Northern California - Any NorCal night riders?

I have been testing some led and halogen lighting systems that my lbs stocks and I am finding I really enjoy riding at night. Anyone else here ride at night for fun? How about what kind of lights you use for night riding or commuting. So far I have used niterider and light and motion products for front lighting and planet bike for rear lighting. Would love to hear what some of you have used.

Last time I rode my bike at night I got hit by a car remember? On the Evil Giant. Ohhhhhhh I can still feel the broken ribs.......

you were insufficiently lit...I am the master of BEING SEEN AND BEING AVOIDED!

What, do you borrow Jon's pink tights and rainbow socks when you ride at nite?

I wore that stuff back in the eighties when I taught aerobics. Too old for pink now....Neon Green and yellow? Bring em on!

I use a NiteRider up front and a Cateye TL-LD1000 and 2 Planetbike Superflashes out back. I have reflective shoes and hi vis clothing. I feel I am more visible at night than in the daylight.

you were insufficiently lit...I am the master of BEING SEEN AND BEING AVOIDED!
What a bunch of BS. You can look like a Christmas tree and still get hit if a driver has their had up their ass, and doesn't pay attention. Which is why I got hit. Freaken lady would have hit an elephant.

look up the phrase "tongue in cheek".....and btw, I am sorry you got hit.

I am a commuter but have ridden for recreation at night as well. I bought the Cygolite Dual Cross (Li-ion) from pricepoint. The light is awesome and the batt is small and lasts >3 hours on the brightest setting.

Try the American River bike trail at night. You might want a small helmet light too if you're really flying around the tighter turns. My rear light is a cheapo, but its bright.

There are sections of the American River Bike Trail that I don't mind avoiding during the day, especially closer to Sacramento...but up around Folsom I bet that is a cool ride at night! I've heard good things about the Cygolite Dual Cross. Is that a LED or a halogen?

Its an LED. 4 brightness settings and 4 flash mode settings. You'll hear arguments for halogen vs LED but this thing is BRIGHT in total darkness, which is my usual commute. The city lights will wash it out a lot though.

look up the phrase "tongue in cheek".....and btw, I am sorry you got hit.
Sorry kind of a touchy subject with me, plus Internet is a poor medium for getting "tongue and cheek" comments across.

no problem at all. I never try to offend people and you are right about the internet and it's shortcomings...

We use a light and motion HID at front and cateye double row in the back. Out in the conutry near Fesno where we ride, it is safer to ride at night almost always except on Friday and Saturday nigths. Car drivers can not miss us and they give us a lot more room while passing.

I've used the Light and Motion Solo halogen and was astonished at the brightness...I imagine the hid is really unbelievable.

I don't like the way modern halogens and LEDs look on my vintage bikes, so I use the headlight from a '80s Union dynamo set -- the nicely faceted one -- with a krypton bulb, powered by a rechargeable 6V, 4.5A/h sealed battery, and an LED tail light. I've owned motorcycles that didn't light up the road as well, and the Union lamp looks at home on my old crocks.

no problem at all. I never try to offend people and you are right about the internet and it's shortcomings...


I don't think you can really offend anyone even if you tried really hard. But stay away from the subject of us who get hit by cars at nite!! (I got your back Umney...;) )

gotta get that light so I can ride at night....this NR led is just inadequate...

I commute at night and run the following lights:

3W DiNotte LED on my helmet
5W DiNotte LED on the handlebars
Cateye 3LED, 3 AAA blinkie on the handlebars
PlanetBike Superflash 0.5W mounted above the chainstays
Blackburn Mars 3.0 mounted on my saddlebag
Performance Bike 5 LED mounted on my Chrome Metropolis messenger bag

And I commute on a Trek 5200. I look like a Christmas tree at night. I just have a 6 mile ride from Sunnyvale to downtown Mountain View, it usually takes me about 25 minutes. I actually feel safer riding at night than during the day.

Our club has a Wednesday night dinner ride. Lights range from a feeble 3 LED light to my 50 watt MR16. The weak light riders are kept bracketed by riders with better lights. With a long line of lights wobbling, blinking and strobing up the road we do OK. My tail-light is so painfully bright I normally keep up the rear.

I've been riding to Davis from Natomas (19 miles each way) and when I leave in the morning it's pitch black out. I use a Light & Motion Vega - 4W single LED up front. The thing is incredible! Lots of 3M adhesive reflective tape on the frame and a bright 1W red strobe LED on the rear.

I looked hard at the Vega due to the lack of wires and a separate battery...you say it works well for you?

My commuting setup is as follows.

5W led (cateye HL-EL220) runs on 4AA (60 hour max) - back up basically, and be seen light.
Main light is a 20W halogen MR16 bulb, run off a 60Whour NiMH batterpack.

In the rear I have a 12V Amber strobe.

SharpT

I looked hard at the Vega due to the lack of wires and a separate battery...you say it works well for you?

Yup. I don't even use the brightest setting - it's overkill in pitch black. Pretty tough to beat for the price. It's been problem free for me since I got it.

Check out some reviews: http://mtbr.com/reviews/Lights/product_124612.shtml