Looks like I will be cycle commuting for the next while, about an hour each way across London.

I currently have this very basic set of lights (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01IPVO830/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 , definitely not 600lm) – which is fine but as the nights close in I could do with something a little brighter.

So, two questions:

1. Any recommendations for a set of lights, which can ideally be charged by USB, for under around £30?

2. Any tips on being as visible as possible on the roads, without looking like an extra from Tron? Rear light on helmet? Reflective strap around ankles? etc

Thanks!
Duane.

if your local aldi has any left they had some great lights in recently. Otherwise go for a couple on the rear and a large lens wide angle beam on the front.

Don’t make the common mistake of thinking brighter lights = safer. Angle your lights down into the road, this makes you much more visible to car drivers as you illuminate the area around your bike rather than blinding them. Also think about moving reflective surfaces, the human eye is evolved to see movement, lights can tend to blend in in an urban environment. Pedal, spoke and ankle reflectors will all help you be seen better. Don’t ride in the gutter. Think about a dynamo hub and lights then you never need to worry about flat batteries.

I’d highly recommend a decent back and front helmet light.

I’ve got an Exposure link plus (which I got for £50 and seems to be currently selling for £80 so a bit above your price range) however I’ve also owned an Exposure link as well. Both are great the basic link is fine if you charge it once a day (my commute is about an hour each way).

Of course, I also run fixed “non flashing” lights front and back too, but the helmet light is by far the best as cars can see you when you are behind other cars etc, plus you can point it at people who are teetering on pulling out in front of you. I seem to have had a lot less incidents since I got it..

The aldi moon clone is pretty good for a seatpost light, nice and bright. The mount is really annoying though I find it difficult to remove and charge (so I charge it while still attached to the bike)

This year’s model: https://www.aldi.co.uk/high-performance-bike-lights-rear/p/080231184023401

Reflective sticky tape on the bike as well. costs pennies – gives a nice large area reflection if you run a bit down each seatstay and on the headtube

+1 for the reflective tape. I chucked loads on my bike. Also if you run mudguards and tyres keep a lookout for reflective options.

My Aldi one filled up with water on the way home today… going back to the shop (touring bike w full mudguards FWIW).

The Aldi front and rear light set for 14.99 are great.

Their strange helmet light is pretty good as well.

I have also used pound shop rear lights. at a pound a go you can buy a few and put them all over the rear of the bike – and it really don’t matter if they break or get stolen. surprisingly bright and nice big lit area. I’d rather have 3 cheapish with big lenses than one expensive bright but small lenses one

Many many lights are good.

I’ve got a few smart lights, a cateye rapid X2 and an exposure link on my helmet. On the front I’ve got a fairly bright German light a front cateye rapid and an Evans something or other.

I think the link is the most effective, being high up it’s visible over the tops of most cars from the front, back and sides.

Many moon clone lights left in Aldi in Glastonbury if you’re in Zummerzet

Reflectors, means you can be seen from so much further away.

Reflective sticky tape on the bike as well. costs pennies – gives a nice large area reflection if you run a bit down each seatstay and on the headtube

And the cranks. pedally action more likely to get you recognised as bike rather than a collection of lights.

beware with helmet lights – I used to use one and a couple of times cars pulled out because they didn’t recognise the helmet light as a bike. I didn’t have one on the bike as well tho

Decent reflectors on the wheels/spokes are a good idea.

But why look at budget lights. Say you had to run a car and a headlight got broken – what would you have to pay for a replacement? £50-75+? If so then surely that’s the range you should be looking at for a bike light, especially with the amount of time you’re planning to spend on the bike in the dark.

For visibility, I’m always impressed by those ProViz jackets. I’ve not tried one, and have heard that they’re a bit boil-in-the-bag, but they are very noticeable.

I’ve read, and do concur, that having the lights set in steady is better than flashing.

Reason being that it can be harder to judge speed and direction of a strobing light than one which is constant. As a result drivers can spend more time looking at the light to figure it out, and in doing so increase the potential of target fixation and drifting closer to you.

I’ve read, and do concur, that having the lights set in steady is better than flashing.

Both is better. Flashing attracts attention, constant gives a, erm, constant point of reference. Both, and more, is better!

Also, as above, ankle bands are excellent. The movement is so obviously “cyclist” and they’re visible from all sides. Reflective sidewalls are also excellent. Again, the shape is so obviously “cyclist”.

what flashy says more is more

Reflective tape is very good I have it on the cranks for the reason flashy mentions

ingwerfuchs

No need to spend big bucks on commuting lights when excellent ones are available for a few quid

[Quote]Don’t make the common mistake of thinking brighter lights = safer. Angle your lights down into the road, this makes you much more visible to car drivers as you illuminate the area around your bike rather than blinding them. [/quote]

This ^^ plus high viz top. All you need!! (Been cycling in London for over 13 years now..)

The cateye obit spoke lights seem a bit goofy but create a very eye-catching effect from most angles except dead front or behind

Plus 1 for reflective tape. On bike and helmet

Bought these last week on a recommendation in the forum.

bloody astounding for the ridiculous money. £8!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131873501600

Only -1 is they are mini-usb, not micro-usb. But they come with 2x cables.

If you don’t want yellow all over your bike, this stuff is pretty good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotchlite-Black-Reflective-Tape-40mm/dp/B00940QZVK

Not quite as bright as the white or yellow stuff, but brighter than black paint.

I’ve got it down the seatstays, on the cranks, drop brake levers, handlebars, squares between the spokes on the rims and a couple of pinline stripes on the downtube.

on ebay in bigger chunks. “3M Scotchlite 580 Reflective Tape – Full Colour Range inc Black / White UK (680)”

Cateye Volt 80 on the front and TWO (always two) rapid micros on the back. Keep one on solid and one on flashing.

Plenty of good options now. Avoid the knog front lights. Bright but the mounting straps fail.

I’ve got a proviz, exceedingly good for being seen not so good for breathability but would happily recommend to any commuter.

As above more lights better than more lumens. Static and flashing – flashing only is fine in the day no good at night but many decent lights now have a pattern mode or two which keeps them permanently lit so you can see then but flashing to catch attention.

On an aside – anyone tried anything like this
lights for heels

Avoid the knog front lights. Bright but the mounting straps fail.

Straps are much better than they used to be assuming you get a newer model with replaceable ones. I’ve one for commuting and it is great around town on low or flash, eats the battery though once turned up to see where I’m going after i leave the comfort of street lighting.

I’ve the Moon Comet clones from Aldi. Forget how much they were but significantly cheaper than the Moons. They aren’t up to the quality of the Moon though, the on-off switch is temperamental – sometimes they switch off by themselves, sometimes I can’t switch the bloody things on or off!

Commuting wise, I’ve a dynamo hub that powers B&M front and rear lights and augment these with Moon lights on flash mode.

I saw a guy in Cardiff city centre the other night who had his bike decked out with strip LEDs. He had covered the entire frame so that it looked like this:

except that he had used red. I can tell you that there was certainly no missing him! 😯

Have two sets of front and rear.

That is a long commute and you want to have a back up.

Your life is worth more than £30

Get the Lezyne Micro 500XL & Strip Drive 150L set, I bought the 300XL set a few years ago (older set I imagine)and I’m still using them now, there are brilliant, bung them in the USB at work to charge up, the rubber attachments are good too, none slip and you can stick them anywhere on your bike, fully water proof, very bright, really you can’t go wrong with these lights for commuting.

Also, I use the bikemate lights from Aldi, had mine over a year (got them when first came out last year)and they are also good as an addition, very bright too.

I use a helemet light as well as on bike. The reason being, I’ve found if you turn your head and point at cars you think might pull out it seems to make them think twice before setting off.

Two on the front (one flashing, one constant) and three on the back (one flashing, two constant).

I use non-budget lights so no point really commenting on that

Reflectives work great. Tape and normal reflectors work well but moving ones are even better – spoke reflectors and things on feet/pedals/legs. Plus reflective bits on your body (I often wear a gilet with bright bits and reflective bits)

make sure you pannier/ saddle bag/ back pack isn’t covering your lights/ reflective stuff.

no good having it then to cover it up.

make sure you pannier/ saddle bag/ back pack/ skirt/ coat isn’t covering your lights/ reflective stuff.

no good having it then to cover it up.

I saw a guy whose high viz coat obscured his rear light. Genius.

This makes it easier to attach an aaa size keyring mini-torch to your bike helmet

http://www.dx.com/p/flashlight-universal-bracket-mount-holder-with-velcro-123733#.WeqhckHTXYU

Other retailers are available…

You’ll need a backup on your bike helmet if the batteries run out on your keyring torch

I’ve mounted one of these to my bike helmet

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F181981385322

The flashing light on my bike helmet makes me more visible to people stepping out between cars.

You’ve got all that height, why not use it?

And these will coil around most parts of your bike and make handy trouser clips!

Pack of 4 Bike Bicycle Reflective Safety Strap Belt Night Cycling Running Pant Tape Arm Band – Yellow, 2# https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FQ9E7L2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IpQ6zbTZ7D73M