Helmet lights

[Pedropete]

I’ve used small, low profile rear lights on the back of my lids for years. Reason being that we’ve dozens of road sections with dips and humps, blind brows, hump-backed bridges etc. Ever considered how visible you are once your rear light is masked by whatever you’ve just dropped down behind? Having a small, not too bright blinky means drivers approaching from behind will see you sooner rather than later, and even 1-2 seconds could make all the difference.

 

[Blue Hills]

I’ve used small, low profile rear lights on the back of my lids for years. Reason being that we’ve dozens of road sections with dips and humps, blind brows, hump-backed bridges etc. Ever considered how visible you are once your rear light is masked by whatever you’ve just dropped down behind? Having a small, not too bright blinky means drivers approaching from behind will see you sooner rather than later, and even 1-2 seconds could make all the difference.

I think maybe you mean relatively low powered flashers though?
No problems with those.
Its the uber macho ones sold on power that I have a problem with.
Used by folk who are using it as their primary light and want to make a statement.
that they are a nobber.

 

[Shadow121]

I always use one on the back of my helmet.
Just carry a spare for the front in case it goes out,
along with batteries for both, they laser me as I don’t go
far after dark.

 

[marzjennings]

As a mountain biker a head light is essential, no bar mounted lights have a wide enough beam to see around tight corners on the trails. But I agree for the road and around town probably overkill.

 

[Drago]

As a mountain bike instructor I strenuously recommend against using them. Aside from the risk of brain/light interfacing when falling off, the human brain works best at interpreting images when there is a bit of a baseline between the eye and the light source. Decent conventional lights will show where you're going in much the same way fixed car headlamps managed to do, even on tight corners.

 

[Pedropete]

I think maybe you mean relatively low powered flashers though?
No problems with those.
Its the uber macho ones sold on power that I have a problem with.
Used by folk who are using it as their primary light and want to make a statement.
that they are a nobber.

Yep, visible but not blinding, and super slim/flat, mounted right on the back. And my lid has meeps, so obviously I'm armour plated

And while I recognise the potential risks of riding with anything attached to the front top or side of my lid, I did used to do the occasional fast offroad night ride where the only way to see through the turns was to have something mounted up top. Not needed on-road though. Like anything, understand the risks and decide if they're justified by the benefits.

 

[Slow But Determined]

Personally I would not attach anything to my helmet especially when wearing padded shorts.

 

[marzjennings]

As a mountain bike instructor I strenuously recommend against using them. Aside from the risk of brain/light interfacing when falling off, the human brain works best at interpreting images when there is a bit of a baseline between the eye and the light source. Decent conventional lights will show where you're going in much the same way fixed car headlamps managed to do, even on tight corners.

That's why you ride with both a bar mounted light and a helmet light, the bar light provides shadow and depth, and the head light for switchbacks and drops. There is no bar mounted light that can provide light around a switchback. I can't understand why you strenuously recommend against them. If the choice is a single light, then a bar mount is a superior option to a head light. But the optimum option is to have both, a head light and a bar light as recommended since like forever.


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