View Poll Results: What sort of lighting scheme do you use?
Light on bars/forks/somewhere on my bike



109
90.08%
Headlamp/mounted on my person



25
20.66%
Other



5
4.13%
I'm a ninja



5
4.13%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 121. You may not vote on this poll
Lighting Scheme Poll
#5
.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,981
Likes: 0
From: Hillsboro, Oregon
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Comp, Soma ES
This has been enough for me at speeds up to 20mph. Blackburn X2. Handlebar mounted. Seems to be fine. Lasts up to 3.5 hours so good both to and from work.
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Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
Demented internet tail wagging imbicile.
#6
Needing more power Scotty
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 588
Likes: 1
From: Northern New England (USA)
Bikes: 2006 Trek T-80 (commuter) 1982 Bianchi SS (classic 12 speed)
Other?
During the summer day-time Planet Bike Blaze up front w/ Superflash rear.
I have a foul weather-winter bike. I am building a Lumotec IQ-Fly internal hub headlight, with B&M tail-light, Reel lights, Pedalites, and PB Superflash taillight on blink-mode.
Basically my goal this winter is to be lit-up like a Christmas tree during the dark.
During the summer day-time Planet Bike Blaze up front w/ Superflash rear.
I have a foul weather-winter bike. I am building a Lumotec IQ-Fly internal hub headlight, with B&M tail-light, Reel lights, Pedalites, and PB Superflash taillight on blink-mode.
Basically my goal this winter is to be lit-up like a Christmas tree during the dark.
#7
Guess I'm in the "other" group. I've got two Coast L.E.D. flashlights on my handlebars. A Cateye EL 430 on my helmet that I keep set on flash, so that I can point it any direction needed to catch the attention of inattentive drivers. Out back I've got a Mars 2.0 on the seat post and a PBSF mounted to each rear strut. I also have one of those light-up bands (meant to be worn on the wrist or ankle) mounted laterally on the back of my backpack and a cheap blinkie worn on a D-ring on the front strap. Probably overkill...But better overkill than roadkill.
#10
Arizona Dessert

Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 15,029
Likes: 2,170
From: AZ
Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex
#11
Software for Cyclists

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,618
Likes: 0
From: Redding, California
Bikes: Trek 5200, Specialized MTB
DiNotte 600L mounted on the helmet.
I like being able to aim the beam wherever I want it...especially when I see drivers zooming in from side streets.
I tried it mounted on the bars and it worked more or less OK, but I guess I have too many "control issues" and prefer the helmet mount.
I like being able to aim the beam wherever I want it...especially when I see drivers zooming in from side streets.
I tried it mounted on the bars and it worked more or less OK, but I guess I have too many "control issues" and prefer the helmet mount.
#15
Banned.
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,761
Likes: 3
From: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Bikes: 84 Trek 660 Suntour Superbe; 87 Giant Rincon Shimano XT; 07 Mercian Vincitore Campy Veloce
That's a screwy poll. How many of us use both, lights on the bar and on the body? I ride at night with my main light on the bar and a secondary light on my helmet. And that doesn't include the front flasher mounted to the stem.
Since the poll was only about front I assume, then no need to go into the rear lights.
Since the poll was only about front I assume, then no need to go into the rear lights.
#17
Velocommuter Commando
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,683
Likes: 38
From: Houston, Texas
Bikes: '88 Specialized Sirrus, '89 Alpine Monitor Pass, two '70 Raligh Twenties, '07 Schwinn Town & Country Trike, '07 Specialized Sirrus Hybrid
I have a Niterider Digital Evolution mounted on the bars and a cheapy LED headlight on my helmet that is a "be seen" light and cyclocomputer light. Oh and a Cateye Blinky on my hydraton pack handles rear gaurd duty.
Last edited by Sirrus Rider; 09-05-08 at 08:38 AM.
#20
Mad bike riding scientist




Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 29,155
Likes: 6,212
From: Denver, CO
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
All of the above. Two on the bars and one on the helmet...with provisions to mount a third one on the bars but that would be silly

All three of the lamps have the same output -1550 lumens - but I consider the helmet lamp to be the primary lamp. It goes where I point it and is far more useful than the bar lamps.
Daytime

The lower profile lamp on the bars has been swapped to the helmet.
Nighttime

Doesn't include the helmet and Camelbak mounted flashers
Lamp detail



All three of the lamps have the same output -1550 lumens - but I consider the helmet lamp to be the primary lamp. It goes where I point it and is far more useful than the bar lamps.
Daytime

The lower profile lamp on the bars has been swapped to the helmet.
Nighttime

Doesn't include the helmet and Camelbak mounted flashers
Lamp detail

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Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Dreamin' of Bemidji Down the Mississippi (in part)
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#22
He specializes in homebrew overvolted halogen
A lot of bang for the buck, as long as the bulbs haven't gone *POW* yet.
As for the poll, my usage varies. The bike itself must have a headlight to be street-legal for nighttime use, so I always have a bike-mounted headlight, which is the DiNotte 600L. I also have a Fenix L2D Q5 which I might use as a second bike-mounted light, or helmet-mounted (particularly off-road). Recently I also attached a weentsy keychain LED light to the visor of my helmet to illuminate my computer and HRM, since it's getting dark during my homeward commute now.
As for the rear... I have two commuting bikes. I attached a pic of the one I've been using more lately, an old 1982 Trek road bike. The other is my winter bike featuring the infamous Nova BULL emergency-vehicle strobe, plus more reflective surface than you can shake a tire lever at
With either commuting bike, I also wear an ANSI Class II reflective vest (fluorescent lime + AD OmniBrite reflective tape) and often clip another BRT-5 or SuperFlash to the rear of my helmet. And reflective legbands. And often a lighted Planet Bike BRT-STRAP legband. Did I mention that a guy actually stopped his truck, got out, waved me down, and went on and on in praise of my lighting setup the other day...?
Incidentally, if you look closely at the attached pic, you'll notice something on the side of the bike's head tube. That's the DiNotte 600L mount, mounted to the frame rather than the bars (the 600L is not mounted in that photo). It's much less sensitive to steering that way, which I prefer for road use.
A lot of bang for the buck, as long as the bulbs haven't gone *POW* yet.As for the poll, my usage varies. The bike itself must have a headlight to be street-legal for nighttime use, so I always have a bike-mounted headlight, which is the DiNotte 600L. I also have a Fenix L2D Q5 which I might use as a second bike-mounted light, or helmet-mounted (particularly off-road). Recently I also attached a weentsy keychain LED light to the visor of my helmet to illuminate my computer and HRM, since it's getting dark during my homeward commute now.
As for the rear... I have two commuting bikes. I attached a pic of the one I've been using more lately, an old 1982 Trek road bike. The other is my winter bike featuring the infamous Nova BULL emergency-vehicle strobe, plus more reflective surface than you can shake a tire lever at
With either commuting bike, I also wear an ANSI Class II reflective vest (fluorescent lime + AD OmniBrite reflective tape) and often clip another BRT-5 or SuperFlash to the rear of my helmet. And reflective legbands. And often a lighted Planet Bike BRT-STRAP legband. Did I mention that a guy actually stopped his truck, got out, waved me down, and went on and on in praise of my lighting setup the other day...?

Incidentally, if you look closely at the attached pic, you'll notice something on the side of the bike's head tube. That's the DiNotte 600L mount, mounted to the frame rather than the bars (the 600L is not mounted in that photo). It's much less sensitive to steering that way, which I prefer for road use.
Last edited by mechBgon; 09-04-08 at 12:00 AM.
#24
crash survivor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 654
Likes: 0
From: Irving, TX
Bikes: C-dale rush, Mountain cycle fury, Monocog 29er, Haro hard tail VX, Scattante R330
Lights everywhere, I wear a helmet light, and have a bar light in the front. I have a blinkie on my helmet, and a 4x6 inch bilnkie on the bike for the back. I have 2 sets of spoke lights, one in each wheel for the side. I wear a green workes vest with reflective tape as well. I can see and be seen.




