Daytime cycling lights, which can you recommend for me ?

[rualexander]

I haven't been camping with my bike. To describe normal usage as leaving your bike, and therefore light, laying on it's side, all night, in the rain is to stretch "normal usage" beyond reasonable limits.

Bikes are designed to be used upright and any equipment attached to a bike would be designed to function in this mode. I've used two Tracers, front and rear, on two bikes. On one bike the mounting is bars and seat post and the other ⅔ up the fork and top of the seat stay. In neither instance has moisture been a problem.

The company probably recognised the light had been used outside of what most would consider the norm. My guess is Exposure fixed your light as a good customer service in the expectation it would be received as such. Instead you choose to criticise the company on the web. I find that hard to understand.

Well as you say, you haven't been camping with your bike.
Laying your bike on its side is a regular thing when camping with a bike.
It's normal usage for a bike that is used for camping and therefore for a light that is attached to such a bike.
No other light I've ever had attached to my bike has failed due to water ingress either whilst on its side or upright.
I'm not criticising the company, Exposure are a great company, with seemingly great customer service, but that doesn't alter the fact that the design of these lights is not great.
And it's not just the waterproofing, as already mentioned the switch is poorly executed as is the charging cable attachment.
And it's not just me saying this,

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/bike-forum/exposure-trace-a-bit-of-a-daft-design/

https://road.cc/content/forum/129820-anyone-got-exposure-tracer-rear-light-usb-rechargeable-one

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/exposure-lights.146029/

 

[dicko]

I have just fitted the Magicshine seemee150MAG light set and have set them up ready for my first ride of the day. The difference is quite staggering.

 

[Steve99]

I have to say I don't bother unless it's a particularly dull day, I've always got a rear light on bike but usually don't switch on in daylight unless its winter etc when light a lot less. This time of year especially in bright sun I really don't see the point.

I've ended up in A&E with broken bones twice from being hit at junctions in the middle of the day. Neither driver claimed to have seen me and on the second occasion I was wearing a large orange jacket! I am assuming a flashing front light would have meant I was far more likely to be registered so always ride with lights front and back during the day. Some drivers don't see other cars nevermind small bikes, ride as if you are invisible because to some muppets you literally are. #Superpowers

 

[Binky]

I've ended up in A&E with broken bones twice from being hit at junctions in the middle of the day. Neither driver claimed to have seen me and on the second occasion I was wearing a large orange jacket! I am assuming a flashing front light would have meant I was far more likely to be registered so always ride with lights front and back during the day. Some drivers don't see other cars nevermind small bikes, ride as if you are invisible because to some muppets you literally are. #Superpowers

So if they don't see a large orange jacket will they see a light? I agree better to be seen if possible but some drivers don't or won't look or even take notice if they do.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

So if they don't see a large orange jacket will they see a light? I agree better to be seen if possible but some drivers don't or won't look or even take notice if they do.

If they don;t look they don;t look

but if they hit you and you are wearing hi-vis

and that does make them look very stupid when they say SMIDSY

and lights just makes them look even more stupid


but if they do look but don't look properly then hi-vis - or similar - might just mean that they notice you when the cursory glance might otherwise have missed you

certainly better than all black at night with a balaclava and no light son a black bike with no lights

 

[Binky]

If they don;t look they don;t look

but if they hit you and you are wearing hi-vis

and that does make them look very stupid when they say SMIDSY

and lights just makes them look even more stupid


but if they do look but don't look properly then hi-vis - or similar - might just mean that they notice you when the cursory glance might otherwise have missed you

certainly better than all black at night with a balaclava and no light son a black bike with no lights

For sure. I see some cyclists literally clothed in disguise or so it seems. Almost a purposeful attempt NOT to be visible. All in black on a dull day but of course if we criticse them we are somehow accused of "victim blaming". I've seen it on this forum many times. Apparently if you are a cyclist you can do no wrong.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

For sure. I see some cyclists literally clothed in disguise or so it seems. Almost a purposeful attempt NOT to be visible. All in black on a dull day but of course if we criticse them we are somehow accused of "victim blaming". I've seen it on this forum many times. Apparently if you are a cyclist you can do no wrong.

I did nearly hit some kids where I used to live

to get to the street I needed to go up a very narrow road that went up a VERY steep hill and round 2 very tight turns

so you tended to take it in first gear and needed a bit of momentum

AND it was shaded by thick trees and bushed

One day I was just going round the bend
and suddenly realised there were two teenagers right in front of me

on their way to ARmy cadets - and wearing camouflage!!!!

 

[a.twiddler]

I don't intentionally use daytime lights, but if it's dull leading to an early dusk I will switch flashing lights on. In the last couple of years I've bought a bike which had a hub dynamo light with a Supernova E3 always-on headlight already fitted. Of course there's no flash mode with this, even though it's a very effective night time light. It's the only bike that I've ever had a near miss with, in, daylight, when a Range Rover pulled out from a minor road as I arrived at it. It had previously stopped before moving out. This bike is a recumbent, it's bright yellow and various people have commented on how they've seen me coming from a distance with this light. I ride pretty defensively anyway, the rationale being that they can't hit you if you're not there.

If you must have daytime lights, I would imagine the most budget Knog-a-like ones set to flash mode are as good as anything. They signify a cyclist to most people, if they actually look in your direction before doing whatever they're going to do.