Q: Effectiveness of flashing front lights in rural context?

[Yes, I am working on a newbies FAQ - If anyone wants to help please
contact me by email - see sig with spamtrap]

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going. Are they switchable anyway?

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded

www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides

Peter Fox wrote:
[Yes, I am working on a newbies FAQ - If anyone wants to help please
contact me by email - see sig with spamtrap]

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going.

I sincerely doubt a flashing LED will be of any use whatsoever. My fancy
Cateye multi-LED front light is pretty useless in non-flashing mode
when onto the rural stretch of my ride home. Which is why I prefer SON
power or rechargable halogens.

Are they switchable anyway?

"Peter Fox" wrote in
message news
[Yes, I am working on a newbies FAQ - If anyone wants to help please
contact me by email - see sig with spamtrap]

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going. Are they switchable anyway?


I live in the countryside - no streetlighting.

Bright flashing LEDs are no earhtly use except as a *secondary* light source
to be seen by. They are about as much use as a chocolate teapot when it
comes to seeing where you are going. Not all LED lights are switchable
between steady & flashing modes. My lighting set-up in order that I can see
sufficently well where I am going on unlit Norfolk country lanes is 2 x
Cateye HL-EL300 (5 *large* bright LEDs in each - these cast a decent beam
and effectively British Standard), 1 x SS-L120 LED (3 x very bright LEDs)
and on my helmet I have a single LED headtorch.

The Cateyes are mounted on a Minoura spacebar on my handlebar. The S-Sun is
mounted on the front fork (inner) to illuminate the verge - it can be
difficult to judge where the edge of road/verge/ditch/field is due to the
state of quite a few of the roads and the helmet mounted LED is great for
illuminating road signs and for added WTF factor with oncoming motorists.

Cheers, helen s

Peter Fox wrote:
I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see
where you're going.

With sharp eyesight, you might just make out where're you're going on an
unlit road with one of the brightest models on flashing mode, but it would
be annoying and unsafe.

Are they switchable anyway?

Yes, they all have a steady mode.

~PB

Peter Fox wrote:
[Yes, I am working on a newbies FAQ - If anyone wants to help please
contact me by email - see sig with spamtrap]

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going. Are they switchable anyway?

If there's enough light to cycle without extra light, it's not needed.
If it's too dark for that and the light is bright enough to illuminate
your path, the effect of it flashing is going to stop your eyes
adjusting to the dark. While it is off you'll see nothing, and while it
is on you will be (up to a point) dazzled. I cannot think of a worse
arrangement.

--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

Pete Biggs wrote:
Peter Fox wrote:

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see
where you're going.


With sharp eyesight, you might just make out where're you're going on an
unlit road with one of the brightest models on flashing mode, but it would
be annoying and unsafe.

I had my SMART light switch off suddenly whilst travelling along an
unlit road one night. There was just enough light from the tireflys to
prevent me running off the road after I had slowed right down [1].

Not my lighting methd of choice though.

...d

[1] that 'Oh dear I cannot see a thing, it is a good time to drop
anchor'[2] type slowing down.

[2] or similar words to that effect.

Peter Fox wrote:

I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going. Are they switchable anyway?

A bright front LED did OK for me, though I couldn't contemplate running
it in flashing mode except in an urban (i.e. streetlit) area.

Well, very briefly. About the third time I tried to use it, the d***
thing stopped working. Not batteries or bulbs, just poor construction.
Almost makes one nostalgic for the old never-readys of ones youth, which
could usually at least be nursed into getting you home with a bit of
pushing and shaking :-(

(fortunately I was able to leave it where I'd spent the evening, get a
lift home, then take the bus to Plymouth to collect the bike and ride
home in daylight).

--
Nick Kew

Chris Jones wrote:

when I try to ride down a
dark road (or, even more dramatically, off-road track) with a
flashing light I just fall off!

Judging by your wording, it seems you've tried this more than once?

Peter Fox wrote:
I've never had anything but a decent but very standard filament front
light and hardly do any town riding at night so I'd like to know if a
_bright_ but flashing LED is any use at all in the country to see where
you're going. Are they switchable anyway?

I have experimented with flashing modes on my *really* bright LED
lights, and found that they're no use at all for seeing where you're
going. They can be very effective at attracting attention in bright,
cluttered environments like in town, but when I try to ride down a dark
road (or, even more dramatically, off-road track) with a flashing light
I just fall off! Quite apart from preventling your eyes adjusting to the
darkness, there seems to be some effect on balance. IANA physiologist,
though.

Chris
--
Chris Jones
http://www.solidlights.co.uk/

Simonb wrote:
Chris Jones wrote:

when I try to ride down a
dark road (or, even more dramatically, off-road track) with a
flashing light I just fall off!

Judging by your wording, it seems you've tried this more than once?

All in the name of science, I guess. He makes lights.

A