Bike lights Opinion?

[luigi49]

http://revolights.com/pages/howitworks

I think the concept is good but the problem I see is that it will just attract thieves.  My friend has a nice $80 trek bike that he made it look like crap aesthetically and still got stolen.   

[sol]

I'm a regular bike commuter who lives a latitude that dictates a lot of night riding.  I think I'd pay a bit of a premium just for the novelty of this product, but at $230 there is NO WAY this is an economical lighting solution.

Looking at the tech specs, you'd get more light from $100 front light and a $30 rear blinky, or even a $75 front light, $25 rear blinky, and $30 worth of side lights (closer to what I roll with), in either case saving yourself $100.  And that's assuming you pay full retail at a bike shop rather than shopping online for deals.

If they got the price for the full set down under $150, I'd consider it jut for the novelty factor.  At $230 this is a luxury niche product for people with more dollars than sense.

[dragonstache]

Hey all,

I've really liked the Revolights concept for awhile, but I agree they are waaaay too expensive. I found this pretty cool DIY with a nifty/simple circuit diagram attached. If anyone actually goes for it, I'd love to hear about the project, as I've been considering making some as a learning experience:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Lightrider-DIY-Bike-Light/

happy trails!

Charlie

[destron]

Wow, fancy!

Looks very cool, but the price is not right and I suspect it does not give as good of visibility for cars as having a couple of good red blinkers. I also suspect that the amount of forward light is not nearly as much as my helmet mounted lamp. But still, really cool looking.

[Thegoblinchief]

Dumb. Lights like that would distract me, the rider, more than they would enhance visibility.

Any bright flashing or rotating at night gives me a headache. I only use flash mode at dawn/dusk, or when my battery is low.

[Russ]

I really think you overestimate the amount of thought bike thieves put into what bike they take.

[Zikoris]

I've seen those a bit around Vancouver lately - I think they look fantastic, and are way more visible than the alternative.

However, I'm sticking with my cheapo front and back lights.

[GuitarStv]

230$ is quite steep.  I could buy two pretty bright 30$ front lights and two pretty bright 20$ rear lights and be better lit than with this product.  Also, I like having the lights higher up on the handlebars/seat post.  Cool idea though.

[hybrid]

I'm just grateful Daylight Savings Time is back so riding home in the dark goes back to being a non-issue for the next eight months....  I use plain jane blinking lights myself.

[Cherry Lane]

I'm just grateful Daylight Savings Time is back so riding home in the dark goes back to being a non-issue for the next eight months....  I use plain jane blinking lights myself.

Maybe so, but I had to bike _TO_ work in the dark this morning for the first time in a month or so.

[enigmaT120]

It was barely starting to be light by the end of my bike ride anyway, so now it's just back to dark all the way.  But it will be light all the way home, that will be nice.  I miss my scenery fix during the winter rides.

I use a Shimano generator hub and a Lights On! head and tail light combo.  It probably cost as much as that thing in the OP but I think it lights up the road better.

[Captain and Mrs Slow]

230$ is quite steep.  I could buy two pretty bright 30$ front lights and two pretty bright 20$ rear lights and be better lit than with this product.  Also, I like having the lights higher up on the handlebars/seat post.  Cool idea though.

I wish more people would put some thought into side lights, I live in very bike friendly Munich and I find it hard to see bikes coming from the right, it is very hard to see a bike at dusk coming from the right, while you don't have to spend 200 bucks you do need something that really stands out.

As an aside all bikes come with LED lights and the most awesome hub generators, must have been a change in the law because this kind of thing is usually reserved for higher end bikes

[Russ]

As an aside all bikes come with LED lights and the most awesome hub generators, must have been a change in the law because this kind of thing is usually reserved for higher end bikes

something about dyno hub powered LED lights (as opposed to halogen) used to be illegal until not too long ago in Europe. cool that it's not now b/c the lower draw of LEDs will allow for generator hubs with less power & drag to be widely available.

[carloco]

I like what this guy says about lights.  I have the Ixon iQ, it produces a nice beam.

[Fastfwd]

Theft is not an issue for me as I can bring the bike inside the office. I would probably want a stronger headlight than this but the backlight would work; just not worth the price vs a good blinking normal backlight.

[GuitarStv]

230$ is quite steep.  I could buy two pretty bright 30$ front lights and two pretty bright 20$ rear lights and be better lit than with this product.  Also, I like having the lights higher up on the handlebars/seat post.  Cool idea though.

I wish more people would put some thought into side lights, I live in very bike friendly Munich and I find it hard to see bikes coming from the right, it is very hard to see a bike at dusk coming from the right, while you don't have to spend 200 bucks you do need something that really stands out.

As an aside all bikes come with LED lights and the most awesome hub generators, must have been a change in the law because this kind of thing is usually reserved for higher end bikes

My tail lights have three rear facing LEDs and one LED on each side of the bike.  Granted it's not a huge amount, but they're noticeable.  I'd hope that the vehicle coming at me from the side is using a headlight of some kind . . . and thus will light up the reflective tape on my bike . . . reflective ankle bands, reflectors on the wheels, reflective and hi-vis yellow jacket that I'm wearing, and reflective tape on my helmet . . .

[sol]

reflective tape on my bike . . . reflective ankle bands, reflectors on the wheels, reflective and hi-vis yellow jacket that I'm wearing, and reflective tape on my helmet . . .

You, sir, are a hero.  I love it when a cyclist takes his visibility seriously.

Seriously people, if you ride at night you need to have at least one roll of this stuff plastered on your kit.  $3.50 in most automotive departments, worth its weight in gold if you ride around headlights.

[GuitarStv]

reflective tape on my bike . . . reflective ankle bands, reflectors on the wheels, reflective and hi-vis yellow jacket that I'm wearing, and reflective tape on my helmet . . .

You, sir, are a hero.  I love it when a cyclist takes his visibility seriously.

Seriously people, if you ride at night you need to have at least one roll of this stuff plastered on your kit.  $3.50 in most automotive departments, worth its weight in gold if you ride around headlights.

Not heroic, just survival adaptation.  I bike to work on the road in the dark at 6:00 am (often in snowstorms during the winter).

FWIW, I prefer the conspicuity tape that truckers use.  It's not much more expensive than that duck tape but seems significantly more reflective.  You have to be careful when applying it though, as it's a lot thicker and likes to curl up.

[BlueMR2]

Not heroic, just survival adaptation.  I bike to work on the road in the dark at 6:00 am (often in snowstorms during the winter).

I wish more people would take it seriously.  I'm a cyclist myself, so am always keeping a look out.  Yet a few years ago I nearly ran over a guy riding at night, in dark clothes, the same direction as me down the left tire path (where modern car headlights are aimed *away* from to avoid glare to oncoming traffic) of an unlit country road (with overhanging trees) on a moonless night, no lights or reflectors that I ever saw.  I missed him by inches after seeing him at the last second and nearly pitching the car sideways to avoid him.  I also missed going into the ditch by inches as well while dodging him.

[Thegoblinchief]

Reflective tape is probably my next bike related purchase. I bike 5 days a week at 5AM for my bike 365 days challenge.

[YK-Phil]

I commute by bike in Yellowknife where it is dark most of the winter. I need lights not so much to see than to be seen by drivers. I went with the cheapest USB-rechargeable blinking lights, two that clip on the handlebars, and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet. These were under $10 each at MEC, and I am very happy with this arrangement.

[sol]

and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet.

I'm not really a fan of rear red blinkies on helmets/backpacks instead of mounted to the bike itself.  Those red LEDs are very directional, and if it's pointed a little bit up or down you lose like 80% of the brightness by being off-axis.  If you mount to your seatpost or fender you can point it straight and make sure it stays that way.

Though I will say a front headlamp on your helmet, in addition to a mounted front light, is great for shining directly in the eyes of cars at cross streets.  I want them to know when I'm looking right at them.

[YK-Phil]

and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet.

I'm not really a fan of rear red blinkies on helmets/backpacks instead of mounted to the bike itself.  Those red LEDs are very directional, and if it's pointed a little bit up or down you lose like 80% of the brightness by being off-axis.  If you mount to your seatpost or fender you can point it straight and make sure it stays that way.

Though I will say a front headlamp on your helmet, in addition to a mounted front light, is great for shining directly in the eyes of cars at cross streets.  I want them to know when I'm looking right at them.

You are right, I also prefer a seat-post mounted light which I use in summer, but in winter when the temperature is between -25 and -40, I find the 15-20 extra seconds it takes to attach or remove the light from the metal post with bare hands can be very painful, especially when it is totally dark when I leave, and totally dark when I come back. I was thinking of clipping a bunch of blinking lights on the back and sides of my jacket, for that Christmas-tree effect, but I think I will try to find some of that reflective trucker tape someone mentioned above

[Thegoblinchief]

and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet.

I'm not really a fan of rear red blinkies on helmets/backpacks instead of mounted to the bike itself.  Those red LEDs are very directional, and if it's pointed a little bit up or down you lose like 80% of the brightness by being off-axis.  If you mount to your seatpost or fender you can point it straight and make sure it stays that way.

Though I will say a front headlamp on your helmet, in addition to a mounted front light, is great for shining directly in the eyes of cars at cross streets.  I want them to know when I'm looking right at them.

You are right, I also prefer a seat-post mounted light which I use in summer, but in winter when the temperature is between -25 and -40, I find the 15-20 extra seconds it takes to attach or remove the light from the metal post with bare hands can be very painful, especially when it is totally dark when I leave, and totally dark when I come back. I was thinking of clipping a bunch of blinking lights on the back and sides of my jacket, for that Christmas-tree effect, but I think I will try to find some of that reflective trucker tape someone mentioned above

An AAA battery powered model will last all winter on a single set of batteries. That way you aren't needing to pull the lights off to recharge.

[BlueMR2]

I commute by bike in Yellowknife where it is dark most of the winter. I need lights not so much to see than to be seen by drivers. I went with the cheapest USB-rechargeable blinking lights, two that clip on the handlebars, and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet. These were under $10 each at MEC, and I am very happy with this arrangement.

I've been researching lights again now.  As much as I'd like to go generator, they're too expensive.  Even the worst case of throwing a set of AAA batteries at the lights a couple times a year is cheaper for the expected life span of the lights!

[GuitarStv]

I commute by bike in Yellowknife where it is dark most of the winter. I need lights not so much to see than to be seen by drivers. I went with the cheapest USB-rechargeable blinking lights, two that clip on the handlebars, and a red at clipped at the back of my helmet. These were under $10 each at MEC, and I am very happy with this arrangement.

I've been researching lights again now.  As much as I'd like to go generator, they're too expensive.  Even the worst case of throwing a set of AAA batteries at the lights a couple times a year is cheaper for the expected life span of the lights!

I use rechargeable aa and aaa batteries.  Less waste, and they work pretty well.