Claremont Cycle Depot: bicycles & sporting goods

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Bicycle Lights

Claremont Cycle Depot currently carries bicycle lighting from Marwi and Princeton Tec, as well as products made by Trek and Specialized.

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About bicycle lighting

Bicycle lights have come a long way since the old headlight with its generator run off the front tire. The generator has been replaced by batteries or a rechargeable battery pack, and the bulb has changed to krypton or halogen or sometimes even is replaced by LEDs. But with so many choices, what’s the right lighting system for you?

To see or to be seen?

Your choice of lighting depends on where you ride and how long you ride. Just like choosing between a nightlight or a reading lamp, your bicycle lighting should be tailored to your needs. Oftentimes this comes down to whether your light is to let you see or to let others see you.

If you’re riding on the road, in traffic, your greatest need is to be seen. You primarily want your lights to let drivers to see — and avoid — you. You may not ever need lighting that will fully illuminate where you’re going, streetlights and car headlights will probably do that. When they don’t, it really doesn’t take that much light to see the road and its hazards. A low-wattage headlight (and a flashing taillight) will be fine in this situation. It’s also the law.

If you’re on the trail, it’s another story. You need to see everything. Things look different at night; shadows can hide a lot. Hazards that you would easily see during the day quickly appear at night, leaving you less time to react. You want the brightest light, or lights, that you can get. A combination of a handlebar-mounted light that shows where the bike is pointed and a helmet-mounted light that shows where you’re looking might be the perfect combination.

Short ride or long?

How long you ride, and how often, will determine the power supply you need and sometimes the bulb type. If you’re a regular bicycle commuter, you’re going to need a light that lasts a long time. This will avoid frequent battery replacement or recharging, as well as helping make sure that you’re not partway home when the light goes out. You will also want a rechargeable power supply to avoid constantly buying batteries. You might even want two sets (especially if you’re using AAs), to have one set charging while you’re using the other.

If you don’t regularly ride at night, you just need to make sure your power supply lasts as long as your longest ride. Of course, if you need to use the highest power, it’s not going to last as long. Plan ahead; you don’t want to be stuck in the woods in the dark!

Always use a taillight

Always use a flashing taillight if you’re riding at night, at dawn or dusk or even in foggy conditions. It’s next to impossible for drivers to see a cyclist in certain conditions without a light. And when they do, they might be too close to you to react. It’s better to be safe than real sorry. Taillights are very cheap insurance.