So now that I’m riding into work pretty much everyday and the UK mornings/evenings are getting darker I’m looking at buying some new lights.
These are lights to be seen by not to see by. I have a modified helmet light I can use for that if needs be.
I really need a front light however and welcome any suggestions. I was thinking of the Knog Bullfrog 5 Led Front Light as it looks like it will attach to the seat post easily and shouldn’t get in the way of my legs.
When I’m unicycling on the road I usually put the lights on me rather than on the unicycle. I tend to put a rear light on the camelbak/rucksack and a little head torch as a front light if it’s not dark enough to use the full-on helmet lamp. Sometimes I’ll attach the head torch on the front of my forearm rather than on my head (if I can’t be bothered to attach it to the helmet).
I’m not sure where you could mount a front light on a unicycle where it wouldn’t be obscured by your legs from all but straight-ahead. I’ve seen people with little LED lights on the seatpost, but I feel more visible with them higher up. There is the legality thing though - as far as I’m aware you are legally required to have lights attached to the cycle rather than to the rider, but I’ve never had any hassle from police (I think in practice they’re more concerned about whether you’re visible).
I’ve got a flashing blue valve cap that is very visible, but presumably illegal on the road (I’ve only ever used it in xc races). Might well get some official moaning about using flashing blue lights. Another colour would probably be OK though.
Cheers Rob, the Mars back light i use also has 2 orange side LED’s as well which helps. It can also clip onto my bag so i might do that and use my 5 LED red cateye mounted to the seatpost as well.
I might try and see if there are any lights that i could attach to my shoulder straps and wear them on the front.
Rob does having the light on your person catch your eye when you are riding?
It’s never bothered me - you only see it if you look down. In fact, if it’s misty it’s actually less annoying than having it head-mounted because it doesn’t reflect back in your face. I find it quite convenient strapped to my arm, almost at shoulder height. My arm stays still enough when road riding not to wave the light around too much. I tend to put it on the front of my right arm, so it’s not going to be hugely visible from the extreme left side, but I’m pretty skinny-chested to it’s not too bad. A light that could clip onto the front of a rucksack strap in the middle of the chest would probably be better, but I don’t unicycle on the road enough to be worth buying a light just for that.
The 1989 lighting regs [1] didn’t allow flashing lights, or lights fitted to wheels.
The 2005 amendments to those regs [2] allow lights fitted to wheels (sub-paragraph (j) added to regulation 12(2)). They also allow the use of flashing lights (sub-paragraphs (g) and (h) added to regulation 13(2)).
They don’t, however, go so far as to allow the use of flashing lights fitted to wheels (although that doesn’t stop me using red TyreFlies on my bike through the winter).
I sometimes use a rear light attached to unicycle (cateye one), and have a rear light on helmet and front light on helmet (A high powered LED light I built myself, with both front + rear lights).
Also, one thing I’ve also done on all my commuter unicycles and my muni (in case of long ride outs in the dark), is to put reflective trim tape on the frames and seatposts, red on the back, white on the front and the sides of the frame.
I use this stuff from Halfords - one red and one white roll will do 2 unicycles. I’ve had a look at my unicycle when someone was pointing car headlights at it and it is just silly - my (quite bright) red LED light just pales into insignificance next to the reflective stuff. As a bonus, it never runs out of batteries, and seems to stay on the frame really well - even on the muni. On my hockey unicycle, I’ve got no brake, so I have tape on the rim too, which is cool.
I’ve used some of that stuff on a few bikes, unicycles and the back of my helmet; it is indeed silly bright. The only bad thing is that in Halfords it’s normally hidden away with all the furry dice, “princess on board” bumper stickers and neon lights…
The Knog Frogs arrived a few days ago. Yet to try them out on the road to see how much blocking my legs do. I was surprised at how bright they were! Easy to fit.
So now that’s it’s proper dark by the time I ride home I thought i’d give an update on how the Knog Frogs are doing.
Well they are no longer nice and clean and white!
For little things they are nice and bright and when flashing can be seen from some whey away and draw attention nicely.
Legs don’t seem to restrict forward visibility but do move past the light for sideways visibility as is to be expected. However a nice side affect is that when the light hits my rotating spokes you get a nice band of light flicking round the wheel which helps sideways visibility.
Overall very pleased, With 4 frogs you could have 2 facing forwards and 2 facing sideways.
