities lights allow others to see you; in unlit areas your lights also need to allow you to see where you are heading. Basic consideration.
Great topic, worth much more exploration, as are many other aspects of safety. I use lights, (always rear, front in poor light or as needed - angled low) but usually in a flashing mode (flash, or flash with low constant light between) for the battery life. I always try remember to have a backup rear light with me. Reflectors - yes. Seat post or stays, wheels (spoke or rim, not the stock ones) and usually an ankle band. And reflective jacket or gilet (Proviz type reflectivity) if riding in the dark. I'm not of the mind that it's worth compromising this kind of stuff for a "bike vault worthy" aesthetic. I support more discussions on these matters, from lights and radar options, effectiveness, to emergency bike handling (could cross over with cyclocross stuff?), commuting strategies (mingle with traffic for far turns, vs hook turns over an extra change of lights, for instance?).
Mmmm great video but can't agree with the steady light for both front and rear (this assuming they are legal and that one is riding alone) . . . First, a FLASHING light is WAY more noticeable than a steady one ( a LOT of drivers are day dreaming at the wheel and some are even, dare I say it, either texting or at least having their attention diverted with phone calls etc.) A flashing light is more apt to "wake them up" to your presence on the road. Second, your battery life will be extended for each ride AND fewer recharging cycles means longer battery life overall. In my experience, (catching up to other riders) lights on helmets are not very effective unless they are strong and flashing and that if your head is not pointing straight ahead at a critical moment, a driver may miss seeing you altogether ! However I do agree that attaching a (steady) light to a heel seems a very logical option :-) The absolute FIRST safety rule in cycling is to se seen !!! Some of us may object to wearing safety vest, but at the very least we can wear yellow and or white BUT never black or dark colours! Here on the Island of Montreal, on my early morning rides, I actually see some people wearing dark clothing and NO LIGHTS on their bicycles! SUCH nonsense! They should actually be taken off the road by the police for their own safety as well as for the mental well-being of drivers who might have the great misfortune of actually running into them and causing either death or serious injury. Thanks ever so much for all your interesting vids, GCN!!
Beam patterns suck on almost all lights. on my cargo e-bike, I rigged it up car style HID projectors, and it's awesome. Super bright light on the ground, with a sharp cutoff set low enough that it doesn't blind people. The only problem is that they''re enormous and gobble 35W each.
1. Non-rechargeable batteries last almost forever, so that they are there wen you need them, Keep a set in your saddlebag, for when your USB lights die on you. Non-rechargeable lights fade; rechargables stop. Check your emergency non-rechargables from time to time. 2. Mount your reflectors low, to pick up dipped headlights. Mount your lights high, to be seen from afar. 3. If you are in a group, have a steady light. You will be the only one the driver sees, the rest will be just flashing distractions, putting everyone at risk. If you are on your own, a flashing light lets drivers know there is a cyclist somewhere, a steady light lets them know where you are. 4. On quiet roads, if there are cars coming from behind you and towards you at the same time, pull into the verge; all they can see is the other car 5. If you ride distances at night in cities, 7-11 sell batteries. Make sure you have lights that can take them. If people can see you, they can avoid you. Pedal reflectors or reflective cycle clips on your ankles give a clear notification that you are a cyclist, and let motorists judge accordingly.
No dynamo lights? For really long rides (brevets, ultras, etc .). Son dynamo with a StVZO compliant front light (much better pattern for road). Plus a usb charge converter so you can charge a garmin powerpack and or rear lights during the day. Plus a helmet mounted headtorch - but make sure the headtorch will pop out of its mountings if you crash so the helmet still does its job properly.
Its worth noting that in the UK legally any bike light that has a constant mode should conform to BS6102/3 and bikes should have a rear red reflector and amber pedal reflectors. Nobody cares or seems to know about the light standard (including the police) and you are unlikely to be stopped over a lack of reflectors providing you have lights BUT if you are involved in a incident there is a possibility that your bike could be considered non road legal and the blame could shift to you.
Cateye Amp1100 and a Moon X-Meteor Pro means I can ride the unlit trail to and from work with no issues at all. Either one is enough to see by, but the two beams light up the surrounding path too so it feels less like i'm riding through a tunnel of darkness and more like I'm riding under street lighting. Rear light I have a steady no brand but bright light and a flashing moon arcturus pro I carry a couple of cateye orb light's for emergencies or bag/helmet lights, cant see by them but i'll at least be more visible than not.
Additional to regular hub dynamo with perma-mounted lights, I really LOVE the combination of the LUMOS helmet plus their 'firefly' lights. The synchronized customizable flash patterns increase my visibility massively. Whether I snap them on my trailer or just the bike, it's crazy how much earlier cars and other road users react to me.
100% have good light's,but don't assume that you will be seen! A lot of muffins can't see you in the day light,be they driver's or pedestrian.always be cautious.
Chargeable batteries? I have both.. reg and charge. So far I've charged them roughly 5 times moderate riding this season. But my dollar store battery hasn't needed a change in a year.
Dynamo lights all the way. You can't forgetting to charge them, switch them, or wear them. Those lights on your heel, you'll forget to take them off and look like a prick walking round Sainsburys.
batteries ... go for a hub generator, Schmidt or Shutter Precision! No worries about charging, plenty of light whenever your bike moves. Absolutely maintanance free, I did not do anything to my lights in the last ten years. And that 5W of extra resistance ... it helps you achieving your training goals one mile or so earlier, and you aren't racing for a new world record anyway.
Please don't put anything on your cycling helmet (lights or cameras)... a disaster waiting to happen. Having had to 'test' my helmets ability to save my noggin several times. I can honestly say that had I had lights or a camera attached to it, I wouldn't be here today. You only get one noggin.... look after it!
A top tip that I prefer over buying any bike specific headlights is to buy an actual torch. I use the Nebo Torchy 2k (2,000) lumens and just mount it to my handlebars with an amazon torch mount. The cost of these set ups is a fraction of the price of a "Premium bike light" of equal or lesser quality. A dedicated torch will out perform the best bike light in brighness, wide angle, beam distance, battery life and build quality.
The problem is that flashlights don't have the proper beam pattern for road use, as they are more of a spotlight (the Torchy's beam pattern seems no different). Things like beam width and especially beam cutoffs you won't be getting with a flashlight, resulting in wasted light and blinding oncoming cyclists and drivers, even when tilted down. Also, unless you're downhilling in the forest in the middle of the night, 2000 lumens is *far* too much. Now, that's not to say that bike lights are not overpriced for what they are, but modern ones with those features are more appropriate for road use.
For the UK, the Highway Code states - "At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp. Law RVLR regs 13, 18 & 24".
And that law is routinely ignored. Hardly any clipless pedals have reflectors, or even space for them. And few bikes come with red rear reflectors. It is also the case that hardly any lights sold for bikes in the UK are actually one which meet the legal requirements, even though most are perfectly adequate for being seen by, and you are never going to get done for your lights not meeting British Standard BS 6102/3 or an equivalent European standard, which is technically what the law requires.
There is nothing I hate more than buying lights due to the complete lack of standards, it's illegal to not have them at night but they're don't come with the bike. Every bike sold should come with a set of lights that adhere to the local laws, the low lumen ones should be illegal as they are simply not bright enough to make you stand out and give riders a false sense of security, Super bright lights should only be used off-road and could be an optional extra. What's with all the pointless different modes: Day/Night/Off-Road that's it, Flashing front lights should really only be used in the day and could be if the battery was a minimum size anything that lasts less than a couple hours is pointless, who wants to be constantly worried that the battery might die at some during their commute and have to carry a spare just incase, then there's mounts and positioning, Why is it left to the end user to figure out the best position, I've seen Rear lights obscured by fenders, Front lights pointed too high blinding oncoming traffic or where they cannot be seen from the side. it's about time the industry got together with regulatory bodies and came up with Standard fixing points and minimum Brightness settings so that every rider can be confident that they can be seen properly when they're out riding at night and that they don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money and time finding something suitable. End of Rant
Bontrager flare front and rear, the highest lumen ones. Always on and flashing during the day regardless of weather conditions to maximize visibility to other road users. Flashing especially helps to catch attention of those folks who are primarily focused on their phones with operating their vehicles as second priority.
Hi, please any advice on MTB - hardtail and full suspension - what kind of lights should I use here? Lumens and similar, since there are not so many cars on these tracks. Thanks in advance
I don´t know if u are aware but there is a new company out based in Germany who produces lights that don´t need a dyno or batterys . The company is called Magniclight, i´m just waiting for mine to arrive but at the moment they are overrun. =/
The flash rate of lights can actually trigger seizures in someone who is viewing. I know this because as a former Fire Inspector, I was required to check fire strobe flash rates. The flashing fire alarm strobes are required to flash at a rate of one flash per second and not exceed two flash per second in order to prevent reactions. Flashing lights can actually be dangerous in another way too, as it’s been shown that flashing lights on a police or fire vehicle can cause one to drive towards the vehicle. Something to think about when placing bright flashing lights on your bike. I run my cycling lights in the constant on mode.
On my commuter bike I use a dynamo hub combined with a very bright front an rear light. So I will never run out of batteries and need not even think about recharging anything. I can just hop on the bike and there I go. Perhaps it will cost me 5 extra watts or so, but it's really not even noticable.
Wearables? Have a reflective strap around each ankle. For motorists behind they can a) see you easily and b) evaluate your distance away. And no batteries. (In addition to a steady rear light of course).
Iam from Holland and yes a flikering light is iligal BUT that only aplys when you use that mode. If you have that mode and you use only the non flikering mode that is fine In Holland you also CANT use licht on youre body helmet i dont now
Please Please Please don't use helmet mounted MTB lights o the road. The beam pattern is designed to light, unlit trails and is is too bright and wide for road use. Plus, it shines down into oncoming riders/drivers eyes and is dangerously bright. I've been momentarily blinded a number of times by them.
HI vis yellow does not work in the dark, humans lose most colour vision anyway. Reflective strips on clothing work when yellow or orange doesn't. If you are in a dark room with a mirror and an orange and you have a torch, you'll find the mirror first.
In the Netherlands you are also required to have reflective surfaces on your tires and pedals. And lights on your legs are also not legal in the Netherlands.
Hard to pin down a good one that doesn't dazzle though. It's no use lowering the angle of a standard light, I've tried that. The beam is adjusted on car headlights so why not cycle lights?
2:42 I disagree, a bright flashing light during the day is a great way to get noticed. Yes, some will get annoyed, but in a way, that's a good thing, it means they noticed you.
In the UK I really hate it when i see another cyclist with a flashing front light, blindes me and everyone around them, not many angle them down either. Lack of knowledge I'd say.
To mitigate the problems with a flashing rear light making it apoear you're firther away, I taped high vis tape to all of my kit. Looks a lot better than a high vis vest eith the same results
I have always been annoyed by lights that have one button and a dozen different flashing patterns you have to cycle through to turn the light on and off. I want full on and slow flash. Does anyone really care about up down/side to side/alternating/ slow and fast versions of all of these? it's just annoying to have to cycle through all these useless patterns every time.
Flashing lights are also not allowed in Finland but the police seldom enforces that rule so you see a lot of them.Front and rear lights and reflectors are required during the dark time and riding without any lights may get you fined if you are unlucky, though often they'll just tell you to get lights. Unfortunately using a head lamp as a front light is allowed which is annoying as there are those who'll fix an anti-aircraft search light to their forehead and then point it straight in the eyes of the oncoming cyclists.
