Bike Lights - To be Seen

[ChrisF]

16 minutes ago, Jbr said:

You can set it up all like you want from the head unit, I haven't pressed a button on mine for a week. It wakes up when you start your ride, goes to sleep when you finish your ride (providing you've activated lights control in your Wahoo app, or wherever that is on garmin units).

You can also turn it on/off/change mode from the unit, disable notifications, etc. in a couple of clicks.

 

EDIT : at the moment bike addict is the cheapest option

 

It should be easy.

 

When switching on, it takes a second, third or fourth press of the button to cycle through the modes.

 

Darned if I can find bit of text that clearly states which click is which .....

 

I will start using it on the MTB only when I can get a tether solution.  Thus sometimes I use it twice a weekend on the road rides, then it stays off while I enjoy the trails. 

[cadenceblur]

Just now, ChrisF said:

 

It should be easy.

 

When switching on, it takes a second, third or fourth press of the button to cycle through the modes.

 

Darned if I can find bit of text that clearly states which click is which .....

 

I will start using it on the MTB only when I can get a tether solution.  Thus sometimes I use it twice a weekend on the road rides, then it stays off while I enjoy the trails. 

the lack of a tether is unfortunate yes, i believe you can change the light settings from your head unit

[Shebeen]

I suppose cyclists (sport and/or commuter) choose to not use lights for a combination of reasons:

* they are not there/charged when they go riding early morning and don't feel like fiddling

* they can see just fine, and don't care about being seen

* they just don't own them.

As a cyclist you can get irritated by these ghosts in the dark either because they are a hazard to you, or you are concerned for their safety (or both). The official stats from road accident deaths are sobering. ~43% of deaths are pedestrians.

2022 - 12436 deaths, of which 5347 where pedestrians. about 15 per day.

Many of these will be drunk pedestrians, walking into the road - we're not changing that habit in a hurry. but some will just be walking in the darkness and are impossible to see. If only black label gave away free beanies with reflective strips for every case sold these numbers might come down.

 

 

The simplest upgrade for cyclists which has no battery requirements is 3m reflective tape.

I use the white one, put it on chain stays, seatpost and even small bits on pedal as that moves.

[Robbie Stewart]

Yesterday I was behind another rider about 100m ahead of me. All I could see was his rear light which was in a static mode, just there, telling me a fellow rider was just riding too fast for me to reel them in at the pace I was maintaining.

Then a car came from behind, passed me and then the fellow rider. It was at this point when that rear light started going full disco mode until the car was past, when it returned to giving me the stink eye for not catching them. I watched that dastardly light and it's owner disappear into the fog, never to be seen again.

I am calling it a ghost sighting, and I am sticking to my story.

 

[The Ouzo]

50 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I suppose cyclists (sport and/or commuter) choose to not use lights for a combination of reasons:

* they are not there/charged when they go riding early morning and don't feel like fiddling

* they can see just fine, and don't care about being seen

* they just don't own them.

As a cyclist you can get irritated by these ghosts in the dark either because they are a hazard to you, or you are concerned for their safety (or both). The official stats from road accident deaths are sobering. ~43% of deaths are pedestrians.

2022 - 12436 deaths, of which 5347 where pedestrians. about 15 per day.

Many of these will be drunk pedestrians, walking into the road - we're not changing that habit in a hurry. but some will just be walking in the darkness and are impossible to see. If only black label gave away free beanies with reflective strips for every case sold these numbers might come down.

 

 

The simplest upgrade for cyclists which has no battery requirements is 3m reflective tape.

I use the white one, put it on chain stays, seatpost and even small bits on pedal as that moves.

and if you dont want to stick this on your bike, dischem (and I'm sure many sports stores) sell a reflective band in packs of 2 that you can put on ankles or wrists or both, when I bought from dischem about 2 years ago they were R10, so should not break the bank.

[Shebeen]

12 minutes ago, The Ouzo said:

and if you dont want to stick this on your bike, dischem (and I'm sure many sports stores) sell a reflective band in packs of 2 that you can put on ankles or wrists or both, when I bought from dischem about 2 years ago they were R10, so should not break the bank.

totally, or you can just by clothing/shoes with reflective logos on it, you can never have too much!

but this is fit and forget.

[wattnow]

Refective tape is a great edition but by no means can be used in isolation.

I am hell bent on day time running lights and lights on bicycles in general. So much so that if by some way my light is not charged I will not leave the house.. routine and habit is key to making sure all devices are charged and ready to go.

Seeing the amount SOME people spend on their bikes but then think the coast of a Garmin Varia is far to high truely amazes me. 5K gets you a top end front and rear light that will last you years and make you safer. 5K could be the difference between getting home or not... thats my view at least.

[ChrisF]

17 minutes ago, wattnow said:

Refective tape is a great edition but by no means can be used in isolation.

I am hell bent on day time running lights and lights on bicycles in general. So much so that if by some way my light is not charged I will not leave the house.. routine and habit is key to making sure all devices are charged and ready to go.

Seeing the amount SOME people spend on their bikes but then think the coast of a Garmin Varia is far to high truely amazes me. 5K gets you a top end front and rear light that will last you years and make you safer. 5K could be the difference between getting home or not... thats my view at least.

 

And for those (like me) that have to save up for the Varia, there are pretty decent lights from R500 a set (special price at the Expo).

 

Point being, for less than the cost of a tyre you CAN be visible.

 

Low constant beam before sunrise, strobe the rest of the time.

 

Posted purely for the benefit of the newer riders that WANT to be safe.  There are affordable options.  And when the budget allows, the Varia truly adds value !!!

 

 

The rest .... the rest will carry on as always .... 

 

[Dexter-morgan]

52 minutes ago, wattnow said:

Refective tape is a great edition but by no means can be used in isolation.

I am hell bent on day time running lights and lights on bicycles in general. So much so that if by some way my light is not charged I will not leave the house.. routine and habit is key to making sure all devices are charged and ready to go.

Seeing the amount SOME people spend on their bikes but then think the coast of a Garmin Varia is far to high truely amazes me. 5K gets you a top end front and rear light that will last you years and make you safer. 5K could be the difference between getting home or not... thats my view at least.

I feel the same, just the other morning, I taped an external battery pack to my bike to power my uncharged Ryder light.

[Shebeen]

1 hour ago, wattnow said:

Refective tape is a great edition but by no means can be used in isolation.

 

I wasn't saying that, do everything you can.

[dave303e]

On 4/18/2024 at 2:54 PM, droo said:

Never argue with an idiot. Not only will they drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience, but also from a distance it's hard to tell who's who...

I miss power balance bracelets, you could spot an idiot from a distance and avoid at all costs