Reddit mentions of Ultra Bright Bike Light Blitzu Cyborg 168T USB Rechargeable Bicycle Tail Light. Red High Intensity Rear LED Accessories Fits On Any Road Bikes, Helmets. Easy To Install for Cycling Safety Flashlight

Hey there! I ride that leg very frequently - it is R38 / South Dakota Ave. Yes, it is dedicated shoulder riding, but the shoulder is widened more than a usual highway's would be. I would recommend it over gravel for one major reason: drivers expect bikers to be there. During a good summer day you'll encounter 5-10 bikers in the 10-mile stretch; all regular drivers in the area will be aware that bikes are on the shoulder.

Must-have #1: get a good helmet-mounted mirror (I use this one) and continuously assess the situation area you. Be especially vigilant about people passing other cars. IMO having you, a car, and another car all in a line together is a great way to die. If I see a car swing out to pass another car near me, I usually give a very clear "stop" hand signal to indicate I want them to wait until they are clear of me. Some oblige, some don't.

Must have #2: set up a safety rule and follow it. Mine is that I watch for an approaching car and if at any point their tire touches the solid white line into the shoulder, I hard brake and remove myself from the road. Thankfully, that's only happened once, and in that particular case the driver did start moving towards the center line as he approached, though I had already begun stopping.

Must have #3: get a very bright flashing rear light and use it during the day while on the highway. I have to admit to you that mine isn't bright enough, but reading this made me realize I need to get one purchased before the season starts back up, so I think I'm going to give this guy a try.

If you do the things above I think you'll find the ride up very enjoyable. Good luck and stay safe!

Just one, I had bought a bunch of light up junk totally unrelated for a silly race, and it happened to fit perfectly around the board. Well, perfectly around my board, with those particular bash guards on.

I folded the light strip in half, marked it, taped it center front (just to hold it in place), and put the bash guard over it to lock it into place.

With the hot glue gun, I did one small section at a time. One squeeze of the trigger worth, and then pushed the light strip into it all the way, so it made good contact with the board. Don't try to smooth it like caulk, it'll get weird.

The light strip ends just as it reaches the rear bash guard with about 1 cm space left on each side. So whether or not it looks even depends on how well you centered the whole thing.

With the head and tail light on, it looks pretty good, I think. I Prime Now'd the same Blitzu bike tail light from another post on here that I can't find at the moment. And then ordered the headlight that I figured might fit on the front truck. It does. Barely. Sort of. If you turn hard, you might into some issues. I have yet to really test that before I get a second one. The neat thing is that the headlight(s) now point into the direction I'm turning.

A few more photos of various angles.

I have flashing LED lights which you can't miss in the dark. Red in the back and white in the front.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It was a this one

It's great, stupid bright and lasts at least two full days but I try to charge it everyday at the office.

Here's what I have-

Backpack: https://www.dakine.com/en-us/bags/backpacks/street-backpacks/mission-25l-backpack-17w/

Helmet: https://triple8.com/product/the-certified-sweatsaver/?category_name=skate

Shoes: https://www.vans.com/shop/suede-canvas-old-skool#hero=0

Pads: https://triple8.com/product/saver-series-3-pack-box/?category_name=skate

I only used all of the pads for about the first week or so, but I still wear the wrist guards-they've prevented serious injuries!

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Board light (tail of the board): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Board light #2 (front of the board): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IFA03I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Front Backpack light (goes on my backpack strap, or hooked to my jacket on my forward facing shoulder): https://www.olightstore.com/h1r-cool-white.html

Back Backpack light (goes around my backpack): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N1SM2NQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The board lights aren't super bright, they're mostly so people can see what I'm riding. The O light makes riding at night very safe, and my back light has great visibility.

As for tools, I carry my skate tool and a couple of hexes, and some spare belts. I have a charger I leave in my office and one in my backpack all the time.

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Hope this helps!

I use a Cygolite Metro 550 up front, and a Blitzu Blitzu Cyborg 168T on the rear.

I don't use turn/brake lights. I don't think they offer an added benefit, and are kinda fiddly to get them to work 100% reliably. If you're using a signaling device ... it should be 100% reliable. I think having a rear flasher is plenty as it simply says "See me! I'm a bicycle and slower than you!".

The cygolite is plenty bright for riding on unlit roads, and has multiple modes/brightness levels. I mostly use the "strobe" during daylight hours, and "steady pulse" mode after sunset.

The blizu offers a few brightness levels on "steady", as well as 3 flashing modes (strobe, bright pulse, less-bright pulse). The strobe mode is very fast ... like a strobe light in a disco. The pulse mode is sort of "normal" flashing like a car's turn signal. I use the "strobe" mode during the day for its attention-grabbing ability, and the less-frantic "pulse" mode at night to ensure it gets people's attention without inducing seizures.

Both are USB rechargeable, which was a big deciding factor for me. I hate having to buy/replace batteries all the time. A "desired" feature would be a design that allows USB charging with replaceable batteries (using industry-standard sizes) for longer outings, but these generally last long enough for most of my excursions.

https://www.amazon.com/Blitzu-Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC

This one is my favorite of the lights I use, and it's rechargeable:

https://www.amazon.com/Blitzu-Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511376731&sr=8-6&keywords=

This one also works great, and runs on 2x AAA batteries:

https://www.amazon.com/CatEye-Omni-Bike-Light-Rear/dp/B008QVXQ1K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1511376770&sr=8-8&keywords=

For the front, I use this thingy with any number of rechargeable (18650 powered) flashlights that I have:

https://www.amazon.com/Two-Fish-Lockblocks-Flashlight-Holder/dp/B001CJXB5E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511376885&sr=8-1&keywords=

Blitzu Cyborg

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015IFA03I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hT.lDbK9W0JPF

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2T.lDb3DRK579

Ive got a rear and head light by the blitzu company and they work great. Rechargeable, 3 different power settings, flashing and non flashing settings, and a decently long battery life. (6 hours)

Edit: headlight
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015IFA03I/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1506555869&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bicycle+light+blitzu&dpPl=1&dpID=51gyEU3rBNL&ref=plSrch

Taillight
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015IEJ0GC/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1506555869&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bicycle+light+blitzu&dpPl=1&dpID=51D0%2BGi4UaL&ref=plSrch

No, one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015IEJ0GC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here you go:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=digi1516-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B015IEJ0GC&linkId=f7fc1dcbed92d3ed05d81d708edeab4d

I use the Cyborg Blitzu ( https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Helmets-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC ) with the mount wrapped around my rear Axiom Streamliner rack's flat bridge in the rear (makes sense when you stare at it), and the light oriented vertically. It's probably a bit floppy but it hasn't fallen off or rotated out of position after ~500 miles. No modification needed.

Cheap too, ~$15? Also has excellent side visibility, which is the primary reason I use it.

What kind of cycling? Mountain biking, road cycling, just commuting? I ride at night all the time, I usually ride to a bar a few times a month. My 10 yo son and I rode to the movies the other night.

Make sure you have a decent light setup. I use an urban 500

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Motion-Urban-500-Headlight/dp/B01F0FCAKW?th=1 for a head light and this rear blinker

https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Helmets-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=sr_1_25_sspa?keywords=amazon+rear+bike+light&qid=1556798034&s=gateway&sr=8-25-spons&psc=1

along with a neon green jacket and two led wheel lights. I find that people actually see me more at night than during the day.

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I have this setup for my kids https://www.amazon.com/Ascher-Rechargeable-Headlight-Resistant-Included/dp/B01EUQ7ZQG/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_468_bs_lp_t_1/147-0384363-3958821?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=58XK20AREYT4CNVC9WYV

and it's actually really decent.

All lights you purchase will have mounts included with them, look for USB rechargeable lights as opposed to battery operated lights.

On the frame in the rear

Ultra Bright Bike Light Blitzu Cyborg 168T USB Rechargeable Bicycle Tail Light. Red High Intensity Rear LED Accessories Fits On Any Road Bikes, Helmet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_TOF7radLPpoOj

Under the saddle.


LE Super Bright Bike Light, USB Rechargeable Rear Tail Light, Cycling Light, 4 LEDs, 5 Light Modes, Red, Cable Included, Fits on any Bicycles, Helmets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0197X16BC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_kdJj4Z6x6Tr61


There are much better lights available, I'm upgrading my front currently. So I don't have a link.
And apologies if the links don't work. Not that tech savvy.

Why lights? Safety. Night or day. Be seen, drivers will pay attention.

By far, the best cheap light I’ve found is this one by inbike I got it in a lot of amazon return stuff and I didn’t get the mount with it, so I can’t speak for whatever comes with it. The light runs on 18650 cells which are the way to go imo. Pick up a couple more and wall charger and you’re good to go.

I have a version of this one on a couple bikes as well. Same light just non branded. Bright and rechargeable. One has been coated in mud several times and still works fine.

[SELL]
Meepo 1.5 (less than 100 miles), comes with:

[ShredLights]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075KWYZZY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Costed $44.99

Nose and tail guard Costed $13.99

[Red tail light] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Costed $18.37

[Longboard Tool] (https://i.imgur.com/adtDPzF.jpg)

[Extra trucks and screws from the recall] (https://i.imgur.com/MAcuYoi.jpg)

[Remote (no wrist strap, sorry)] (https://i.imgur.com/Wao1vfJ.jpg)

[Charger] (https://i.imgur.com/yolnbbV.jpg)

[Wall mount + 4 screws] (https://i.imgur.com/8yOyrHq.jpg)

I'm in the Bay Area (Mountain View). $450 OBO

My rear light of choice has a very fast blink rate--seizure fast--so the problem of it being off half the time isn't a problem.

This one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Has two blink settings, one of which is disco-fast. There'd be no way to look my direction only when it was between blinks. In fact, if you could look at a rider only when a blinking light was off, I'd call that 'pulsing' and not blinking. I'm also not sold on the idea that it will cause a problematic distraction. The point of a blinking light is to distract--to distract that driver away from their phone call, wandering mind, etc., and get their attention on you.

I personally haven't had a problem when I've been driving or riding and seen rapidly blinking lights--and I notice them faster.

Seat Post

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

On the Pannier i am not sure of the brand. I got it awhile ago. Ill check.

these bad boys! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015IEJ0GC/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b2aF2gd_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=8H99BVX2Q3WSATVFTJW9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=d38a9968-bfb0-56d9-b053-93ceabef104b&pf_rd_i=2367799011

Here! https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015IEJ0GC/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was very pleased with [these guys!] (https://www.amazon.com/Dash-350-Micro-30-Combo/dp/B013FIYP8G/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1481479796&sr=1-7&keywords=cygolight)

if you want something cheaper I could suggest front and [rear] (https://www.amazon.com/Blitzu-Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=sr_1_18?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1481479840&sr=1-18&keywords=bike+light)

I have the older version of this light.

It has seen over 7,000 miles of use, all sorts of weather conditions , and is two and a half years old now. It' still working although the USB port cover came off and the charging cable needs to put it and wiggled to get it to charge so I'm not expecting to get much longer out of it.

For the $15 I paid, it's been great value for money.

Sure thing.

1. I have mid-range USB rechargeable lights: Headlight. Tail light. I will say that the headlight doesn't fit perfectly on the L Train's bars due to the bend in them. But it's plenty bright and lasts a long time. I had it on my old bike and just kept it. I also added Priority full fenders and front basket to make it more useful to me as a commuter. Both were tedious to install (like most fenders and some baskets) but are very solid and haven't given me any issues so far. Here's a link to a picture I posted the first day I rode it to work.
   
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2. I don't need any more gears. The seven are plenty for my rides in Chicago. If I lived in San Fran or Seattle, I'd probably want more lol. In my mind, a parking garage ramp is pretty steep, I wouldn't want to regularly climb hills like that with this bike. I know some people do though, more power to them. I can easily maintain speed while going up overpasses around here though.
   
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3. What I meant by 'spinning out' is that I could pedal faster than the bike was going. Basically, I couldn't speed up anymore, even in 7th. Again, that's only done the one grade on my commute and at that point, I'd guess that I'm probably going about 25-27 mph. No need to go any faster in my mind. On flat ground, I'm not strong enough to maintain top speed in 7th gear for long at all. I usually max out in 5th while commuting through the city.

You don't need to spend much on the bike frame itself, but you will need a light for the front, one for the back, a few tools to help you change your own tires and tubes (look into them, not expensive), patch them, et cetera. It sounds daunting but it really isn't, and it's fun knowing you have control over your thing. Like with a computer when you build one.

Cyclists in Boston chain their bikes up to lamps and signs (trees I think are illegal in some cities, so I don't), and bike racks of course. There's the threat of theft though I never experienced it. I always leave my bike in a visible area on the street, so that if someone were to try anything they'd be in sight of a camera or something nearby. Or unfortunately, target other bikes (which sounds bad since by taking up front realty, others can't chain there, but that's just how it is).

Blitzu Cyborg https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015IEJ0GC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5wNFAb1J15G62

Some lights and a helmet are top on my list. Any recommendations on lights? I've got Prime so Amazon makes sense to get something quick and likely cheaper than a local shop. This is what I'm leaning towards. Areas I'd ride at night are pretty visible, so definitely just need something to alert surrounding cars.

Rear light

Front light

I like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Blitzu-Rechargeable-Intensity-Accessories-Flashlight/dp/B015IEJ0GC

They are USB rechargeable a decent form factor, moderately water resistant and bright enough to be seen. They make a front and a rear. I have a set on each of my bikes. They are long and narrow and you can change the orientation by 90 degrees so you can put it in line with your handlebars or turn it 90 to be in line with your seat post so they blend well in daylight.