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Old 02-09-12, 06:11 AM
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rekmeyata
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Originally Posted by SweetLou
I've been wondering about the modern bright taillights and how effective they are. It seems like the idea is to get a very bright LED. This seems to make a small bright point of light.

The idea behind taillights is for others to see you, not for you to see. Wouldn't a bigger surface area be better than the single bright point of light? I was out riding the other night and noticed that car taillights are not bright, but they have a much larger surface area to light up. The car taillights are easily seen at a wide angle. I have seen many bicycle taillights that are quite dim just a few degrees off of center.

I'm starting to think that the brightness of the light doesn't matter, that the surface area and viewable angle are more important. Of course, too dim of a light and the surface area wouldn't matter.

Does anyone know of any research done on this?
Research? We don't need no stinkin research. All one has to do is look at tail lights and you can see with your own two eyes all the research you need.

Obviously the idea behind tail lights is for others to see you and not for you to see, I can't remember the last time I saw someone driving in reverse down a street at night using only their tail lights to see by!!

And it's very true that the bigger surface area of tail lights on cars, and their headlights, show up better to the observer then small puny bicycle lights. So we have to make up for the lack of size by finding ways to attracted attention to us. That's why on my bike I currently use the Blackburn Mars 4 2 watt led with amber side lighting as my main light attached to my seat tube, that light I leave on steady because I think there is a slight advantage of the steady light aiding the observer with distance relationship better then flashing. BUT I combine that Mars 4 with Soma Road Flare bar end lights and a Cateye LD600 on the helmet, and those flash because I also know that flashing attracts attention, not to mention saves batteries.

With the flashing attracting attention idea in your mind I do the same with the headlight system. The main light for me is a Cygolite MityCross 480 (lumens), this light remains on steady of course, it can flash but there's no point to that if you want to see at night with it, it could be useful on foggy or rainy days though. Then I added an old Vistalite Xenon flasher that has an amber lens to the front under the headlight so that the flashing will attract attention. I also added a older BLT 100 lumen helmet light to use as way of aiming the light into the eyes of drivers in their cars, and to project a flood light on the ground and to see street signs with.

Brightness of the light does matter especially if your using only one light, but how bright do you need to be in the rear? I don't buy into buying the most expensive tail light you can find business. I think if you get one significant bright light like the Blackburn Mars 4, or the Cygolite HotShot, or even the Light & Motion Vis 180 as your main light initially (if money is an problem you can buy lights in steps); then add the Soma Road Flare bar end lights which are the brightest bar end lights on the market, so bright they show up in the daylight as does the 3 lights I mentioned; then add a helmet tail light. With multiple tail lights you almost make up for the lack of size, then add flashing into the equation and you will get noticed pretty fast.

The Blackburn Mars 4 and the Light & Motion Vis 180 both have separate led's on the sides that light up amber lens, the Cygolite does not but it's more focused the the others and has a brighter appearance from the rear. However I tend to lean toward having some side lighting so that's why I have the Mars 4. Also my Cateye LD600 when mounted vertically has extremely good side lighting, as does the Soma Flares to a bit of lessor degree but highly noticeable from the side. Combine the rear lights very effective side illumination with the Vistalite front amber flasher that can also be seen readily from the side a person would have to be blind not to see me approaching from my side.

Also you can combine the lights with reflectors, but I'm not real big on them due to the fact their passive and the headlights have to be shining directly into the reflector to be effective. Still though I wear reflective clothing, reflective leg bands, reflective band on the seat bag, and reflective tape on the helmet; but I do not use any reflectors on the pedals or on the bike or wheels. Not saying you shouldn't go crazy with reflectors, just saying I don't. I rely on my lights to make me visible.
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