Now that we’ve fallen back to standard time, it gets dark early in New York — sunset tonight was at 4:52 p.m. and of course it gets even earlier between now and winter solstice.
Because we like to bike around Brooklyn, that means we’re riding in the dark a lot these days.
I cringe every time I see a fellow biker with no lights. Not only is having a white front light and a red rear light the law, it’s just good common sense to make yourself visible to drivers, pedestrians and other bikers. You wouldn’t drive your car at night without turning on your lights, would you?
Meanwhile I get frequent compliments and comments because I am lit up like a Christmas tree when I ride.
Adding all these lights to my New York bike was inspired by Ritchie and Mindy Jordan in New Orleans, organizers of a weekly cruiser ride and hosts of a series of parties to help NOLA bikers funkify their wheels. People add Mardi Gras beads, sequins, tassels, toys, pipe cleaners, anything that speaks to their imagination and desire to make a one-of-a-kind bike.
Ritchie and Mindy’s bikes are rolling works of art. We bought bikes in 2011 that they’ve housed for us since, loaning them out when we aren’t in town and requiring anyone who uses them to add one more piece of bling. Often when we arrive in New Orleans and pick up our bikes, they have even more lights than the last time we saw them, like these battery-powered Christmas lights on the handlebars and the glowing butterfly wings.
Ritchie and Mindy’s bikes are rolling works of art. We bought bikes in 2011 that they’ve housed for us since, loaning them out when we aren’t in town and requiring anyone who uses them to add one more piece of bling. Often when we arrive in New Orleans and pick up our bikes, they have even more lights than the last time we saw them, like these battery-powered Christmas lights on the handlebars and the glowing butterfly wings.
So if you ride at night with a pitch-black bike because you’ve thought lights were sort of lame, just a requirement you’re supposed to follow, I submit that it can be a lot of fun to add way more lights than you probably need and really ensure no one misses you as you roll by.
4 Comments
Tony
You might be interested in the Torch2 helmet that I just backed on Kickstarter. It is now available for sale. Google it. The lights are integrated into the helmet.
Colleen Newvine Tebeau
Thanks, Tony. I don’t have any lights on my helmet. I’ve seen various designs that sort of clip a light to the back of a helmet but haven’t seen anything like this, with the lights fully integrated. It does make sense to have your lights up high, so you’re more visible around cars.
I’d love to hear how you like it when you get it. I have a new-ish helmet I like so I’m not sure I want to replace it for $150, but I am tempted.
Tony
Colleen, I just wrote the new helmet up for my blog. You can check it out there.
Tony
I’m sorry, I should have given you the link::
http://guysandgoodhealth.com/2015/11/02/my-new-bike-helmet-the-torch-2/
The post has a picture and video.
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