What lights/other illumination do you use for commuting ?
Discussion
Just interested to see what people find best, I have an Electron front lasher and a cheap but bright Ebay Led for unlit lanes, on the rear I have a Cateye Barrel shaped red flasher with two rows and a longer one on my rucksack.
What else do you use, anything on the sides, helmet etc ?
What else do you use, anything on the sides, helmet etc ?
Lezyne Power drive on the front, and a Zecto on the rear with a Cateye TL to keep it company. Power drive is plenty bright for commuting but about to pull the trigger on either a Lezyne Superdrive / USE Exposure with helmet mount for offroad, which I'll get an h'bar mount for and use to commute too.
Got funky Schwalbe Big Apples with reflecting bands on that light up like the blackpool tower in a cars headlights. Plus high viz bib, and wristbands for turns.
No way I'm not being seen!
Got funky Schwalbe Big Apples with reflecting bands on that light up like the blackpool tower in a cars headlights. Plus high viz bib, and wristbands for turns.
No way I'm not being seen!
Front:
An ebay chinese cree on the bars and a little blinky 2xLED Niterider on my helmet.
Back:
A Fibre Flare strapped to my rucksack and a little blinky 5xLED Cateye on my seat post.
My commute is mainly lit though so only need really need the cree on a few bits through a park. TBH It rarely ever goes over the first power setting as it's quite obnoxious.
An ebay chinese cree on the bars and a little blinky 2xLED Niterider on my helmet.
Back:
A Fibre Flare strapped to my rucksack and a little blinky 5xLED Cateye on my seat post.
My commute is mainly lit though so only need really need the cree on a few bits through a park. TBH It rarely ever goes over the first power setting as it's quite obnoxious.
I don't commute but have a nice collection of Chinese owl melters 
There are some right idiots about. Last night, NSL Dual Carriageway, pitch black, I was driving (wouldn't ride along there even in the day). All of a sudden a slight blur of dirty flouro - swerved into L2 to avoid. Backpack cover, that was it, no reflectors or back or front light. Idiot.
There are some right idiots about. Last night, NSL Dual Carriageway, pitch black, I was driving (wouldn't ride along there even in the day). All of a sudden a slight blur of dirty flouro - swerved into L2 to avoid. Backpack cover, that was it, no reflectors or back or front light. Idiot.
richardxjr said:
I don't commute but have a nice collection of Chinese owl melters
There are some right idiots about. Last night, NSL Dual Carriageway, pitch black, I was driving (wouldn't ride along there even in the day). All of a sudden a slight blur of dirty flouro - swerved into L2 to avoid. Backpack cover, that was it, no reflectors or back or front light. Idiot.
See this all the time, there are some unlit twist B roads near me, with long straights. With good lights , good positioning then you can be ok. There was a guy last night on a halfrauds special, grinding along @ 3mph , with the seat 2 ft too low and just a cheap light with a nearly flat battery! He had a filthy high viz rucksack but it was uselessThere are some right idiots about. Last night, NSL Dual Carriageway, pitch black, I was driving (wouldn't ride along there even in the day). All of a sudden a slight blur of dirty flouro - swerved into L2 to avoid. Backpack cover, that was it, no reflectors or back or front light. Idiot.
I see him everyday proper darwinish at work, next time I will have a word, it would so easy to hit him, as cars approach him @ 60mph . Plus what power he had from the light was obscured by a badly positioned mudguard that wouldn't even help with mud from the wheel!
I use 2 x Cateyes on the back
2 x crees on the front, on the lowest setting pointed right down, when the roads are empty/briddleways/ c roads, I whip them up to full beam
Chinese CREE for main illumination at the front, and a cheapo flasher that stays on the bike year round. Couple of different rear lights, not sure of the make, again one stays on the bike year round. Also have a helmet light from Halfords that does both front and rear but don't always have it on the lid. High viz gilet or jackets, gloves and shoes with fluoro bits.
None of it guarantees you won't get flattened by a half-asleep zombie, but it has to push the odds more in my favour.
None of it guarantees you won't get flattened by a half-asleep zombie, but it has to push the odds more in my favour.
Front bar mounted:
Smart Lunar 35, used in flashing mode
Chinese Cree Q5, used in constant beam mode
Rear Rack Mounted:
Cateye Ld1100 "Hand Grenade" on rack
Rear Seatpost Mounted:
Phart Bleep Dual 0.5 (Planet X Smart R2 Copy, great value for £2.49)
I agree the Chinese Cree light are great value and very effective. Only gripe is the "stroboscopic" flash mode is far too high frequency and dangerouslty blinds oncoming traffic, so has to be used in constant beam mode.
Smart Lunar 35, used in flashing mode
Chinese Cree Q5, used in constant beam mode
Rear Rack Mounted:
Cateye Ld1100 "Hand Grenade" on rack
Rear Seatpost Mounted:
Phart Bleep Dual 0.5 (Planet X Smart R2 Copy, great value for £2.49)
I agree the Chinese Cree light are great value and very effective. Only gripe is the "stroboscopic" flash mode is far too high frequency and dangerouslty blinds oncoming traffic, so has to be used in constant beam mode.
Front Exposure Strada & Exposure Race, one set to constant low/medium and one to low flashing
Rear Exposure Blaze, normally set to medium
and a couple of slap around bands at night for above the ankles. I tend to wear lighter coloured tops and for the winter my leg warmers are / were white. Makes me look like Leghorn Foghorn but it's a bit more visability for other road users
My commute is a complete spectrum from very well lit through to unlit country lanes. I do take a decent amount of care to make sure my front lights are not positioned too high for oncoming road users.
Rear Exposure Blaze, normally set to medium
and a couple of slap around bands at night for above the ankles. I tend to wear lighter coloured tops and for the winter my leg warmers are / were white. Makes me look like Leghorn Foghorn but it's a bit more visability for other road users
My commute is a complete spectrum from very well lit through to unlit country lanes. I do take a decent amount of care to make sure my front lights are not positioned too high for oncoming road users.
I have two Ebay CREE T6 lights at the front, with a prismatic lens in each.
On the seatpost I have two Knog Skinks, which I set to flash at different rates.
On my helmet I have a pair of Knog Strobes, front and back. They're really small and although they use watch batteries, you can find them on Amazon for pennies.
On the seatpost I have two Knog Skinks, which I set to flash at different rates.
On my helmet I have a pair of Knog Strobes, front and back. They're really small and although they use watch batteries, you can find them on Amazon for pennies.
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