Be Seen - even in the summer

I didn't make last evening's Griggstown Grinder. The threat of rain made me think twice. Sorry guys ...

However, it did remind me that it's still a good thing to be seen, especially under the trees on a dull day, or as sunset approaches. Even after a clear sunset, darkness can fall very quickly with just a mile or two to go.

Blackburn Mars 3.0

I use two lights, both of which frequently elicit comments from other riders and road users.

The Blackburn Mars 3.0 rear light is excellent value for money. One or two more expensive red lights may be brighter or flash in a more effective pattern, but the Mars 3.0 is very bright from the rear, employs an effective, attention grabbing strobe effect, and also shows a bright amber light to either side, a requirement of European rear lights. The Mars 3.0 uses two AAA batteries, which last a very long time.

Blackburn Flea 2.0

For the front I use a Blackburn Flea 2.0. The Flea 2.0 is a remarkably small, usb or solar charged light which has a flash mode which lasts for several hours. I'm not sure how bright it looks from the front, but it illuminates reflective road signs up to 100 metres away, so I'm assuming drivers coming the other way are aware of me. The Flea is not going to illuminate your way home, but is a very effective aid to conspicuity.

Blackburn also manufacture a Flea rear light, but its strobe mode employs LEDs only a few millimetres apart, so I'm not certain the differentiation is noticeable.

Of course, there are other effective bicycle lights available. The most important thing is to be seen. So, regardless of manufacturer, make sure front and rear lights face the traffic. Too many conspicuity lights are aimed down towards the ground, make them far less effective as aids to safety.

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Incidentally, you can find New Jersey sunset times here ...

Winter Drawers On ... v2.00

Just caught sight of two interesting bike lights from Princeton Tec which seem to take bicycle lighting to the next step.

The Swerve: the latest super-bright LEDs have taken rear lights into new realms of brilliance and conspicuity. The Swerve has two red 0.5w LEDs, one beamed through a diffuser to enable a wide spread of light and the other an intense focused beam. One of the switched modes alternates between the two LEDs and produces a curiously eye-catching effect similar to spotting an emergency services light down the road.

I ran the light against my current favourite rear light, the Blackburn Mars 3.0 and in all modes the Swerve was more conspicuous against the Blackburn's already good performance. The Swerve's flashing mode was particularly effective. However, the Swerve costs almost twice as much as the Blackburn but on a dark, rainy night with a hockey-mom with half a team in the back of the Windrush speeding up behind you you might be grateful for the Swerve's extra whoomph!

$29.99 : 2xAAA alkaline batteries, 70hours claimed. Handle bar, seat post, seat stay and fork mounts are included. Built-in clip allows for attachment to your helmet, pack or messenger bag.

EOS Bike : LEDs have transformed bicycle lighting in the last few years, but left cyclists with two choices when it comes to bicycle front lights ... okay ... maybe three ... low-powered, self-contained handle-bar lights ($15-$40ish) or expensive, high-powered, high-tech lithium battery powered units at about $1.00/lumen so that a 200 lumen unit is going to set you back about $200.

The less expensive lights are good for conspicuity, but do little, if anything to light the road/track ahead. The high-tech solution is incredible ... but seriously expensive.

The EOS Bike light is the first LED front light I've seen which puts the basic handlebar mounted light into the serious lighting class. Okay, it's one of the most expensive, but not much else compares to it in this section of the market.

The light claims 50 lumens which pretty much corresponds to the $1.00/lumen formula, so doesn't approach the brightness of the higher-priced rechargeable units, but it hits well above its class in comparison to any other regular, battery-powered bicycle headlight.

It has four modes; high-, medium-, low-power and a slow flash. All modes are highly conspicuous and the high-power mode will light your way at moderate speed on the road.

$44.99 : 3xAAA alkaline/lithium batteries, run-time variable according to mode. Includes helmet, handle bar and headlamp attachments.

Available from Halter's Cycles or your local LBS.