Commuting - We are officially visible at night

Went for a ride tonight and there wasn't a car that passed that didn't slow down to 15 mph or less :D

Headlights adjusted incorrectly here :lol:

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/headlight4.jpg


It takes all the fun out of riding during the day.

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/headlight5.jpg

holy jeez. is that all powered off AA's?

very nice.

haha, no just the little taillights. Everything else is rechargeable battery pack.

gotta get me some bright lights like that and run 'em off my 7 pound lithium Ebike-motor battery. :love:

are you sure your not blinding drivers coming at you ??!!

nice set-up though !!!

Yeah, why is it that cyclists seem to think it OK to engage in behaviour that they cuss and swear at if engaged in by a car driver (who fails to dip their lights)?

You do know that by running lights like that you are putting other road users in danger? Sure, a driver will slow down to 15mph... and have their eyes so fixed on what moron is producing such blinding light that they run over the cyclist riding in front/to the side of them, or a pedestrian.

Just another reason for drivers to give cyclists the flick-off.

Do you run escorts for the fire department.
Hehe

They're slowing down to see what the hell you are, then speeding up.

Guaranteed if you do this regularly, the ones that get used to you and already know you're a cyclist will not slow down.

Wow. negative posters are negative.

AWESOME set-up! :thumb::thumb::thumb:


Wow. negative posters are negative. That's BF for you.

Don't..go..into..the..light!!

Cool running lights..you're giving the morons who constantly run with high beams on a run for their money :)

You do know that by running lights like that you are putting other road users in danger?


A typical automotive headlight is between 700 and 2100 lumens. HID automotive headlamps are between 2800 and 3500 lumens.

Nightrider Sol is rated at 115 lumens. So each bicycle was running 230 lumens. These bicycles are running lights at just over 1/10th the output of an automotive halogen high beam and less than 1/3rd the output of an automotive halogen low beam.

Yeah, why is it that cyclists seem to think it OK to engage in behaviour that they cuss and swear at if engaged in by a car driver (who fails to dip their lights)?

You do know that by running lights like that you are putting other road users in danger? Sure, a driver will slow down to 15mph... and have their eyes so fixed on what moron is producing such blinding light that they run over the cyclist riding in front/to the side of them, or a pedestrian.

Just another reason for drivers to give cyclists the flick-off.

shut yer mouf!

Wow! Just wow.

Good work.

What kind of taillights are those?

holy jeez. is that all powered off AA's?

very nice.

yes. 8000 of them.

The truth is out there.

I need that setup for the Roswell convention next year.

Words alone are inadequate to describe how truly impressed I am at that set up. :thumb:

Headlights adjusted incorrectly here :lol:




I'm guessing most of you didn't actually read this line?

It's almost enough.

Care to give us a tour?

I dunno, seems like you're missing something...

http://www.islayer.com/images/software/screenshots/ilovelamp.jpg

SPECS!!!! And Cost???? Specifically the NEON! SWEEET!

I need some headlights for my ride.... My PB Super Spot just isn't up to the challenge.... I got instructions from another member on some DIY lights..... Hmmmmm NEON......

I just realized.... I need more coffee, this isn't making much sense.

For Christmas, all you have to do is park your bikes out front of your house. ;)

SPECS!!!! And Cost???? Specifically the NEON! SWEEET!

I need some headlights for my ride.... My PB Super Spot just isn't up to the challenge.... I got instructions from another member on some DIY lights..... Hmmmmm NEON......

I just realized.... I need more coffee, this isn't making much sense.

x2 I WANT THAT LIGHT SETUP SPECS!

I know that each bike has at least two down low glows (http://www.rockthebike.com/lights/downlowglow) (both duals, from what I see).

Yeah, why is it that cyclists seem to think it OK to engage in behaviour that they cuss and swear at if engaged in by a car driver (who fails to dip their lights)?

You do know that by running lights like that you are putting other road users in danger? Sure, a driver will slow down to 15mph... and have their eyes so fixed on what moron is producing such blinding light that they run over the cyclist riding in front/to the side of them, or a pedestrian.

Just another reason for drivers to give cyclists the flick-off.

Your comment somehow doesn't fit with your sig... ;)

As I wrote in the original post, the headlights are not adjusted correctly. Pointed down, they are bright enough to see and be seen, but not blind anyone. As to calling me a moron, I can't really dispute that so I won't :D

The thing about these lights though is that they generate an unbelievable amount of bike cheer. Autos slow when passing to figure out what is going on, but when they figure it out, it's all smiles, laughs, waves, thumbs up etc. I've NEVER had a negative comment on the lights. The only negative about the lights is that they make riding during the day just plain boring. We fell safer riding at night as well. They definitely define your space, not only do autos slow way down, but they give a laughably wide berth.


Setup

Each bike has

2 dual tube down low glow 144x2 = 288
1 single tube down low glow 109
4 serfas TL 1000 taillights(discontinued) I got most of mine on closeout at $15 apiece = $60
2 niterider sol headlights I got mine on sale for $85 = $170

They all run on rechargeable battery packs except for the serfas taillights which take 4 AAA batteries(rated for 70 hours of run time)

Grand total is $627 per bike. We didn't do it all at once, just gradually kept adding until we got to this point.


Spendy? I know there's going to be some "that's way too expensive" comments. Worth every penny in our book. Especially if you like being the center of (good) attention at night :D


Concerning the Christmas comment.... There's no better way to ride around and view the lights :)

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/nov2007/xmasbikes3.jpg


They are fun on the 4th of July too...

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/fire4.jpg

They are fun on the 4th of July too...

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/fire4.jpg

This is a wicked cool pic!!!

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/fire4.jpg[/QUOTE]

sickness rating: 1.0E43.

Major props on the 4th of July photo!

I dunno, seems like you're missing something...

http://www.islayer.com/images/software/screenshots/ilovelamp.jpg

Yeah, they've got everything else. Those look great!

Thanks! Here is some orange :)

http://www.bikerubbish.com/rubbish/july2008/fire3.jpg

holy **** thats brite!!!

Cool! I will say that my bright headlight (can illuminate road in total darkness, to where you can see where you're going) is aimed not straight ahead, but at the ground about 10 ft ahead of me. I think that's still more courteous than straight ahead. I'm using an automotive tail light (made for a trailer add on) and a 12 volt rechargeable battery (made as a small auto jump starter). Are your florescent lights bike-specific, or made for automobile apps? Cheers on the bike lighting project. +1

Wow! That's great and thanks for sharing! Kinda makes my Bell headlight and taillight combo I got a Walmart today look like Snoopy!:D
Ernest

holy jeez. is that all powered off AA's?

very nice.

His may not be but it can be done. Even brighter and cheaper in fact, at least as far as the headlights are concerned. :)

haha I believe I've mentioned this twice so far in this thread but I will mention both again :)

1. The headlights are not positioned where they would be whilst riding. They are positioned that way for photo effect

2. Only the taillights are AAA battery powered. All other lights are rechargeable battery packs.

The neon lights are bike specific and you can get them here

http://www.rockthebike.com

Nice pics! Those down low glows look awesome!

I recently saw someone riding around a campground with their whole bike wrapped in coiled blue lights. Gotta get me some and start working night shift!

A typical automotive headlight is between 700 and 2100 lumens. HID automotive headlamps are between 2800 and 3500 lumens.

Nightrider Sol is rated at 115 lumens. So each bicycle was running 230 lumens. These bicycles are running lights at just over 1/10th the output of an automotive halogen high beam and less than 1/3rd the output of an automotive halogen low beam.

Those bike lights are brighter than above the bumper-height beam cutoff pattern of the low beams of any decent automotive headlight produced in the last twenty years.

http://www.skafia.com/itr/hid/full/cutoff.jpg

So, yeah, the complaint that you'll be blinding oncoming traffic -- if they're pointed straight ahead instead of down, that is -- is valid.

Still a kickass setup. ;)

So, yeah, the complaint that you'll be blinding oncoming traffic -- if they're pointed straight ahead instead of down, that is -- is valid.

Still a kickass setup. ;)
I agree with that. Too much light straight ahead can actually hurt you. Yeah, they see the light (literally! :roflmao2:) but the glare is so much that it can be difficult to gauge your distance, as well as potentially wash out their ability to see other cyclists/pedestrians who may be ahead of you. I ran a setup the other night w/ two lights down low, and one retina-scorcher pointed ahead. Couldn't really do much else with that light w/ a lockblock because of the weight. I tried to position it so that the light pattern from the three was dipped low on the left, but I could tell that just twitching the handlebars around could've easily sent the blinding spot right into oncoming traffic. So I'd probably keep that one off except for off-pavement or "alone on the road" time. ;)

Not that it matters on your bikes, it looks like the lights are pointed down, at least in the Christmas shots. Just a general observation. :)

And yes, kickass setup. :D

Yeah, why is it that cyclists seem to think it OK to engage in behaviour that they cuss and swear at if engaged in by a car driver (who fails to dip their lights)?

You do know that by running lights like that you are putting other road users in danger? Sure, a driver will slow down to 15mph... and have their eyes so fixed on what moron is producing such blinding light that they run over the cyclist riding in front/to the side of them, or a pedestrian.

Just another reason for drivers to give cyclists the flick-off.Feel free to post a link reporting an actual occurrence of this happening.:innocent:

x2 I WANT THAT LIGHT SETUP SPECS!

I believe your looking for this:

http://www.rockthebike.com/lights/downlowglow

Feel free to post a link reporting an actual occurrence of this happening.:innocent:

I don't need to. I comment from personal experience, and don't rely on the internet as my souce of information.

Unlike the fundamentalist cyclists (hi chephy!), I drive, too. The issues of glare from any road user is a significant one. I've been getting it cycling to work in the dark every morning in my winter as drivers pass without dipping their lights. It's worse in rain.

Of course, the issues become even worse on MUPs where cyclists with uber-powerful lights believe they have free reign to "light up their way". But the danger of glare from maladjusted lights (deliberate or otherwise) on bicycles is something I have experienced on more than several occasions.

I have ridden with various lighting set-ups, but have relied on the intelligent optical configuraton of European designs that require only a 3W globe to light my way and enable me to be seen by other road users without blinding them. I've used the old Cateye halogen lights, and currently use a simple 3LED light for commuting. All adequate, and I've never felt threatened or had an incident of any sort using all those set-ups.

By the way, I never referred to BAH as a moron. The description was used in a generic discussion of the merits of any cyclist with powerful lights. I appreciated, however, his humour, And I accept that he would take enough care to ensure the lights are adjusted to avoid blinding other road users. I hope that includes standing 50 metre away and looking at the lights as a car driver would?

And since when has it become fashionable to scream your posts in bold text at everyone?

Of course, the issues become even worse on MUPs where cyclists with uber-powerful lights believe they have free reign to "light up their way". But the danger of glare from maladjusted lights (deliberate or otherwise) on bicycles is something I have experienced on more than several occasions.

I dealt with that crap while getting back home after the 4th of July fireworks last summer. I was going to ride on the unlit, pitch-dark path that goes from the Iwo Jima memorial to the Memorial Bridge, and while being blinded by oncoming super-bright lights, I nearly goosed a pedestrian with my wheel -- even though I had my own 3-LED light turned on. I got off the bike and walked the rest of the way. Sometimes I was so blinded that I couldn't see the asphalt under my feet.

I'm not being sarcastic, either -- I wish I had video. It sucked.

Some say you are seen better at night than daytime cycling. In your case, I say yes. Night time riders beware more and more states are requiring that a night bikes must have front and rear lights. I have read of a couple arrests in Fla because cyclists were not lit. It was a 25 dollar civil infracation.

They definitely define your space, not only do autos slow way down, but they give a laughably wide berth.


Any reason why giving wide berth is not sufficient? I also have a very bright rear set up and have never experienced anyone slowing down on 55mph roads when there is sufficient room to pass to me. In my experience very bright lights do have the positive effect of inducing motorists to make their passing maneuver sooner rather than later which IMO is the desired effect. Drivers needlessly slowing down to 15 mph to pass on 55 mph roads would create a hazard for me.

Arrrrggghhhh.

I agree.