zacster

I guess I'm lucky in that on a 10 mile commute, I am rarely facing oncoming traffic, either bike or car. Also, since I'm in NYC, I don't need lights to see except in a few very short stretches. So many of our streets are one-way.

My lights are a Lezyne Super Drive, about 450 lumens, and a Keygos flashlight, about 5-600 lumens. They are bright and the biggest problem on my commute, day or night, is pedestrians in the bike lane. These lights make them plenty aware that I'm coming, and I don't use them together.

fietsbob

Have someone point one in your eyes and dee how you can drive your car afterwards..

David Bierbaum

That Big Bang light sounds like just the ticket.

wolfchild

If I was to compare myself to other cyclists and their powerful lights, then I am just a bike ninja...I only use a 200 lumens helmet light.

zacster

I tried that. I had my son on the bike and I came at him in my car, this on my relatively dark street. It is blindingly bright. I always point mine down and away, which worked OK.

At the few intersections when I'm stopped where I really do point straight at oncoming cars I always put my hand over it.

tsl

Agreed.

My vision doesn't get any better because I'm riding a bike. Why should I use less light than a car?

Car turn signals and parking lights seem to be more than 200 lumens these days, and no one advises cars to turn off their headlights.

So yes, I think there is a double-standard.

cyccommute 

Most people I see, including me, already do aim their lights at the ground. Having light and aiming it at infinity makes little sense.

unterhausen

I'm pretty sure that B&M has been keeping up with LED tech and just not mentioning it to anyone. Peter White reports that Supernova has done that

no motor?

I got a lens for the Magichsine that it'sjustme recommended that spreads the light output into a floodlight that does a great job of illuminating the area right in front of the bike. I looked, but I can't find the link for it now, but it was well worth the $7 or $8 I paid for it. It obviously cuts the throw, and when I paired it with another Magichine set for farther down the path it did an outstanding job of illuminating the pavement. But it really cuts into the battery life, and I'm going to ad a 18650 XML light for the throw. It's either going on the handlebars, or on the helmet.

phughes

Or you haven't adjusted it properly so it isn't shining in their eyes. The problem with it shining in their eyes is twofold, one, it temporarily blinds them, and two, because they are temporarily blinded, and because now your light is basically all they can see, they are more likely to drive towards you since you naturally turn towards that which you are staring.

If you have a light, you have the responsibility to adjust it properly so that you do not blind oncoming drivers, and so that it is pointing in a direction most helpful for you to see what it is you need to see. If you don't, then you just wasted a lot of money on a light you are using inproperly.

unterhausen

or maybe I have taken quite a bit of care to make sure it's adjusted properly and they don't think bikes should have lights that are approximately as bright as a car light. I'm not discounting the idea that they are just bullies as well, there is a lot of that going on around here. A car headlight, even on dim, is pretty blinding if you are forced to look at it.

phughes

There is definitely a lot of that going around. Hopefully flashing high beams is the worst you'll encounter.

cehowardGS

As a 72 year old, I have found out through the years, that a lot of people will claim whatever, don't make it so!!

With that said, most of the time I am pushing 1000+ lums, and that is just on my helmet!!

I have at last DOUBLE 1200 lums on the bars, and a 1000 on the helmet. Do I think I am too bright? Hell now. I am 72 years old, and plan on making it to at least 80. . I wouldn't relish 3000+lbs of steel running over my frail body because they didn't see me or think it is okay to cut me off and take my rightofway. In the envoriment that I commute in (early morning rush(dark), evening rush(dark)), if I could get one of those lights the airplanes have that you can see for 20 miles, and still look cool, I would mount one of them..

Hope I answered your question...

cehowardGS

In all due respect, I have a heard a lot through the years, seen a lot too. But, the above, that really takes the cake!!

cehowardGS

Well, if your 200 lums ran across me, with on of my small light setups, yup, I would be noticed, and you be a ninja!!

Notice the big heads on these babies..



Then when I go heavy.. The triple is rated at 4000 , but, to be on the safe side, cut it in half.. A cool 2000, the one beside it is just a measly 1800.. Plus, I still be packing heavy on the helmet too.. Like I said, I have made it to 72, I want to try to make it 80.. If I was out there with just 200 lums, in the areas and times I drive in, I be a sitting duck..

mconlonx

I don't feel safe on unlighted rural roads without at least 300 lumen headlight.

Was running a 250 lumen light on my helmet, but after a cop out-chickened me with their spotlight and pedestrians said "Ow!", I ditched the over-bright headlight idea and put that light on my handlebars. Now running a sub-100 lumen light on the helmet, set to blinky. Seems to have the same desired effect.

I purchased an E3 Supernova asymmetric light (around 300+ lumens) for my dynamo setup not knowing that it was a shaped beam, but it works great, would not go with their off-road symmetric beam version.

wolfchild

That looks wicked Are those just regular flashlights or bike specific ? ..What is the burn time on those things ?

Mark Stone

I'm very bright on my front bars, but each light is aimed carefully. The setup is a NR 1500 in the center, pointed slightly down and run in medium most of the time, then two NR 650 Luminas (cordless) on each side. The Lumina on the right is pointed up slightly and towards the curb, similar to how a right headlight on a car should be aimed. The Lumina on the left is pointed down slightly more than the 1500. Here's the setup:



It totals about 2000 lumens (actual; advertised 2800) and is very pleasant to ride with at night. I can definitely see and be seen. When aiming the lights, I stood the bike and approached it in my car and on foot a few times and found what I feel is an adequate balance that is not too "blinding" to motorists. It is bright enough that oncoming traffic does not know it's a bicycle, however it is not blinding enough to be overly distracting. When riding a MUP I use only one of the 650s on low and leave the other lights dark. An added advantage of my setup is that if I'm riding in the dark for an extended period I can use one at a time for several hours of riding.

Motorist reaction to my lights is that I have never had brights flashed at me, but on the other hand they give me plenty of room. I think people are surprised when they stop and wait, and then when I pass by they see it was a bicycle. I get lots of compliments on the setup from people, and it takes a lot of stress out of riding around at night.

I'm like cehowardGS, I made it to 59 and plan on making it to 80 and beyond lol

Mark Stone

Back to the OP - I think a lot of the discussions on the forums about +400l lights being too bright have to do with MUP riding, where more than two or three hundred lumens can be blinding to oncoming cyclists and pedestrians

ItsJustMe

200 lumens is the bare minimum that I would ride with, and then only as an emergency backup light. I had a Dinotte 200 once and I can really only call it "adequate" but these days there's no reason to limit yourself so much.

You do need to be considerate when aiming the light though.

phughes

Really? How so? This happens to be something I have studied a lot, the physic and mechanics of how our bodies react to our vision, for the purpose of motorcycle road racing, you go where you look. It is a simple principal. If you are staring at the light, your body will automatically turn your vehicle towards it. It is a proven fact, and something I do not with to encourage whilst riding a bicycle.

https://www.outbackcrossing.com.au/FourWheelDrive/Driving_and_Target_Fixation.shtml

https://www.oncourse4wd.com/roadcraft...t_fixation.asp

https://www.msgroup.org/casestudy1.aspx?num=1





It is best to not blind oncoming drivers, whether you are in a car, truck, or on a bicycle. Our lights should be adjusted in such a way that they do not shine into other driver's eyes. The best way to ensure that, is to adjust them according to the same specifications as required by the vehicle code for your state. The regulations have been created to combat this problem specifically.

Since my headlight is over 500 lumens, I have made sure I keep it adjusted so it does not shine oncoming drivers' eyes. The person I originally posted my reply to does as well as they reported after my post. We all should and shouldn't be so quick to pass it off as if it doesn't matter.

daveF

I'm using a 600 Lumen light on my helmet, a 350 lumen light on the handlebars, & a 100 lumen (or thereabouts) generator light at the fork. The helmet & handlebar lights are round beams. The generator light is a B&M with a shaped beam same as a low beam on a car. I have never had cars or truck flash their high beams at me. In fact, I've had the opposite. Drivers thanking me that they can see me & asking me who make the lights & were did I buy them. Maybe I'm on a different planet, one where the drivers value the fact that they can see me.

I do not mind having other cyclists or vehicles using extremely bright lights. I can see them & they can see me better.

daveF

I'm not too crazy about the StZVO approved lights. I own several including a Schmidt Edelux. I also have a Supernova E3 Pro with a round symmetrical beam. The E-3 is significantly brighter than the Edelux. The Supernova Triple puts out 800 lumens, almost 4 times the amount of total light that the Edelux does. Schmidt & B&M limit the amount of light more than they need to due to lack of power input from a dynamo.

I prefer a round symmetrical beam rather than a StVO approved as you can see things (like branches) hanging overhead. Part of my commute is on a trail with lots of trees with branches that are hanging too low after storms. Light in a round beam isn't always wasted. Otherwise, we wouldn't have high beams on cars and mountain bikers would use StVO approved lights (which would be a really bad idea).

Mark Stone

It simply isn't true in the real world. First, no one is ever rendered blind by a bicycle light. Our terminology "blinding light" or "drivers are blinded" is merely a colorful use of terminology that never really means that their eyesight is completely removed. No more than the term "blowing your mind" means that their brain blows up. Lights are bright, they are distracting, and sometimes you cannot see what is immediately behind the light or around the light, however you are still able to see everything else around you. The only way a bike light can completely remove your eyesight is if it is right in your face. Then the last part of your statement - that people automatically steer into the bright light - is not true in the real world. If that happened, most of us would be in emergency rooms or dead as a doornail. If it were true, most cars on the highway would be having head-on collisions at night because of each others headlights. In the real world it just doesn't happen.

RT

No, this is a nasty trend. Offending motorists think that because they are 'fog lamps' that they don't count as brights. It still results in four lamps blasting you.

I roll with 2,700 lumens - 1,200 and 900 on the bars at different angles, but by no means horizontal, and 600 lumens on my helmet for lateral sight if needed. This solution comes from years of commuting in the dark. My problem though is not motorists, it is wildlife.