If you're riding in the country (like Eric, apparently), you need a good strong headlight that illuminates the roadway; these can be pretty expensive, and they'll run through a lot of batteries.
If you're riding in the city, like most college students, there is plenty of ambient light most places you ride, and you need a light that will let you be seen by cars, pedestrians and other bikers. You can be seen with a pretty inexpensive LED light that will probably let you go weeks between battery replacements. You'd have to be pretty luck to find one of these lights for $10, but it's easy to get one for $15 or so. e.hay wrote: > thanks eric. > good point- i did purchase my light online and on-sale, so that might have > been serendipitous loss leader to my benefit. this particular light runs 3 > leds on four aa batteries. > i dont spend anywhere near 20 bucks on batteries and i do ride at night > quite alot, all year. > > regardless- the actual price charged is market based, and is not > reflective > of manufactured costs, and typically sale prices are to clear out a end of > year product. > my point is that at the loss leader price was reasonable, and it is > achievable financially for someone of limited means. and especially to a > group which $10 = three drinks. > > reflective tape is also an *inexpensive* idea which could be kept under > ten > bucks- and a good one at that. > > happy thanksgiving all- ride safe tonight. > > ed- > > > > On Nov 21, 2007 10:54 AM, Eric Westhagen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Dear e.hay, >> >> Your description of cost has not been my experience. Of course if >> bicycles and pedestrians cannot see each other, cost IS IRRELEVANT. But >> the >> cost is not negligible these days. Possibly you might find a red tail >> light for $10.00 someplace, but in the past year my Catye white light >> cost >> over thirty. The bike shop salesperson said it was bright enough and >> the >> one he personally used. It cost over $30.00 and has a very small beam >> running on three AAA batteries. The intensity drops quickly. So, if a >> person rides much at night, a years supply of batteries is well over >> $20.00. Between the two lights five batteries are used. And then the >> expensive Catye has an electronic momentary switch which is not >> reliable. I >> examined the container for a "guarantee" statement and found none---so I >> have to live with that flaw, also. >> >> Again, if one cannot see, they need light. But the cost is $60.00 >> without >> tax and NOT $10.00. If something is to be handed out--it should be >> reflecting tape and reflectors--which are also expensive. >> >> EW >> >> "e.hay" wrote: >> >> maybe when you register your bike with the city - the reg fee could >> cover >> a freebee light? getting some at cost from planet bike or something >> might be >> an option. >> >> although cost is always presented as an issue- i bought a nite rider 3 >> led >> light for $10 a few years back. it's no back county light for sure- but >> city >> wise- it gets the job done. >> students spend more than $10 on thursday night drinks- >> >> On Nov 20, 2007 9:30 PM, s meiers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> > Getting more cyclists to have lights at night is a prime concern of >> mine >> > and I have worked with the University bike people the last few years >> to >> > increase usage. We have concentrated on that audience because most >> night >> > time crashes are downtown and involve cyclists in their 20s. In the >> past a >> > local pizza company has delivered flyers about safe night time riding >> with a >> > coupon for a lite at local shops- with minimal results. We did this in >> late >> > September/ early October when it is starting to get dark earlier. But >> as a >> > bike shop owner told me student run out of $ pretty quickly and >> typically >> > don't go into bike stores that time of year. We need to do our >> efforts when >> > students return and Mom and Dad have their credit card handy. We need >> to >> > think of different ways of reaching this audience. My initial idea >> would be >> > to get an article in the State Journal and/ or something on the 6 >> o'clock >> > news. But 20 somethings don't read the WSJ or watch the 6 o'clock >> news. If >> > anyone has unique ideas for this aging boomer to reach younger people >> please >> > share them. >> > *"Schimpff, Jeff A - DNR" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: >> > >> > Bob's observation is universal and prompts a quick tale from last >> > night. Heading from downtown to the SW Path after 5:00 (quite dark), I >> > stopped on Dayton at Broom for traffic. An unlit cyclist came along >> on >> > Broom (a one-way street) within a few feet of me. and I called out >> with a >> > friendly reminder as I usually do, "You need to get a light, sir!" >> Instead >> > of responding the typical, "OK," or "I know." or with silence, he let >> out a >> > rude "F Y." I soon headed west across Broom while he continued >> toward >> > Johnson. I then heard a loud brake screech and horn honk, and turned >> back >> > to see that this guy had nearly been creamed by a car that somehow got >> onto >> > Broom heading the wrong way - and apparently couldn't see this unlit >> cyclist >> > any better than I could when he passed by me....Then on the SW Path >> > there was the usual parade of unlit cyclists, appearing to be nearly >> half of >> > all riders.All of which begs the question of how can the City be more >> > pre-emptive about lights at night. I suggest a short program of >> educational >> > stops, followed up by a program of ticketing, focused on the bike >> paths and >> > streets with high bike traffic and bike lanes. Our fellow cyclists >> endanger >> > far more people than themselves."Swinging in the other direction, you >> > have the cyclist who ignores every traffic law, rides down the >> sidewalk, >> > then he goes through the crosswalk, and if a motorist doesn't see him >> he >> > flips him off. Then he jumps on the road in the wrong direction and he >> > doesn't have lights on at night." >> > P* Jeff Schimpff* >> > Bureau of Science Services >> > Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources >> > "Bus, Bike, Walk or Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" >> > ( ()* phone:* (608) 267- 7853 >> > (()* fax:* (608) 267-5231 >> > (+ )* e-mail:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> > ------------------------------ >> > *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> *On >> > Behalf Of *Meiers, Steve >> > *Sent:* Tuesday, November 20, 2007 7:36 AM >> > *To:* [email protected] >> > *Subject:* [Bikies] article >> > >> > http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=687001 Hopefully, this is >> an >> > interview with a person, formerly from Wisconsin, who wrote a book >> about the >> > law and bicycling. If this link doesn't work I'll go to Plan BSteve >> > MeiersSafety educator(608) [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Bikies mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies >> > >> > >> > >> > Steve Meiers >> > 608 241-3460158 Dixon StMadison, WI 53704 >> > ------------------------------ >> > Be a better pen pal. Text or chat with friends inside Yahoo! Mail. See >> > how. >> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51732/*http://overview.mail.yahoo.com/> >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Bikies mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies >> > >> > >> ------------------------------ >> _______________________________________________ >> Bikies mailing >> [EMAIL PROTECTED]://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
