Moan: Constantly dazzled by other commuters

To be fair, they do have their beam comparer tool, which helps you understand where the light will go. It does rely on the purchaser bothering to read the guidance, though, rather than just going "this one's brighter - it must be better".

The brightness isn't the main problem. Dazzling oncoming riders can be solved simply by dipping the angle of the beam. On my bike, I use the very high tech solution of manually rotating my light fwd and down on the handlebar. Such consideration seems below 90% of other riders, sadly.

Nighttrain123 wrote:

On my bike, I use the very high tech solution of manually rotating my light fwd and down on the handlebar.

With most lights, though, this approach will quickly lead to your light flapping loosely while pointing mostly at your front wheel.

I have a couple of lights without well-shaped beams. I just use one hand to shade the top until I'm past the oncoming cyclist or pedestrian.

Unless they're pointing a bright beam at my face.

I have a couple of head torches, but they look like this

Nicely angled down so you can see where you are treading.

Mine has a hinge along the bottom edge for the same purpose. But so few dog walkers seem to either have that or can't work out how to use it...

Most runners and walkers on the pitch black TPT near me do their best to wear matt clothing exclusively.

Even with a bright light, it's hard to see them against the dark background.

They then moan about being dazzled.

matthewn5 wrote:

I've got dynamos running B&M StVZO compliant lights. They are bright, but they have a hard upper cut-off so they don't dazzle. They light up the road brilliantly too.

I have a B&M Ixon IQ on my commuter - it's is also STVZO compliant and very effective. If I stand at the end of my hallway and point it at the mirror, down the end, there is no dazzle whatsoever.

As usual, the UK are slow at adopting things from other countries,which just work.

they have a hard upper cut-off so they don't dazzle

The latest Aldi headlight has this and also the bar mount provides click stop movement left and right of the straight ahead position which is very handy for me

My very first LED front light - a present, so possibly expensive - proudly stated that it was visible half a mile away or something, then in the next breath 'Do not look directly at the light as it could damage your eyes'. I can remember thinking at the time that this was fine for me, sat behind it, but a bit hard on the poor b****r coming towards me!
As LEDs have become more common everywhere, I've often wondered . . .

I'm not sure that 800 lumens is enough for a pitch black off road trail. I switched from an 800 to an 1800 and now I can actually see where I'm going in the forest.

I'm not doing single track (no suspensions, only 30, 35 mm tyres) so 800 lumen is enough for me, on gravel type of trails at maybe max 20-30 km/h, less if needed.

I'm kinda minimalist... or maybe just cheap...

Some of the new e-bikes (heavy pedelec types, undoubtedly ridden illegally) I see on the TPT have lights as bright as a train. I'm literally dazzled +100 m away and have to stop.

lesterama wrote:

Not just the lumens, but also the legislation. Bike lights that aren't dipped are a menace.

We need to be like Germany, and only allow lights with beam control on sale. Otherwise we're just giving bike-haters another stick to beat us with.

I've been using Ravemen front lights for years. I won't ever use a strong non-dipped light again.

Of all the things cycling needs it's not more legislation or ammunition for another culture war.

It's a meaningless trivial problem - get some perspective.

I have two StvZsvotVso compliant lights, or whatever they're called, but there's still room for human error as they need to be angled appropriately. At what *I think* is the right angle, I no longer get oncoming pedestrians shielding their eyes - but the flip side is I can be alarmingly close behind an all-in -black pedestrian in the unlit park before the beam picks out their ankles.    

Get night vision goggles.

lesterama wrote:

Not just the lumens, but also the legislation. Bike lights that aren't dipped are a menace.

We need to be like Germany, and only allow lights with beam control on sale. Otherwise we're just giving bike-haters another stick to beat us with.

I've been using Ravemen front lights for years. I won't ever use a strong non-dipped light again.

I wonder if shrouded lights would help? A narrowed beam?

It doesn't help that most of these e-bikes are actually classed as motor vehicles and are ridden illegally in UK.