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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Heck, I don't even know what's 2 feet in front of me;) My lights are aimed about 20 to 40 feet ahead


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...e/IMG_1082.jpg

This picture was taken with the camera mounted on the handlebar at the same point as the lights.

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.

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.

Cyccommute... Those headlights are awesome!!! what are they?

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.

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:eek:

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:D Thinking of redoing the rear light mount anyway., a couple of pieces of flat AL would work nicely.....

These.

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.

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.