Flashing rear light for daylight use

[iandusud]

Personally I think a flashing rear light for daytime use great. It catches the eye from a distance which means that dozy motorists are more likely to spot you. I would say that for group riding at night that it is better to run a rear light in non flashing mode. I've never found flashing rear lights a problem in group rides in daylight.

[mumbojumbo]

[quoteSo low down in your priorities it was hardly worthwhile you posting here.

In the meantime, when riding with a group at night, which I do once a week, it is decidedly unsocial to always be at the front, and yes, heavy hints have been dropped.
[/quote]

Surely a rear light is an asset for cycling in dark?I felt it was worth highlighting your irritability and likely exaggeration.

[Grandad]

I use one when on solo rides. Entering a heavily wooded section of road on a bright sunny day means the eyes have to adjust, even more so if wearing sunglasses. A flashing red light helps to counter this problem.

[rmurphy195]

Cateye Omni 5 - like the front one, I use mine in dull/rainy conditions, or very bright days when I can "disappear" in shadows. Steady flash, not the irritating patterns, and doesn't shine a bright, piercing beam. Can get a mounting to put on your rack if you have one and can't use the seatpost (eg if you have a rack bag or a seat-mounted bag).

I wouldn't mount it on a piece of luggage, it wobbles all over the place and can be irritant to anyone following.

At night switch to steady - you don't want to be mistaken for a distant roadworks cone!

[tim-b]

Hi
The thread title includes "...for daylight use". rmurphy's comment about steady mode (above) is relevant and useful, but others diverging into cycling in groups at night is not what was asked, although it might be of some interest
The modern way is an internal battery charged by USB for this type of lighting. An AA unit will be rare, although AAA battery units are available such as the Smart Superflash (0.5W and 1.0W versions)
My daytime light is similar to the (old-style) Cycliq Fly 6 with video camera. You can switch between constant and flashing, and you can choose the intensity level, which should satisfy many. It doesn't have a specific carrier mount, but it's light (sorry) enough to be mounted with nylon ties. It manages about 6 hours in full bright flash and video mode and charges from a mobile phone charger
Regards
tim-b

[Jdsk]

Entering a heavily wooded section of road on a bright sunny day means the eyes have to adjust, even more so if wearing sunglasses...
A flashing red light helps to counter this problem.

... I use mine in... very bright days when I can "disappear" in shadows.

The first time that I noticed someone else using a very bright flashing red light under the saddle was in those sort of conditions, and my immediate thought was... that I had noticed.

Jonathan

[MartinS]

Gentlemen, my apologies - I obviously struck a raw nerve but thank you for all your replies. In my defenc in the interest of every ones blood pressuree I have noticed both when cycling and when driving (a car - really!) around the lanes of Kent where you go in and out of wooded areas that cyclists wearing "stealth" clothing can disappear in the dappled shade which is why I wear hi vis jacket and helmet as it seems responsible thing to do and defensive driving is a reasonable as I don't wish to be involved with the legal profession. Whilst I have noticed that drivers have become much more reasonable during and since lock down (even white vans!) I have also noticed a significant number of cyclists with bright flashing lights in daylight which can be seen from some distance thus giving advance warning to others where as my LED's don't seem that bright. As suggested I will have to wait till a suitably equipped cyclist stops to find out the make of light. Thanks again and perhaps this discussion should be closed!!

[Pebble]

I use one when on solo rides. Entering a heavily wooded section of road on a bright sunny day means the eyes have to adjust, even more so if wearing sunglasses. A flashing red light helps to counter this problem.

I often think this is one of the most risky scenarios on the road - so much so that as a cyclist I have dismounted when I have heard a vehicle following me in.
It is probably as dangerous as cycling into a very low sun on wet roads - some drivers just won't see you.

[rareposter]

Back to the original question of "what light to get" rather than the rights and wrongs of daylight usage, the bright circular ones are almost certainly these:
https://exposurelights.com/products/bik ... kt-peloton

You can get various mounts for them including one for the saddle rails so they sit right up underneath the saddle and that would probably work on most racks too.

They have a built in brake light which works off an accelerometer and makes an amazing difference - a driver's response when a light flares up like that in front is to automatically brake - only then do they wonder how a bicycle has a brake light.
If you're riding in a group just point it downwards so it lights the road behind you, it still works well without dazzling following riders.

[JohnW]

Please don't. As a fellow cyclist my opinion is that there is nothing more annoying than being behind someone with a bright red flashing rear light.

I can't argue with that, but it's a matter of being seen and recognised as vulnerable.
I know that motorists hate our flashing lights, but it's their religion to hate cyclists anyway.

I was hit from the rear, in daylight but on shaded tree-lined lane, with three normal rear (i.e. not flashing) rear lights (claimed as powerful by manufacturer) switched on. The guy just drove into the back of me, and said he'd not seen me.
He wasn't a bad man - he was actually upset - he wasn't driving fast or aggressively (obviously not an SUV).
My opinion is that if my lights had been on flashing mode he would have noticed me.
This whole question is a conundrum and there's no perfect answer.

At night, in the dark, in normal riding, I have three rear lights, one on steady (I understand that's the law) and two flashing.
BUT - we'd need hellishly bright lights to be noticed among all the plethora of rear lights from vehicles,
I'm sorry to appear to contradict, but the flashing light, aggravating as they may seem, are more noticeable.

The dusk and half light is a very dangerous place for us - we'd need very, very bright steady lights to be seen.
I don't think there's a perfect answer, except perhaps some moral counselling for motorists.

And 'Pebble' (above) is right - riding into low, clear sun is very difficult and worrying indeed.
But that's another subject - another topic?

[roubaixtuesday]

I think flashing lights are useful as long as not ridiculously bright. I use them in daytime typically when raining, or low light. Of course everyone will have a different view as to what "ridiculously bright" means.

To answer the OP, Cateye do a rear rack fixing bracket for their standard rear lights, and I'd rate them. The "Pulsing" rather than flashing option is less irritating I think.

[JohnW]

I think flashing lights are useful as long as not ridiculously bright. I use them in daytime typically when raining, or low light. Of course everyone will have a different view as to what "ridiculously bright" means.

To answer the OP, Cateye do a rear rack fixing bracket for their standard rear lights, and I'd rate them. The "Pulsing" rather than flashing option is less irritating I think.

Thanks for the rack-fitting recommendation.
I'll have a look at that.

[roubaixtuesday]

I think flashing lights are useful as long as not ridiculously bright. I use them in daytime typically when raining, or low light. Of course everyone will have a different view as to what "ridiculously bright" means.

To answer the OP, Cateye do a rear rack fixing bracket for their standard rear lights, and I'd rate them. The "Pulsing" rather than flashing option is less irritating I think.

Thanks for the rack-fitting recommendation.
I'll have a look at that.

https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/parts/5445620/

[mjr]

The guy just drove into the back of me, and said he'd not seen me.
He wasn't a bad man - he was actually upset - he wasn't driving fast or aggressively (obviously not an SUV).
My opinion is that if my lights had been on flashing mode he would have noticed me.

Based on almost no evidence? The motorist should have slowed until they could stop within what they could see and you can't fix stupid with blinking lights.

This whole question is a conundrum and there's no perfect answer.

Agreed. Lots of things that "obviously" help because "common sense" don't help you and punish all cyclists, such as flashing daytime lights.

[Jdsk]

... you can't fix stupid with blinking lights.

Maybe, but I'm always trying looking for ways to reduce the impact of inattentive.

Jonathan