Riding at Night

Hi people,

I ride at night often, and have just got some lights to start riding my mountain bike at night. One thing I have never seen mentioned is wheter or not people use helmet lights on the road. It seems to me that it would be dangerous, because if you look into oncoming traffic you'd blind the motorist.

Any comments?

Hmm, a possibility I suppose, but a risk outweighed by the rest of the facts. On one hand, you're rarely facing oncoming traffic directly if you ride how and where you should... and even in the rare instances that you're forced to, and even when your headlamp goes right into the motorists' eyes, it's not a particularly alien thing for the driver -- drivers get brighter lights in their eyes all the time. Even so, if you're a driver, a bright light in your eyes at the very least says, "there's something over here... don't hit it."

Personally, I'm partial to handlebar lights when night-riding is on the docket. I've got a NiteRider Trail Rat 2.0; it's bright enough to land a small plane by (though there are several much brighter versions available) but is easily positioned to stay below eye level, if that worries you. Add a tail light and you're golden.

Well I have allways had both front and rear lights on the bike, and I have those blinky things on my valve stems as well. I may try using the helmet light on the road, it just seems like it might be a hazard if I was to turn my head and look toward the other side of the road.

I find a helmet light very useful, mostly for deliberately shining it at car drivers to make sure they see me, doesn't always work but it's easier than turning the bars to attract their attention. I only have a 5W bulb in it so I don't think I'll blind anyone.

So far I have not had a problem with drivers noticing me. then again on front I ahve a 10w halogen and a xenon strobe and a xenon strobe in back. I get more respect at night then in the day.

What lights are best to see where you are going on a moonless night? (w/o street lamps)

Are the modern LED lights with an effective beam available yet?

Or is best to combine a dynamo with a good battery light?

What I do not want to do is waste a lot of dosh on a high powered light that will not operate with rechargeables, or the charging system comes with an inadequate charger, so the lights with the new charger it comes in at a high price a £100 or so.

Got to be worth quite a lot as I have lost an expensive bike when I came a cropper in the dark , as my lights were NOT powerful enough to see the puddle hiding a giant hole.