Bae end light, good or bad idea ?
- Thread starter J4CKO
- Start date
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Miquel In De Rain
No Longer Posting
We can only hope.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Some people like and swear by 'em. You can buy lights designed for putting in the end of flat or drop handlebars.
Not sure what Miguel is getting at with regards to hoping they get nicked, not exactly the end of the world at two quid and I dont really leave my bike anywhere but work which is an office park in a rural area with not "passing trade".
What I was wondering was whether a bar end ligth could actually confuse drivers more than anything else and was after the collective wisdom.
What I was wondering was whether a bar end ligth could actually confuse drivers more than anything else and was after the collective wisdom.
Twenty Inch
Guru
- Location
- Behind a desk
Not worth it. If they were, a lot more cyclists would have them.
You need bright lights, positioned where motorists expect to see them. At this time of year, there is so much visual clutter and so many lights of various sorts, that lights in odd places get filtered out.
A couple of reflective ankle bands are very good safety devices too - nothing shouts out "CYCLIST!" like those lovely little reflections bobbing up and down (Course, this doesn't work for Mikey).
You need bright lights, positioned where motorists expect to see them. At this time of year, there is so much visual clutter and so many lights of various sorts, that lights in odd places get filtered out.
A couple of reflective ankle bands are very good safety devices too - nothing shouts out "CYCLIST!" like those lovely little reflections bobbing up and down (Course, this doesn't work for Mikey).
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Then again, I'm not sure that I want to look like "CYCLIST!" to drivers. I'd rather they not be too sure what I was, and thus have to pay more attention to me.
"CYCLIST!"s can be passed safely with inches to spare at high speed. Funny scary objects with bright lights might be a low loader with missing lights, and need much more care to pass.
"CYCLIST!"s can be passed safely with inches to spare at high speed. Funny scary objects with bright lights might be a low loader with missing lights, and need much more care to pass.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
I must admit I've been tempted to build some sort of aerodynamic wing with a light pod with front and rear lights. Ideally this would stick out at 45 degrees or so, up and to my right by perhaps a foot.
Twenty Inch
Guru
- Location
- Behind a desk
BentMikey said:
You're just sore that your ankles move horizontally, not vertically, when viewed from the side. When you said "funny, scary objects" only the first adjective was correct...
Tried it tonight, very few cars about, lovely evening to cycle through the Cheshire countryside, not sure how much use it is to motorists but it make me feel like I am piloting a light aircraft with it flashing just to my right 
Was full of curry so going slowly lest I puke !
Was full of curry so going slowly lest I puke !
Baggy
Cake connoisseur
- Location
- Where the chevrons are
I think they're a handy addition, my bike has two rear lights but as my commute involves dark country roads hope extra lights in odd places might have a "what is that?" effect and make people slow up/pass wider.
It's also back up on the very odd occasion when both sets of rear light batteries have died simultaneously.
It's also back up on the very odd occasion when both sets of rear light batteries have died simultaneously.
goo_mason
Champion barbed-wire hurdler
- Location
- Leith, Edinburgh
I put some bar-end lights on the road bike last winter, as an extra addition to the Ay-Ups at the front, Cateye LD-1100 at the rear and small red Cateye on the light loop on my Creative Reflectives hi-viz & reflective rucksack cover.
The reason I added them was to make motorists wonder what they were approaching and pay a little more attention. They're used to seeing a single rear light, but seeing 4 separate ones spread out in different places will hopefully make them think a bit more as they work out what it is...
The reason I added them was to make motorists wonder what they were approaching and pay a little more attention. They're used to seeing a single rear light, but seeing 4 separate ones spread out in different places will hopefully make them think a bit more as they work out what it is...
Twenty Inch
Guru
- Location
- Behind a desk
They are probably more useful on dark country roads than on city streets, I grant.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
At the moment I'm running:
a solid Smart light on the rack, a flashing backupz type on the seatpost, another dangling from the loop on my jacket, and an ankle band containing 4 flashing LEDS (from the poundshop). I reckon that's maybe enough....
(Two on the front, one solid, one flashing backupz type)
When I get in, before I turn the hall light on, it's like a disco!
a solid Smart light on the rack, a flashing backupz type on the seatpost, another dangling from the loop on my jacket, and an ankle band containing 4 flashing LEDS (from the poundshop). I reckon that's maybe enough....
(Two on the front, one solid, one flashing backupz type)
When I get in, before I turn the hall light on, it's like a disco!
