Originally Posted by
fredgarvin7
If you're like me and have a lotta bikes, buying lights for 'em gets expensive. I have 5, many of which see little night riding. But ya HATE to find yuorself in the dark with no lights. Most bike lights are overpriced simply BECAUSE they're bike lights. You may not have access to the same stuff as me, for the same price but here's how I cheaped out on my dilema.
First off, I use dollars store cable locks on most of my bikes. I'm not trying to stop a pro, which I think is problematic in any case, I just want to stop a kid or derelict from grabbing my bike because it's unlocked and easy to steal. Most folks of this type just SEE the lock on it and that's enuff. Ok I'm getting to lites... The cable locks I buy have a device that lets you attach the lock to the bike. I never use this, prefering to just wrap it around the bike and lock it on. BUT.... said device is easily attachable to the bike and sports a device to hold the fat, lock-bearing end of a cable lock. I attach this to the handle bars with the screw & nut and then put my lite in the lock holder. The lite I use is purchased from a Family Dollar store for $2. It is a cartridge-style flash lite about 2 1/2 inches long and an inch in diameter. This slides into the lock holder side of the device, which I've mounted to the handle bar. It has NINE leds. I do this on both sides of the bar. In the middle of the bar, I have a hocky puck-shaped, 3 led touch lite, like the ones seen on TV for sticking in a closet. I use an old front or rear reflector mount which I glue the lite to and mount it in the middle, btwn the other lites. This is my running lite, mainly for ME to be seen. Costs a whole buck. Thus for about $5, I have 21 leds lighting frontwards! Want a tail light? I take an led lite and cover the lens with a red/clear round piece of plastic I cut out of one of my wife's pill bottles. It's the right color and is still very brite. Fully lit bike: Cost $6. Like I said it might not be useful to everyone, but it's great when you can beat the high cost of bike lighting. You KNOW they're ripping us off when a guy paying RETAIL prices can get the basic components of a lite set so cheap!
You
do get what you pay for. I doubt that your dollar store lights are all that bright. They might compete with some of the cheaper low intensity lights like the Planet Bike Blaze. But more expensive lights go beyond simple finder lights*. They actually light the road and signal drivers where you are. If you ride in an urban environment, don't forget that you have to compete with thousands of light sources. A weak light gets lost easily. Which would you rather ride with? This
or this
Originally Posted by
fredgarvin7
So I shouldn't have posted? My system has the advantage of being permanently mounted. Just jump on the bike & Go. Where the heck do you buy extra mounting kits anyway? Never seen one for sale.
Nope, I don't think Datajunkie was telling you not to post. He was thinking you were asking about lights on multiple bikes. The best way to address that question is to have one light that can be easily swapped from bike to bike. Even with dollar store lights.
*Finder light: A light that lets EMS find you under a car more easily