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

[Mugshot]

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.

This is exactly what I've found and said before, I believe a steady front sows a seed of doubt in the mind of the motorist, they're not quite sure what you are, you could be a motorbike for example. Only cyclists have flashing front lights so there will be no doubt about what you are and in my experience that means edging or pulling out at junctions, getting bullied at pinch points like the one you described and so on and on.

 

[wisdom]

My personal lighting set up works well for me.
My commute is 50% lit roads 10%dual carriageway and 40% unlit roads/shared pathway.
I have 2 cateye volt 300's upfront.they have a nifty nano mode which emits a steady light with s flashing pulse running at the same time. It suits well to all the lit roads and does light up the unlit sections reasonably well.however on 1 section I switch one of them to full power constant.Perfect for the unlit rural bit.
At the rear I have a Cateye on constant and 2 unbranded usb rechargables on flash these are long thin lamps mounted on the back stays of the pannier rack.They are very bright and it just reassures me that I can be seen.
These and this set up works for me but may not work for everyone.

 

[Jenkins]

My bikes are mostly set up with the same lighting...

Front: 2 x Moon Comet or the Planet X Jobsworth equivalent or Aldi Moon Nebula clones plus a Hope Vision 1 or Cateye Nano Shot Plus to light the road. In dull conditions the 2 smaller lights are on slow flash and lowest output simply to be visible to other road users, then at full dark they get switched to steady, again on lowest output, and the main light gets switched on to lowest settings around town or higher output where required and no other traffic is around.

Rear: A single Moon Comet or the Planet X Jobsworth equivalent or Aldi Moon Nebula clone on lowerst output slow flash plus sither a Smart Lunar 1W or a Phaart Bleep on steady.

Anybody who uses the high powered Cree based lamps on flashing or strobing mode needs a bloody good talking to.

 

[Owch]

Anybody who uses the high powered Cree based lamps on flashing or strobing mode needs a bloody good talking to.

Which is what I have had. Well, actually a polite conversation (in the end). Someone at work was complaining about flashing cycle lights and I gave my reasons why I used flashing mode. They said that the problem for them was that they saw the flashing light and found their eyes being drawn to it and it made it difficult to judge that she was approaching the cyclist as quickly as she was - fine for when she was cycling - but not when she's doing 30mph in her Citroen C1.

I've now found myself noticing this myself - a solid light is easy to gauge, flashing is much more difficult - I've noticed that my lift-share buddy seems to leave it much later to overtake a "flasher(!)" than a "solid".

Having said that, I've not noticed much of a difference in driver attitude since switching back to solid.

And flashing lights on the front... why on earth would you do that?!?!!

 

[Randombiker9]

Update:
My personal choice:
Around my area i've seen a lot of cyclists and most of them have flashing front and rear lights. I've not had to cycle in the dark yet but once i did when it was low light in the evening. I choose to put mine on flashing modes. However if i cut through the park in the low light i would switch my front light to steady. So for me it varies which route i would take. When it's fully dark this might change/

 

[Randombiker9]

This is exactly what I've found and said before, I believe a steady front sows a seed of doubt in the mind of the motorist, they're not quite sure what you are, you could be a motorbike for example. Only cyclists have flashing front lights so there will be no doubt about what you are and in my experience that means edging or pulling out at junctions, getting bullied at pinch points like the one you described and so on and on.

Not exactly as motorbikes have two headlights and a break lights, So even if your modes on steady they could still tell your a bike plus not to mention motorbikes go faster. Also not everyone gets bullied when there out cycling drivers are just sometimes stupid but i wouldn't count that as bullying and also It depends on the area you live in.

 

[Mugshot]

Not exactly as motorbikes have two headlights and a break lights, So even if your modes on steady they could still tell your a bike plus not to mention motorbikes go faster. Also not everyone gets bullied when there out cycling drivers are just sometimes stupid but i wouldn't count that as bullying and also It depends on the area you live in.

You need to do what you feel is best, however from your OP I'm assuming you have either not ridden much or at all in the dark. I can tell you from real world experience that drivers have reacted differently to me when I have run a flashing light to when I have run a steady, I can also tell you from personal experience that a good front light also makes a big difference to how drivers react. Lots of motorbikes only have one front light, lots and lots as do scooters. You can see drivers hesitating at junctions and pinch points, the difference in the attitude that I have experienced through many years of all year round commuting when different modes are used on a front light is huge.

 

[mjr]

Lots of motorbikes only have one front light, lots and lots as do scooters. You can see drivers hesitating at junctions and pinch points, the difference in the attitude that I have experienced through many years of all year round commuting when different modes are used on a front light is huge.

Amen. Also, a large part of the problem on the roads is that many motorists seem not to think much... if they don't think enough to consider that a flashing-light cyclist might be moving faster than walking pace, they ain't gonna think enough whether that "motorbike" isn't actually a motorbike that would put a big dent in their precious.

Actually, it's probably helpful to steady-light cyclists like @Mugshot and me if motorists keep thinking that almost all cyclists use flashing-lights, so if you want to keep on sacrificing yourself for us, have at it!

 

[raleighnut]

On most of my bikes I can run an Electron 2 lamp set up (powered from a rechargeable battery pack) and a couple of these Cateye lamps (Either in flashing or constant)



The Electron light set is just either 1 on or both on, no flashing mode.

 

[crazyjoe101]

I like to have both a steady and a flashing front and back, when I get out of the city the front flashing light gets killed. The main thing really is that you have something which emits white light front and red light back without blinding anyone.

Edit: Two rear lights gives peace of mind in case one fails, or failing that at least some sort of reflector.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Just been clearing out and forgot I had two magicshine rear lights and a 4 x battery pack bought from Torchboy on Ebay. Think I might stick them on the commuter should last the week without having to recharge, every second day like i currently do with the USB Moon copies from Aldi !

 

[J1888]

I've got mine flashing on both front and back (not currently, when I'm on my bike, of course)

 

[HeavenRider]

Need a smart bike light which can adjust the light modes automatically according to your activity.