What lights?

[Davidc]

So what would you suggest? I wear high viz, have fitted spoke reflectors and three forward and three rear facing lights. What else can a cyclist do to be seen!!!!!

What totallyfixed says is right. I'd add that a huge majority of drivers is alert and will even always spot those cyclists who choose to ride without any lights. If that were not the case riding after dark wouldn't be possible. Our problem is the small minority of drivers who are either crazy or dozy.

The drivers cyclists have trouble with also cause a lot of collisions and near collisions for all road users, cyclists don't get any special treatment from them. To think so is pure paranoia.

Not seeing what you're looking at is a failing of our brains. We all do it sometimes. Look at the Gorilla In The Room film evidence. Always expect it.

There's nothing much more than avoiding dark clothes and using sensible lighting that you can do to get yourself seen. All you can do is be alert and vigilant and ride defensively. Those things are perfectly compatible with good riding practice, including being assertive. You need to spot the problem drivers early and just avoid contention with them.

 

[coffeejo]

Yes, we have the same experience on many occasions [we both have Hope's], but as I alluded to in an earlier post, over the last few years front lights have got increasingly powerful but not using a controlled beam as in dipped car headlights. Looking at a car with dipped headlights is much easier than looking at the Hopes and they are relatively low powered compared with many. There is definitely an element of "boys and their toys" and the must have more lumens when in actual fact most of these lights are terribly inefficient at throwing a beam where you really need it without searing the eyeballs of anyone coming towards you. I am always told to just angle my light down to stop blinding anyone, yes well, I like to have my light tight on the bars so it can't be moved around. Another option that peeps come up with is to make some kind of hood fro the light, why should you have to? There are lights out there that throw a beam exactly like that of a car on dipped, it isn't rocket science. Can you tell I am bored .

My ideal light would have an integral rechargeable battery (rather than a separate pack like the magicshines), have different settings to put out a low but wide spread of light (for main roads) or wide and high (for country lanes) as well as a "be seen" option for riding under street lights, AND have a dimmer switch. My biggest gripe with the Hope (apart from being plunged into darkness when it switches itself off instead going down to the next power setting ) is that to go down the settings/strengths, you've got to scroll through the lot.

 

[totallyfixed]

I think most of us that have Hopes agree on the point about it cutting out. I saw the latest version at The Bike Show and at least that has low battery warning led's, I also hate having to scroll through all the settings.
The best road light I have seen other than the very expensive Exposure Strada is the Trelock Ls 950
http://www.bike24.com/p220696.html have a look at the video, even on the highest setting it has a run time of 6 hours which is amazing. The readouts on the top of the light are also very accurate according to tests done in the UK. It is unusual looking but well engineered [it's German] and they have very strict standards in their bike lighting unlike the UK. Anyone used one in real life?

 

[coffeejo]

I think most of us that have Hopes agree on the point about it cutting out. I saw the latest version at The Bike Show and at least that has low battery warning led's, I also hate having to scroll through all the settings.
The best road light I have seen other than the very expensive Exposure Strada is the Trelock Ls 950
http://www.bike24.com/p220696.html have a look at the video, even on the highest setting it has a run time of 6 hours which is amazing. The readouts on the top of the light are also very accurate according to tests done in the UK. It is unusual looking but well engineered [it's German] and they have very strict standards in their bike lighting unlike the UK. Anyone used one in real life?

I quite like the look of that....

 

[potsy]

I've recently gone from using the Hopes as main lights, to a Moon 500, much brighter and weighs less (shut it) but the battery life on the top 2 settings is not great.
It runs the opposite way too, it starts in full power and you cycle thru to the lower settings with a push of the button.
Great for the unlit park cut thru, and usb rechargable.

 

[totallyfixed]

It was the short run time that put me off the Moon, dr_pink could do with a new light as the Hope weighs half as much as she does, not that you would have a problem.......just saying

 

[GrumpyGregry]

So what would you suggest? I wear high viz, have fitted spoke reflectors and three forward and three rear facing lights. What else can a cyclist do to be seen!!!!!

I have all that, and a bit more on my commuter. I don't expect it to make a difference but, like the helmet I wear to commute, but discard at weekends, it comforts the lovely Helen and won't allow some mealy-mouthed lawyer to truthfully claim his client couldn't see me if the worse happens.

 

[potsy]

It was the short run time that put me off the Moon, dr_pink could do with a new light as the Hope weighs half as much as she does, not that you would have a problem.......just saying

Have added the Hope to the Secteur for tonights commute, tbh the Moon on power level 2 lasts long enough to get to work and back (approx 1h 40mins) with some to spare, just turn it up on unlit sections.

Hope will be for back-up and extra power thru the park

 

[fossyant]

I love my Hopes and would not change them. Level one or two is fine for traffic, three and four off road, or dark lanes.

Just love the construction. Get into a regular recharge cycle with a smart charger, like most lights.

 

[hennbell]

I have a mitycross 350. I use both a helmet and handle bar mount. When I first got the light I used the helmet mount If a car got a little to close I would give them an extremely hard stare to convince them to back off. Now I use the bar mount and use the mantra dip don't dazzle. In the winter both morning and evening rides can be very dark but for most of the year i use lights only to get noticed.

 

[Col5632]

I think most of us that have Hopes agree on the point about it cutting out. I saw the latest version at The Bike Show and at least that has low battery warning led's, I also hate having to scroll through all the settings.
The best road light I have seen other than the very expensive Exposure Strada is the Trelock Ls 950
http://www.bike24.com/p220696.html have a look at the video, even on the highest setting it has a run time of 6 hours which is amazing. The readouts on the top of the light are also very accurate according to tests done in the UK. It is unusual looking but well engineered [it's German] and they have very strict standards in their bike lighting unlike the UK. Anyone used one in real life?

I like the look of that light also

 

[Crankarm]

My neighbour on the other hand splashed out loads a cash on a Max D only for it to fail a year and half later! So expensive lights does not necessary mean they do not break but probably not very common.

Yeah but return it to Exposure and they replace without quibbling. Their LEDs have a lifetime warranty against failure.

The more expensive brand lights such as Hope, Exposure, Lupine etc ARE sooo much better than crap you get off Ebay as every time I switch it on the road is filled with a HUGE beam of white light. I see other cyclists with so called bike lights with a tiny spot of light a short way in front of their bikes which is pathetic really. My car headlights on dipped aren't as bright. Really notice it driving home with bike in the back. No way could you see and avoid a pot hole or pile of horse sh1t at 25mph with the likes of Cateye. I used to have cheaper lights and would never go back to them now. When I scalp other cyclists I often get a "feck me that light is bright!" as I pass by. Errrr ......... well that's the idea is it not? The next step is a triple cell to increase burn time on full to 5-6 hours from 2-3 hours. Max D Mk5 is available at end of Oct. Oh and really bright lights are good for shining at feckers who insist on riding at night using flashing mode on their front lights. This is the only thing cheap and nasty lights are good for - causing a nuisance and danger to other road users.

 

[Crankarm]

Yes, we have the same experience on many occasions [we both have Hope's], but as I alluded to in an earlier post, over the last few years front lights have got increasingly powerful but not using a controlled beam as in dipped car headlights. Looking at a car with dipped headlights is much easier than looking at the Hopes and they are relatively low powered compared with many. There is definitely an element of "boys and their toys" and the must have more lumens when in actual fact most of these lights are terribly inefficient at throwing a beam where you really need it without searing the eyeballs of anyone coming towards you. I am always told to just angle my light down to stop blinding anyone, yes well, I like to have my light tight on the bars so it can't be moved around. Another option that peeps come up with is to make some kind of hood fro the light, why should you have to? There are lights out there that throw a beam exactly like that of a car on dipped, it isn't rocket science. Can you tell I am bored .

If you have really bright bike lights then you also have a responsibility to use them responsibly and safely. Maybe loosen the light bracket ever so slightly so you have the ability to move the beam around whilst keeping the light firmly in position. I do this with my light without difficulty. I don't want to blind other road users. It's just the same as driving a car. You don't drive around with full beam headlights on the whole time.

 

[Crankarm]

My ideal light would have an integral rechargeable battery (rather than a separate pack like the magicshines), have different settings to put out a low but wide spread of light (for main roads) or wide and high (for country lanes) as well as a "be seen" option for riding under street lights, AND have a dimmer switch. My biggest gripe with the Hope (apart from being plunged into darkness when it switches itself off instead going down to the next power setting ) is that to go down the settings/strengths, you've got to scroll through the lot.

The Exposure Max D meets all of your requirements. It has an internal battery so no leads or need for a battery pack although you can get one if you really want one to extend max burn time from 2-3 hours to 6..

 

[totallyfixed]

The Exposure Max D meets all of your requirements. It has an internal battery so no leads or need for a battery pack although you can get one if you really want one to extend max burn time from 2-3 hours to 6..

I am a big fan of Exposure lights but I have to disagree with you about the Max D which is essentially an off road light for which it suits admirably. Any front light that has a circular beam, unless it is a spot which is useless on the road anyway, is by definition designed to scatter light in all directions. The Exposure Strada has a lense constructed to throw a beam exactly like that of a car headlight, it also has a full beam which when switched on is not unlike the Max D.
What I find amazing is how people get sucked in to believing that the more lumens a light has, the better it will perform, I know you will understand this analogy, it is like saying vehicles with big engines go faster.