Riding a bicycle without lights puts you in grave danger. Drivers and other cyclists need to see you long before they reach your position. You can make your own bicycle lights to reduce the chances of an avoidable accident. You can save money by using materials that you can find in most hardware stores.
Light Locations
A biker needs more than one light to improve safety. A model setup for nighttime riding might include at least three lights in strategic locations. A headlight will aid the biker and oncoming traffic. Consider the addition of a flashing light emitting diode (LED) lamp on the front of the bike for added visibility and as a backup to the main headlight. The rear of the bike should also have at least one light, either a flashing or fixed design.
Light Selection
The standard setup for bicycle lights requires battery power because bicycles do not have an energy source other than the rider's pedal power. Increasingly, bicyclers have choices that maximize visibility without increasing power usage. The cheapest lights use tungsten filaments. The brightest lights use LEDs or halogen lamps. You can easily design your own efficient bike lights using LEDs and rechargeable batteries. An on-board power source for recharging your batteries is optional.
Options
The smallest LED bicycle lights at retailers can easily cost more than $100 in 2009. Some bicycle enthusiasts have found ways to modify existing products so that they fit on a bicycle. The Gorilla Torch is an example of a product that will work as your headlight. The design makes it easy to attach (and remove). Its flexible legs connect to a large, dimmable set of LEDs. Since it uses three standard AA batteries, you could carry rechargeables in your bike pack. The manufacturer rates the light's battery life from 20 hours at the lowest light setting up to 80 hours at 65 lumens, the highest setting.
You can make your own solar bike light by attaching a small solar panel to a set of LED lights. Although you can purchase LEDs in many retail stores, you will need to modify the purchased lights to connect them to a solar panel. An Ourmedia video at the Internet Archive describes the components and the technique for assembling this light (see Resources). You can recharge the panel on the bicycle or in a window at home. Attach the light to your bicycle as needed.
The Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition in Ann Arbor, Michigan, suggests that most people can build the lights they need for bike safety. Their "Building Your Own Bicycle Lights" workshop lists all the materials that you need to construct a set of front and rear bicycle lights (see Resources). The plan is flexible. You can use a lead-acid or a NiMH battery. Buy a truck trailer LED light for the rear and a 20 watt LED for the headlight. In this design, both bulbs can use the same battery. Attach the bulbs to the battery using standard electrical connectors and wire. You will also need a toggle switch for turning the lights on and off. You can mount it on the bike frame or handlebars.
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