new bicycle light

Skybird · 04-02-12, 02:37 PM

Liked this idea:

http://www.revolights.com/

Great as position lights, but I would question the frontal spotlight's brightness over greater distance, since there are no lenses or reflectors to focus the light beams. You get seen very well, but whether you can see yourself the road 12 meters ahead of you , I doubt.

Unfortunately, I give this no chance to ever get a running license in Germany, since the German laws are extremely backwardly and tight on what is allowed for bicycles and what not. Many of the lights you have no problem to buy and operate in Britain or the US, you cannot get here or legally operate, though it might be possible that the local police would silently tolerate them, glad to see a biycycle with any kind of lights at night at all. But you cannot count on it. Formally , everything not fitting the most conservative description imaginable of what a dynamo-based bicycle light is, is verboten. Our rules on what brightness for bicycle lights is allowed and must not be exceeded, are basing on the technology of batteries and light bulbs from before the war. We speak a single candlelights brightness here. Modern LED front lights usually are allowed if they do not exceed 40 lux, but everything beyond 60 lux would get sacked if they do night controls (which here in Münster they do during autumn and winter, 1-3 times per season). The blinking or ultra-bright red flashlights you can get in the US easily, it seems, are totally forbidden over here. Also everything with LED connected to the wheels' spokes. It'S a shame, and shows a very backwardly mindset. There are some realyl great bicycle lights avalable, and also some beautiful light concepts.

If you ever do holiday in Germany and travel the tour by bicycle, your exotic light concepts propably get tolerated, just make sure that no blinking lights are involved. There are occasionaly bicycle controls done by the police, and while they let you away with "too bright" lights or lights that are attached to your cloathes (not allowed to replace a non-existent dynamo-based light directly mounted on the bike's frame), the one thing they totally hate and do not tolerate are any lights that are blinking. If it blinks, switch it to steady. Formally, lights are even forbidden that while being switched to steady mode still offer just the option to be switched to blinking mode.

plem-plem, you know.

04-02-12, 02:37 PM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,604 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	new bicycle light Liked this idea: http://www.revolights.com/ Great as position lights, but I would question the frontal spotlight's brightness over greater distance, since there are no lenses or reflectors to focus the light beams. You get seen very well, but whether you can see yourself the road 12 meters ahead of you , I doubt. Unfortunately, I give this no chance to ever get a running license in Germany, since the German laws are extremely backwardly and tight on what is allowed for bicycles and what not. Many of the lights you have no problem to buy and operate in Britain or the US, you cannot get here or legally operate, though it might be possible that the local police would silently tolerate them, glad to see a biycycle with any kind of lights at night at all. But you cannot count on it. Formally , everything not fitting the most conservative description imaginable of what a dynamo-based bicycle light is, is verboten. Our rules on what brightness for bicycle lights is allowed and must not be exceeded, are basing on the technology of batteries and light bulbs from before the war. We speak a single candlelights brightness here. Modern LED front lights usually are allowed if they do not exceed 40 lux, but everything beyond 60 lux would get sacked if they do night controls (which here in Münster they do during autumn and winter, 1-3 times per season). The blinking or ultra-bright red flashlights you can get in the US easily, it seems, are totally forbidden over here. Also everything with LED connected to the wheels' spokes. It'S a shame, and shows a very backwardly mindset. There are some realyl great bicycle lights avalable, and also some beautiful light concepts. If you ever do holiday in Germany and travel the tour by bicycle, your exotic light concepts propably get tolerated, just make sure that no blinking lights are involved. There are occasionaly bicycle controls done by the police, and while they let you away with "too bright" lights or lights that are attached to your cloathes (not allowed to replace a non-existent dynamo-based light directly mounted on the bike's frame), the one thing they totally hate and do not tolerate are any lights that are blinking. If it blinks, switch it to steady. Formally, lights are even forbidden that while being switched to steady mode still offer just the option to be switched to blinking mode. plem-plem, you know. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 04-02-12 at 03:04 PM.