The season of dark commuting is upon us, and here is a reminder of what is possible–one of the winners from last year’s “Most Visible Night Cyclist” contest:
The winner for February is Josh Larios…of Seattle! As Josh would say, “Whee!”
Please check out Josh’s web site, which provides additional detail and commentary about the setup.
Josh’s entry has set a new standard. Not only is his illumination setup thorough and practical, the entry included annotated images to make it easier to see the details. (Added bonus, Josh created a bit of customized code that enabled us to include the annotated images in this post.)
As one of Josh’s friends has said, he’s “visible through walls.”
Mouse over this image to see the annotations.
“I ride this rig year-round between Ravenna and the UW for my commute, and around town for errands and transportation. My wife and I got rid of our car a year and a half ago, so the bikes are our main form of transportation.”
Mouse over this image to see the annotations.
“I think my favorite bits of visibility gear are my Down Low Glow, which is way cool in addition to adding side visibility, and Glo Gloves. I’ve only been using the Flash Flag for a while, but it seems to be pretty effective as well, although it’s a little dorky.”
Zoom, Josh as a lightcycle racer from Tron!
Josh’s recommendations:
1: Planet Bike SuperFlash taillight.
A guy told me recently that as he drove up behind me from a block or two away, he thought there was a cop on the side of the road due to the flash pattern. People really see this thing.
2: Down Low Glow or reflective leg bands.
Side visibility is important. I love the Down Low Glow, but it is a little pricey. The cheap reflective leg bands are surprisingly visible.
3: A good flashing headlight.
The brighter the better. They’re pretty much useless for seeing by, and I don’t understand why they’re so often sold for that purpose, but a bright flashing light makes for good visibility from the front.
4: A good reflective vest, preferably better than the one I’ve got.
Great for visibility during the day, too. I recommend checking out the selection at a uniform supply store where security guards and police and such buy their gear.
Blogger’s note: Vests with built-in leds are definitely eye-catching…
Front-sync flash creates the illusion that Josh is going backwards.
“And have fun! I feel like a one-man parade sometimes with all my gear, but then some teenage skate punk will congratulate me on my sweet ride, and I know I’m cool.”
Finally, Josh would like to give a shout out to The Practical Pedal. While Josh isn’t involved with them in any way other than as a subscriber, their philosophy of cycling is pretty much the same as his.
Thanks, Josh for the excellent contribution!
