General Visibility & Headlights

The winter season is upon us and i plan to commute through the worst of it on my SV.

I have bought some new riding gear, Buffalo Arctic Camo style stuff.

Now, being on the receiving end of quite a lot of "who's going to see you in that" banter... (even though it is more visible than my previous black jacket) i got thinking.

What are the best ways to ensure the best visibility when on unlit roads?
Does anybody use the cyclist type flashing LEDs on their bike or body?
What is the simplest and best way to maximise the headlight brightness? Any recommendations on bulbs would be great.

Yellow style stuff just doesn't do it for me, i am thinking something more active than passive/reflective.

I think HID bulbs or something are spoken about here alot, and they are ment to be very bright?

If you are driving down unlit roads, it wouldnt be stupid to get a 2-peice day-glo oversuit with lots of the highly-reflective silver strips on them. Also, maybe get some reflective strips for your mirrors, to make you look as wide as you really are?

Matt

[northwind]

Passive reflectives, if it's good stuff, are miles more visible than the LED gear- the 3M retroreflectives which you find on almost all good hiviz are incredible these days.

Respro do a Hump- backpack cover- which is black with retroreflectives though, if you want stealth hi-viz. It might also be available with their actives, but to be honest that's not much of a benefit. Also, I've always suspected that multiple random flashing lights etc can confuse people more than they help.

Osram Nightbreakers are the best direct-fit bulb replacement, there's a Phillips equivalent which is pretty much the same but I forget the name. A full HID retrofit can work much better- mine does- but it's expensive and a lot more hassly, and also illegal and potentially unsafe (if not done right)

Thanks for that Northwind, i will look into those bulbs and think about some sort of hi-vis yellow to wear.

these ones right?
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/h4-...-pr-17118.html

[northwind]

Bike-specific stuff is mainly mince btw, you get those terrible old-school yellow reflectors. Some of the cycle stuff is good, but the hi-viz I actually use is all cheap workie-stuff mostly bought from JJB Sports for £1.99 a vest

(I love my hi-viz fleece, I look like a knob but I can be seen from space:

[Nobbylad]

I got a sleeved hi vis jacket from www.hivis.net for about £7-8 delivered and it can be seen for miles!

I also got some black diamond reflective sticker sheeting from http://www.respro.com/products/urban...g/sticker_kits which are almost black in daylight (I have a black K, yet scotchlite reflective when caught in headlights....will post some picks when I get chance.

Am thinking about the Nightbreakers too - would like HIDs bought scared off by illegal/dangerous comments.

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by northwind

Osram Nightbreakers are the best direct-fit bulb replacement, there's a Phillips equivalent which is pretty much the same but I forget the name.

Phillips power xtreme with free dinky sidelights from the website someone on here pointed me towards. Can't remember what it was? Anywho it was about 24 quid all in and they take about 20 mins to fit on a pointy.

i just ordered those Osram Nightbreakers from autobulbsdirect.co.uk for £18.36 delivered with a free white sidelight bulb.
That is a bargain!

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by branny

i just ordered those Osram Nightbreakers from autobulbsdirect.co.uk for £18.36 delivered with a free white sidelight bulb.
That is a bargain!

them's the ones yer want! they all do the same job and they're an improvement over the stock ones

[Stu]

Originally Posted by northwind

there's a Phillips equivalent which is pretty much the same but I forget the name.

you mean X-treme Power http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/H4-Philips-X-t...d=p3286.c0.m14