Rear lights: which is best, continuous or flashing?

I893469365902345609348566

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Oct 20, 2021
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Do you have the link to this?
Someone else found one on Aliexpress for less than half the price I paid, but mine arrived by Royal Mail 48:



It might be rubbish, I'm fault finding at the moment trying to see why one of the 3w lights isn't working, that one is connected to the cable for lights leading from the bbs01b controller. It doesn't look damaged, and the rear light on the same cable is working... a cable break or damaged light. Once I've fixed that, I'll solder in this 20W light for a comparison with one of the fucntioning 3W lights. I'd love to attach this to the fork but I'd have to make a bracket, which isn't possible with one wrist at present. I might order something similar I saw on Aliexpress (20W) with a bracket for the fork.
 
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Sep 13, 2020
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Drivers worry me far more than the boys in blue! I
<snipped for brevity>

Yes, I'd definitely agree with that. I've passed on the opposite side to, or been overtaken by quite a few police vehicles over the period I've been cycling, and not one has shown the remotest interest.

With regard to your videos above, I must admit the loudspeakers on my PC don't work. I'll re-watch on my tablet to get the background sound.
 

Nealh

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Check the current draw of the light, the controller light circuit can only handle sub 1a draw whether integrated or metal box type.
 

I893469365902345609348566

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Oct 20, 2021
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They were both working fine before bertie the badger made his mad dash. Now the headlight on that circuit doesn't work, isn't smashed, but I have a spare of the exactly the same, which I know does work. The rear light on that circuit works. Ideally I want those two on at all times, activated by the display, whereas the 20W light might need switching off when I'm very low on battery. The 20W headlight is going to wired to the battery directly through an inline fuse and a handlebar switch. The two 6V lights on bbs01b controller lighting cable are 1.5w (front) and 1.5W? (rear) I think, for a total of 3w at 6v. The 1.5W headlight is in the fork:

 

I893469365902345609348566

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Oct 20, 2021
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Check the current draw of the light, the controller light circuit can only handle sub 1a draw whether integrated or metal box type.
You're right, I should check the draw of these lights.
 

trevor brooker

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Someone else found one on Aliexpress for less than half the price I paid, but mine arrived by Royal Mail 48:



It might be rubbish, I'm fault finding at the moment trying to see why one of the 3w lights isn't working, that one is connected to the cable for lights leading from the bbs01b controller. It doesn't look damaged, and the rear light on the same cable is working... a cable break or damaged light. Once I've fixed that, I'll solder in this 20W light for a comparison with one of the fucntioning 3W lights. I'd love to attach this to the fork but I'd have to make a bracket, which isn't possible with one wrist at present. I might order something similar I saw on Aliexpress (20W) with a bracket for the fork.
looking at the link the light appears to be a torch ie not a dipped headlight with full beam potential.
 

I893469365902345609348566

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Oct 20, 2021
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looking at the link the light appears to be a torch ie not a dipped headlight with full beam potential.
It'll do for my purposes, if it's bright enough. This may be of interest to you:

 

Laser Man

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Jul 1, 2018
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It's much easier for a driver behind to judge the distance of a steady red light.
A driver is much more likely to notice a flashing red light.

My solution : two lamps - one steady and one flashing - set reasonably far apart.

Front lamps -
As a pedestrian, cyclist and driver I ***hate*** these enormously powerful LED front lamps.
They can be completely blinding (far worse than most car headlights).
Their use as point-straight-ahead-death-rays shows no respect at all for other road users.
 
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guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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Front lamps -
As a pedestrian, cyclist and driver I ***hate*** these enormously powerful LED front lamps.
They can be completely blinding (far worse than most car headlights).
Their use as point-straight-ahead-death-rays shows no respect at all for other road users.

Better to be looked over, than overlooked! Cyclists have much more to lose in a collision.

Car and motorcycle headlights are far brighter and more blinding.
 

soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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It's much easier for a driver behind to judge the distance of a steady red light.
A driver is much more likely to notice a flashing red light.

My solution : two lamps - one steady and one flashing - set reasonably far apart.

Front lamps -
As a pedestrian, cyclist and driver I ***hate*** these enormously powerful LED front lamps.
They can be completely blinding (far worse than most car headlights).
Their use as point-straight-ahead-death-rays shows no respect at all for other road users.

when carrots don't work.


even with my 8000lm light i cant go flat out as just cant see far enough., the light in the vid was this one and absolute crap but my wheel was not bent in half so better than nothing ;)

 

guerney

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when carrots don't work.


even with my 8000lm light i cant go flat out as just cant see far enough., the light in the vid was this one and absolute crap but my wheel was not bent in half so better than nothing ;)

You need car headlights! Mount a couple to your handlebars?
 

soundwave

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the light i have now is this

and was replaced buy this with a new batt that wont now work with the one i have :mad:


and a copy of that.
 

guerney

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the light i have now is this

and was replaced buy this with a new batt that wont now work with the one i have :mad:


and a copy of that.
The spread is as important - car headlights have very well designed and large reflectors, shaping light... grab a couple of good headlights from a decent 4X4! Range rover? Should be good for offroad, plus you could dip them for road use. Good reflectors are always going to be large, unless some sort of diffraction grating (as on flat magnifying glasses) is used to shape light into a useful spread, it'd be lighter and more compact, but not as efficient as a parabolic reflector. I've never seen a bike light with an adjustable front lens and small but effective adjustable rear reflector, but I wish there was - it might stop "It's dazzling me!" whingers... I've tried being a respectful cylist, sadly, this wasn't reciprocated by disrespectful and ignorant drivers. Now, I just want to be seen and be safer when cycling at night. If drivers don't like it, they can write to "Points of view", or their MP or something.
 
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soundwave

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May 23, 2015
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what you need is power, on flat out the 6 cell pack is done in 1hr even less if it gets hot as just a giant heat sink with leds on the front.

or just stick this on my helmet lol but at that power draw you got mins of usage time

 
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guerney

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what you need is power, on flat out the 6 cell pack is done in 1hr even less if it gets hot as just a giant heat sink with leds on the front.

or just stick this on my helmet lol but at that power draw you got mins of usage time



How about bolting on a motorcycle fairing?







 

soundwave

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DSC_0118_01.JPG

DSC_0592.JPG

it got to hot and blew the led i did get a rc motor cooler that would clip on the under side but also needed power for the fan and also filled it with baby oil but leaked in to the reflector and gave up but when it was working at full power was like a laser beam :p
 
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guerney

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guerney

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View attachment 45267

View attachment 45268

it got to hot and blew the led i did get a rc motor cooler that would clip on the under side but also needed power for the fan and also filled it with baby oil but leaked in to the reflector and gave up but when it was working at full power was like a laser beam :p
Stick a load of CPU heatsinks all over it with heat conductive glue? Air passing at your usual 35mph would do the rest. ;)
 
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soundwave

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I bet this would be very visible on my handlebars at night:

being visible is not the problem at speed i need to throw the light so can see what is coming id not go much faster than 25mph in pitch black with what i have atm.


if you cant cool the led at max power it will blow up in seconds like a old cpu with no heat sink.

you can use a buck converter to power the leds so limit voltage and current but dont try that with the bikes batt as a power supply.
 
Sep 13, 2020
119
64
It's much easier for a driver behind to judge the distance of a steady red light.
A driver is much more likely to notice a flashing red light.

My solution : two lamps - one steady and one flashing - set reasonably far apart.

Front lamps -
As a pedestrian, cyclist and driver I ***hate*** these enormously powerful LED front lamps.
They can be completely blinding (far worse than most car headlights).
Their use as point-straight-ahead-death-rays shows no respect at all for other road users.
I've just taken a look at mine, from the front in a darkened room, and crikey, yes, they are definitely an extremely bright, dazzling white, and yes possibly blinding. I was quite surprised as it's the first time I've ever taken an actual look at the light from a forward perspective. I just switch it on and go. Never have need to check as it's powered direct from the battery.

Nothing like those old large metal ones, powered by their own batteries, which you'd slot onto the front of the bike. They were very mild by comparison.

With that said, I certainly wouldn't be up for taking lectures from motorists who come at you full beam on an unlit road. I challenge any cyclist to stay fully orientated in direction before such a car passes.
 
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