How to light your bike

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There are so many approaches to lighting your bike, this page is just a teaser.

Contents

[edit] Legal Requirements and Options

Do you really need bike lights to participate in SJBP?
YES! Not only is it THE LAW, some roads are very dark with uneven surfaces, sharp turns or down hills! You put yourself and other riders at great risk to ride without any. Selfish risky behavior also puts the event at risk!

So what is the law?

The California Bicycle Code states:

(d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local jurisdiction, or a bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, shall be equipped with all of the following:

  1. A lamp emitting a white light that, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway, sidewalk, or bikeway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle.
  1. A red reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
  2. A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
  3. A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors.

(e) A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light, attached to the operator and visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in lieu of the lamp required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (d).

So basically, when you're riding after dark, you have the same requirements as a car or other vehicle. You need:

  • A white front light with visible distance of 300 ft either mounted to bike or body/head.
  • A red reflector that’s visible from 500 ft (though a solid or blinking light is preferable)
  • Pedal reflectors
  • Wheel reflectors visible form the sides

Kron News Video: People Behaving Badly - Stanley Roberts looks at the amended bike law which requires bike riders to be more visible

[edit] Lighting 101

So what are my light options?

“What would the perfect bicycle headlight be? What would the beam be like? It should light up the road ahead of you evenly. It should enable other cyclists and motor vehicle drivers to see that you're there. It shouldn't blind oncoming cyclists, drivers or pedestrians. It should be on when you need it, and off when you don't. It should be powered by the rider, not by a battery. It should last forever, and cost you nothing. Unfortunately, it doesn't exist.“ -peterwhitecycles.com

How do i choose which lights to get?
First you must figure out what you are looking for. Answering some of these questions may help you figure it out...

  1. Am I only using the lights for SJBP? How often will I be using them? - Is it worth investing in something expensive if you're only using it once a month?
  2. Do i want to see or be seen?
  3. Do I want lights to merely meet vehicle code or do I want my bike to also be more stylish?
  4. How long will the lights be on?
  5. How much can I afford to spend initially & long term? - How much can you budget for lights including upkeep (like batteries)?
  6. Do I want to be green? Or use batteries? If so do I want to use rechargeable or disposable - Someone who is more environmentally conscious may prefer not to, using solar hybrid or generator/dynamo lights instead... or compromise by using rechargeable batteries.
  7. How lightweight/compact/portable do I want my lighting system to be? - some lights are tiny using tiny batteries and some are huge
  8. How much power output? - The stronger more powerful lights might require larger batteries or more because the runtime is shorter
  9. Do I care about specific brands? - If you want the best quality, name brands or imported, you may be spending more

Generally lights fall into three categories based on how they are powered. This will determine how much you will spend long term:

  1. Battery operated - many different options available for different types of batteries, including rechargeable vs. disposable
  2. Bike Generated Power - called Dynamo or Generator lights
  3. Solar Hybrid - a small external solar panel charges a rechargeable battery inside the light

The most common lights these days use Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps/bulbs because they are bright, use little power and don't burn out the way halogen bulbs would. Xenon is the brightest and are used for taillights but have short runtime.

Read this article to learn more about the various bicycle light options available & how they've changed over time: Bicycle Lighting: A good place to start (Wikipedia)

Once you have an idea about what you want:

  1. Ask friends what they recommend
  2. Talk to riders at SJBP during breaks; walk around and look at lighting systems and ask questions
  3. Go to a local shop and talk to someone
  4. Do some web research
  • Look at manufacturer links (below)
  • Look at Bike Shop websites and read reviews of different products
  • Many online cycling magazines/blogs have product reviews

How Visible Are You? Video

Green Ways to Light up your Bike

[edit] Basic Lighting: Simple & Cheap

What are some cheap solutions to meet the vehicle code?

Most people:

  • just buy a cheap bike light & taillight strobe set for $20-50 at a local bike shop, but you could also:
  • Buy a cheap LED flashlight & duct tape it (or use zipties or rubberbands) to helmet or handlebars and use either a cheap red reflector or blinky red taillight
  • Use a headlamp. If you backpack or hike you may already own one.

More Expensive initially, but cheaper long term:

  • Hybrid Solar Headlights (expensive for light, but cheap long term: don’t require batteries) + cheap red reflector or strobe in back, some come as kits with taillights
  • Generator/Dynamo (Expensive, but don’t require batteries, but don’t work when stopped or very well when riding very slowly) – most come with front & back lights

In a pinch, there are numerous other creative lighting options, however alone they do not meet the vehicle code & you could get cited.


I don’t like to use white headlights because they are too bright and blind other riders!
Tough! This is the law so you still have to have the required equipment or risk getting ticketed! One compromise option would be to have the required lights mounted on the bike and have a secondary light system which produces more mellow light. Use any of the lights in the Creative Lighting section below for this... You could then switch between these lights, such as use the brighter white on very dark sections, through intersections, and on roads with more car traffic or when you are riding in a smaller group; and you could turn off the headlight and just use the dimmer lights during breaks or when you are riding in a very dense group.

[edit] Creative Lighting: Elaborate & Sweet

These are just a few ideas... you are only limited by your imagination! There are tons of ideas on the web and at Bike Party itself. Don't be shy! Most people love to share and would be more than willing to tell you all about their set ups!

What kinds of creative things can I do to my bike to make it more visible? These are lights that will jazz up your bike and make you extra visible. Why stop at lighting your bike, you can also light up your helmet or your body! Bear in mind however that the more stuff you have requiring batteries the more expensive the upkeep will be…These don’t meet vehicle code alone, but will help make you & your bike more visible and get you into bike paaaaaarty spirit:

Note that SJ Bike Party doesn't endorse any particular companies, though we're happy to share ideas and tell you what we know. We encourage you to support your local bike shop wherever possible, and when in doubt, go with local businesses that support positive cycling (like Bike Party!) in the South Bay


Spoke/wheel Style Lights - When your wheels turn your wheels glow!

  • Monkey Electric – use AAA batteries & have multiple street art style patterns ($65)
Monkey Electric Video
Hokey Spokes - Bicycle Lights In Action Video
N-Vison Bike Wheel Lights from FlexPro Video


Bike Turn Signals

  • Bicygnals - Bike Turn Signals & other innovative lighting solutions
Bicygnals video


Pedal Lights

  • Pedalite - pedal-powered battery-free pedal lights
Pedalite Video


Tube Lighting - Similar to florescent tube lighting, but designed for bikes, trailers etc.

Tandem Bike Couch Dog Trailer at SJPB Video - good example of down low glow style tube lighting (sorry no audio)

• DYI: Glow effects


Solar Hybrid String Lights & other Solar Goodies - Christmas or holiday string lights and pathlights- Once installed you don’t need to replace batteries & they look amazing. Usually have two modes blinking or steady & come in different colors. The main disadvantage of string lights: once on your bike they are difficult to remove. Require leaving your bike out in sun before riding…


EL Wiring Lighting Systems - This can be wrapped around your bike, helmet, sewn into clothing… made into designs like neon signs… unlimited uses!!! Can be solid or strobe. It can pulse to the beat, or animations using sequencers... Does require batteries.

What is Electroluminescent wire and how it can help illuminate your bike?

El Wire Bike Specific Kits or DYI:

El Wire Clothing::


El Wire & Compontents Online:


Glow sticks – They can be wound in & out of the spokes of the wheel, ziptied to the frame, used on the body as necklaces or headbands or on your helmet etc. They can be bought in bulk on-line or individually at Affordable Treasures in Los Gatos. They are one-use-only and not sustainable, ending up in the landfill post Bike Party.


Colored Gels or filters - are colored plastics used by photographers and filmmakers over lights to produce color effects… Gels (Wikipedia) can be easily used taped or rubberbanded around the front of bike headlights, or flashlights.


Glowing/Blinking Battery Operated Toys & Stuff a few examples. There's tons of this stuff out there...


Black Lights - Blacklights make phosphors glow, and only objects with phosphor will appear to be illuminated. A white T-shirt or white socks may glow, not because they're white, but because they were laundered with detergent containing phosphors - fluorescent powders that, if you expose them to ultraviolet light, absorb the light energy and immediately re-emit some of it as visible light.


Reflective Tape - though not technically a light, reflective tape can definitely help you to be seen by cars or other riders! It can be stuck to your helmet or on your bike. Car headlights generally produce white light and a white or, in fact, colorless reflector returns more of this light to its source than ones with color. Though bright colors had the advantage of being seen during the daytime and could make for artful designs and such... it can be found at most bike shops including REI.


Random Ideas - here are some fun DYI ideas to get creative juices flowing!


Inspiring Videos - Youtube links to get your creative juices flowing

[edit] DYI: Express Your Inner Nerd

MORE Do-it-yourself light projects - 
 Why go out and buy something prefab when you can do it yourself?? Check out Indestructables.com for MANY bike related projects besides lights

Headlights:

Chargers/Generator Lights:



Other Lighting Articles

[edit] Make Yourself Glow

Consider decking yourself out along with your bike!! Any of the Creative Lighting Techniques above can also be used on you!!

Here's some inspiration:

Mohawk Helmet tutorial by one of our very own Bike Partiers: Garett "mohawk" Birkel

[edit] Lighting Product Manufacturers

What are some of the brands & types of lights available?

Note that SJ Bike Party doesn't endorse any particular companies, though we're happy to share ideas and tell you what we know. We encourage you to support your local bike shop wherever possible, and when in doubt, go with local businesses that support positive cycling (like Bike Party!) in the South Bay.


Headlight Manufacturers - Headlights mounted to the front handlebars, battery operated…

+most common/popular/easy to find


Generator / Dynamo Light Manufacturers Generator Lights Facts vs. Fiction (article)

- Schmidt SON dynamo hub, eDelux lights and B+M toplight demonstration Video


Solar Hybrid Light Manufacturers - Solar panel charges internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery


Wind Up lights - Another Green solution: Trevor Baylis is the undisputed king of wind-up appliances - he has even invented a wind-up media player. His wind-up front mounted bike light is purported to provide 90 minutes of front-flashing light. It's good, but that one minute of cranking - and it's a long minute - will provide just 8 minutes of high-powered steady light. A great concept, yet most practical for very short rides.


Helmet Lights - Many Headlight manufacturers also have helmet lights or mounts, so check above links too Article: Helmet Lights


Head Lamp (climbing or backpacking) Manufacturers - These can be bought locally at any sporting good store like REI, Any Mountain etc.

[edit] Batteries & Gadgets

Are there cheap places on-line or locally for batteries?
locally: Fry’s Electronics (for 3v coin, lithium ion), Costco (AA/AAA)


Battery Rebuilds


Bulbs / LED's



[edit] Local Bike Shops

Though contained here are many online links, consider, when possible to shop locally. This helps keep needed money within our communities and help keep local bike shops alive! Also helps the planet by keeping carbon footprints smaller. Be sustainable and help build your local bike community! There are so many reasons to support your local bike shop, it's ridiculous! Several of the local bike shops in the South Bay have been visible supporters of SJ Bike Party, and we definitely encourage you to visit them+:

San Jose

  • Bicycle Express+ -- 131 East William Street, San Jose, CA -- Some workers at this shop are veritable Bike Party O.G.'s - spread the love.

  • Fast Bicycle -- 2274 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 251-9110‎
  • La Dolce Velo -- 3575 Stevens Creek Boulevard, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 244-8356‎
  • Slough's Bike Shoppe --260 Race Street, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 293-1616
  • Hyland Family Bicycles Inc+ -- 1515 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 269-8833‎ -- Owners and workers at this shop have been longtime Bike Party riders since the days when we had less than 40 people. Let them know you heard of them from Bike Party!

  • Trek Bicycle Store of San Jose -- 503 Capitol Expressway, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 264-2453‎
  • Trail Head Cyclery -- 14390 Union Avenue, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 369-9666‎
  • Calabazas Cyclery -- 6140 Bollinger Rd, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 366-2453‎
  • REI - Recreational Equipment Inc -- 400 El Paseo De Saratoga, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 871-8765
  • Sports Authority--- 680 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 229-6200‎
  • Faber's Cyclery -- 702 S 1st St, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 294-1314‎
  • Pacific Cycle Co -- 260 Mcevoy St, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 885-1594‎
  • Willow Glen Bicycles -- 1016 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 293-2606‎
  • BICI BIKE -- 5715 Cottle Road, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 225-0599‎
  • My Bike Shop -- 1425 West San Carlos Street, San Jose, CA‎ - (408) 287-6680‎

Los Gatos

  • Summit Bicycles -- 111 East Main Street, Los Gatos - (408) 399-9142
  • Crossroads Bicycles -- 217 North Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos - (408) 354-0555
  • Mike's Bikes of Los Gatos -- 201 North Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos - (408) 402-5550

Saratoga

  • Los Gatos - Saratoga Bike Shop -- 14410 Big Basin Way, Saratoga - (408) 867-6100
  • Street Bike Warehouse -- 18478 Prospect Road, Saratoga - (408) 996-2677

Campbell

  • Performance Bicycle Shop -- 1646 S Bascom Ave Campbell, CA 408-559-0495
  • Wheel Away Cycle Center -- 402 E Hamilton Ave Campbell, CA 408-378-4636

Santa Clara

  • The Off Ramp -- 2369 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA‎ - (408) 249-2848‎
  • Calmar Bicycles -- 2236 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA‎ - (408) 249-6907‎
  • Sports Authority -- 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard #1002, Santa Clara, CA‎ - (408) 261-1922‎
  • Shaw's Lightweight Cycles -- 45 Washington Street, Santa Clara, CA‎ - (408) 246-7881‎
  • P & M Bmx Associates -- 5401 Lafayette Street, Santa Clara, CA‎ - (408) 727-7538‎

Sunnyvale

  • Walt's Cycle+ -- 116 Carroll Street Sunnyvale (408) 736-2630 -- This shop has set up a stand at many of the last Bike Party rides to sell much-needed lights and patch kits to riders, as well as offering discounts to Bike Partiers. Several folks connected with this shop additionally volunteer their time as BIRDs and planners for the rides. Thank them for their contributions!
  • Leopard Cycles Inc -- 551 East McKinley Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA‎ - (650) 563-9560‎
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