Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

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deeferdonk
Posts: 166
Joined: 11 May 2019, 2:50pm

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by deeferdonk »

Ride with an eyepatch on, so when you enter the tunnel you flip it up and have one eye already adapted to darkness.

:D
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by simonhill »

While waiting for the perfect light.

I cycle in a lot of tunnels in Asia. As soon as you get in, close your eyes hard for a quick second. Then open. It makes seeing in dim light much better. Won't help in pitch darkness of course.
jois
Posts: 334
Joined: 22 Sep 2022, 12:29pm

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by jois »

PAB855 wrote: 2 Oct 2022, 4:59pm I'm looking for a front light which will be suitable for illuminating poorly lit areas during the daytime. I don't go out on unlit roads after dark so the requirement is slightly different. Unlit tunnels and dense foliage, even under railway or canal bridges during daylight hours can hide hidden dangers. I almost lost balance riding through an unlit tunnel once, as I became disorientated.
In strong sunlight particularly, some roads through dense foliage can reduce visibility considerably. Not all cyclists try to make themselves visible, quite the opposite, but that's a different well-worn topic!

I'm wondering whether to go for a separate lamp of greater output than my 100lumen, which is simply for 'being seen'. This light would be used only rarely to let me see where I'm going.

Would a lamp with two different outputs, low and high, be an alternative solution?.

How many lumens would do?

In some respects it's easier to light your way when in complete darkness.

Cheers
It depends on the tunnel I think and the time of day, if it's reasobaly short and there is light streaming in, you would need a very bright light to compete with the day light, just aim at the day light and hope no one has left a bag of cement in your way, if you are having a light point it downwards to pick up bags of cement immediately in front of you.

If it's pitch dark any old light that lets you see in the dark is good enough, if you can see the walls and bags of cement that's all you need
PAB855
Posts: 396
Joined: 26 Apr 2014, 3:07pm

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by PAB855 »

Many thanks for all these suggestions.

I have a headtorch, but on trying it I wondered if I could tell if it was on or off once the dark area was passed during daylight.

I might finish up with something like the 1000 lumen front light suggested because that would be the easiest change ie just upgrading my existing non rechargeable battery powered light.

It's interesting that the problems I've encountered have been shared by so many others.

Cheers
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foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by foxyrider »

simonhill wrote: 3 Oct 2022, 1:06pm While waiting for the perfect light.

I cycle in a lot of tunnels in Asia. As soon as you get in, close your eyes hard for a quick second. Then open. It makes seeing in dim light much better. Won't help in pitch darkness of course.
+1 - i do this all the time, for example on the tunnels through Bath, Wye Greenway etc, close eyes tight for a couple of seconds as you enter and hey presto, not perfect but pretty good night vision from then onwards.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Bmblbzzz
Posts: 6261
Joined: 18 May 2012, 7:56pm
Location: From here to there.

Re: Front light for tunnels and dark stretches of road

Post by Bmblbzzz »

PAB855 wrote: 3 Oct 2022, 4:35pm Many thanks for all these suggestions.

I have a headtorch, but on trying it I wondered if I could tell if it was on or off once the dark area was passed during daylight.

I might finish up with something like the 1000 lumen front light suggested because that would be the easiest change ie just upgrading my existing non rechargeable battery powered light.

It's interesting that the problems I've encountered have been shared by so many others.

Cheers
You can probably tell just by holding your hand up in front of it. And if you can't, you can definitely tell by stopping and taking it off to have a look. And if you don't want to do that, then the worst that will happen is a dead battery; not a huge problem, particularly if use rechargeables.
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