Putting a light on a unicycle

I have this Night Rider (750) that I got on sale at REI. I’ve used it for the past couple of weeks when riding home at dusk. The lowest setting has been fine. This summer I used it while riding in a 2 mile tunnel and had it set at the highest setting which worked very well. Yes it comes with a helmet mount. There are several models. You might only need a 550 or 350 which are less expensive. Do a search on the web for reviews. I think you’ll be able to find pictures that show how bright the lights are.

i have these

http://www.studiohikari.nl/gallery/liggi-2

they are available in white and red and can be installed on the lower frame without getting in the way.

these are also nice:

don’t bother with these. They are nice but your wheel needs to spin very fast.

The one with four arms is very expensive…

You are correct. Regulation 3 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 defines a pedal cycle as:
“A vehicle which is not constructed or adapted to be propelled by mechanical power and which is equipped with pedals”

IANAL, but I can’t see any way in which that wouldn’t cover unicycles. Which means that unicycles are covered by the same lighting regulations as bicycles.

FWIW I find that a pair of Moon Comets (one mounted vertically either side of the fork) works well for commuting on unlit cycle paths on my 29":
http://www.moon-sport.com/product-detail.php?id=71

It’s important to make sure the charging port is properly plugged in the wet, though. I destroyed one by leaving it on my bike with the port cover not properly seated when it was parked outside during a day of torrential rain, and they’re not cheap :frowning:

(I guess the same is probably true of any USB rechargeable light).

Those look like great lights! As you said though, I’m always weary of using expensive electronic stuff on my bike/uni as it rains a lot here :smiley: My cheapo LBS bike lights work well enough and have stood up to the rain so far.

A frame mounted front light blinds me when I mount (angle of frame). So I use a hand held NightRider Lumina 500 combined with a small led flasher on the frame (peanuts from Lidl in the UK).

I had that problem until I moved the light further down the seat post. It would still be a problem if it were aimed for distance but I have it angled down to light the area immediately in front of the uni.

I have another light on my helmet for the distance.

a little old school bt ya could try this…

had a dynamo setup on my old 27
this pic taken at th back of th steamm museum

i ws doin community service
again

fr not wearing a helemt

on a unicycle
never ever said a word about th flip flops

anyway i digress
it;s friday night ok

th dynamo rig worked fine long as ya kept th pace up
cow paddock five hundred metres round th corner no lights down that rd

usually found my way…

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the land surfer…
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While I tend to wear a helmet I really disagree with them being legislated as necessary.

Lights/reflectors I can see for nighttime use though. I won’t have a friend bike home in the dark without something reflective or lit up making them visible to all the drivers who aren’t paying as much attention as they should.

I like what you did with that 27. How did you attach the bearing holders to the frame?

In Australia the law mandate helmets for bicyclists but not for unicyclists or skateboarders. However I always wear a helmet unless I am only riding the 20 inch.

Unicyclists are not allowed on any road after sunset but we can ride on the footpath in complete darkness without so much as a reflector.

hub mounting…

here’s a closer pic of mounting old school hub to rear of bicycle frame
they bolted straight in

oh and
under queensland law

a unicycle is a bicycle unde th transport act

they cant differentiate

i ride thru th city at midnight
14 yrs now
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the land surfer…
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I use an Azur ThumII 1000 lumen as the “high beam”. Purchased at www.pushys.com.au at $70 it really is the best value high powered light available.

The tiny (50 g) but powerful (5W) lamp is mounted on my helmet. The perspective makes it look huge in the photo but it is actually only about 25 mm (1") diameter.

I carry the battery in a mobile phone arm band mount. I originally had it in my shirt pocket but it moved about too much.

3.7 V, 16 Whr Lithium Ion battery (weighs 150 grams)
Automatic charging from USB with charging/completed indicator (6 - 8 hrs)
Four brightness settings (10%, 30%, 70%, 100%)
3 hrs to 30 hrs run time.
Only the charger lead is supplied but any USB power supply works fine.
Connection is via a 2.5 mm DC plug so it is very robust.

This is a very bight, white, tightly focussed light. The helmet mount is very good and allows it to be aimed easily. In areas with street lighting I run it on level 2 and on full power in total darkness.

However I found I also needed another lamp to light the area right in front of the uni. I contemplated buying a second ThumII to mount on the uni but decided against it because I wanted something in a single unit without the connecting lead.

My “low beam” is a Lezyne XL 700 lumen lamp. I used its handlebar mount to fit onto a bracket salvaged from an old bike lamp. The Leyzne handlebar bracket clamps around the blue part on the old clamp.

I has three steady settings and a flash/steady combo. I use the lowest steady settting which is 175 lumens. This level will run for over five hours and provides plenty of light for the near field.

I chose it partly because it was described in a review as having a relatively wide beam which is better for a short range light. It is considerably yellow-er light colour than the ThumII. The colour contrast was odd at first but after some time my perception reduced the difference.

I got a really good deal on the Leyzne “fully loaded” pack. The main useful component is the extra battery but there is also a helmet mount in the pack. It was on sale for ten dollars less than the price of a standard Leyzne XL 600 lumen at Pushys. I don’t think the fully loaded pack is a great seller so I doubt they would stock it again.

I originally mounted it right up close to the seat but found it shone into my eyes when mounting. I moved it further down and that fixed the problem. It has come out of its slide mount a few times in heavy UPDs but is really pretty solid. It could be supported with a rubber band cut from an inner tube.

The tail light came from a charity shop for a dollar. It has four settings with steady or different flashing patterns. Being long and thin it is excellent for a unicycle. The block of rubber between it and the seat post clamp stabilises it.

The other device is my video camera. It was $39.95 on special from Australia Post shop. Notice its mounting is a Minoura water bottle cage clamp mount. Beautifully made in stainless steel and very versatile with diameter and angle adjustments. Perfect start for adding frame or seat post mounted accessories to a uni.

BTW Pushys is the best online shop I have ever used, right from the website experience through to the delivery and after sales customer service.

I bought a light!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went to my bike shop and bought a cygolite Metro USB rechargeable 550 Lumens Steady (600 Lumens flashing). I attached it my post. I’ve only tried it once the other night and it was GREAT! It completely lit up the road. Of course it was blocked by my legs as I peddled but it did light up the road ahead as good as the sun. It’s available on amazon for $53 new.

Luminoodle

Just bought a bunch of these for the kids. Usually they wear them…but we had an idea to put them on our unis as they have magnets incased in the plastic – still working on that. They are very bright, waterproof, and really light things up. The pictures don’t do them justice. Work great, too, for safety as cars see us right away. They come with or without battery depending on what you need. Just another option out there I wanted to share. https://powerpractical.com/products/luminoodle-led-light-rope?variant=6258382915

DSCN1694.jpg

That’s brilliant! There’s a few people on here who get lights like that and attach them to their wheel rim, the magnets would make that easier! :smiley:

Might see if I can pick one up in time for the Blackpool lights this year. I’ve already got lights and reflective things all over my wheel though so I might need to look at alternative spots to put it… Maybe as a hair wrap? :astonished:

Incorrect. All Australian State Traffic codes are unified on this matter.

A unicycle is a “Wheeled Recreational Device” and cannot be legally ridden on any road with marked lanes or a speed limit above 50 kph. They cannot be legally ridden on any road at night except to cross it by the shortest safe path.

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TrantOpRUA95.pdf

See page 452 for the definition.

I just went through setting up some lights for commuting on my uni.

I found the Bike light database pretty helpful when looking around for what to buy.

I have done a lot of riding at night on the road on unis from 20 to 36, but mainly the 29 and 36.

The simplest and most effective solution is simpler and more effective (!) than you think.

Get a small USB front light with one of those clips that attaches to a bike’s handlebars with a rubber ring or rubber figure 8. Mine is USB rechargeable. Fit it to the fork crown. Most modern unicycles have a flat/horizontal crown, but wth a bit of effort you can manage it on an old “inverted Y” crown. A little bit of fiddling with the angle and you can get it to shine on the road a suitable distance ahead. You might think that your legs would get in the way, but they don’t.

The rear light is dead easy: just any bike light designed to clip or strap to the seat post.

It really is that simple, and I have ridden miles on the road safely like this. With a little practice, it is even possible to reach down and tilt the front light on the fork crown to adjust the angle of the beam.

I have ridden with a head torch. My Hope Tech head torch is bright enough to make toast and can floodlight the trail ahead, but a bright harsh light casts shadows and if it is almost at the same level as your eyes, it can “flatten out” the appearance of bumps. Not a good thing! Also, on riverbanks and in similar environments, a head torch attracts every flying insect towards your face.

I have at various times made simple brackets for the front light, hanging them below a T handle, and far enough back that the handle hits the ground first in the event of a UPD. The brackets are made from two cheap cylindrical bar Ends (I got mine from Halfords) cut to size. One is mounted to the stem of the T handle and points down and slightly to one side. The other is mounted on the end of the first, so that it is horizontal and in the same orientation as a handlebar would be. That one is then cut short so it provides just enough space to attach a front light. It worked well, and I was very proud of my handiwork, but then I discovered that attaching the light directly to the fork crown is easier and works just as well.

Lights

I have a cheap front and rear that mount with the rubber O band system very easy and quick. However these are only any use as a means to be seen rather than to see by. They are also a legal requirement in the uk if you ride in the dark. I have just bought a 1000 Lumen helmet mounted light and i find it great for gentle off road trails country park type paths. Link below. It comes with an extension cable for the battery back so that you can put the battery pack in a backpack or pocket

Hope this helps

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/bike-lights/front-bike-lights/mj-858-1000-lumens-2015-model.html

I have one like that too with a cable, but when keeping it in my backpack, it sorta pulled my head back and at the end of the ride, my neck was all stiff.
I can try connecting it to my arm instead but that might be annoying when occasionally flailing my arm.

The bikelight database is great - the owner of the site actually helped me personally pick out a light that’d work on my 36er handlebar due to its swivelling mount :smiley:

On my G29, as it doesn’t (or didn’t) have a handlebar, I had to figure out a way to mount a headlight on it. I tried the fork crown but it made the light shine at a weird angle. I tried the sideways-seatpost mount but it shone really weirdly.

So instead I grabbed one of these: http://www.minoura.jp/english/accessory/lightholder/cs-500.html

They’re supposed to replace handlebar stem spacers and give you a bit more space on bike handlebars for stuff, but with a few rubber bungs it fit round my seatpost just fine. My light then mounted the right way up to this.