I ride with a flashing rear light on my helmet and do the minimal amount of road work possible; the other day a car drew alongside and a woman shouted that it was quite hard to see me (on a lit street) which I thought was nice of her to point out.
So I'm going to beef up my rear illumination. Can anyone recommend something reasonably priced with lots of visibility which is straightforward to attach?
Try some reflective bands around your ankles and maybe even a hi vis vest
It's not as simple as adding more lights/reflectives. You'll just blend in to all the other lights. Personally, I used to get more near-misses when using several lights, bag cover, reflective stickers on the bike than when I went with one seriously bright light front and rear. Used to use the Cateye TD1100 (aka the Holy Hand Grenade), but now have a NiteRider Cherry Bomb. It's a good bit cheaper than the TD1100 too.
The light on your helmet may not be pointing in the best direction or waving around too much. Maybe put it on the bike?
I use a blackburn Mars, plenty bright enough.
And make sure your wearing something high vis, I was riding behind a guy with goof f+r lights the other day, but felt the need to point out to him he was still hard to spot even to another cyclsit in a blue (altura IIRC) waterproof on a gray morning. Flurescent yellow with plentyu of reflective bands is both easy to spot in isolation, and drivers are used to seeing people wearing it so it actualy registers as a person even in the dim light.
Also those snap on armbands are cheep and easy to add to any clothes.
Magicshine do a rear light and Y-connector cables, uses a lot of red LED's so should be very visible.
Ohh and I think small helmet lights are great for visibility, maybe because its at a standing persons eye level its easy to register it as belonging to a person?
I have a brand new Cateye LD600 you can have for £11 posted 
Recently got a smart lunur 1 watt rear light.Bloomin eck it's bright!.Only about £16 in the sales at the mo.Also I think it's a good idea to have a light on you,be it on your helmet or rucksack.If for whatever reason you become "detached" from your bike(fixing a puncture or,god forbid,coming off) car drivers will hopfully still see both you and your bike.
I've just bought two of these...
I've not used them on the road yet, but they seem very bright.
Thanks all. Lots of good suggestions there. I'll have a look at the various bits over the weekend. Not something I've given much thought too seeing as I'm rarely on the road.
Thanks again.
chap i ride with has a smart lunar 1 and it is very, very bright indeed.
i've just bought 2. ~16 quid each at wiggle. i've been using the 1/2w version on my bikes for a year or so, so i know the 1w will be pretty robust ( i've had no failures in some pretty grotty weather ).
the 1W ones will go on the commuters. the 1/2W will go on my pack.
i have a mars 3 but i don't think much of it. i've had to refit a resistor in it, it's not all that bright, and you need a small x-head screwdriver to get into the batteries.
i have the cateye TLD 1100 too. OK, but again, not all that bright unless all the LEDS are on at once, but pretty good for all round vis.
the chaps i ride with who have the oblong cateye lights are pretty well lit, but some struggle to mount them in a way they are happy with.
I've got a fibre flare - nice and bright and easy to attach to seatpost, rear stays, rack etc etc etc. Flashing and static modes. I use one in conjunction with my Busch and Muller dynamo lights.
Pro Bike Kit has got a cateye sale on - not sure how prices compare but I have 2 of these:
LD1100
http://www.probikekit.com/advsearch.php?AQUERY=cateye&x=0&y=0
Exposure Flare has to be the winner for me.
Anything reflective on a moving part (wheel, ankle) is good IMO.
A decent light should be easily seen though, the majority that I notice that aren't are invariably pointing at the sky/ground. LEDs are very directional.
I'd go with the fibre flare, they're very visible but don't blind the driver/rider behind - trust me it's safer not to blind the person who's going to be passing you 2ft away at 50mph. Riding behind someone with a ridiculously bright light is also annoying IMO...
I'd go with the fibre flare, they're very visible but don't blind the driver/rider behind - trust me it's safer not to blind the person who's going to be passing you 2ft away at 50mph. Riding behind someone with a ridiculously bright light is also annoying IMO...
QFT.
I borrowed a mate's fibre flare and I'd say it was more visible than my 1/2 W LED. I can't mount one on my commutter though.
Tried my Exposure Flare for the first time the other day and it is mad bright, drivers gave me a noticable wide berth and held back rather than overtaking.
Would like a Fibre Flare static to add to it too though.
You need a light on the seatpost as that is eye level for car drivers, helmet-mounted rear lights just don't stand out and they can be obscured by rucksacks.
I use an Exposure Flare on the seatpost coupled with a Fibre Flare mounted on the rucksack. Sometimes also a tiny little light on the back of my shoe which stays on constant, the up/down movement of that really catches the eye.
Reflective kit as well. I don't think a lot of cyclists realise just how invisible they are when combined with the glare of brake lights, traffic lights, shop lights etc, a tiny 1-LED blinker with half-dead batteries is no good at all. Ideally you need at least 2 rear lights in case one fails.
Hand Grenade and Respro ankle bands are a top combination.
crazy-legs - MemberOnly if the car is a Lotus or you have very long legs (yes, I'm aware......)
You need a light on the seatpost as that is eye level for car drivers,
trust me it's safer not to blind the person who's going to be passing you 2ft away at 50mph. Riding behind someone with a ridiculously bright light is also annoying IMO...
I've yet to see a rear light that comes close to "blindingly" bright. Even the very brightest seem only on a par with car tail lights, and certainly not brighter than brake lights.
Riding in a group is another matter, as you'll be an awful lot closer than a driver would be, I hope.
Might get one of these fibre flares to accompany my Exposure Flare. Could be the perfect 2 light setup, thanks for the heads up.
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