Aldi 3W Cree Head Torch 24/08

[mick1836]

...if you want to dazzle drivers coming towards you. Lights belong on the bike, not on the head, unless they're pretty dim.

A few months ago whilst driving my car out of town just after dark I was blinded by a large group of cyclists the majority had those very bright front lamps fitted.

Now ALL motor vehicles are required by law to have their front head lamps setup so as not to dazzel on comming traffic?

 

[ufkacbln]

By selecting the only part of the piece that remotely supported your agenda and making it justify the "you are going to die a painful death statement.

Reading the article, we should NOT be primarily concerned about being more visible, but the otehr 95% of the article which puts the majority of the blame on fdrivers failing to look, failing to see, or simply not responding appropriately

Being lit up like a Christmas Tree, and head to toe in HiViz, is simply pointless if the drivers are not paying heed............

 

[ufkacbln]

A few months ago whilst driving my car out of town just after dark I was blinded by a large group of cyclists the majority had those very bright front lamps fitted.

Now ALL motor vehicles are required by law to have their front head lamps setup so as not to dazzel on comming traffic?

Been discussed before...... there are few (mostly German) lights on the market that enable this, including all those certified under BS6102/3 or meeting the requirements of the RVLR.

Beam pattern in cycle lights is neither filtered or curtailed.

Here is what I mean, all three are set up identically, but the two on the right have a beam that will cause problems for drivers, whilst the one on the left (B&M Ixon) has similar brightness, but will not do so due to the filtered beam

Again look at these two, again the German one first:

Then look at a "normal light"

Once more note how the top part of the beam causes problems

The problem is how to set the light up to be useful, without the unfiltered beam causing issues, not always possible

 

[brand]

I have my light pointed straight down the road if a car comes I tap it to the left a bit. If and its rare he doesn't dip I tap it to the right. But it is very rare. Before I put a decent light on there was a negligible amount of drivers who dipped. I really don't need to see round corners I want to see what's in front of me. You are going to fast if you have to see round the corner.

 

[brand]

An obvious example of being noticed compared to being seen is when I cycled back to my house with 2 very large compost bins strapped to my bike trailer. I was noticed by every car driver. Even when they had plenty of time to pull out at a junction they waited till I passed. Cars coming towards me even slowed down to look. I was seen but more importantly noticed and as most cyclists ware brightly coloured clothes they don't stand out as they are the norm. If you want to guarantee to be noticed then don't ware any!! Pulling a trailer with two compost bins strapped to it is even less practical! At a junction look at the driver is he seeing/noticing you? If you are not going very fast you can normally tell if the driver has not noticed you. He will literally be looking through you. Stare at him that invariably catches there attention and you have now been noticed.

 

[HovR]

A powerful light located on the head has no place on the roads, in my opinion. 3 watts is right on the edge of too powerful, I reckon. By all means useful for fixing punctures, off road etc, but unless you are incredibly vigilant as to where you look, you will be dazzling people.

As far as safety goes, I don't feel unsafe at all not using a headtorch. My light located on the handle bars is as bright as a car or motorbike, and I can dip, dim, or swivel the beam with my thumb without moving my hands from the flats of my bars. If they don't see me then they weren't looking anyway, and this is where defensive riding comes in to play. Suggesting a person is sure to get hit by a car due to the absence of a head torch is silly.

When riding at night you should be paying extra attention anyway, not just slapping a light on your head and hoping for the best.

 

[brand]

Been discussed before...... there are few (mostly German) lights on the market that enable this, including all those certified under BS6102/3 or meeting the requirements of the RVLR.

Beam pattern in cycle lights is neither filtered or curtailed.

Here is what I mean, all three are set up identically, but the two on the right have a beam that will cause problems for drivers, whilst the one on the left (B&M Ixon) has similar brightness, but will not do so due to the filtered beam

Again look at these two, again the German one first:

Then look at a "normal light"

Once more note how the top part of the beam causes problems

The problem is how to set the light up to be useful, without the unfiltered beam causing issues, not always possible

I am not sure about the German not causing problems, it certainly appears to be wasting less light. Very German very efficient!

 

[roadrash]

Phaart Bleep Dual 0.5 Watt LED Rear Light

I bought 3 of these a while back for spares when Planet X was selling them for a ridiculously cheap price, maybe a £1. Just used one this weekend for the first time when my main light packed in, 12 hours riding through the night (switched to permanent, not flashing mode) and the batteries was still good as new when morning came. Only thing I did not like was the seal around the edge does not seem watertight, plenty of gap and not a tight fit, so I ran a strip of insulation tape around it.

re waterproofing for your light ..... wrap it in cling film

 

[Arjimlad]

I use an Alpkit head-torch in the winter on unlit roads and find it very helpful.

It has a selection of small LEDs in various colours which aid visibility on other roads, and a larger one which has a bright or less bright setting for the unlit roads. The larger one is probably about 3W on its brightest setting and I usually keep it angled down near the front wheel.

I don't think it dazzles drivers at all.

Unlike the Pavement Pansy who I see riding on the pavement towards me on my way in to work in the winter, who always has one of those XML -T6 jobbies apparently on full whack attached to his bonce. Even in the daylight it is way too bright.