Josh Simonds
www.nixfrixshun.com
www.facebook.com/NFSspeedshop
www.bicycle-coach.com
Vsalon Fromage De Tête
I was merely answering regarding the target fixation issue. It can happen with or without light. Once you are seen (whatever the mean) you may be the subject of target fixation by any driver and there is nothing you can do from a rider's perspective.
Last edited by sk_tle; 02-17-2021 at 08:51 AM.
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T h o m a s
Don't the rules for PBP specifically prohibit blinky taillights, they have to be solid?
If I'm not in something like that I use both at the same time so I catch their eye and then they can track me. It is hard to exactly position someone in the dark if they are running a single flasher. Several flashers at once actually work, one time I was doing the shorter event in the ADK 540 when I came over a hill and saw another rider ahead and my first thought was "What the hell is that?" until I realized it was somebody with at least 4 of those Planet Bike flashers going. They had to be three quarters of a mile ahead of me and I thought the aliens had landed.
Tom Ambros
i dont do any night riding/communiting but in retrospect, i do wish i had my spectrum set up for dynamo...i like having daytime lights and i have had the battery run out and or not be charged on more than one occassion
but i like overengineered stuff in general...i drive a lifted jeep with a snorkel and a v8 cuz i got stuck in a snowstorm a few years ago
trees are the best targets there is and they aren't blinking.
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T h o m a s
I've got a shovel, a tow strap and a comealong in the back of my Subaru. Parked overexuberantly last Saturday and had the whole contraption rigged to a tree across the road and was in the process of extraction when a truck came along and helped out. Belt and suspenders - but hubris is still a danger.
Super helpful discussion from everyone- thanks.
I think were I'm landing is no dynamo for this one (will stick wit my DT Swiss 1400's to start), but should I ever go back to biking to an office, it'll definitely be on disc brakes, and definitely with a dynamo setup.
Good choice. I bit my lip earlier but dyno is better on commuter bikes than it is on the bike you're riding for fun.
So I did a ride yesterday, it was already a greyish day and the sun was going down in the last hour. This forum thread has been staying at the back of my mind for the last few dats. Around here a lot of riders here are using blinkies, even during daytime. 2 conclusions.
- a bright light does a lot to be seen from far away but it doesn't give much info about distance given the difference in brightness between models. I catched a rider who was using a light, it took me a few km and if there had been no curve I would have had a hard time figuring out if he was 500 or 200m in front of me. This can make a huge difference for a driver coming at or past the speed limit on some roads. Also in urban areas there are red lights everywhere which makes them mixed up with lots of other things and bring confusion.
- the difference in visibility was striking between cyclists, mostly riding dark clothing, and runners, especially female ones running with bright orange or pink tops.
Bottom line. I think lightning only is not enough with the amount of traffic we now have and I ordered some bright orange jerseys and socks and will probably buy some paint cans and reflective strips for my helmets. I might look like a road worker in my next cycling chapter but I don't care.
Last edited by sk_tle; 02-26-2021 at 07:52 AM.
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T h o m a s
Thomas, I agree with you.
I live on a major bike path and have used to to walk my dogs, walk the kids to school, etc for five years now (in addition to my own cycling, obviously) and am of the opinion that front and rear blinkies for daytime riding is a must. I supplement with a lighted helmet on gray days or near dusk/dawn. And have gravitated towards neon gloves and bright clothing as much as possible. This winter I even took the opportunity to sell my black Rapha brevet jacket which I loved, and buy a new yellow one solely for safety sake.
All right Matt...buy the Son dynamo, now that Jan has them back in stock, so that you are ready to scratch that dynamo itch when it comes back.
https://www.renehersecycles.com/back...generator-hubs
rw saunders
hey, how lucky can one man get.
Dynamo all the way, if you are planning to spend some cash. I am planning a new bike and a nice alloy wheelset based on Onyx hubs. Since the front hub is so $$, I might as well switch out for a Dynamo for just a few bucks more and with much greater functionality. If you are planning on grabbing a cheapish wheelset, then Dynamo may not be in the cards.
Ive had a dynamo on my (out of use) commuter for years and they are incredibly useful and practical. If the hub could convert to 12mm from QR, I would simply reuse these!
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