Want to make absolutely certain drivers will see your bike in even the worst weather conditions? Dinotte sells LED head and tail lights with up to 600 lumens of brightness. They run for 3.5 to 7.0 hours on lithium-ion rechargeable batteries and cost a hefty $160-$400 a piece.
Still, that is a lot cheaper than the total costs associated with getting hit by a car.
Author: Milan
In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford.
Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.
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How bright is 600 lumens? Is it as bright as a car headlight?
I called the police station once because I wanted a light like the ones the cops have on their bikes. I had been impressed by how bright their bike lights shone. I was shocked to learn that they cost over $400! Must be the same kind that you are promoting. I can’t afford one, so I just don’t ride at night…
Can someone suggest a more modestly priced, but still quite bright, bike light?
My father has some bright lithium-powered lights. Perhaps he can weigh in.
These won’t keep you alive in traffic, but they will make you the life of any hippie festival you attend: SpokePOV
“Spoke POV is an easy-to-make electronic kit toy that turns your bicycle wheel into a customized display!”
Interventions for increasing pedestrian and cyclist visibility for the prevention of death and injuries
We found no trials assessing the effect of visibility aids on pedestrian and cyclist-motor vehicle collisions and injuries. We identified 39 trials assessing the effect of visibility aids on drivers’ responses. Fluorescent materials in yellow, red and orange colours improve detection and recognition in the daytime. For night-time visibility, lamps, flashing lights and retroreflective materials in red and yellow colours increase detection and recognition. Retroreflective materials arranged in a ‘biomotion’ configuration also enhance recognition. Substantial heterogeneity between and within the trials limited the possibility for meta-analysis. Summary statistics and descriptive summaries of the outcomes were presented for individual trials when appropriate.
Down Low Glow
Seeing the previously-reviewed DiNotte lights reminded me of the Down Low Glow, a super-bright bicycle running light embedded in a shatterproof tube with reflective mylar coating. Both a safety device and a fashion accessory, the Down Low Glow is possibly the most fun safety light I’ve ever seen. Even the persistence-of-vision LED spoke lights we have on our tandem don’t get as many appreciative comments. Having skater kids comment on how awesome my bike is as I ride past has been particularly fun. I’ve even had total strangers come up to me and say they saw me the other night on the road. The glow from these things makes you look huge. Cars definitely give me more passing room, and my wife feels better about my evening commute knowing that I’m highly visible from all directions, including the side.
The system comes in single- or dual-tube configurations and in a variety of colors including street-legal amber, blue, red, pink and purple (mine is green).
Bike-light that paints a laser-lit bike-lane on the road around you
By Cory Doctorow on Safety
LightLane is a concept gadget that paints a bike lane around your bicycle with laser-light as you pedal through the night