Or just forget you read this thread and be nice to the people that you encounter

Nope, sorry. I am now 100% set on the lance idea. Seems like the only reasonable option and horses will love it as it will trigger ancestral memories of a more adrenaline fuelled life.

Edit

Lights have become daft bright, much cheaper, and with a lot less focus on the beam pattern

(Note to self) – stoprushingandmuktitasking 😛)

The best option is two traditional lights, one on strobe, one on constant

What’s a ‘traditional light’ is re bicycle lights? All the ones I remember are either the bright ones with a round beam or the mad-bright ones with a round beam. Even the expensive ones (bar a very select two or three designed expressly with a cutoff beam like a motorcycle light) are all much the same.

Going decades back I do remember Pifco and Ever Ready battery lights, rectangular in shape and threw a dim yellow beam into the gloom! The ‘beam pattern’ was an amorphou thing with a brighter ring around it, iirc!

What’s a ‘traditional light’ is re bicycle lights?

This springs to mind

Neveready

That’s what I used in the 90s when I did a paper round. It was either them or the horrible dynamos people used to use. All utter cr@p! Batteries always dying, dodgy electrical connections, etc.

Batteries always dying, dodgy electrical connections, etc.

I used the halogen version in the 1980s. I remember having to take them apart at least once a week and sand down all the contacts! And you’d turn them off when there was no traffic around to save the battery.

But the beam patterns were, I think, carefully thought out (BSI standard?). It was a nice big rear light and they threw a lots of light out to the side.

I reckon if you took that Never Ready lens design and married it up to some modern LED technology you would have some really good road lights.

Hiya,

I have the odd grump from the over 60’s but I ignore it and smile. I’m not going to their level and be as angry as they are. It is just venting. I live in Portishead and I have had people shouting at me telling me I’m breaking the law and being nasty. I generally can’t be bothered to react. These days I smile and say hello and continue. I would say it is 1% grumpy, so 99% are fine by me 😉

BR
Jerry

It was a nice big rear light and they threw a lots of light out to the side.

Define plenty.
Couple of years back found my old ones at my dads and decided to try out the front light with the use of some duct tape. It was a rather interesting experience.

A couple of seconds’ main beam to answer the question “is that people up ahead?” is preferable to ploughing through them like skittles

Those are not the only options.

Lights are a real problem. I bought an expensive (for me) Raveman light that had a claimed cut-off beam, but when I do a test it’s still dazzling even on low power unless I point it just in front of my wheel.

Many times, I’ve dipped and/or dimmed my lights only for the oncoming cyclist to fail to reciprocate. It’s like they are brain-dead or something

Yeah, I’ve had this. The Raveman does have a ‘nuclear option’. I have sometimes used this on a cyclist who hasn’t dipped when I have.

Some vague shadow of movement up ahead that may or may not be people who may or may not be on the pavement? It’d absolutely want to check to be sure, yes

If only there were some way of doing this without putting them in danger or at least inconveniencing them by dazzling them with my new high power LED headlights. You know like slowing down a bit as I approach to allow my normal dipped headlights to provide the information I need.

Lights are a real problem. I bought an expensive (for me) Raveman light that had a claimed cut-off beam, but when I do a test it’s still dazzling even on low power

Which model? I have a PR900 and it’s got a sharp visible cutoff. I use it on low when walking the dog and it gives a long ‘sheet’ of light across the ground unless you active the 2nd emitter which has a round spot beam pattern

I have the 1200. I read about it on here before buying and thought it seeemed great.

It’s better than some lights I’ve had, but I’m still disappointed. If I take it to a dark path, lean the bike against something then walk away the light still seems dazzling – even on the lowest setting.
As I said it’s better thanks some, and I do appreciate the versatility and the remote, but I’m going to make sure my next light is StVZO complaint.

I spent many a night night-riding in some nice twisty woods with those Ever Ready lights (and then an upgrade to a Cateye ‘beast’ – similar to the Volt 1300 but 30 years ago) – would have to take 4 packs of replacement batteries, but they were ‘great’ at the time.

I then upgraded to a 2.5w spot that I found to be brighter than the sun!

I’m pretty sure it was this low light stuff that has formed my night riding preference of not having lights brighter than the sun to turn a night ride into a day ride. (I’m in a very small minority of myself with that thinking though – I’ve a 900 lumen light and find that far too bright, my other light apparently is 1600 but is never used on that, so tends to be 800 lumens as I always turn it down – means more run time, but also less ‘flare’ and I can see what I’m needing to see – works for me, but others think differently).

@easily thanks will check mine out see if similar issue/anything to minimise

If only there were some way of doing this without putting them in danger or at least inconveniencing them by dazzling them with my new high power LED headlights. You know like slowing down a bit as I approach to allow my normal dipped headlights to provide the information I need.

It’s the guy with the red flag’s day off.

I take your point, but really, what’s the purpose of main beam if not “seeing further”? If someone’s wandering around potentially on the road like a black cat in a coalmine then they can be mildly inconvenienced, it’s not like you can’t get hi-vis vests for a couple of quid or more fashionable gear with reflective stitching even.

I then upgraded to a 2.5w spot that I found to be brighter than the sun!

Except they weren’t brighter than the sun. They weren’t even brighter than moon, as evidenced by the fact that we used to turn them off on clear, moonlit nights, because the moon did a better job of lighting our way than those ‘brighter than the sun’ pieces of crap. (I’ve still got some 25/10w Cateyes. I must test to se if they still work, for a laugh.)

My wife has a Fluxient StVZO style front light. It’s very good.

it’s not like you can’t get hi-vis vests for a couple of quid or more fashionable gear with reflective stitching even.

Not often you see this degree of victim blaming on a cycling forum