Maximum visiblity

tunney

Say a cyclist wanted to make themselves as visible as possible. The requirement here not be that they can see or even that they are satisified that they can be seen but rather a loved one is satisified that they can be seen on country roads.

What would you use/wear to convince them?

(Assume back ar$e of nowhere roads at 11pm in February)

Lumen

Ah, the beatings have started. :pac:

Caroline_ie has some nice hi-vis ankle/arm bands. Saves having to wear stupid flappy/sweaty hi-vis.

Or just get more life insurance.

edit: oh yeah, and obviously front and rear LEDs, both permanent and flashing. Nothing too bright on the front if you're out in the country (I think a small Fenix might do the job).

mloc123

High viz vest, people seem to think they are great :rolleyes:

Edit:

tomasrojo

Richard Ballantine used to recommend something like a strobelight., but that was in an older edition of Richard's Bicycle Book. Not sure you can get such a thing for cyclists now.

(I guess it was the Belt Beacon, mentioned here: http://www.cyclingforums.com/archive/index.php/t-307598-p-18.html)

seamus

On a country road, anything at all will make you stand out.

I was driving up Bohernabreena the other night, coming around a left-hand corner, saw headlights approaching, so I dipped mine. Got around the corner, yet another car, so I left my dips on.

Then I caught a glimpse of *something* about 50m ahead, just a single faint flicker in the dark ahead of me on the road, so I slowed down a bit. The other car passes, I stick my full beams on, and there's a guy on a bike, no lights, no reflectors, no high-vis, nothing. My wife didn't see him at all with the dipped headlights on, he was completely invisible. If I was going a bit faster or if there had been more traffic coming, I probably would have been on top of the guy before I saw him.

He did have a front light though :rolleyes:

Jawgap

I live in an area where dark country roads are a problem. Aside from werewolves, herself and the kids do express some worries about me getting hit by a car so I've had to invest to ease their fears. In summary I have

2 Fenix TK11 torches on the front and two Smart Flashing LEDs on the back.

I also wear a hi-vis windstopper jacket and have a hi-vis reflective cover for the back pack when I take it. I put a reflective helmet band on my lid.

I'm not sure there is much more to add without looking like a total tool (as opposed to just looking foolish!)

Jawgap

seamus wrote: »

On a country road, anything at all will make you stand out.

I was driving up Bohernabreena the other night, coming around a left-hand corner, saw headlights approaching, so I dipped mine. Got around the corner, yet another car, so I left my dips on.

Then I caught a glimpse of *something* about 50m ahead, just a single faint flicker in the dark ahead of me on the road, so I slowed down a bit. The other car passes, I stick my full beams on, and there's a guy on a bike, no lights, no reflectors, no high-vis, nothing. My wife didn't see him at all with the dipped headlights on, he was completely invisible. If I was going a bit faster or if there had been more traffic coming, I probably would have been on top of the guy before I saw him.

He did have a front light though :rolleyes:

Bloody ninja cyclists!!!:)

Caroline_ie

mloc123 wrote: »

is that a bottle of red in teh 1st aid kit?

Jawgap

Caroline_ie wrote: »

is that a bottle of red in teh 1st aid kit?

If if is they have it set up for intra-venous delivery - how thoughtful of them! that's my kind of first aid!

Caroline_ie

It will go well with this

blorg

I think a good LED or two on the back (Smart 1/2 watt) and the likes of a Fenix on front is more than enough. When out cycling on country roads at night with this setup cars give me a LOT of room. I don't think reflective stuff is as important, but the likes of an Altura Night Vision jacket is very visible (bit boil in the bag though.)

I have used as many as four Smart 1/2 watts on the back but to be honest even one is enough. Two with one constant and one flashing and you are set.

Jawgap

I think practically speaking a reflective jacket is not going to add a great deal, but for non-cyclists I think they prefer to see you going out dressed up in that sort of stuff.

-K2-

Wear this going out the door:

http://www.fitsense.co.uk/Nathan-LED-Running-Cycling-High-Vis-Vest.htm

...and then "store" it in the hedge until you get home.

Kinda like a teenager going to a disco in clothing acceptable to parents and then doing a ninja-changeover to something more suitable.

tunney

blorg wrote: »

I think a good LED or two on the back (Smart 1/2 watt) and the likes of a Fenix on front is more than enough. When out cycling on country roads at night with this setup cars give me a LOT of room. I don't think reflective stuff is as important, but the likes of an Altura Night Vision jacket is very visible (bit boil in the bag though.)

I have used as many as four Smart 1/2 watts on the back but to be honest even one is enough. Two with one constant and one flashing and you are set.

Okay the main point was something that would make someone *feel* the cyclist was visible. Lets assume the cyclist is lit up like a christmas tree with about 2500 lumem up front and 150-200 at the rear and a high-viz jacket.

Something that makes feck all difference really other than to make nervous partners say "ahhhhhh they'll definitely see you now".

tomasrojo

tunney wrote: »

Okay the main point was something that would make someone *feel* the cyclist was visible. Lets assume the cyclist is lit up like a christmas tree with about 2500 lumem up front and 150-200 at the rear and a high-viz jacket.

Something that makes feck all difference really other than to make nervous partners say "ahhhhhh they'll definitely see you now".

Get them to drive behind you on a country road while you cycle with decent lighting?

mloc123

Just say you are heading out to the pub to watch a match

ROK ON

I was driving over Molls Gap to Killarney on Saturday evening. There was a bright red light up ahead (or so I thought). It was about 3km before we actually passed the bike and cyclist that was the source of the red light.

Having been out at night cycling and paranoid about being seen I was pretty impressed at how visible the light was from so far away. This was 8pm and it was dark.
My wife claimed that the single red light was more visible at night than an sunlight cyclist would be on a rainy or overcast day.
The cyclist wore no reflective clothing that I could see.


Now on the way back from Killarney we almost hit a guy who was running on the road with a backpack and high viz vest. We saw him at the last minute. This was about midnight. Some crazy guy running in the dark with a rucksack.

Hope this helps you Tunney.

Chips Lovell

Dear Tunney,
I think you need to take a leaf out of the book of teenage girls. Buy yourself a big huge high-viz jacket. Heck even get yourself high-viz pants. Wear them every time you leave the house on the bike. Then promptly dump them under a bush at the end of the road, while you take your spin in your regular lycra, the cyclists equivalent of the skimpy mini skirt worn to Wesley on a Friday night.

niceonetom

Does this mean that you're back in training, tunney?

tomasrojo

ROK ON wrote: »

Now on the way back from Killarney we almost hit a guy who was running on the road with a backpack and high viz vest. We saw him at the last minute.

I've noticed that hi-viz doesn't work very well in Ireland when cars pass you on the left (such as on the two-way cycle track on Inchicore Road). Car lights cast very little light to the right (I presume not to dazzle oncomers). Same problem for cyclists who are on a roundabout: the motorist waiting to join the roundabout is not casting any light in your direction as you approach from the right.

Not really a problem for this scenario of cycling on country roads, but it does show that they're no substitute for lights.

tunney

niceonetom wrote: »

Does this mean that you're back in training, tunney?

No - just always wanted to cycle a particular route and best do it now before I get even fatter and won't be able to.

niceonetom

tunney wrote: »

No - just always wanted to cycle a particular route and best do it now before I get even fatter and won't be able to.

Wow. Cycling for pleasure?

Fair play.

Lumen

I have a sneaking suspicion that Tunney is now rocking a recumbent.

ROK ON

tunney wrote: »

No - just always wanted to cycle a particular route and best do it now before I get even fatter and won't be able to.

Don't worry about being fat. You will just become more like most of us here. I expect that you will end up wearing Boards gear soon.
Btw - if as you allude to a person in your life isworried about how visible you are at night them why not head out to the country with your present light set up and get them to follow you for a while in a var to see just how visible you are.

blorg

ROK ON wrote: »

My wife claimed that the single red light was more visible at night than an sunlight cyclist would be on a rainy or overcast day.

I always feel I am more visible out in the dark than even on a normal sunny day. Cars certainly give me more room. Out in the dark there are no other visual distractions for the motorist, there is just a black space and you in it (well lit of course.)

tunney

ROK ON wrote: »

Don't worry about being fat. You will just become more like most of us here. I expect that you will end up wearing Boards gear soon.
Btw - if as you allude to a person in your life isworried about how visible you are at night them why not head out to the country with your present light set up and get them to follow you for a while in a var to see just how visible you are.

Good idea. Will do this.

LastGasp

tomasrojo wrote: »

I've noticed that hi-viz doesn't work very well in Ireland when cars pass you on the left

I think Hi-Viz Jackets are pretty useless at night anyway. Car headlights on low beam are aimed down at the road so as not to dazzle oncoming traffic, so at any reasonable distance away from a bike they will only be lighting us up from the knees down ! They are more useful at half-light/dusk times, or in the countryside where traffic is more likely to be using high beam, but in urban areas I don't think they're much use.
+ 1 for Smart 1/2 watts.

JacksonHeightsOwn

check this out, i got one yesterday in the cycle superstore, brilliant jacket, lights all up the front, and along the back

Even stevie Wonder would spot you wearing this thing

gman2k

chrisbonnie wrote: »

check this out, i got one yesterday in the cycle superstore, brilliant jacket, lights all up the front, and along the back

Even stevie Wonder would spot you wearing this thing

Can't get your link to work, but I have one of these and they are brilliant.

Jawgap

gman2k wrote: »

Can't get your link to work, but I have one of these and they are brilliant.

Or you could just join the "Flying Elvises" (Utah Chapter):)