Possible lighting solution/suppliment in emergency

[Xiorell]

The other week I had to ride out to my GFs house, in full on darkness, for the first time. Until this point I'd only ever had to go there at dusky times when you could still see the way ahead.
Her house is right in the middle of nowhere down country roads, no lights for a good couple of miles in any direction.

Got about half way through the day when I realised my current lights wouldn't do the job. Fine for when you get cought out late summer, but not pitch black. Being at work I had no time to online order anything, no time to get to a LBS or a Halfords or similar.
So I nipped to Maplin a couple of doors down and found this

http://www.maplin.co.uk/9-led-rubber-torch-509533

5 quid, rubber coated, 9 LEDs. Thought I'd strap it on the bars along side the existing light. I ended up jimmy-ing it to the bars with some velcro straps.
I've gotta say I was rather suprised by it, it illuminated the way ahead easily on the dark roads, diffusion was good to light the sides of the road right in front.

Might not be on par with some of the super duper lights out there but if you need a stand in, for 5 quid it works out really well.

 

[Arch]

Aldi sometimes do a pack of three little torches (7LED each, I think), with batteries, for a fiver. Not as focussed as a bike light, but bright. So cheap, you can leave one cable tied to the bike.

Get hold of some red film, or a bit cut out of a car rear lens and stick it over the end, and you've got a rear backup too....