Bike lights. Different modes?? when to use which mode?

[Randombiker9]

So bassically I got some bike lights as after half term it will be getting dark earlier. But they have different modes. So how do you know which is the best mode at the time?

Front:
1. Steady bright
2. Steady (even brighter)
3. Flashing

Rear:
1. Steady
2. Flashing
3. Flashing ( even brighter.)

 

[presta]

In a streetlit area I use flashing on the front to be seen, but continuous outside the streetlit zone in order to see. I feel on the verge of an epileptic fit if I use flashing in the pitch dark. On the rear I use flashing all the time, because I did a test and found that overtaking drivers leave more room when it's flashing.

 

[Jason]

front: 1 flashing - 1 constant
rear: same

 

[Vantage]

Steady at all times on both lights. Strobing and flashing everywhere just pisses everyone else off.

 

[Mugshot]

Never, ever flashing on the front. Flashing front lights says "Cyclist", people like to pull out in front of cyclists because they only do 8mph and will hold motorists up. Flashing front lights also make it more difficult for other road users to judge your speed and distance.

 

[mjr]

Never, ever flashing on the front. Flashing front lights says "Cyclist", people like to pull out in front of cyclists because they only do 8mph and will hold motorists up. Flashing front lights also make it more difficult for other road users to judge your speed and distance.

As do flashing tail lights.

I use steady lights front and back with reasonably large illuminated surface areas, hopefully to leave the motorist thinking I'm a larger vehicle (so more likely to dent their precious if they hit me) until they're close enough to see the pedal reflectors bobbing.

 

[Mugshot]

As do flashing tail lights.

I haven't found it much of an issue with people pulling out in front of me behind me.

 

[mjr]

I haven't found it much of an issue with people pulling out in front of me behind me.

I mean that flashing is subconsciously associated with "slow vehicle - nearly static" so they more often pull back in before they've actually completed the overtake, especially if I've got a rare tail wind...

 

[Randombiker9]

In a streetlit area I use flashing on the front to be seen, but continuous outside the streetlit zone in order to see. I feel on the verge of an epileptic fit if I use flashing in the pitch dark. On the rear I use flashing all the time, because I did a test and found that overtaking drivers leave more room when it's flashing.

interesting.

My own policy, which is likely to be no better nor worse than other people's is: Front steady. Front steady brighter if no street lights and/or if no chance of running out of battery during the ride. (Front flashing only if the battery is about to expire and I have to be very frugal with electric. I find it annoying) Angled down to light road ahead. Rear, flashing unless in a group ride, in which case steady. Normally I have two at the rear, one flashing, one not.

Ok thanks

Steady at all times on both lights. Strobing and flashing everywhere just pisses everyone else off.

Probs just your area I guess. (What area do you live in out of interest?)

Never, ever flashing on the front. Flashing front lights says "Cyclist", people like to pull out in front of cyclists because they only do 8mph and will hold motorists up. Flashing front lights also make it more difficult for other road users to judge your speed and distance.

Interesting. What do you think about rear lights then?

As do flashing tail lights.

I use steady lights front and back with reasonably large illuminated surface areas, hopefully to leave the motorist thinking I'm a larger vehicle (so more likely to dent their precious if they hit me) until they're close enough to see the pedal reflectors bobbing.

ok interesting


My college commute is bassically straight, roundabout, straight, shortcut (shared path), cycle path, roundabout, bus lane. On the way back it's bus lane, roundabout straight, bus lane, shortcut (shared path) , roundabout and then straight.

 

[ianrauk]

As long as your lights are not Strobing and are aimed at the road, not upwards to eye level (car/ped or cyclist).. then static or flashing, take your choice, as for town and city riding with streetlights it matters not.

 

[Vantage]

interesting.

Ok thanks

Probs just your area I guess. (What area do you live in out of interest?)

Up a bit and to the left.
Look in enough places on various cycle forums and I bet the majority of cyclists have a dislike of stupid flashing lights.

 

[Mugshot]

I mean that flashing is subconsciously associated with "slow vehicle - nearly static" so they more often pull back in before they've actually completed the overtake, especially if I've got a rare tail wind...

That's not something I could say I have ever noticed. I'm not a huge fan of flashing lghts, some of them are damn annoying. However, I do think that they're more noticable from a distance. My rear lights have a rather natty throb mode that I'm quite partial to.

 

[Mugshot]

Interesting. What do you think about rear lights then?

I don't mind flashers on the back, as I said above I do think they are more noticable. Some of them with the daft random strobe effect are very annoying and stupid too, you don't want people to be desperate to get past you because your lights are so annoying, likewise the type that flash normally then emit a searing flash every so often, it's enough to give you arc eye if you're behind them for long enough.

 

[Vantage]

In a streetlit area I use flashing on the front to be seen, but continuous outside the streetlit zone in order to see. I feel on the verge of an epileptic fit if I use flashing in the pitch dark. On the rear I use flashing all the time, because I did a test and found that overtaking drivers leave more room when it's flashing.

Few people will argue that a flashy stroby light will attract more attention, however due to their on/off nature, it is harder to gauge their distance from the drivers point of view which could result in moving out to pass too late. The driver about to pull out from a side street further up the road from you would also have more difficulty in judging how far away you are.

 

[Clanghead]

Never, ever flashing on the front. Flashing front lights says "Cyclist", people like to pull out in front of cyclists because they only do 8mph and will hold motorists up. Flashing front lights also make it more difficult for other road users to judge your speed and distance.

I find that (other riders') flashing lights show up better in a street-lit urban environment, but I take the point about judging speed and distance. I usually use a slow pulse on both front and rear (partly to conserve power) during my urban commute, but the other evening I switched my front light to steady brightest before approaching a particularly narrow stretch between rows of parked cars, and compared to my usual experience there, it did seem to slow down oncoming cars who perhaps weren't quite sure what they were about to drive into.