chas58

Cheap side lighting hack

Problem: Bikes are not very visible from the side at dark/dusk
Solution: Blinky light watter bottle.

I had a co worker tell me the other day how difficult it is to see my bicycle from the side in the dark or low light. I thought of putting little blinky lights aimed to the side, but that seemed like an odd solution.

Then thought – what about a glowing water bottle?

I hung a little LED blinky light from my water bottle cap, and voila, instant 360 degree strobe for my bike!

Light hung inside bottle cap (using twist tie);


Strobe bottle glowing on the bike:

randomgear

Fantastic idea! I hope you don't mind; I have to borrow it

Leebo

Get some red cat eye wheel lights, like $10.00. Nice for being seen, and the motion tells you that it is a wheel.

canklecat

Brilliant! I was just experimenting with camera flash through a disposable water bottle the other night and noticed how the entire bottle glowed, while also concentrating the projected beam of light in the direction of the flash.

This could really be useful for the sake of other cyclists, and pedestrians at night who don't have lights to illuminate reflectors. In my neighborhood lots of low income folks need bikes, wheelchairs and walkers to get around and can't afford lights, so anything cheap and functional is a good thing.

I'll give this a try. If I can get it working easily and cheaply enough using whatever lights I can scrounge from the dollar store I'll post some tutorial flyers around the neighborhood. Might be fun to see if other folks pick up on it.

Squeeze

Genius!

jfowler85

Or just use tires with a reflective sidewall stripe.

hyhuu

The glare would drive me nut. Any light would have to be in front or behind me.

chas58

Its not that simple, and that is the point. As was pointed out by drivers, my bike was not visible , even with SOLAS tape all over the bike. The bike is not visible unless there is a light source directly shining on the bike and the viewer is directly behind the light source.

ItsJustMe

I've never found those to be particularly effective. For one thing, reflective anything is great but it relies on being lit by the lights on the car that's approaching, and that's pretty good for front and rear, it clearly is not very effective for side lighting - you're only in the headlights of an approaching car that is actually a danger to you (IE is travelling towards you fast enough to hit you before you clear it) for a moment - I haven't done the math but I'd guess that the window of where an approaching car could see you in the headlights early enough to actually stop before they hit you would be very small.

Also, in my limited experience with Marathons with reflective sidewalls, the reflective bit gets so dirty that I can't effectively clean it off without rubbing it off the tire within a few months of buying the tires. The reflective sidewalls worked for maybe 2 or 3 months out of the 2 years I had those tires, then they were just covered with grime and brake dust and junk and when I tried to clean it, it wouldn't come clean unless I scrubbed it so hard that I was taking the reflective stuff off.

Outnumbered

Reflective ankle straps, Velcro on very reflective, ActHalle required By state law Section 11b and by the ANGB I work on. LEts people know it's a Bike by movement.

kickstart

They're available ready made for those less handy.

https://www.gofastandlight.com/Lightc...info/L-S-5-12/
Elite Candea Illuminated 650ml Bottle | Evans Cycles

canklecat

Excellent, thanks! I dug around some dollar stores for cheap LED lights today and didn't find what I was looking for - something to wrap in plastic and dunk inside an ordinary disposable water bottle. But I can find 'em online for cheap.

chefisaac

I buy $20 runner lights they use on trucks and thread it under my frame. Secured with a few zip ties, run it to my battery, and I have many different functions from 10 different colors, 4 different speeds, 4 different brightness selections, and I can make them blink different speeds as well. Best thing is that I have a small remote control too. It's sick!

I also have tires with sidewall tape along with tape on my spokes. Three pieces per spoke. With the runner lights, I am lit like a tree from every direction.

chas58

I have no idea what you are saying...

By the way, the bike in the picture above is covered in about six, 6"-12" long highly reflective 3M tape (the DOT and USCG approved). Can you find them? Didn't think so.

You need a strong light source behind the viewer to reflect light back; in that case the bike lights up like a Christmas tree. Without that, my bike is as dark as the photo above.

RidingMatthew

I would love to see a video clip of these lights Can you provide some more information?

noglider 

I use a SpokeLit in my rear wheel. I've gotten compliments and stares from it. I believe it does its job well. If I could figure out how to power it with my dynamo, I'd be even happier.

alan s 

700 lumen helmet-mounted headlight gets their attention every time, plus the same on the bars. It's powerful enough to stop any car. Add to that, reflective sidewall strips and two taillights (helmet/rack) with 180 visibility. I don't think a glowing water bottle would help out all that much. Plus, it would annoy the hell out of me.

tFUnK

Glowing water bottle is a brilliant idea!

nasabiker

I saw this post and used the idea the very next day, much better than reflective or hi-vis clothing on a midnight commute

CliffordK

Cute.

I have a bright headlight, and god taillights, and haven't worried a lot about the side.

However, I have some amber silicone lights I'll attach to the front of my trailer at times (on steady rather than blink)

jfowler85

If you're the one on the bike, how can you comment as to the effectiveness? Also, aren't we talking about road cycling here? Involving cars, with headlights, which are used in low light conditions? You haven't done the math...i.e. you're assuming.

Dirty sidewalls? Wipe it off, not that difficult.