Getting flashed from oncoming cars

[DrLex]

In addition to poorly-adjusted lights being anti-social & ignorant, does one really want the driver of a two-tonne plus vehicle at a closing speed of 50mph or so to be blinded or disoriented?
Additionally, there's the retaliatory full-beam response which may dazzle you, or worse, the driver behind who's on the point of passing you.

 

[Cyclopathic]

It seems that there are two distinct requirements that a light may have to fulfil and it may be that we need one more than the other.
There are times when we need a light to be seen and times when we need it to see by and this should be thought about when choosing one. If you are never going to be riding in darkness where there is no street lighting then a directional spotlight type of thing kicking out a beam like a lighthouse is probably not necessary. A bright but diffuse light would suit better so that it can be seen from as many different angles and as far away as possible.
However if you have to ride along dark unlit roads then you will need something to give a flood of light for some distance on the road in front of you so that you can see what you're doing and where you're going.
Perhaps more could be made of this distinction in the advertising rather than just banging on about how bright their lights are. It should be possible to have a light that can be switched from spot to diffuse but I can't remember having seen such a feature advertised. It may be that some people will be better off having two lights but this seems very inefficient to me. Otherwise simply angling the light down in town is a solution.

 

[Molecule Man]

I recently moved to a village with a few miles of unlit country roads on the way home. I got myself a battery-pack/light system,sold as 1000 lumens. I try to be considerate, angling it down (which is what's needed anyway, so I can see upcoming potholes). I haven't had anyone obviously irritated by it, but what I have noticed is a much greater proportion of motorists dip their own headlights when I come into view than I ever experienced on the rare occasions when I would get caught out on roads like that with an ordinary bike light. When that happens I turn my own down in return.

 

[fossyant]

If on roads point it down so the spot is 10-20 feet in front. Also I would recommend covering the top 5mm or so with black tape to reduce glare (I do this on mine).

The T6 is about 800lm in real life (not 1800) and on roads they are way too dazzling unless pointed at the floor. When I use mine on the Trans Pennine Trail, if I see a ped I cover the light with my hand - they are blinding. On road the beam is pointed to the floor.

One other option is to order the wide angle lens off ebay - this spreads the light sideways, and not up, reducing glare as well.

 

[fossyant]

If on roads point it down so the spot is 10-20 feet in front. Also I would recommend covering the top 5mm or so with black tape to reduce glare (I do this on mine).

The T6 is about 800lm in real life (not 1800) and on roads they are way too dazzling unless pointed at the floor. When I use mine on the Trans Pennine Trail, if I see a ped I cover the light with my hand - they are blinding. On road the beam is pointed to the floor.

One other option is to order the wide angle lens off ebay - this spreads the light sideways, and not up, reducing glare as well.

I've been flashed just once when out on a training run in the middle of no-where, pitch black lanes, and that was with 2 x Hope 1's which are about 200lm each., so imagine 800lm in your eyes ?

Matthew - read some of the threads on here about these magicshine type lights - it will give you some tips about what to do with it !

 

[Red Light]

The trouble with a lot of these high power low cost LEDs that are coming out as cycle lights these days is that they have no beam cut-off as better cycle lights and car lights have. So they spray lots of light in all directions and angling them down just reduces but does not remove the problem.

 

[fossyant]

The trouble with a lot of these high power low cost LEDs that are coming out as cycle lights these days is that they have no beam cut-off as better cycle lights and car lights have. So they spray lots of light in all directions and angling them down just reduces but does not remove the problem.

I would agree. Even owning a Magicshine one, and having another 3xT6 unit on order, I don't use these on road if at all possible - they are an off road light.

 

[marafi]

I was told by a driver i look like a early christmas tree. Hey at least you CAN see me!

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I've got the Magicshine MJ816 with the little auxilliary lamps positioned like Mickey Mouse's ears. On the parts of my commute where there is street lighting I only use the auxilliary lamps, they have diffused lenses which make them visible from a greater angle without being dazzling to others.
The centre spot is rarely used and even when it is, I have it turned down to about 50%. This is ample for 99.9% of my riding.

I think the problem with some riders is that there is a sense of them having paid £xxx for this 'retina burning', super-lumen light and they're damn well going to use it! This can bring about the follow-up problem of increased expectation of being seen and higher levels of indignation when the SMIDSY still happens.

GC

 

[GrasB]

2x 60lux (@ 10m) B+M lights are good enough for proper visibility at 40mph & are bright enough from above the cutoff that a pair of them from about 20m look like a moped with an LED dipped beam. My only criticism is that they don't have enough light beyond the main focused beam to see wildlife in the hedgerows, so I supplement with a high powered unfocused LED light which I use as a main beam.

 

[BSRU]

The T6 magicshine clones can be altered with a new lens, someone in the US is selling them on EBAY.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wide-Angl...003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415e27aa23

 

[fossyant]

The T6 magicshine clones can be altered with a new lens, someone in the US is selling them on EBAY.

I've ordered one from a UK ebay seller - just search "magicshine". Clone T6's need the lens shimming as the glass thickness is different on the copies. The diffuser looks more useful on the trails as well as the T6 is spotty for a bar light !

 

[Maz]

Is it legal to have just one light on the front of the bike and it is on flash mode?

 

[semislickstick]

There is a bit about lights here...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Cycling/DG_10026401

Compulsory lights and reflectors

If you use your bike at night or when visibility is poor, you must fit a:

• white front light
• red rear light
• red rear reflector
• amber/yellow pedal reflectors - front and back on each pedal

Reflectors fitted to the front and the spokes will also help you to be seen.
You can get lights that are steady or flashing or a mixture (steady at the front and flashing at the back). A steady light at the front is important when you're cycling through areas without good street lighting.
Check that any steady lights meet BS 6102-3. Flashing lights don't have to meet the standard but they must:

• flash at a rate of one to four equal flashes per second
• be at least four candelas in brightness

Your pedal reflectors and rear reflector must meet BS 6102-2. You can also use a light or reflector that meets a standard accepted by another European Commission (EC) country (equal to the British Standard).
Additional lights and reflectors

You can use other lights as well as the compulsory ones but they must:

• be the right colour - white at the front, red at the back
• not dazzle other road users

If they flash, it must be at a rate of one to four equal flashes per second.

 

[MrJamie]

There is a bit about lights here...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Cycling/DG_10026401

I wonder how many of us actually comply with that fully. I fail on having no rear reflector since my bags in the way, a lot will fail on not having pedal reflectors.