Light?

This is what I’ve got

http://www.rei.com/product/808602/light-motion-vis-360-front-and-rear-helmet-bike-light-system

not exactly cheap, but better than some other systems I’ve seen. It’s not really heavy at all, and goes on whatever bike I’m riding (obviously). It has side lights too that are decently bright. I do, however, back this up with a bike mounted rear and front light (cygolite on front, not cheap either, and a cheap $30 light on the back). So, not sure what your price range is, others have far more experience if you post a price range you’re looking at.

@Certifried 29593 wrote:

This is what I’ve got

http://www.rei.com/product/808602/light-motion-vis-360-front-and-rear-helmet-bike-light-system

not exactly cheap, but better than some other systems I’ve seen. It’s not really heavy at all, and goes on whatever bike I’m riding (obviously). It has side lights too that are decently bright. I do, however, back this up with a bike mounted rear and front light (cygolite on front, not cheap either, and a cheap $30 light on the back). So, not sure what your price range is, others have far more experience if you post a price range you’re looking at.

Check Amazon b/c you can get it for closer to $100 (just don’t confuse it with the Vis360+ which is a different model)

Please don’t go cheap on lighting.

Spend whatever it takes to be seen.

I like helmet lights because I can immediately bring light into any direction I’m looking. And yes, I realize how incredibly silly they look. Fine. I really don’t like the idea of a lot of blood on the ground. Especially if it’s mine.

Don’t forget to light up your rear. And not just because I like a good show.

And add a reflective vest to the mix just because it’s fashionable.

Ok, that was a complete lie. But in these situations so much is at stake a giant yellow ArliingtonBikes vest could make the difference between you being around to take the trash out next week and you being something that’s scraped up off the asphalt.

Every single time I come home from late night class sessions at GMU I count at least six bikes without lights. It makes me ill.

Another thing that you can consider is a lock that lights up in the dark. Fumbling with a combination in the dark brings back nights underneath the bleachers during high school. But that’s another story for another day.

Be safe.
ann

I’ve been using a Cygolite Miticross for years now and really like it. VERY bright. It does require an onboard battery but it is easy to attach to a stem or bars with the velcro strap. I ordered extra handlebar mounts from their website for very little cost so I can switch between my various rides. They are still a pretty small company out of California so their customer service is actually really good. For the rear I use an arsenal of blinky lights on my back pack and seat bag, as well as a battery operated tail light attached to my seat post. Bicycling magazine just did a great review on headlights a few months ago.

One light I would NOT recommend is the Serfas HL-1.1. Gawd, that thing was terrible on multiple levels…I now generally avoid Serfas stuff just because of that light.

I have several Dinottes and (after reading a post by Dirt last winter) a helmet-mounted Exposure Joystick (recently added the clip-on auxiliary tailight). For commuting, I like having 2 lights for more control over illumination, options (one steady, one flashing), ability to aim at or away from people & stuff as the case may be, and as a backup if one light fails. For tail lights, the cheap blinkies are not sufficiently visible to overtaking drivers. My minimal suggestion for tail lights would be Planet Bike Superflash or the rough equivalents from Performance and I think Portland Design has one as well. After subjecting them to the deluge Sunday (Reston Century), I can say they do hold up in the rain! And info – the cheap knock-offs from Dealextreme are NOT water resistant (fortunately, the knog-clone I had on my handlebar as minimal “be seen” light failed on and seems to be sort of OK after disassembly, cleaning, and drying out). If you want to be really visible to overtaking traffic, Dinotte’s tail light is visible for at least 1/2 mile, and the Exposure products appear equally visible. Reflective gear is also useful, and required in Virginia (reflective bits on clothing and tail light don’t count unless DOT-approved).

I thought about cost – Dinotte and Exposure are not cheap (but watch for their sales), and even cheaper lights add up over time. OTOH, the medical deductibles for one incident cost a lot more. Let alone lawsuit-avoidance. Anecdote – around 6-6:30 this morning, I encountered an abundance (counted over 10) of runner ninjas on the W&OD with no illumination or reflective gear other than the bits on the BACK of their shoes (therefore useless when I have to move into the oncoming lane to avoid their ninja budy who’s occupying the side of trail I am sharing with him). Several were wearing black/dark clothing to complete their attempt at invisibility and stealth. The TWO runners I encountered with lights/reflective gear thought they were nuts, too.