View Poll Results: Flashlights As Bike Lights - Is Strobe Important To You?
Yes, strobe is important to me.
24
48.00%
No, I don't want a strobe.
16
32.00%
Take it or leave it, I don't care either way.
10
20.00%
Voters: 50. You may not vote on this poll
Flashlights As Bike Lights - Is Strobe Important To You?
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Flashlights As Bike Lights - Is Strobe Important To You?
When purchasing a flashlight to use as a bike light is a strobe setting an important feature for you, or do you not care if it has strobe or not?
Personally I won't buy a light for my helmet that doesn't have a strobe as I find them extremely effective in increasing my visibility to cars whilst riding during the daytime.
Personally I won't buy a light for my helmet that doesn't have a strobe as I find them extremely effective in increasing my visibility to cars whilst riding during the daytime.
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I must have a strobe. Lights are not to be used only in the dark IMHO. Most late model automobiles will turn their lights on as soon as the key is turned.
I believe some governments require autos to run with their lights on at all times.
Why would we on bicycles not do so?
And a strobe is I believe the most effective light we cyclists can use to be seen.
I believe some governments require autos to run with their lights on at all times.
Why would we on bicycles not do so?
And a strobe is I believe the most effective light we cyclists can use to be seen.
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I must have a strobe. Lights are not to be used only in the dark IMHO. Most late model automobiles will turn their lights on as soon as the key is turned.
I believe some governments require autos to run with their lights on at all times.
Why would we on bicycles not do so?
And a strobe is I believe the most effective light we cyclists can use to be seen.
I believe some governments require autos to run with their lights on at all times.
Why would we on bicycles not do so?
And a strobe is I believe the most effective light we cyclists can use to be seen.
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While I like having the strobe option, especially for riding in the rain. I find that most flashlights implement the strobe function in an annoying fashion. My light in particular is an MTE P7 5 mode flashlight that I use on my bike.
This light has the following modes of operation, each of which is cycled through by pressing the switch on the back of the flashlight.
MED->LOW->HIGH->SOS Strobe->Fast Strobe
I usually ride with the light on Med, if I temporarily have to switch to HIGH for a fast descent, I must then cycle through the SOS strobe functions to get back to Med. When riding with a group at night, that second or so of strobing light distracts the other riders, and becomes annoying if we are riding in a hilly area.
This light has the following modes of operation, each of which is cycled through by pressing the switch on the back of the flashlight.
MED->LOW->HIGH->SOS Strobe->Fast Strobe
I usually ride with the light on Med, if I temporarily have to switch to HIGH for a fast descent, I must then cycle through the SOS strobe functions to get back to Med. When riding with a group at night, that second or so of strobing light distracts the other riders, and becomes annoying if we are riding in a hilly area.
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Yes, and it's one of the reasons I prefer my 8-mode P7. During the day, I use either the 1/sec or 3/sec strobe, and it makes a big difference in my visibility.
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I would only want a strobe if it was at much less than full power. On my MTE 5 mode P7, the strobe modes seem to be at full power, which even in the daylight is bright enough that it really bothers me, almost makes me nauseous.
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^ I imagine a large part of that is because you're limited to the 8/sec strobe in the 5-mode. That mode is included in the 8-mode, but I never use it, because the 1/sec and 3/sec modes are far more comfortable to ride with. If the rapid strobe were the only one that came with my light, I wouldn't use the strobe function at all, day or night.
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The problem with the strobe on my 8 mode P7 is that it is the sixth mode on the list; I have to cycle through medium, high, epileptic, disco, and low to get to the useful strobe mode.
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no. I use a cheapo led blinkie on strobe and a 190 lumen flashlight. As I'm going with traffic, the strobe really has little impact.
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Cars passing on the opposite direction in my lane? Doesn't happen very often as I'm often in rush hour traffic, and there's a line of cars in the lane next to me.
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I should add that I stopped using my daytime strobe for many months, as I wanted to be more anonymous when riding. A couple of months ago, though, someone turned into me in the crosswalk near sunset, and I realized I'd rather run the light than run the risk of being crossed, so I've run it since then.
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However, I will turn them on at dusk.
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If I ride during dusk I use the sos mode or strobe depending oh how much traffic there is.. I wish someone would make a useful strobe with around 90-120 pulses per minute.. The strobes that come with many lights are just too intense and are hard on the eyes..
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At night I use one steady and one strobe cree on the handlebars, and one steady p7 on the fork near the hub. The strobe on the handlebar has a user selectable frequency and I experiment with it as far as frequency of pulses go. It has a memory so there's no cycling involved, which I love. The light on the fork is a p7 and has a fast strobe for dusk or rain so at night I use 2 steadies and one strobe, at dusk or rain I use one steady on HB, one strobe on HB and one faster strobe on the fork. No cycling necessary with any of them but I do have to carry two spare battery types, 14500's for the HB, and 18650 for the fork.
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https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16607
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If you have a strobe on your helmet give it a try during the day; I was totally shocked by the difference in visibility it made. I used to regularly get cut off at one cross street, it hasn't happened since I've been using the strobe.
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Visibility is nice, but some strobes can have another bike-friendly purpose:
Some traffic lights have optical sensors that can detect a specific strobe pattern on an approaching emergency vehicle, and either hold a green light, or intiate a light change, to ensure the emergency vehicle has a green light as it approaches the intersection.
I've seen LED flashlights with the 'rescue mode' strobe setting (not SOS). I have not tried this, but I wonder if it might not be wise to ride with it, and get all greens on my commute.
Come to think of it, this would be a much better way to modernize traffic signals, instead of clumsy old push-buttons.
Some traffic lights have optical sensors that can detect a specific strobe pattern on an approaching emergency vehicle, and either hold a green light, or intiate a light change, to ensure the emergency vehicle has a green light as it approaches the intersection.
I've seen LED flashlights with the 'rescue mode' strobe setting (not SOS). I have not tried this, but I wonder if it might not be wise to ride with it, and get all greens on my commute.
Come to think of it, this would be a much better way to modernize traffic signals, instead of clumsy old push-buttons.
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I use to use a helmet light with strobe function, the Princeton Tec EOS.. I found it be great for being seen.. The strobe was just right at 90 pulses per minute.. Affixing the light is simple, you need a 12 to 18 inch velcro loop, a pump strap from your LBS works fine too.. REI also carries velcro straps in 12-18-24 inch size... I recently bought a new Headlamp (1 Watt luxeon) for running at night and this is inexpensive and decent quality.. It has Low-High & Flashing function.. The High is around 50-60 lumens, enough to be seen.. The Flashing is around 120 pulses per minute, enough to be seen very easily but not so fast as to be annoying.. Give one a try, they are very inexpensive, the seller ships from USA not overseas so delivery is pretty fast.. I included a pic below on an older headlamp mounted on a helmet so you get an idea of what it looks like..
https://cgi.ebay.com/1-Watt-Super-Bri...lenotsupported
https://cgi.ebay.com/1-Watt-Super-Bri...lenotsupported
Last edited by socalrider; 06-17-09 at 03:43 PM.