Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System

Bicycle lighting has two main purposes: seeing and being seen. There are several types of bicycle lights available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, and each with its own enthusiastic advocates! Different technologies address these two purposes in different ways. There is no one "best" solution for any rider, and many riders mix and match different technologies to provide the balance that works for them. Bicycle lighting - History. The earliest bicycle and car lights were generally powered by ...

Including:

• Bicycle lighting - History
• Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System
• Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements
• Bicycle lighting - Safety
• Bicycle lighting - Front lighting
• Bicycle lighting - LEDs
• Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights
• Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights
• Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems
• Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems
• Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems
• Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting
• Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps
• Bicycle lighting - LEDs
• Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes
• Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity
• Bicycle lighting - Headtorches
• Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials
• Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark
• Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output
• Bicycle lighting - Watts
• Bicycle lighting - Candela
• Bicycle lighting - Lumens
• Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia - Bicycle lighting

If you want to cycle at low speeds, in familiar areas, with street lights, other ambient lighting, or when there's a full moon on a cloudless night, a low power LED headlight, and a rear LED flasher may be sufficient. If you actually want to see obstacles in darker areas, stand out in heavy traffic, or travel at higher speeds (>10 mph) you probably need a more powerful, quartz-halogen front light. Added power comes with penalties of greater weight, greater expense, and/or shorter run time. If you are doing bicycle touring, or if you don ...

See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System

Bicycle lighting - LEDs. Cyclists that ride at night only occasionally might opt for an inexpensive LED front light and rear LED flasher. Red or yellow LEDs suitable for use as rear lights have been available for many years. Recently, white LEDs which satisfy the requirements for a front light have come on the market, and some jurisdictions have or are considering making these legally acceptable. Very high-power LEDs are sensitive to overheating (e.g. 5W Luxeon Vs), and over-driving, if the enclosure, and driving ...

See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - Front lighting

There are three main units used in the measuring of light output. Manufacturers are in the business of selling product, so do not always quote the most appropriate figure - for example, Watts is commonly used, but wattage alone is a poor measure since the light optics will have a significant impact on the proportion of that power which is delivered where you want it. Bicycle lighting - Watts. The Watt (W) is the unit of (in this case electrical) power, the product of voltage and current (Watts = Volts x Am ...

See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output

Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps. The only real advantage to these is that they are often omnidirectional, being visible through a very wide arc. Newer LED lights have this feature, making lights based on filament lamps pretty much obsolete. Bicycle lighting - LEDs. In many countries LED flashers are the norm for rear lights. In others such as Germany flashing lights are forbidden by law. In the UK flashing LEDs (front and rear) are legal from October 2005. It has been found t ...

See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting

The earliest bicycle and car lights were generally powered by acetylene (carbide) lamps, now almost unused except by cavers. They were dim and temperamental, and the arrival of battery lamps was warmly welcomed. Early battery lamps generally used lead-acid batteries, but these were replaced by self-contained cells; lamps became smaller and more reliable. At the same time dynamos were developed which generated energy from the bicycle's own movement. These were much more practical, as storage den ...

See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - History

Bicycle lighting - Headtorches. Headtorches, such as those made by Petzl are a useful adjunct to bicycle lights. They can be pointed without steering the bike, giving useful "fill-in" lighting especially on poor or very dark roads. They also allow the wearer to read road and directional signs placed on high signposts. Some rechargeable systems offer a headtorch option powered from the main battery pack, but if judiciously used you can also get good life out of alkaline batteries or rechargeable cells. See also:

Bicycle lighting, Bicycle lighting - History, Bicycle lighting - Choosing an Appropriate Lighting System, Bicycle lighting - Legal requirements, Bicycle lighting - Safety, Bicycle lighting - Front lighting, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Low-cost battery lights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Flashlights, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable Halogen Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rechargeable H.I.D. Systems, Bicycle lighting - Dynamo Systems, Bicycle lighting - Rear lighting, Bicycle lighting - Filament lamps, Bicycle lighting - LEDs, Bicycle lighting - Xenon strobes, Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity, Bicycle lighting - Headtorches, Bicycle lighting - Reflective and high-visibility materials, Bicycle lighting - Repairs in the Dark, Bicycle lighting - Measures of light output, Bicycle lighting - Watts, Bicycle lighting - Candela, Bicycle lighting - Lumens, Bicycle lighting - Conclusion

Read more here: » Bicycle lighting: Encyclopedia II - Bicycle lighting - Supplementary lighting and conspicuity