"Flash Us" Forum Contest — Show us your lights!

[Dirt]

Exposure REVO Dynamo light system. At 800 non-adjustable Lumen, it is way too bright for the trail. Kicks butt for off-road riding and adventure/endurance rides and races though.

Non Flash Photo of me wearing my Mavic Vision Vest a few weeks ago:

Flash photo of me wearing the same vest taken a few minutes later:

Now you know why Bilsko and I LOVE the Mavic Vision line of clothing.

[culimerc]

Google “Mavic Vision” and then check out the images that come up.

[KLizotte]

FYI: IKEA sells reflective 3M vests for about $5. That’s where I got mine.

[hozn]

@KLizotte 68569 wrote:

FYI: IKEA sells reflective 3M vests for about $5. That’s where I got mine.

They also sell kids sizes. I got one for my 3-year-old son to wear when he goes to ride his bike after dinner now. (He loves it.) He has blinky lights and a Mako 2-watt front light, which is good enough for his speeds — and we had a father-son art project to apply rydesafe (http://rydesafe.com/) reflective stickers to our helmets.

[dcv]

dibs on last place (stole that from Jason

[KayakCyndi]

My little 200 lumen seems about right for the trails:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4027[/ATTACH]

And to get everyone in the holiday mood does this count?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4028[/ATTACH]

[ronwalf]

It hasn’t changed much since I took the photo and video:

Lights in the video are:
BM IQ Cyo R (dynamo head light)
BM 4D Toplight Multi (hybrid rear light)
Planet bike 1/2 watt Blaze.
PB Superflash

The parking lot is well lit, so the bike lights aren’t all that dramatic.
Maybe I can get some fresh shots soon.

[Tim Kelley]

Great photos–keep them coming!!

[ronwalf]

Fresh photos!
Lights in the pictures are:
BM IQ Cyo R (dynamo headlight)
Planet Bike 1/2W Blaze (AA headlight)
Cree R4 helmet light (AA flashlight strapped to lid)
BM Toplight line (dynamo taillight)
PDW Radbot 1000 (AAA taillight)

Reflective gear:
Class 2 reflective vest
BA ankle strap (right leg), generic ankle strap (left)
Worn or defective BikeUMD reflective slap bands strewn across the bike frame
Vittoria Randonneur tires with reflective sidewalls.

Lonely bike on a bench:

View from the front:

View from the side:

View from behind:

[ronwalf]

(continued)

PB 1/2W Blaze (left) vs. Cree flashlight (right):

BM IQ Cyo (left) vs. Cree flashlight (right, barely visible):

In person, the Cree seems about half as bright as the IQ Cyo. It doesn’t matter that much, since I mostly use the helmet light for tracking corners on the trail and signalling drivers who seem ready to pull out in front of me. The PB Blaze is nearly invisible. I can only see it if it is pointed up and reflected in the road signs.

[Starduster]

My turn…

It’s been some 15 years since I was a bike commuter, but the old Trek is still set up to the same philosophy (It *will* be set up to run *fast* at night!), even if the lighting has been upgraded repeatedly since then:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4034[/ATTACH]

The current setup: B+M LumoTec IQ Cyo Plus, from a B+M dynamo
BikeArlington white blinky, as a low speed(!) close-in supplement
B+M Toplight Line Plus tail light
NiteRider CherryBomb, as an on-street supplement

This current generation of dynamo/generator lighting has a standlight function, so that both lights stay on for about 4 minutes at a stop light.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4035[/ATTACH]

On the road (at about 11 mph):
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4036[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]4037[/ATTACH]

These B+M lights are in compliance with German traffic safety regulations (StVZO), which besides specifying minimum light output and coverage, require that they don’t dazzle & blind oncoming traffic. What you see is a lot like a good automotive low beam headlamp with a sharp cut-off at the top of the beam. Which is a good thing for riding the Mt. Vernon or W&OD Trails- being kind to oncoming traffic. For reference, Ronwalf’s Cyo R has a slightly different beam pattern- sacrificing a little range to fill in a dark sport directly in front. And the newest product from Busch+Muller expands beam width to over a full car lane wide.

Without flash, just the B+M lights:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4038[/ATTACH]

[Starduster]

just a couple more pics, please…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4039[/ATTACH]

Now, with flash on, and the NiteRider CherryBomb for extra “see me!” on the Pike:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4040[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]4041[/ATTACH]
That is reflective striping on a Pearl Izumi jacket and my helmet, and the bright-as-can-be BikeArlington zipper tag.

On the *do* list for winter will be replacement tires with reflective sidewalls. (Three good choices from Continental, and the Schwalbe Marathon…)

[Starduster]

Some might be skeptical about the Euro-spec dynamo taillight’s brightness…

This is my wife Sue’s wheels, running: Bontrager Ion 2 battery headlight (thank you BikeArlington!)
B+M Relite D battery taillight
Planet Bike Rack Blinky
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4042[/ATTACH]

The Relite D on the chainstay meets the same StVZO requirements as the Toplight Line Plus on my bike. With seriously good reflector. Bright enough?

And good light output to the side:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4043[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]4044[/ATTACH]

The Bontrager Ion 2 on the road at full brightness:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]4045[/ATTACH]

[hozn]

This is the beam from my backup minewt 250 on my son’s 14″ bike. (Angled down fairly sharply, since he is less about speed than slow steering corrections.)

And him on said bike with aforementioned reflective gear.

[jabberwocky]

View from my handlebars. Dinotte 800L and a Masione CREE T6 (magicshine clone):

[Author]

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