I have done some night riding in several different situations and have tried
different lighting schemes. Here are the results as I saw them.
Using a MTN bike on the trail and city streets. This was set up with a
light mounted on the bars that used two 'c' cells for power. Not worth a
darn for attention getting or being able to see.
System using a 6 and 10 watt light on the mtn bike for the same type of
riding. This one lit the trail up ahead of the bike pretty good but one
was still in the tunnel mode. You could see what was going on ahead of you
but the sides were totally dark. And if you were turning you were turning
into a dark patch.
Same 6 and 10 watt system with an additional lamp on the helmet that was
about a 10 watt lamp. This one was real good. The lamps on the bike lit
the trail up in front of the bike good and the head lamp let one look around
and see the area where one was turning. On the street one has to be
conscious of where one is looking because the lamp on the helmet is aimed
where you are looking. It DOES get the attention of drivers at stop signs.
Now admittedly, this one is extreme. One lamp on the front of the bike and
the "Battery Pack" was carried on a BOB trailer. The trailer also carried
another battery for the sound system and the speakers for the sound. BTW,
this was for a Halloween ride on an abandoned railroad trail. It had the
tunnel effect with this light but there was NO way that I was going to over
ride this light. Oh yes, I forgot to mention that the wattage of the lamp
was somewhat extreme. I purchased the lamp from Wal-Marts Auto section. It
was intended to be an off road vehicle lamp. The box made it quite clear
that it was not to be used on road due to the fact that it was over the DOT
limit in wattage.
100 watts is a little bit extreme. :-)
But picture this. Halloween, Pitch black night in the woods, maybe a little
inebriation on the part of the people out there in the woods and a HEADLIGHT
with the sound of a Steam locomotive chugging, squealing on the rails and
blowing its whistle. The trail was clear when I went through the party.
OK back to some serious thoughts on the visibility to the rear of your bike.
At night two of the Vista Lite type flashing LED lights and maybe a white
strobe that would be visible to the sides and rear would be good. Then the
reflector tape on the rims of the bike and reflective strips on the helmet.
Don't forget to wear light colored clothing. I rode away from a group once
at night with three VISTA lights flashing to the rear, the white strobe on
top of a Burley carrying picnic supplies and a lamp inside the Burley that
made the whole thing glow. The people that I spoke to later said that I
looked like a UFO taking off as I left. I had people stopped at stop signs
wait for me to see what was coming at them down the road.
Look in the automotive sections of different stores and see what is
available for driving lights and fog lights. Some of them use the 12 volt
reflector bulbs that one can get for low voltage track lighting. The bulbs
in this size can be obtained in the 20 watt rating as either flood, spot
or narrow spot lamps. They are weather resistant and durable. Batteries
can be obtained from the different battery stores. For switches and such,
use the switches from the automotive section of the stores as they are
rated for DC power.
Sorry this got so long but I like to talk lighting on bicycles.
ka0ies