Notices
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Looking to lose that spare tire? Ideal weight 200+? Frustrated being a large cyclist in a sport geared for the ultra-light? Learn about the bikes and parts that can take the abuse of a heavier cyclist, how to keep your body going while losing the weight, and get support from others who've been successful.

Aiming a Headlight

Old 02-14-08, 11:50 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Brazos Valley, TX
Posts: 7

Bikes: Looking

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Aiming a Headlight

I've had some problems,personal in nature, but I've just about got everything ready to begin riding my new LHT. Let's see...helmet-check...Astrale 8 computer-check...Planet Bike Superflash tail light-check...Dinotte 200L head light-check...Aerotech touring shorts-check. I've got everything installed, just one question. Where should I aim the Dinotte to maximize visibility while riding at night, but minimize its blinding effects to oncoming motorists, cyclists and pedestrians?
agcycler is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 01:05 AM
  #2  
Change=inevitable. ?=+/-
 
JosephPaul86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 295

Bikes: MTB, 700c commuter, BMX

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have a cat eye 3 led headlamp, project it centered at 20 feet or so in front of me. If there is no traffic and i need to see a little farther in a really dark area, i just tilt it up as it is easily adjusted.

Last edited by JosephPaul86; 02-15-08 at 11:49 PM.
JosephPaul86 is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 03:34 AM
  #3  
Senior Mumbler
 
steve2k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: England
Posts: 452

Bikes: Ridgeback Voyage (for touring and commuting), unknown beach cruiser (for smiling)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have a dual headlight and my ride home is dark tree lined country roads.

My headlight points about 15 feet in front of me, any closer and I find I don't have time to react if I see something. I have lots of pot holes and speed bumps to negotiate that I want to see as soon as possible.

I don't know if it's by design or not but there seems to be a beam of light that leaks out of the bottom of the light unit that seems to light the road a foot or so infront of me quite well and I find that quite handy too.

I'd really like to mount the light lower, ideally on a front rack, because I think that would give me better visibility, but as the evenings are becomming lighter now I probably won't get around to it.
steve2k is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 05:37 AM
  #4  
Bikezilla
 
Mazama's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Flori-Duh
Posts: 881

Bikes: Co-Motion Mazama

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I ride at night and I need to see what is coming up. I point my light about 50'. The downfall to that is I do miss little potholes that pop up in front of me.
Mazama is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 05:39 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 124
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
While on the subject of headlamps on bikes, I have a question for those that use the LED type. I use a four LED headlight and it has several settings I can choose from, steady, and blinking modes. I keep mine on the steady mode, which uses the battery power twice as fast, but I find that others with similar headlights that use the strobe or blinking mode very annoying when approaching from the opposite side of the road. I guess they are more noticeable, but I think they are distracting to other traffic on the road. I think it's fine and preferable for the tail lights to blink, but not the headlights.

I'm wondering what others think, and what mode they use, Strobe or steady light?
jakereed is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 10:08 AM
  #6  
Senior Mumbler
 
steve2k's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: England
Posts: 452

Bikes: Ridgeback Voyage (for touring and commuting), unknown beach cruiser (for smiling)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I've got steady headlights, but then a single LED blinkie on my helmet.
I agree I find those full power blinking led's distracting, especially as people who use them don't use them to see where they're going so they tend to be pointing higher to get them noticed (higher = in my eyes). At least this is true on my commute.
steve2k is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 12:10 PM
  #7  
JRA.
 
BikEthan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 505

Bikes: '07 IRO Mark V, '01 Cannondale Jekyll 3000, '07 Rivendell Atlantis

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I live in Boston and I generally leave my 4 LED light blinking. There is so much ambient light in the city that you really need something crazy bright to even be noticeable. Besides... I'd rather slightly annoy someone and have them know I'm there than not know I'm there.
BikEthan is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 12:54 PM
  #8  
Thread Killer
 
evblazer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Marfan Syndrome-Clyde-DFW, TX
Posts: 1,845

Bikes: Fuji Touring Xtracycle, Merlin Road, Bacchetta Giro 26 (Sold), Challenge Hurricane, Cruzbike Sofrider

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I aim my dinotte about 20' in front of my tire. That light allows me to see up close really well and further away ok. I then have a fenix LD2 on my helmet which allows me to highlight anywhere or extend the light field further forward or to the sides depending on the situation.
I think if it was my only light I'd have to point it a little further ahead to avoid overrunning it at speed with the potential loss of a little crack/pothole sneaking close to me.

I always leave them steady at night. One is blinking when it is light out or if I was somewhere that is completely lit up by steetlights like it was daylight.
evblazer is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 01:12 PM
  #9  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,274

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6147 Post(s)
Liked 4,092 Times in 2,325 Posts
Originally Posted by JosephPaul86
I have a cat eye 3 led headlamp, project it centered at 2 feet or so in front of me. If there is no traffic and i need to see a little farther in a really dark area, i just tilt it up as it is easily adjusted.
Heck, I don't even know what's 2 feet in front of me My lights are aimed about 20 to 40 feet ahead




This picture was taken with the camera mounted on the handlebar at the same point as the lights.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!



cyccommute is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 01:41 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Wogster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Toronto (again) Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,937

Bikes: Old Bike: 1975 Raleigh Delta, New Bike: 2004 Norco Bushpilot

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by jakereed
While on the subject of headlamps on bikes, I have a question for those that use the LED type. I use a four LED headlight and it has several settings I can choose from, steady, and blinking modes. I keep mine on the steady mode, which uses the battery power twice as fast, but I find that others with similar headlights that use the strobe or blinking mode very annoying when approaching from the opposite side of the road. I guess they are more noticeable, but I think they are distracting to other traffic on the road. I think it's fine and preferable for the tail lights to blink, but not the headlights.

I'm wondering what others think, and what mode they use, Strobe or steady light?
Blinking headlights are actually Illegal in some if not all jurisdictions, a blinking lamp should be amber in colour, with a steady white light beside it. In some jurisdictions, red blinking lamps are also illegal, which is why many European made cars have amber turn signals. However AFAICT nobody makes a flashing bicycle lamp in amber.
Wogster is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 01:46 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
bfromcolo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Monument, Colorado
Posts: 379
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
For commuting I have a home made 200 lumen LED light that I point about 20' in front of me, and I have another home made LED light on my helmet with about 150 lumen that I can point anywhere. Between them it has enough spill that I don't have much issue with road hazards and can see far enough ahead to feel comfortable going 15mph. The helmet light is nice to see where you plan to go versus where you are pointed. I also have a 10/15W Halogen I can kick on as needed, it adds a lot of light, but the run time isn't great, so its mostly at intersections or times when I am moving fast enough to outrun my LEDs or other situations where a little more light is useful.
bfromcolo is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 02:57 PM
  #12  
"I... am... speed...."
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Tomball, TX
Posts: 51
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cyccommute... Those headlights are awesome!!! what are they?
Colt45 is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 03:29 PM
  #13  
Sensible shoes.
 
CastIron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: St. Paul,MN
Posts: 8,798

Bikes: A few.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cycco has it right.

At 10MpH you're moving at ~15 feet per second. You optimally want two seconds warning plus stopping distance.

In urban situations where the light is primarily to be seen, I try to have the top of the beams center spot hit the license plates on the rear of a car at about 30 feet. That way they get enough to get their attention, but not be blinded unless they're on top of you. Good for getting plates, too.
__________________
Mike
Originally Posted by cedricbosch
It looks silly when you have quotes from other forum members in your signature. Nobody on this forum is that funny.
Originally Posted by cedricbosch
Why am I in your signature.
CastIron is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 04:49 PM
  #14  
Thread Killer
 
evblazer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Marfan Syndrome-Clyde-DFW, TX
Posts: 1,845

Bikes: Fuji Touring Xtracycle, Merlin Road, Bacchetta Giro 26 (Sold), Challenge Hurricane, Cruzbike Sofrider

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Wogsterca
Blinking headlights are actually Illegal in some if not all jurisdictions, a blinking lamp should be amber in colour, with a steady white light beside it. In some jurisdictions, red blinking lamps are also illegal, which is why many European made cars have amber turn signals. However AFAICT nobody makes a flashing bicycle lamp in amber.
Dinotte actually has a lithium and AA version in amber and a triple similar to their 600L. Plane bike also has some.
evblazer is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 05:13 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Wogster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Toronto (again) Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,937

Bikes: Old Bike: 1975 Raleigh Delta, New Bike: 2004 Norco Bushpilot

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by evblazer
Dinotte actually has a lithium and AA version in amber and a triple similar to their 600L. Plane bike also has some.
Are Dinotte components available in Canada? Never mind, I just checked their website, $170 for a tail light

I know some Planet Bike components are available here, just don't think that's one of them, because I would certainly add one, there is space on the other side of the rack for a second light Thinking of redoing the rear light mount anyway., a couple of pieces of flat AL would work nicely.....
Wogster is offline  
Old 02-15-08, 05:55 PM
  #16  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,274

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6147 Post(s)
Liked 4,092 Times in 2,325 Posts
Originally Posted by Colt45
Cyccommute... Those headlights are awesome!!! what are they?
These.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!



cyccommute is offline  
Old 02-16-08, 06:01 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Posts: 1,556
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Liked 597 Times in 105 Posts
Back to the original question. The nice thing about aiming the Dinotte is that it's easy to adjust while riding. Get on and ride, and nudge it up or down until you get it where you want it. Not like a lot of other headlights where you need a screwdriver to aim it.
hammond9705 is offline  
Old 02-16-08, 10:41 AM
  #18  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,274

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6147 Post(s)
Liked 4,092 Times in 2,325 Posts
Originally Posted by hammond9705
Back to the original question. The nice thing about aiming the Dinotte is that it's easy to adjust while riding. Get on and ride, and nudge it up or down until you get it where you want it. Not like a lot of other headlights where you need a screwdriver to aim it.
Most every thing I've run across recently has a camlock or some other quick release on the mount. Very few light systems still use a screwed on mount. I'm not sure I'd like a light mount that is easy to move with a nudge. Once set, I want my lights to be rock steady.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!



cyccommute is offline  
Old 02-16-08, 11:09 AM
  #19  
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NM
Posts: 26

Bikes: (RB)-Klein Quantum (MB)-GT Zaskar

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Wogsterca
Blinking headlights are actually Illegal in some if not all jurisdictions, a blinking lamp should be amber in colour, with a steady white light beside it. In some jurisdictions, red blinking lamps are also illegal, which is why many European made cars have amber turn signals. However AFAICT nobody makes a flashing bicycle lamp in amber.
In New Mexico, anything that blinks is considered a good aiming point for drunks behind the wheel so they can feel like they are driving straight.

I have two older nightrider singles that I rigged up with a lithium polymer packs that weigh in at 9oz each. One is strapped to my helmet and the other is mounted on the bars with the light out about 30-40 feet.
praetor is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.