Originally Posted by
PartsMan
When I ride to work most of my co workers pass me.
They are not impressed with my Serfas seat stay light.
It is very bright but directional and so tiny that it is hard to recognize.
They can see an orange vest long before my light.
I am tempted to buy a trailer light and put a good headlight inside for a bulb.
It's not about size, or even power. It's about standing out in visual clutter. I bolster my lighting system with a lighted leg band or blinky tied behind my ankle. Pedaling has the light going up and down, mimicking the motion of someone waving a light at an accident scene.
Whatever you decide, do a contrast test. Park a car with lights on, then walk back about 30-50 yards and have someone hold your bike there. Now walk back 100yards and look at your bike and decide if it's visible enough. BTW- there's too much red out there, so I prefer to use amber lighting when I can find it.