Richard Cranium

Ok- so Dick Cranium has decided show you his lights. Here's your chance to waste six minutes of your life.

The video explains how I put together an "ultimate" light system for urban use and why I setup the light in the positions and mountings they use.

If nothing else this thread should serve as a place to exchange tips about how to be seen and get noticed while riding in urban settings.

Here is a link to the video.

Garfield Cat

Do you wear any reflective material??

CaptCarrot

I'll get me spaghetti fork

Richard Cranium

Not especially - just neon yellow - never depend on reflective stuff - it won't work in the situations I'm encountering. You have to have something weird - something that makes drivers take notice - regular head lights by themselves won't work - you have to a flasher at the driver.

The only other thing i've tried is having a flasher "bounce' off my neon yellow jacket by aiming backwards at me - this works as well. But why annoy yourself?

Richard Cranium

One other thing - these side lights bounce off curbs and cars along my path - and I guarantee - you will be noticed a lot more when you enter a busy intersection.

Again - this was intended to stay alive during night commuting or urban riding......

Richard Cranium

PLUS - I think i was pretty cool to see that i could use a stem to mount side-pointing lights.....

Or - else maybe a dick head. One or the other......

pick

I love it!! I have a "large" system planned for my trike...just waiting for my retro workers comp $$ to throw at the lighting. The side flashers are, in my thinking, mandatory. My system will have 10 lights total - but, I am on a 'bent trike and looking primarily to "be seen" in the hour or so before sunrise, during the day and during twilight/early evening in heavy to moderate traffic in an urban to rural setting with no bike lanes and little to no shoulders- so, "see lights" not so much a deal. Thanks for sharing your had on hand system, I appreciate your postings!

colleen c

Good lord, and I thought I was the only one over doing with my lights

One question: Have you had any issue with LEO beacuse of the red stem mounted lights? I know here in CA we are not allow a forward facing mounted red light. Heaving one on the stem sideways might be borderline here in Ca.

pdlamb

Hey Richard, you need to get a dynamo hub and a Supernova E3 Triple. You've left the fork crown open -- there's still more room to put another light!

no motor?

How about a video of you riding with all the lights on? I think that would be interesting too.

Richard Cranium

Hey the main thing here - is that - not until I put flashers aimed sideways did i get real attention at urban intersections.

Anyone - and everyone should consider $20 flashers on each fork tube - but aimed sideways - or whatever you can come up with.

The red MS tail lights is aimed down 45 degrees, and not particularly visible from the front. The main deal is the "bounce" I get off the curbs and cars.

I'm using this on city streets that congested with traffic in all directions. This is the first setup i feel get attention - even when in front of other cars or mixed in with cars approaching from side street.

I don't know what the "law" should say - I think white flashers are necessary attention grabber - and the way I am using a red flasher is not confusing anyone.

The real beauty of my setup - is how I can control it without dismounting - so when I go on my long all night rides -this will serve as battery savers or in-town running lights - I can even change or turn off my tail lights without dismounting.