Do folks think the LED front and back lights in blinky mode are beneficial for clear daylight use, or a waste of batteries to be saved for when it gets dark or rainy?

I figure it can't hurt. They are on my bike now for the daylight commute as it is now storm season and I don't know when I may need it, which leads to, why not just turn them on anyway, at least in low power blinky mode. I have spares batteries handy.

What about reflectors? Do they do anything in the daylight? I wear an alertshirt, which is probably the brightest orange or lime-yellow I have ever seen.

Al

It definitely does not hurt, especially in low light areas such as tree covered roads or tunnels

This time of year (and at this latitude, 42 N), in late afternoon sun, it's common to move abruptly from bright sun to low-light areas as described above (add: "urban canyons", etc.). Esp. with a lot of drivers and cyclists wearing sunglasses in these conditions, and their eyes being unable to adjust to the abrupt changes in light level, bright stuff is helpful. These are conditions where daytime running lights on cars are helpful. Reflective gear isn't especially (there isn't really any "incident light" pointed at it), but lime green is like gold in these light conditions. As for the blinky, it depends on how bright it is. Given how little battery power they use, though, yeah, it can't hurt. I use my white front blinky as a sort-of DRL when I ride, for example, thru the Arboretum, which has a lot of "tree tunnels", mainly because I find I see cars with DRL's more readily in such places.

It definitely does not hurt, especially in low light areas such as tree covered roads or tunnels

Yes that is my thought. Unfortunately I have no tunnels or shade on my ride to give temporary shielding from the intense AZ sun.

It was kind of a silly question, of course they can only help (except more frequent battery changes). I do think its more help when overcast/grey than on a full sun day. Really the question should have been if others used lights for daylight.

Al

I use my lights all the time. I use nimh rechargables. I have an extra set that I have as a "hot spare" when my primary ones die. I plan on getting a Breezer bike sometime in the future that has the hub that continually charges when I ride. It never hurts to "be prepared" (BSA Motto).

:0)

I use my lights all the time. I use nimh rechargables. I have an extra set that I have as a "hot spare" when my primary ones die. I plan on getting a Breezer bike sometime in the future that has the hub that continually charges when I ride. It never hurts to "be prepared" (BSA Motto).

:0)

Yeah, I agree that one can not be overly visibile when riding in traffic.

I'd just love to hear the excuse of a driver that pulled in front of me saying 'but officer I didn't see him' while wearing a high visibility ANSI lime-yellow shirt and covered in flashing lights. I'd mainly love to hear it since it would mean I wasn't too badly hurt. ;)

By the way I keep mentioning these T-shirts since the two (one orange, one lime) I ordered arrived yesterday and I can not get over how bright they are. (The comment I got from a pedestrian while waiting at a light this morning was: "That shirt is so loud I could hear you coming from a mile away") They are also very comfortable. I understand the lime is more visible especially in 'difficult' low sun lighting, but got the orange too just for variety.

http://www.alertshirt.com/xhaletshirt1.html

Al

Yeah, I agree that one can not be overly visibile when riding in traffic.

I'd just love to hear the excuse of a driver that pulled in front of me saying 'but officer I didn't see him' while wearing a high visibility ANSI lime-yellow shirt and covered in flashing lights. I'd mainly love to hear it since it would mean I wasn't too badly hurt. ;)

By the way I keep mentioning these T-shirts since the two (one orange, one lime) I ordered arrived yesterday and I can not get over how bright they are. (The comment I got from a pedestrian while waiting at a light this morning was: "That shirt is so loud I could hear you coming from a mile away") They are also very comfortable. I understand the lime is more visible especially in 'difficult' low sun lighting, but got the orange too just for variety.

http://www.alertshirt.com/xhaletshirt1.html

AlHmmm I don't use the pocket on my jersey. Perhaps I should order some of those as they sound like they'd do they same job

Hmmm I don't use the pocket on my jersey. Perhaps I should order some of those as they sound like they'd do they same job

I do recommend them - they appear quality made - I also wanted a plain no pocket shirt. Keep in mind ground shipping was $8, but that still resulted in $12 per shirt total cost for two shirts (it would be even less per shirt if you order more than two). I'd call their toll free number if ordering as they were very friendly and that would get the order placed quicker (they don't seem to have a streamlined electronic ordering to shipping system)

Al

I always use a red rear light during the day, as my training route has several areas that are your typical Spanish Moss covered oak lined road.

I wear bright clothes and that combined with the Queensland sun pretty much gives me all the visibility I could need. Even police and ambulance sirens have a hard time being seen during the day around here (although they can be heard from a mile off). However, I've been known to turn on the flashing rear light when riding through long patches of really dense rainforest when it's overcast.

Rig up any 6V battery source (preferably rechargeable) to niterider's tail light. That thing is literally the brightness of those truck or bus tail lights, even in the day time.

Blinkies help in shade or tunnels, but are useless when in bright light. Reflectors might reflect the sun when it's low, but if the sun's blinding a motorist who's behind you, he won't see your front reflectors, and if the sun's blinding an oncoming motorist, he won't see your rear reflectors. Plus, they're designed for headlights, which you can't depend on people using during the day.

Bright lights in front and back, maybe even a xenon strobe (a powerful version of the blinkie) are your best bet for being noticed in the daytime, in addition to bright colors. A horn wouldn't hurt, too.

I'd just love to hear the excuse of a driver that pulled in front of me saying 'but officer I didn't see him' while wearing a high visibility ANSI lime-yellow shirt and covered in flashing lights. I'd mainly love to hear it since it would mean I wasn't too badly hurt. ;) Been there, done that, bought the hi-viz t-shirt. :) Three times, in recent memory. Most recently, last week, a 20-y-o coed in daddy's car, talking on her cell phone, right-hooked me. Told both me and the cop she "didn't see" me, even though she had obviously come from behind me in order to right-hook me. Hi-viz lime green construction vest with three Scotchlite strips over a hi-viz orange jersey, five-LED blinkie on seat. single-LED blinkie on helmet, reflectorized helmet, hi-viz lime green seat bag.

I always use it, doesn't hurt. Then too if someone does have an accident, you can say come on I had a blinky flashing, are you blind?

I always use it, doesn't hurt. Then too if someone does have an accident, you can say come on I had a blinky flashing, are you blind?

That's true, it's much easier having the long fat arm of the law on your side if you tilt the odds in your favor.
Asphalt colored pant and shirt, ok maybe they didn't see you. Annoyingly bright pants and shirts plus blinkers, well, something's gotta give.

Oh yea when you doing everything the laws says and more.. Theres no way they can blame it on you...

Been there, done that, bought the hi-viz t-shirt. :) Three times, in recent memory. Most recently, last week, a 20-y-o coed in daddy's car, talking on her cell phone, right-hooked me. Told both me and the cop she "didn't see" me, even though she had obviously come from behind me in order to right-hook me. Hi-viz lime green construction vest with three Scotchlite strips over a hi-viz orange jersey, five-LED blinkie on seat. single-LED blinkie on helmet, reflectorized helmet, hi-viz lime green seat bag.

Gads...Agreed. When dressed like you were, there should have been NO conversations with the cops. Who wants to be "dead right" or maimed.

I use my NiteRider system headlight in flashing mode during the day, and it DEFINITELY helps, cars STOP for me! Awesome! Next purchase is the NiteRider flashing red taillight, it's not cheap, but it's supposed to be daylight visible like a cop car light.

I use my NiteRider system headlight in flashing mode during the day, and it DEFINITELY helps, cars STOP for me! Awesome! Next purchase is the NiteRider flashing red taillight, it's not cheap, but it's supposed to be daylight visible like a cop car light.


Roughly how expensive are those Nite Rider front lights, the Flame Thrower looks pretty sweet!

GQ

Roughly how expensive are those Nite Rider front lights, the Flame Thrower looks pretty sweet!

GQ

I suppose you'd run through a $15 halogen bulb pretty quickly using it in that fashion. I'd recommend either one of performancebike's GEN3 10 watt equiv. LED's or the new 1000 candle power cateye LED. They both should offer the same "flash" as the niterider.

The flame thrower's a HID bulb that needs about a minute to warm up and about a minute to cool down before restarts, those don't flash. A cateye 3-LED white blinker is plenty visible during the day from my experience.

Or better yet, just save your money and get the niterider white (yes they used to make em in white) along with the red LED cluster lights. Rig it up front and back to a cheap 4-AA battery pack and you're good to go.