BikeGlow lights

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  • November 9, 2011 at 4:35 pm #932224
    Dirt
    Participant

    I haven’t, but I likely will. Looks like fun and I like the visibility.

    November 9, 2011 at 4:51 pm #932226
    PotomacCyclist
    Participant

    Active.com has a 48% off one and 50% off two deal on the BikeGlow lights, for the next 6 days.

    http://schwaggle.active.com/deal/4053/up-to-50-percent-off-waterproof-bike-safety-lights-from-bikeglow/national?cmp=24-4-68594-7

    I signed up for one. I received an email coupon code, which I can use on the BikeGlow website. I’m not sure which color to get. Red and yellow are on back order. Maybe blue or green? Or aqua?

    November 9, 2011 at 7:40 pm #932241
    DSalovesh
    Participant

    I have ’em, I love ’em.

    They’re not really as bright as pictures indicate, but the light is bright enough to be seen well even under streetlights – and they help increase my visibility a lot on darker streets or between lights. Mine is a couple of years old; the new ones to replace the set that was on my daughter’s bike when it was stolen include improvements in the power pack and connector.

    Most importantly, they have a magical effect that seems to change how people perceive me from “crazed ninja on a flat-black bike” to “happy rolling roadshow”, even controlling for the fact that I always have head and tail lights going. When I add the battery-powered LED light strings to my wheels I like to think people WANT to see me.

    I have the yellow-green “safety” color. It registers best in marginal conditions, even though the light blue has a higher light output – our eyes aren’t as attuned to seeing it.

    If you’re a DIY type, you can do a web search for the parts and how-to tips under “electroluminescent wire”. For ten feet of wire plus a power supply the cost is not all that different from the pre-made Bike Glow set, but you can get all the colors or even make multi-color strings. Due to some really high voltage put out by the DC->AC inverter (think home-built Taser!) it’s not a project for absolute beginners, but there’s nothing complicated about it if you’ve wired up lamps and stuff like that.

    November 15, 2011 at 7:33 pm #932549
    PotomacCyclist
    Participant

    I received the aqua Bike Glow kit in the mail. The light looks fairly bright inside but I haven’t tried it outdoors yet. Now I have to decide how I want to wrap it on the bike. I like the idea of running part of the wire on the bottom of the frame to help light up the road surface. I can also loop it along the side of the frame to provide side visibility.

    As with other bike lights, you can cycle between off, steady, slow blinking and fast blinking. I’ll use the slow blinking mode. Fast blinking is too annoying while steady might not be noticeable enough to car drivers. The unit beeps with each blink but I don’t think I’ll notice it outdoors.

    November 17, 2011 at 5:41 pm #932691
    JorgeGortex
    Participant

    I also have a belt similar to this one (don’t have the brand for mine handy):

    http://www.shop.safetylightbelt.com/main.sc

    Mine flashes a bright blue that is very eye catching. I often sling it over my shoulder at night to help with side lighting. Amusingly, before I had one for me, I had a collar for my black Lab. It was amusing to let her off leash at night and all you’d see was a roaming, blue, pulse of light in the bushes. I never lost her though!

    If I can find the name on mine I’ll pass it along too.

    There is also the DownLowGlow product. http://www.rockthebike.com/the-down-low-glow/

    November 19, 2011 at 3:05 pm #932801
    JorgeGortex
    Participant

    Ah ha! Here is the company I have my flashing belt from. I really like it and they have other products too:

    http://stridelight.com/index.htm

    I have the belt and it is bright, flashy, and definitely catches attention.

    @JorgeGortex 10923 wrote:

    I also have a belt similar to this one (don’t have the brand for mine handy):

    http://www.shop.safetylightbelt.com/main.sc

    Mine flashes a bright blue that is very eye catching. I often sling it over my shoulder at night to help with side lighting. Amusingly, before I had one for me, I had a collar for my black Lab. It was amusing to let her off leash at night and all you’d see was a roaming, blue, pulse of light in the bushes. I never lost her though!

    If I can find the name on mine I’ll pass it along too.

    There is also the DownLowGlow product. http://www.rockthebike.com/the-down-low-glow/

    November 23, 2011 at 4:48 pm #932938
    culimerc
    Participant

    @PotomacCyclist 10430 wrote:

    Looks interesting. REI sells them. They are also available online.

    http://www.bikeglow.com/

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]461[/ATTACH]

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]462[/ATTACH]

    Like I needed yet another reason to go to REI.

    :rolleyes:

    January 14, 2012 at 6:35 pm #934630
    Greenbelt
    Participant

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]577[/ATTACH]
    I just changed the batteries on mine (from bikeglow.com). I got them in mid-November I think, so my batteries have lasted about 2 months running them most evening commutes, so probably 40 or 50 hours on 2 AAs maybe? I think they work great, and they’re nicely waterproof. The on-off button is a little small to get at with heavy gloves, but since the batteries seem to last quite a while, I’ve just been leaving them on, even when I’m not in traffic. I got them in green, for Greenbelt, of course.

    January 15, 2012 at 3:46 pm #934644
    PotomacCyclist
    Participant

    I’ve only done a couple nighttime rides since I got the BikeGlow light. People definitely notice the light. I’ve heard a few comments from passersby on my limited nighttime trips. I also turned into an salesman for BikeGlow. I think I convinced at least one other cyclist to buy one.

    I’m also glad I picked up the BikeArlington lights a couple months ago. The batteries in my front bike light died in mid-ride. Fortunately I had the BikeArlington light attached next to that light. So I still had some sort of front light. That was in addition to the BikeGlow light, my standard rear red/yellow LED light and another rear red BikeArlington light on the seat stay. If someone can’t see me at night, they just aren’t trying.

    I also wear a “screaming yellow” Pearl Izumi windbreaker. Sometimes I remember to wear the BikeArlington reflector ankle strap too.

    September 5, 2013 at 6:28 pm #980438
    Guus
    Participant

    Sorry to revive this old thread, but quick question on BikeGlow lights — PotomacCyclist you mention that your BikeGlow beeps when it’s on. I just received one and my is also beeping. Is this normal? Does it get bothersome?

    September 5, 2013 at 6:53 pm #980441
    Xarici
    Participant

    I have them, don’t really notice the beeping as the battery unit is usually in my pannier. The beeping helps to let you know when the thing is on as it will turn on and drain the battery even if not connected to the wire. This is rather annoying as sometimes the button gets pushed in my pannier and drains the battery. I bought washers to glue around the button to stop it getting pushed accidentally.

    September 5, 2013 at 7:11 pm #980446
    dasgeh
    Participant

    @Guus 63255 wrote:

    Sorry to revive this old thread, but quick question on BikeGlow lights — PotomacCyclist you mention that your BikeGlow beeps when it’s on. I just received one and my is also beeping. Is this normal? Does it get bothersome?

    Mine do this too. I don’t hear it outside, just when I’m in a quiet garage. It is a nice reminder to turn them off.

    September 5, 2013 at 9:01 pm #980477
    PotomacCyclist
    Participant

    If I remember correctly, the beeping isn’t that noticeable while riding outside.

    I haven’t used the BikeGlow recently, mostly because I ended up destroying it, accidentally. I think it was in late Spring 2012 (shortly after the first Diamond Derby event). I had the BG wire wrapped around the bike frame. Part of it came loose and wrapped around my pedal crank. As I pedaled, the wire twisted around the crank and was ripped out of the battery pack.

    I didn’t think it was salvageable. I think I took the unit to an electronics recycler. In any case, I got rid of it and never replaced it.

    It was great while I had it. Maybe I’ll get another one. I had it on my mountain bike, which I mostly ride in the winter, when the roads have a lot of debris (from road-salting trucks and the occasional snow storm). I haven’t ridden the MTB at all this summer. I’ll probably start using it again in November or December.

    P.S. I used the BikeGlow at that first Diamond Derby. I got a few comments. One person said I was riding a disco bike. But if you’re familiar with the Diamond Derby, you’ll know that there are far more unusual bikes, costumes and set-ups there, than a MTB with a BikeGlow wire.

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