Back lights or front lights more important?

[Dr Murdoch]

I ask as my helmet mount has broken, so I can only have one light on top rather than two. Ive got front and rear on bike, so Ive got the choice of two at the front, or two at the back.

Busy semi rural route (Woking to Hampton), lots of A roads which can be dark due to overhanging trees

[Daveyraveygravey]

Tough call...if you have both at the rear, is your one front one good enough to light the road for you?

I would normally say have two at the rear, you have less options yourself if someone coming from behind doesn't see you.

[WinstonWolf]

I'd vote for back every time

You can see stuff coming towards you, you're reliant on people behind seeing you...

[Dr Murdoch]

That was my train of thought as well, go for rear.

However, I then considered that most cycle incidents involve cars pulling out of side roads into cyclists, equally mini roundabouts. How many do get squished from the rear?

Sorry I'm not arguing, just putting my thought process into words!

[WinstonWolf]

I have two mounted on the bars, seems to do the trick.

[okgo]

Most people only have one at each end on the bike. No drama.

[mcelliott]

okgo said:

Most people only have one at each end on the bike. No drama.

Yep agree, the wonders of modern technology eh!

[WinstonWolf]

okgo said:

Most people only have one at each end on the bike. No drama.

Until one fails or falls off in pitch darkness. Had both happen, always have two rears in winter

[tenohfive]

Rear one fails you don't know about it. Front one fails you do and can do something about it.

[ThunderGuts]

I have 3 rears, 2 fronts. However when it gets proper dark I'll have another on the front.

[Magic919]

I see more bikes with multiple rear lights than front. One guy has five on the back.

[Dr Murdoch]

tenohfive said:

Rear one fails you don't know about it. Front one fails you do and can do something about it.

This seems imminently sensible, the one on the bike requires charging and its a 50min ride (x2) so it could run out if i'm not on the baLL.

Hopefully Chain Reaction will replace it soon (had it a week, first time putting light in it after a recharge and the mount fails).

[Daveyraveygravey]

okgo said:

Most people only have one at each end on the bike. No drama.

I don't feel safe with only one each end -as others have said it's easy enough to lose one, or a bulb break, or a charge/battery to flake out on you. Plus some people see a flashing light better than a steady one, some people judge the distance to a flashing light better than a steady one.

[Dr Murdoch]

mcelliott said:

Yep agree, the wonders of modern technology eh!

No need for smugness on this thread.

Read the opening post....

Thanks.

[Long Drax]

Dr Murdoch said:

mcelliott said:

Yep agree, the wonders of modern technology eh!

No need for smugness on this thread.

Read the opening post....

Thanks.

But I only read Pedal Powered threads in the hope of finding some smugness.

[mcelliott]

Dr Murdoch said:

No need for smugness on this thread.

Read the opening post....

Thanks.

Sorry I wasn't being smug, feel free to ignore. I know jack st about cycling anyway.

[Dr Murdoch]

No need for my grumpyness either, sorry I was in grumpy mood last night!

[okgo]

Pulsing rear tracer exposure/flash/solid front joystick

No drama.

[battered]

More at the front for me. Nobody has ever tried to kill me from behind.

[Dr Murdoch]

okgo said:

Pulsing rear tracer exposure/flash/solid front joystick

No drama.

Sorry, does that answer the question? I'm not an expert with lights.