The clock has been set back, the leaves have fallen and it’s dark and cold mornings in many places. I ride for fitness so I ride my bike instead of walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical trainer in at a health club.
I’m fortunate that the part of Northern California that I call home allows me to ride year round. Barring rain, I’ll get out if I can. I don’t have to deal with the real nasty winter weather of snow, ice and sleet, that type of stuff.
But the darkness is another matter. Being out on a bike in early morning without proper visibility is a recipe for disaster.
Last year when I was out riding before sunrise, I scraped by with a rudimentary headlight. I purchased this Cateye headlight because it was affordable and I didn’t know anything about cycling lights. I thought a light was a light.
And quite frankly I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around paying $200 for a bicycle light. That was the cost of a light that a cyclist friend recommended to me.
I quickly learned the difference among lights. I discovered the Cateye was best suited for riding in lighted areas, meaning it’s a light you use that was best for being seen but not to help you see, at least if you’re riding in areas that aren’t well lit.
Well this year I replaced it with a Cyglolite dual LED headlight with a rechargeable battery. This puppy enables me to see in darkened areas where I wouldn’t have thought of going with the Cateye. It has a number of different settings – high, medium and low beams. It also has a flash setting, a setting for walking, although it’s awkward to carry on a walk because of the battery pack and an SOS flash setting.
Recently I started a ride with it on high and ended the ride with it on low as the sun rose. The separate battery pack, which I attach to the front of my bike, keeps the light going for several hours. I like this light, it does everything that I want it to. I guess it should as even on sale and with an additional discount it was about 10 times the cost of the Cateye.
On the back of my bike I have a flashing taillight and I make sure to wear plenty of reflective clothing. I have a vest similar to what crossing guards or outdoor workers wear, a “screaming yellow” jacket, reflective bands and also reflective logos on my shorts and other clothing.
Afterall, being seen is a step toward being safe.
When it comes to lights and goofy bikewear in general, I like the expression I heard a while back: Better to be laughed at than cried over. 🙂
For my front light, I carry a NiteRider Minewt USB and it offer plenty of light in many streets that don’t have any lighting. I like it because I can charge it with my USB port on the computer. For the rear, I carry a Planet Bike Superflash. So far, it’s been working wonders.
I will second the Cygolite. It’s my first “big boy” light; I recently got it and it does a great job of lighting the way.
I recommend a second tail light,like the Planet Bike Super Flash. The greater danger is being hit from behind. I think riders feel safe with one rear light, and it looks bright to us riders. But, we’re looking for it and are aware of it.
The casual (and increasingly distracted) driver is not! So an additional light in the back will hopefully grab their attention far in advance of approaching you. And just maybe, they will even slow down.
When I rode in my darkened morning rides, I looked like a Christmas tree on the road but I felt safer.
Actually, from what I have read we are more likely to be hit by cars cutting across are path of travel, i.e. people turning left (or right) in front of us. When I buy headlights I try to make sure that they also shine sideways so that I can be seem by cars coming at a right angle to me.
Since most of my bikes are set up for racing with all the reflectors removed, I have a training bike set up with lights always on it just to make life easier. I also keep some small blinkies in the saddle bag of my favorite bicycle that I can use if I get caught out late, it becomes foggy, or if I am riding on a crowded road and I want a little more exposure.
I have a two-year-old Cygolite, similar to yours. I have been very pleased with it, and I’ve even used it on the night laps of 24-hour mtb races.
I had to fashion a better handlebar mount, after mine broke when I rode through a pothole (about 2 weeks after I got it). My mount is not a QR, but it does position the light below the bar (the original put it on top), less susceptible to crash damage on a mountain bike.
hmmm..I use a cateye, and was reasonably happy with it. Of course I don’t ride on roads that don’t already have some sort of lighting…perhaps when winter rolls around and the days are shorter I might need to upgrade. Thanks for the tip.