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Hello,
I have no idea about lights that aren't for racing or trail riding, and my mate is looking for a set of commuter lights - to be seen rather than to see.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Good value, but not poor quality....
Cheers
Butt
Blackburn Flea - USB chargeable, blindingly visible.
On the front a couple of flashing Cateye EL135s are good.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cateye/el135-3-led-front-light-ec007943
They will generally be flashing out of synch, which is very visible, and you can turn each light so it is pointing slightly outward, increasing the angle of visibility from the front.
If one of mine fails, so I only have one flashing light, I will find cars will start to pull out on me, whereas they won't when both are functional.
For the back a vertically mounted fibreflare is good for side visibility:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/fibreflare/rear-light-ec021737?query=fibreflare
otherwise the cateye TD1100 is a standard as it has side visibility, and if you have it on flash you can have the two horizontal rows althernate, so constantly visible:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cateye/tl-ld1100-10-led-rear-light-ec007955
I use the same units as I use for trail riding, a DX 'bastid' (with a Persil washing liquid lid with the bottom cut off for a glow-ring) and the DX rear light.
[url] http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mj-808-ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-sxo-3-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-44459 [url]
[url] http://www.dealextreme.com/p/magicshine-mj-818-ha-iii-ssc-42180u-3w-3-mode-led-bike-tail-light-set-4-18650-included-42077 [/url]
I also have a smart 1/2 watt superflash, which is ace, and a blackburn mars 3, which is less ace, but OK.
I used to use the Cateye LD-1100 (and its predecessor the LD1000). they're not that bright, the two rows go in and out of phase (so if you're driving up behind one, it won't always appear to flash), they're pretty battery hungry and they're so heavy they snap the mounts left right and centre in cold weather. The new single row cateye ([url] http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-tl-ld610-led-white-lens-rear-light/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=uk&utm_content=Cateye-Cateye_TL-LD610_LED_White_Lens_Rear_Light-White [/url]) is much better than the two row if for some reason the smart isn't for you. Yes the LD-1100 has four dedicated side LEDs, but that is pretty much the only thign going for it, and I've never had an issue in 12 years of commuting with the side visability of lamp units without this feature.
([url] http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/magicshinedx-lights [/url])
I am currently using the Exposure flash and flare set of lights with the rechargeable batteries.
http://www.exposurelights.com/product/000058/flash/
http://www.exposurelights.com/product/000059/flare/
Expensive but I have been impressed with them. They do have a sensitive on/off mechanism (rotating the head) and don't like to be overtightened as I have found out. I also have a fibreflare on my rucksack.
Budget? Just bought a new Exposure Strada (£145), which is fantastic for the lanes. Also have good things to say about the Cateye range (£20-75). My rear light is a very bright dual LED B&M Toplight (£25) that is bolted to the rear rack (as all rear lights should be 😉 )