multiple tail lights
 

I'm trying to find the picture where the guy has something like 20 tail lights mounted on PVC pipes on his bike, but I'm coming up dry. Can anyone help me out?

18

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...s/18lights.jpg

That's the one.. mind if I share it from your photobucket page?

i would not want to be behind that at night.

Not my pic...I got it from someone in touring on BF.

Have fun.

Think how much trouble it must be to click all of those lights on or off.

I wouldn't want his battery problems either! Either you're buying bats by the case load, or you're having to use multiple chargers just to get them charged for the next ride.

I do use multiple light for the rear, but I use a Blackburn Mars 4 mounted to the seat tube, kept on steady; Soma Road Flares for the bar ends (these little guys are really bright), kept on flash mode; and a Cateye LD600 jerry rigged to the helmet also kept on flash mode. All these lights also have great lighting off to the sides, instead of just around 80% vision tunnel to the rear the majority of tail lights give off. I use rechargeable bats but keep a set of alkaline in the seat bag just in case a light goes out. All my lights use AAA's so that makes it simple to carry a spare set of bats without having to carry two different sets.

Yep, I like to be "lit up like a Christmas tree", but WOW...that might just be overkill!

Talk about a huge pain in the rear. I'm happy with just my Dinotte and a back up thanks.

At least they're symetrical....

Imagine if all the batteries needed to be replaced, or charged at the same time. Whew!

I wonder how heavy that is.

I'd get out my soldering iron and wire them all up to one battery pack, one switch. On second thought, a few would become turn signals so three switches.

I think that's the idea...

Granting he's not a nut case, then I imagine he might have arrived to this setup progressively. First put on a pair of lights and try it for a week, noting how many cars swiped you by. Next week double the lights and retry. With binary approximation, in a few weeks you can arrive to a good ballpark number of lights needed for a good compromise between safety and (in)convenience.

I hope not. Because, if safety in an urban traffic would take something like 18 lights... :twitchy:

I saw a similiar setup at a local event, the Moonlight Ramble, a few years ago. Might be what it was built it for. But geez, at $25 or so apiece for the Superflashes and clones, that's an expensive gag.

I'm happy with my normal tail light plus back up.

That's a bit overkill.... I have three on my bike and one on my helmet. That's plenty for me.

I have three on the backpack that I wear when walking or riding and a single one on each bike that gets ridden at night and people tell me they can see me a half mile away. That's good enough for me.......

I have two, the standard dynohub powered tail light and usually a Planet Bike Superflash for added attention. This is my standard set up on most of my bikes. I have never had anyone complain about not being able to see me.

Aaron :)

Yeah, I'd want some sort of voice-command system :D

Clapper would be better.

Not if you get around some of the car stereos around here...:D

Aaron :)

I got a complaint yesterday that someone couldn't see me too well (raining and dark), and I found that my batteries were defective and my single light was almost out. I have few reflectors so I find that a bit dubious, but I'm going to get my wife to photograph me on my bike at night to see how I look from behind. Although, even if I think it's good enough, the fact remains he felt it prudent to point it out to me. So he couldn't see me well enough.

I'm planning for a setup with my regular wal-mart blinky in the middle with 2 Rad Bot 1000's mounted on either side (up high like that guy did since this is a winter bike). That way I'm bright, but with the way the rad bots eat batteries, the wal-mart blinky should at least be on if the other 2 are dim.

I wanted to see how the guy did it, plus share with a few friends to prove that I am not really over the top.

But yea, I think 3's my limit for turning on and off on a regular basis, and even fewer if it's a short trip.

I am thinking about something to put on my backpack since I'm not sure the reflective strips are that great and it blocks my reflective vest. Granted that could be solved with a proper rack and panniers. In the winter, I find a backpack more convenient since I carry my variety of winter gear in with me instead of leaving it on the bike. I look at the temperature and wind conditions and choose appropriately in the warmth of my office.

Reflectors don't work that well, their dependent on properly aimed headlights, and cars positioning. I don't even use any reflectors on my bike, I do have reflective leg bands, reflective tape on the helmet, seat bag has a reflective ribbon going around it, and if I'm wearing my jacket there's reflective piping on it; but I do not count on my reflectors, I count on my lights.

I had my wife drive up behind me, then turn around and come towards me starting about 3 blocks from me once on a clear night and once on a rainy night. She said she could see me quite well, except on the rainy night my original barend lights made by Serfas she could barely see if at all, that's when I dumped those and got the Soma's Road Flares. On the next rainy night we redid the test and she could then see the Soma's real well. Using your wife to test out your lighting is great idea, but do it at least 3 blocks from her and comes toward her, then have her turn around and come from behind. Rainy dark nights are the best time to test lights because only the brightest will cut through the dark rain.

Bite the bullet and get a Dinotte.

http://store.dinottelighting.com/din...-mount-p5.aspx

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/h...eenShot080.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Sanyo-Eneloop-...d_bxgy_e_img_b