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How to light the whole helmet?

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Old 01-26-07 | 08:59 PM
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Originally Posted by 2manybikes
Edit post: Bingo. - all kinds of things, take a look https://www.polybrite.com/products.html

Because of the uniform width, Bailey's collar would probably work better.

Edited: Wow Visability up to 1 mile! Not too shabby. Right now from the front, they don't seem to see strobes, headlights, and 3-M. So maybe if one works, I'll buy a 2nd and slide the widest parts @about a 45Degree angle.

Last edited by vrkelley; 01-26-07 at 10:05 PM.
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Old 01-26-07 | 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by vrkelley
Somebody already posted...that's him in the yellow!
Wait till I get my hands on you...
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Old 01-26-07 | 10:00 PM
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Yeah and you haven't had any crash-encounters" with cagers lately...so it looks like the suit works.
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Old 01-26-07 | 10:43 PM
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Took me a while to figure out an approach. First make a clear plastic bike helmet. Coat it with a thin layer of waterproof phosphors. Liberally attach UV emitting LEDs inside the helmet pointing outward. (no need to sunburn your scalp) Wait for night and power up the LEDs. Presto, glowing helmet.

OR: Cover the helmet with Tritium powered night-lights.

OR: Use black-light paint on the helmet and have one of those stealthed Black Helicopters follow you with a UV spotlight.

OR: Have a Neon sign artist build a neon tube cover for your helmet and plub into a power supply in a pannier.

OR: In the old days you could use the radium paint once used on watch dials.

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Old 01-27-07 | 09:59 AM
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Clearly by reading other posts in this forum, helmet mfgs just aren't keeping up with the commuter needs. I would have guessed by now we'd see Ken's clear lid with the LEDs or tubing under the cover, some traffic sound proofing/warmth over the ears along with vents that close for waterproofing. For winter, some helments have one feature but not all.

After another near miss right-hook last night with merging truck, the strobes + headlight are getting lost in a sea of car lights. On upward hills are another problem. They're not seeing the helmet reflectant and a single forward facing light probably won't fix it.
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Old 01-27-07 | 10:15 AM
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My fullface does wonders for insulation and sound. I wonder if proximity alarms will be installed in cars as they get even more soundproof, they won't be able to hear, traffic cop whistles, horns, bells, or the horrific screams of cyclists being squeezed out. Would a fully lit helmet mess with night vision the same way as having the dome light in the car does?
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Old 01-27-07 | 11:06 AM
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I think a marine safety strobe, zip tied to a helmet, (better yet, mounted off the top like a gladiator helmet's crest, would provide a LOT of traffic visibility.

It might make riding feel like you're on the dance floor in the seventies, when the strobes came on....
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Old 01-27-07 | 03:24 PM
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Originally Posted by vrkelley
After yesterday's screaming near miss, I'm seeking a helmet that lights when you put it on...the whole helmet, all the way around.
Hi VR. Sorry to hear about your near miss. Glad it was a miss.
Have you thought about putting a few Planet Bike Blinky 3H blinkies on the back and sides?
Not the cheapest solution but cheaper than a visit to the ER.
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Old 01-28-07 | 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by vrkelley
Because of the uniform width, Bailey's collar would probably work better.

Edited: Wow Visability up to 1 mile! Not too shabby. Right now from the front, they don't seem to see strobes, headlights, and 3-M. So maybe if one works, I'll buy a 2nd and slide the widest parts @about a 45Degree angle.
When you say "the front" do you mean a car coming at you from the other direction?

If that's what you mean, a good powerfull HID light is thousands of times easier for a car to see than any LED blinkers or even LED headlights. It's easier to see than a car headlight, the wide beam pattern is unique. There is nothing available on the market today that will be as visible to a driver, nothing remotely bike related or smalll enough to go on a bike. And the view from an angle less than, say 90-80 degrees is better than any LED blinkers in the world. When you get to 90 degrees the bulb on some HID's are hidden and some are visible, but the ground and everything in front of the bike is lit up like a car headlight, that's very easy to see. The wide beam of the HID lights up things higher up, like a sign, post, house, etc, than a car light. Lotsa $$$ yes.

There is a strap just like Bailey's on the way to the bike shop now.
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Old 01-28-07 | 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by TRaffic Jammer
Would a fully lit helmet mess with night vision the same way as having the dome light in the car does?
Good point. 3 flashing Bike Planets LEDs on the front and a couple on the back might be pretty distracting for the rider.
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Old 01-29-07 | 10:41 PM
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OK I'm ordering some fiber optic lace for the project. Amber LEDs are not readily visiable in traffic or so I'm told. So that leaves these colors. Red is still legal in this state but may cause confusion.

The point is to wake up the R and L hook drivers to the bike that immediately in it's path. So it should be visible on the helmet from about 40' Which FO lace would work the best?

Each lace is 36" and waterproof/durable. This stuff should easily attach to a helmet. I will probably add a front and back facing light to the helmet also.

Edited: removed pictures...when the Bailey LEDs and the FO lace comes in, I will post on Totally Geekiness

Last edited by vrkelley; 01-30-07 at 01:05 AM.
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Old 01-30-07 | 08:13 AM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by vrkelley
OK I'm ordering some fiber optic lace for the project. Amber LEDs are not readily visiable in traffic or so I'm told. So that leaves these colors. Red is still legal in this state but may cause confusion.

The point is to wake up the R and L hook drivers to the bike that immediately in it's path. So it should be visible on the helmet from about 40' Which FO lace would work the best?

Each lace is 36" and waterproof/durable. This stuff should easily attach to a helmet. I will probably add a front and back facing light to the helmet also.

Edited: removed pictures...when the Bailey LEDs and the FO lace comes in, I will post on Totally Geekiness
I'm thinking that's going to require a video of you riding in traffic.
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Old 01-30-07 | 02:25 PM
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Bikes: 1992 Miyata Nine 14; 1971 Raleigh Super Course fixie conversion; 2006 Jamis Nova (853 version); 2001 Diamondback Topanga (SS conversion); 1956 Rudge Sports; 1971 Raleigh Competition (processing); 199? Schwinn World Sport (processing)

here you go:

https://ecom1.planetbike.com/3030.html

buy a bunch and glue to your heart's content

many possibilities here:

https://www.niteize.com/category.php?category_id=26


general discussions and instructions for making light-emitting textiles and wearables, see here in general, (the story is an example):

https://www.makezine.com/blog/archive..._garments.html
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Old 01-30-07 | 02:29 PM
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Bikes: 1992 Miyata Nine 14; 1971 Raleigh Super Course fixie conversion; 2006 Jamis Nova (853 version); 2001 Diamondback Topanga (SS conversion); 1956 Rudge Sports; 1971 Raleigh Competition (processing); 199? Schwinn World Sport (processing)

this one in particular would solve your probs, I believe:

le stuff
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Old 01-30-07 | 08:42 PM
  #65  
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Wish I would have waited another day or too...this stuff looks perfect.


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