... maybe some reflective spots on the heel of your shoes , Rick

I feel like I'm at my minimum (when it is dark), with three:

1) A fender mounted light.

2) One on the back of my helmet.

3) A very bright detachable rear light.


For the first, I feel like this is kind of my back-up light. I run it all the time (day or night, year round), but it isn't terribly bright, despite being a 1 watt light. It seems like this light is only really visible to the direct rear as well. On the plus side it is always there, and runs for a long time. I'm using the Portland Design Works Fenderbot, they say it'll run 100 hours on its two AAA batteries, but I'm running rechargeables and swap them out long before that. I never worry about this one going dead because the draw is so low on it though. Another plus, is that I don't worry about this light being stolen.

If I had a rear rack, I would prefer to mount a light there. Mounting a rear rack on my daily driver is a little tricky and so I've got a front rack and a large saddlebag instead. Compared to fender mounted lights there are better ones you can put on the back of racks, especially racks with mounts, and having the light a little higher would make it a little more visible, or visible earlier. But, I'm running a defense in depth anyway, and this light is just one facet of that for me, so I'm okay with the fender light being not as effective as a good rack light.

For the second light, I'm still running the Planet Bike 3-H Blinky. This is still going strong after three years daily use. I really like having a light mounted up so high, especially since I am often on hilly terrain and so my lower lights could be hidden from view for a time by a car approaching from the rear. This light seems adequately bright and lasts a long time on the single AAA that powers it, even with rechargeables that are probably getting a little old. There are brighter lights, but for now I am committed to running rechargeables, and personally, I'm content with a charging ritual instead of the wires and battery box of the more expensive systems that I frankly can't afford anyway. The PB 3-H is pretty lightweight too, and some of the fancy helmet lights I've looked at had a very heavy battery pack. Another light I don't have to worry about being stolen as I always take my helmet with me if I am going to be out of sight of my bike.

Lastly, I run a Mars 4.0 clipped to my large saddlebag. I love this light! Superbright, and with decent side visibility too. This I feel is my main rear defense and it gets priority with freshly charged batteries. I'll admit to a weakness for aesthetics, and to me this light is quite attractive in shape and design, it looks like a giant jewel.


I'm nearly content with this layered defense, I feel it pretty well covers everything; I've got a dedicated rear facing light is well aligned with traffic approaching directly behind me, another mounted up very high that is moving around, and a super bright one. With three lights more or less aligned vertically, I should read as "bike" to all but the most distracted driver, and should get nearly anyone's attention.

The one thing I am considering adding this winter is some small Fiber Flare lights mounted on my seatstays to provide better side visibility (they will probably contribute to rear visibility too, and will be red). My one hesitation is that I am back in college and I worry about them being stolen, but I think I am going to go ahead and risk it.


Of course, my side visibility isn't too bad as it is! -

http://imageshack.us/a/img51/2294/lebp.jpg

But is passive, and relies on lights hitting it.

I love good reflective tape!

http://imageshack.us/a/img850/8795/tw3p.jpg

I only run one Hotshot on my road bike, but would like to get another one.

I had a woman waiting at a stop sign tell me once that she appreciated me having that light flashing back there, and this was in overcast daylight.

seven.

Thanks CaptCarrot! I just ordered them from ebay. Looks like they'll make my two side mountain SPD's one side only but hopefully the weight of the reflectors will bring that side down so click-in will still be easy.

Rick / OCRR

Don't thank me just yet - I only took 30 seconds browsing for them but I did read comments saying it's not surprising they are optional as the can be a bugger to fit.

I'll agree you should have both but I guess the answer as to how many and of what depends to some degree on your riding environment and what you feel safe with. Most of my riding is rural and small town and I mean SMALL. There are reflectors marking almost every driveway, mail box, culvert, etc., etc., etc. to the point most drivers tune them out unless they are looking for a specific one to find a friend's driveway or whatever. While the reflection of car headlights on a bike reflector may be brighter than my blinking light in my AO the blinking light will get noticed much sooner as it is something out of the ordinary. It's been my experience that with a single steady tail light and a reflector cars came up on me much closer before responding to "something" in front of them. With the red strobe they give me a lot more room.I have long since upgraded from that 3 LED blinkie light to a rack mounted 5 LED tail light with strobe, a matching yellow front light and most recently a 6400 Lumen 5 LED headlight with Hi, Low and strobe. Some may say my headlight is overkill but wandering wildlife is as much of a concern on my ride as motor vehicles, I need to see the sides of the road just as much as what's in front of me. It's the first headlight I have actually felt comfortable with.

If people actually want to get noticed why don't they use flashing blue tail lights? (and headlights for that matter). In many jurisdictions they are no less illegal than flashing red tail lights...

And given that drivers think cop when they see them, it will certainly garner their attention faster than any other option.

Blue lights are only allowed on emergency vehicles and at K-Mart where I live. I think you could get by with blue reflectors here but it is a common color for driveway and mailbox markers so may not get the desired attention in rural areas like mone. It may work for more urban areas though.

I should probably add that my trunk bag has reflective strips back and sides and my handlebar bag has reflective strips. I have red reflective tape on the back of my helmet and had strips of 2" wide reflective tape sewn to the front and rear of my cycling jacket which already had reflective stripes on the sleeves.

Glue reflective tape on to the back of your shoes.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...s/ShoeTape.png

Just one Radbot 1000 for me (backpack), although I'd eventually like to run a second one somewhere on the bike.

Flashing red taillights aren't allowed in many US localities, yet cyclists still use them. If the desire is to be noticed, nothing will beat a flashing blue tail light.

I got some of those cheap Chinese wheel lights that are activated by motion and lack of ambient light. They flash blue and red alternately. I had an incoming car pull over for me. Or maybe not.

Never heard that in the USA... So why are Turn Signals Legal.

Here is your Blue One...Have one on my helmet.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/160...-lumen-blue-le

What's the beam angle? Tail lights should be wide.

Very Tight hot spot with a wide hallo.

I use it as a head light to warn side street autos to not pull out into me. I only turn it On when I need it.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...dlights013.jpg

My helmet has one built in, I use a Planet Bike superflash, and I bought a Magnic Light. The Magnic light is pretty cool, there are no wires, no batteries, no contact, no wheel mounted magnets. It works off the residual magnetism created by the spinning aluminum rim. It is always on while moving, although it doesn't have a standlight function.

How does aluminum have anything to do with magnetism?

Beat me to it.

Get one of these and now you have flashing mode.

http://dx.com/p/cree-xlamp-xp-e-b5-5...8-4v-max-26346

These police style strobe lights are awesome, but requires a 12v battery.
http://www.fasttech.com/products/169...s-w-controller

Since I am presently sidelined with a knee problem, and have to drive a route with lots of bike commuters, my recent observations have been:

multiple flashing lights > single flashing light > single non-flashing light > reflectors

Modern car headlamps have such a sharp cutoff that they really don't do a good job lighting up standard rear reflectors. I also have not noticed any pedal reflectors. The challenge of any rear light where I commute is standing out in the visual clutter from other light sources.

I have never, ever heard of any police officer having a problem with a cyclists' flashing red tail lights.

Blue lights are illegal on any non-emergency vehicle. Red lights are illegal on the front of any non-emergency vehicle. I have never heard anything restricting the use of a flashing red light facing the rear.

I saw someone with a blue taillight (on a blue bike) yesterday. But there have been lengthy discussions on these forums (probably the Gadget forum) about the illegality of using blue lights, because it risks being accused of impersonating police. It also confuses driver as to which direction you are moving. Otherwise I would have also liked to get unconventional colors.

Mine has 5 modes...The Strobe mode is blinding.

FLASHLIGHT MODES Mid > Hi > Lo > Strobe > SOS
LENS TYPE Tempered Glass Lens
MODE COUNT 5

http://www.fasttech.com/products/160...-lumen-blue-le