How to see my speedometer at night?
 

Hello

I have a speedometer from Blackburn, Atom SL 3.0. It works great for me: wireless, lightweight, does the job great. However, the main missing feature in my opinion, is a backlight so you can see it at night time. Has anybody had a similar problem with their speedometer and, if so, what kind of solutions have you found? I plan to find a tiny battery operated light, and attach it to the speedometer, so I can turn it on and off when necessary. I'm going to check out soon, my local hardware and electronics stores. Any feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.

I really wish all bike computers had some sort of backlight, but a headlamp or helmet-mounted light works in addition to providing other necessary illumination.

I clip a small led headlamp to my jersey. Right about where a should strap for a backpack would go.

With a Light the battery goes dead sooner ,and all mileage data is Lost.

A tiny headlamp is perfect for that - and lighting up street signs. I'm partial to the Black Diamond Ion, which fits between my glasses and helmet.

I've also seen people add a reading light to their handlebar. I think they're sold as clip on book lights.

My solution is to not care what it says :)

Get a unit with a backlight. It's great. Kind of like having a friend when riding in the dark.

Is this overkill?
 

If you want the best you have to pay.

https://www.nightvision4less.com/dtn...-3-agm-hs.aspx

Got an Energizer head lamp strapped on the helmet. It's handy on low for reading the speedometer and such, and worth its weight in gold for nighttime repairs.

About 10 years ago, Sigma used to sell a coin cell computer accessory light that attached on the bars next to the bike computer and was tall enough to aim it's light downward. Haven't seen one for years, though.

Something like this LED inspection light could be adapted quite easily. But it might be too bright aimed at the bike computer.

https://www.widgetsupply.com/mm5/gra...DB_519x340.jpg

Googling turns up:
LIGHT SIGMA NITELITE FOR COMPUTER
Bike Lights - LIGHT SIGMA NITELITE FOR COMPUTER

Here you go . Your own personal headlight. https://www.amazon.com/CeSunlight-Re...4381046&sr=1-4

I agree this is versatile for reading the display and doing repairs. I ought to carry mine with me on rides. Those lights that hang lower look smart, too, and they're better if you want to talk to someone, because a light that is near your eyes is annoying to the other person.

There are computers that offer a back-light button. I use an old Vetta computer that has a back-light button. Works well but when you press the button it only stays lit for about 3-5 sec. I like the Sigma Nitelight idea but that means mounting more junk to my bars. I have to admit though that I hardly ever use the back light anymore. When wearing gloves it's real hard to find anyway. I do miss though casually being able to see my speed ( or lack thereof ) at night.

I don't own a good Garmin product but I would suppose if you owned something like the 810 that it would have an option for viewing your speed at night. With the rechargeable bigger batteries, the Garmin products should have no problems with running a back-light display for longer periods. Hopefully someone who owns one will kick-in a comment on how the nite display actually works.

I've thought about this for years, and I think it would be possible to create a small fiber-optic cable (or a lucite rod) with one end at the edge of the headlight beam and the other end over the computer. This would transmit a small amount of light from the headlight to the computer without any additional batteries or lights.
Luckily for me, my favorite headlight is on a mount that positions it above and behind the computer, so the computer is always illuminated. :-)
Steve

Nite Ize makes a little light that hangs from your zipper pull or wherever. I have one on my winter jacket, though I rarely use it. It might be sufficient for reading your handlebar display.

After reading through all of the suggestions I think Secret Squirrel's idea is one of the best. Good as long as you don't mind using up the quarter size batteries. A lot depends though on just how flexible the extension is. If the extension is too flimsy it might move or vibrate too much when in use ( depending on where you mount it ). That could be distracting. Still if you could mount one on a helmet ( and secure the extension ) it might work. Anyway the one that S-Squirrel suggested is only 10 lumen and that is about as bright as you want it.

Now if you aren't satisfied with using a computer with a back-lit display ( most only remain lit for about 10 sec. ) then you need an external light. I don't see the Sigma computer nite-light unit being sold anymore so I don't think that's an option. Keeping with S-Squirrel's idea I like the idea of a small mini light being mounted to the helmet. Just so happens I have both small RCR123 type torches and one using a single AA. Both of those have moon-light modes so I started messing around to see how much of a PITA it might be to use one on the road helmet. Turns out the the small RCR123 type ( with clip ) works pretty well and is relatively easy to put on or remove. On moon-light mode these things run forever ( ;) ) so that and the fact that the batteries are rechargeable mean that I'm definitely going to give this a try when I do my next night road ride. For me the plus side of this is that I get to see my two remote buttons better...which is hard to do at night since the buttons aren't lit.

FWIW, I would think a small AAA type torch might work just as well. Just make sure you have one that's not too bright. Moon-light mode is what you want and rechargeable batteries...win-win.

Continued from my last post;

I finally tried out the small torch idea on the helmet ( for seeing the speedometer ). The torch I used was an O-Light S1 clone. It's called the M3 and sold by Gearbest. ( Note; link is to the one with warm-white emitter and no charger or battery option ) As I said before the moonlight mode is perfect. Been a long time since I was able to see my speedometer. I was surprised at how fast I was going, even when I thought I was poking along. I can see now I'll be using this on a regular basis. ( I mounted it on the far lower left of my helmet and with the aid of some Velcro and a small piece of electrical tape, it held it's place perfectly and provided the perfect amount of light...just enough to see the numbers and no more. )

Cateye used to have a speedometer light, but I think it's been discontinued:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/36/76...b805d82e6f.jpg

I deal with the problem from two sides. On one hand I only buy computers with backlight, usually Sigma for whom backlight seems a priority. Most cheap Chinese computers come with a backlight but they tend to have other deficiencies such as inaccurate clock, displays that falter in the cold etc. Second I adopted a USB gooseneck lamp so that it mounts on the handlebars and connects to the rest of my lighting system, getting powered from the same source as headlight and taillight. There are other things that I may need to see around the handlebars than just the computer.

You could take the opportunity to tour north of the Arctic Circle.

I made one just like that. I used it for a while. It worked fine, it looked so bad I took it off. It looked like I Velcroed a coat hanger to my light. I have two of the sigma bar mount side lights they work fine unless I have my ski gloves or mittens on. I can just barely do it with ski gloves.
Same for the other small work light, used one of those too. Now I use a small single AA battery Nitecore flashlight on my helmet. I can twist it with my gloves or mittens on. And, as mentioned it is good for other things too. The small rubber strap on coin cell lights can be worn like a ring and work well too. But the no hands method on the helmet light beats the rest. Nice when fixing a flat 60 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere, and, at midnight when its 20F. The no hands feature really becomes nice. I have fixed a flat holding a small light in my mouth too. Ok if it's not cold.
I have three nice sigma computers that have back lighting in them. I find that instead having to replace the cr2032 battery in the light and reprogram the computer, I prefer using rechargeable eneloops in my helmet light. In case I need to use it a lot, I already carry four extra eneloops for my backup headlight system anyway.

The neck on this was too flexible, it would not stay in one place. It was a reading light from Christmas tree shops.