Red Blinky in Back – Required or Retired

[americancyclo]

After this thread popped up, I’ve been running solid red in the back. I hope you all enjoy the view.

[5555624]

@americancyclo 9344 wrote:

After this thread popped up, I’ve been running solid red in the back. I hope you all enjoy the view.

I recall some study — years ago — which said a solid red light was better, but I don’t recall why how they determined that.

[Jsnyd]

I heard that drivers tend to steer into strobe lights. I don’t have one but an urban 180 is a really nice rear light. It doesn’t strobe but pulses which is actually pretty different. Also goes to steady red light and a pace light. Which is no red light but a dim yellow light if your pulling a few wheel suckers at night.. Or some buddies. Eventually I may get one but they’re $100.

—
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.845369,-76.949823

[americancyclo]

@Jsnyd 9355 wrote:

I don’t have one but an urban 180 is a really nice rear light.

Looks nice, might have to look in to that once my led blinky from BikeArlington retires.

[Dirt]

Been riding with mine on constant since this thread started too.

[acc]

Something that came up in discussion last night at the Bike Forum Happy Hour was using lights on backpacks with the idea this location is higher off the ground and perhaps more visible. Being roughly the size of a capuchin monkey, this advice resonates with me.

ann

[americancyclo]

@acc 9383 wrote:

Being roughly the size of a capuchin monkey, this advice resonates with me. ann

At a length of 30 to 56 cm (according to wikipedia), you’re slightly smaller than the frame of my bicycle. Maybe you need one of these instead http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-58-27-600-Safety-Flag-Orange/dp/B002K2KWK4/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1319213943&sr=1-2 with a blinky on the flag.

[DaveK]

@acc 9383 wrote:

Something that came up in discussion last night at the Bike Forum Happy Hour was using lights on backpacks with the idea this location is higher off the ground and perhaps more visible. Being roughly the size of a capuchin monkey, this advice resonates with me.

ann

I run a rear blinky on my seat post (PB Superflash) and one on my helmet. I want to run a third light on the clip on the back of my rack but I can’t figure out what would mount there – it looks like something should screw into the two holes in it but none of my lights kicking around the house have a mount like that.

[acc]

I probably just need a good booster seat, but they’re so hard to mount.
But certainly I agree with the idea of getting lights up and into the range of a driver sitting behind the wheel.

ann

[americancyclo]

@DaveK 9387 wrote:

it looks like something should screw into the two holes in it but none of my lights kicking around the house have a mount like that.

Are you looking for someting like the Jandd Reflector mount? I know it works with reflectors, but might be a bit of a kludge to get a light to fit well. http://www.amazon.com/Jandd-Reflector-Mount/dp/B001IOT3YG

[Greenbelt]

@DaveK 9387 wrote:

I run a rear blinky on my seat post (PB Superflash) and one on my helmet. I want to run a third light on the clip on the back of my rack but I can’t figure out what would mount there – it looks like something should screw into the two holes in it but none of my lights kicking around the house have a mount like that.

Seat stay light? Easy to mount on a rack pretty much anywhere.

http://www.serfas.com/product_details.asp?ID=598

[consularrider]

@DaveK 9387 wrote:

I run a rear blinky on my seat post (PB Superflash) and one on my helmet. I want to run a third light on the clip on the back of my rack but I can’t figure out what would mount there – it looks like something should screw into the two holes in it but none of my lights kicking around the house have a mount like that.

Planet Bike sells an adapter that works with the Superflash on these rack clips. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3108.html

@acc:

My problem with people who clip their rear blinky to a backpack is that frequently the light ends up being less visible (if at all). It all depends on where they clip it because sometimes it winds up facing up or to the side instead of to the rear. This seems to be mostly a problem of riders on road bike who are stretched out and hunched over more than those on flat bar bikes. No worries if it’s not the primary light, but as I saw last night, for many it is the only rear light.

[OneEighth]

Consularrider makes a good point about light placement on backpacks, particularly for riders with a big seat to handlebar drop. I hang two lights off the straps that secure the backpack flap at the lower edge of the bag. When I’m riding, they should be facing straight back and be clearly visible.

[vvill]

I have a mesh bottle holder section on my backpack that I will often attach a red blinkie to. I need more red blinkies though. I had two at the start of the week. Now I have one, and the lens from one. I was thinking of just buying a whole bunch of them as I can always see many places to put them.

I usually run in flashing mode, as I always assumed it was more attention grabbing.

[MCL1981]

@Dirt 9371 wrote:

Been riding with mine on constant since this thread started too.

What exactly do you carry around with that? I picture a rotary spreader on the bottom for spreading sand/salt in the winter.

[Author]

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