Are very bright LED lights dividing cyclists?

With the night's drawing in, lights are being dusted off and re-strapped to bikes around the country. It's funny but bike lights can and are causing issues between cyclists - as I discovered yesterday.

While riding home in the pissing rain some guy riding the opposite direction shouted something like 'disco bike' at me. He seemed pretty hostile and was a bit flustered that I had my front lamp set to flash - I wasn't bothered by his light at all. Apart from what the fu*k it had to do with him, I've noticed a few times lately that riders are having a go at one another due to the brightness of lamps.

The new Cateye Hiroshima

I've only had this one I hasten to add but I've heard people complaining that others are riding with lights. No matter how good bike lights have become since the development of LEDs, they are not as bright as car headlamps and cyclists never, usually, complain about car's lamps. Bike lights are admittedly higher and are not dipped but you'd think a cyclists having a go at another cyclist for using lights would be a rare thing - apparently not.

Later on the same ride I had to have an argument with some car knob who, after pulling out on me, had his fat wife tell me I didn't have my lights on! Cant win! I've reported him to plod anyway - yes I can remember a number plate the length of time it takes me to get my phone out of my pocket to make a note of it.

Anyway, cyclists, what do you think? Are uber bright LED lights a problem?

Lighten up, man

As the planet has now ended its lurch to the south and its axis is slowly making its way back oop north, there’s a real sense that the days are starting to get just a little bit longer. By a couple of minutes every day, we are slowly leaving mid-winter behind and emerging, chrysalis like into a bold new future of daylight, rain and potholes!

There’s still quite a long way to go until we will be able to see 7pm without the aid of artificial light though – sometime toward the end of March that’ll be.

One thing the dark days do give you an opportunity to appreciate is how far bike lights have come. If my ride in this last week has been anything to go by, there were many stockings filled with lights during Christmas.

Today’s LEDs are basically superb aren't they?  I remember reading a review of a motorbike a few years back which had ditched its old filament bulb for an LED rear light – filament bulbs are still required by law for head lamps.  The review nailed it by captioning a photo of the new rear light with: The days were when head lights were not as bright.

A beautiful light bulb

Same with our cycle lights. I can’t remember the name of the first lights I ever had but they were massive grey things which used two size D batteries every half hour.  The front one had a circular clear lens while the rear was an oblong about the same size as a litre of orange juice.

There is no comparison between the old and new, the new ones perform better, look better, are lighter, brighter, last longer and make you irresistible to the opposite sex.

Lighting up time

One day last week on the daily commute home I cruised past this chap on a mountain bike. Wearing jeans, trainers and a sports-casual jacket (him, not me), my first thought was 'good on him, the more people on bikes we have the better.' This was immediately followed with the thought: 'do yourself a favour pal and get yourself some lights.'
I've had mine on my bike for a couple of weeks now but with the clocks going back on Sunday, there'll be a good few sets of lights dusted off this weekend.
It's a rather depressing thought that we'll have to wait until the end of February for it to be light at 6pm again.  But if you want cheering up, it's only eight weeks until the winter solstice and the days start lengthening.
I use three lights: one rear, two front. Lighting technology has come on leaps and bounds over the last decade or so with the development of LED technology.
I've always really rated Cateye lights as , apart from anything, you can but replacement brackets and the like rather than having to buy a whole new light because a plastic clip breaks.
You really do get what you pay for with lights and, with that in mind, I pepped up my front luminosity with a Moon 500.  It's a neat little unit which charges via a USB and it's bright.

The light of a silvery moon

While the high viz top may be de rigueur among certain parts of the cycling community, I think they are a option, while a decent set of lights are an absolute must.
So, if you're going out riding this weekend, go and treat yourself to some lights first.  It's nearly Christmas after all!
Ride safe