Blinker/Directional lights?

I've started thinking about a cleaner install for the folding bike that I will be buying that won't see as much wear and tear on the turn signal wiring through the folding and unfolding the bike, meaning a universal mounting point that can be seen from front and behind. I'm actually thinking of a set of these amber/black K&S LED bar end marker lights for motorcycle handlebars for the bar end of the folder's handlebars.
images
Plus this handlebar mounted L/R handlebar mounted turn signal switch.
SWT-29.jpg
And this electric scooter turn signal relay with audible warning.
RLY-542.jpg
This will be a more expensive install than the system I installed on my electrified mountain bike, but I should be able to limit the wiring to the handlebar tube and minimize any wear and tear through folding and unfolding the bike.
 
I have been using these for a year now and they are holding up ok. http://www.bicygnals.com/ The wireless connectivity is nice and battery consumption is not bad but I use rechargeables and would like to plumb them in to my low glow 12v LiOn sometime when I get around to it. Not cheap but not cheaply made either.
 
Yeah, those aren't bad mabman, but I personally prefer to have a blinker switch and more space between the blinker and the head-light/tail-light.



I really like the bar-end lights you showed there nwmtnbiker, but the more I think about it, especially since I plan on using light MX helmet, I need my mirrors in that spot, I might end up with them anyway if I can't get a mirror w/ light that I like, but I'm really trying to keep the weight down, I think the mirrors I found on ebay should work, but I expect I will have to beef up the bar-end mount and the hinge.
 
mabman,

There's a pending patent dispute and bicynals cannot be sold or shipped to anyone in North America. (I looked at them before installing hard wired signals on my electrified mountain bike.) There was only a window of about 6 months that they were available for sale and shipment to Canada and the US, then the patent issue shut everything down over here.

LI-cycle,

I don't see the position of the on/off switch on the mirrors you've linked to. Do you plan on manually turning the on/off signal on and off to make the front light blink? How will you signal to the traffic behind you? (It looks like the LEDs on the mirror are on the front.) Sunlite makes a very good bicycle mirror that clamps to the handlebars; it's gotten 4 stars on Amazon (23 customer reviews) and is only $4.99. http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Delux...=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1262155485&sr=8-11
 
I plan on mounting 4 total, so the mirror ones would be just for the front, and I plan on having a standard blinker switch, and flasher unless I can just use the flashing circuit built into the current light, to be turned on with the scooter blinker switch.
 
nwmtnbiker said:
...And this electric scooter turn signal relay with audible warning.
RLY-542.jpg

ElectricScooterParts! I forgot about them. The relay above is 24V. I'm thinking of 12V for compatibility with motorcycle components. Perhaps this would be okay for 12V.
customledrelay_LRG.jpg


Maybe an LED bar
signaldynamcis02609dualcolor.jpg


or an LED strip
customflex.gif


for the rear? Both of these combine a regular red tail light and will do high-intensity for brakes if you are really ambitious!
 
Thanks for the beta on bicygnals, I guess they are out of the picture for awhile. Here is another idea from across the pond that is super simple: http://www.safeturn.com/

The big problem is for me the perception of the motorists however. I suppose they are more used to seeing the stalk type indicators on motorcycles than they are flashing lights on hands and arms and universal hand signals are not used as much as they once were due to turn signals and many motorists don't recognize them either.


As and aside here perhaps the most important thing about night riding is reflective clothing. The dayglo vests that are available seem to be becoming universally recognizable indicating a cyclist and they are also reflective. There is also the low speed vehicle triangle to consider here. In the end it is all about being recognized by the other road users so that they can process that info and deal accordingly. However because e bikes have the ability to move faster in some situations that may surprise a motorist that recognizes you as just a bicycle it might be a good idea to have something that alerts people to the fact that you are on an ebike? I use a low glow lighting system and it certainly seems to get peoples attention at night and I guess it must be working as I haven't been run over!
DSC00862.JPG
 
mabman said:
Thanks for the beta on bicygnals, I guess they are out of the picture for awhile. Here is another idea from across the pond that is super simple: http://www.safeturn.com/

The big problem is for me the perception of the motorists however. I suppose they are more used to seeing the stalk type indicators on motorcycles than they are flashing lights on hands and arms and universal hand signals are not used as much as they once were due to turn signals and many motorists don't recognize them either.


As and aside here perhaps the most important thing about night riding is reflective clothing. The dayglo vests that are available seem to be becoming universally recognizable indicating a cyclist and they are also reflective. There is also the low speed vehicle triangle to consider here. In the end it is all about being recognized by the other road users so that they can process that info and deal accordingly. However because e bikes have the ability to move faster in some situations that may surprise a motorist that recognizes you as just a bicycle it might be a good idea to have something that alerts people to the fact that you are on an ebike? I use a low glow lighting system and it certainly seems to get peoples attention at night and I guess it must be working as I haven't been run over!

Yes, this is the main problem, I would rather be perceived as a motorcycle than anything else, I wear a reflective orange sash (think crossing guard) and I have flashing rear red and flashing white front lights.

This is fine during low light and daylight, but for any serious night riding I plan on getting a magic shine 900 lumen headlight.

My father made a point I would not have thought of, he has poor vision, and anything with all the lights right together would be very difficult to recognize as "blinkers" or signal lights, especially with all the bicycle lights that just blink for visibility.

His is an extreme case since he can't see well enough to drive anymore (no left field vision, basically nothing from 80 DEG on over, but also some blurriness), but I would want to make my lights as easy for someone with poor vision for the ones still on the road as possible.

I plan on using a separate power source for my lights, i.e. the batteries they normally use, and maybe just rewire them to use a single blinker switch.

I know it would be simpler to just use a standard scooter/motorcycle set-up, but I don't want something quite that heavy, and unless I could get them used, expensive. :?
 
I added the hard-wired turn signals (and rear brake light) to my 21-speed mountain bike after installing an e-bike conversion kit this past summer. I hadn't been riding my bike a lot since retiring to the far northern US Rockies because the hills were really bothering my knees. Once I added the conversion kit, I began riding my bike daily (in fact I've put far more miles on the bike this year than my truck). It really bothered me that a lot of drivers thought I was waiving when I was signaling a right hand turn. That's what convinced me to add the turn signals. I can say that drivers definitely notice the turn signals and give me a lot more room at stops. I don't really want to ride my new folder without some kind of turn signals. If the Winkkus were more affordable, I'd buy a set in a heart beat (even if that mean adding new mirrored glass once I got them). However, they're priced too dearly for me. I didn't have problems wiring the 4 LED strobes to the handlebar-mounted center off toggle for my mountain bike so I don't anticipate problems wiring a system for the folder. Best of all, LEDs consume so little power, you can run them on 9V batteries, which are easy enough to conceal in a handlebar bag.
 
To resurrect an old thread, I finally put together a running/brake/turn/flasher tail light system on my trike using an LED string._DSC8173.jpg

The LEDs are tightly packed._DSC8169.jpg

_DSC8171.jpg

Operation...
[youtube]6odr9Ex8_GY[/youtube]
 
I like the LED light bar that you mounted to your e-trike. I wish the narrower (6") ones would come down in price. I refuse to spend almost $50 for one, hence my less glamorous setup. I think you'll appreciate having the signals on your bike. Drivers understand what direction I am turning (or that I'm braking); many just don't understand hand signals these days. Also, they give me wider berth, but then I don't have many agressive/bad driving issues where I live currently.
 
I Say the Bigger the light the Bigger the target I ride the trails and ride strong in the night the ally's over up the wrong way with two headlights for confusion !!!! Yes sir. Rember they made a stop but it never says GO !!!!
 
nwmtnbiker said:
I like the LED light bar that you mounted to your e-trike. I wish the narrower (6") ones would come down in price. I refuse to spend almost $50 for one, hence my less glamorous setup. I think you'll appreciate having the signals on your bike. Drivers understand what direction I am turning (or that I'm braking); many just don't understand hand signals these days. Also, they give me wider berth, but then I don't have many agressive/bad driving issues where I live currently.

Yes, the wider spacing of lights is important in order to interpret the directional signal at a distance. This is something that is lacking in smaller lights and why the centre section of the string I am using is 9" long. You get what you pay for though - this light is more than $50...

From one of my posts on BentRider before I put it together:

Most lighting systems I have seen for bicycles, particularly turn signals, are pretty limited. For example:

- cheap construction
- poor quality or dim lights
- inadequate separation of turn signal indicators (can't tell if signal indication is left or right)
- no brake indication
- no running light
- separate batteries required for each component

I'd like something that is more integrated and more like what you would find on a motorcycle in function and quality. So since commercially available bicycle parts don't meet these objectives I'm going to try putting together a custom system. Fortunately, once a 12V source is created, motorcycle components, which are more robust and more widely available, can be used.

It all starts with something to convert the motor pack voltage (up to 50.4V in this case) to 12V. For this, a good DC-DC converter that will handle the anticipated current load is required. I selected an efficient switching converter from Mouser Electronics that will deliver 7A for future expandability.

A custom light strip was ordered from Radiantz. The strip was ordered with a 9" (230mm) long red section in the middle that will be dual brightness - bright for brake and dimmer for running. Each end will have short segments of amber LEDs for turn signaling. The overall length is about 13" (330mm). These are supposed to be quite bright LEDs. I guess I'll find out how bright when they arrive! So this takes care of the rear lighting.

I already mentioned a handlebar switch has been ordered. This should take care of operating the lights, turn signals and horn. The switch and horn were purchased from ElectricScooterParts.com . Better quality switches are available from motorcycle parts suppliers if required. The rear running light will be activated with the light switch as it would be in a car or motorcycle.

The battery/controller mounting bars will also be used to mount the box that I'll stuff all the additional electronics into. They are also handy for mounting the brake/turn signal light strip itself. I have shortened and otherwise prepared the bars to mount a cross bar to which the LED strip will be mounted. Refer to the picture of the rear of the seat below. I plan to bend in the ends a bit where the turn signal lights are to make the signals a bit more visible from the side...
 
I ride a lot and also drive a vehicle and any time you can tell what the person ( be it on a bicycle, car , trike, motorcycle.or just walking ahead ) is going to do I think this makes all of us a lot safey. I am 66yrs old and have never as much as bumped another vehicle. so you do have to be very alert at all times. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
extremegreenmachine said:
Its things like directional lights that are going to kill the whole ebike movement.... :shock:
How do you figure that? :?

If anything, it should make them more acceptable both to other traffic on the roads and to their riders, since they won't have to try to get people to recognize hand signals (nor try to remember to do them) which are actually inherently potentially dangerous for a rider to perform, since they take a rider's hand off the bars.

During that time, if one hits a pothole or rock, it might be impossible to get that signalling hand back on the bars before the bike is uncontrollable. It's pretty rare, but it could happen and has happened to me more than once. I was lucky enough most times to regain control but it doesn't always work out. :(

Plus, hand signals are simply not recognized by a high percentage of other road users--even other cyclists and law enforcement!


Using lighting just like other traffic means everyone on the road is using the same communications method, "speaking the same language" as it were, so it is much easier to get your intentions across to prevent accidents.


FWIW, having such lighting on my bikes has almost certainly prevented a number of situations from occuring, and although there have been numerous times other traffic has ignored my signals, they would probably not even have *noticed* my hand signals. For instance, until I get signal lighting back on my DayGlo Avenger MkII, I'm having to use hand signals, and even with snowboarding gloves that are dayglo orange, green and red, as well as wearing a tie-dye sweater with long bright sleeves, a great majority of the few people that I can clearly see watching me as I signal seem to be confused as to what I am doing, including local police in many cases. Some of them have thought I was waving to them and waved at me instead of responding to the hand signal! I have been nearly hit from behind by other cyclists because I signal that I am stopping at traffic lights and stop signs, and they don't understand and just keep going, even when they are watching me (which is not often enough).

So I would much prefer that my bikes and all other road vehicles have (and use) signalling lighting, given the other options are to try to use hand signals, which generally go unrecognized by too large a portion of other traffic, or to not bother signalling at all and hope no one hits me as I attempt to be mute on the road, telling no one my intentions as I travel. :roll:


Plus, lots of people I talk to think the lights are cool, and it makes them more interested in the whole ebike thing. :)
 
extremegreenmachine said:
Its things like directional lights that are going to kill the whole ebike movement.... :shock:

:lol:

With the electric motor and the blinking lights, I now have the toy car I wanted but never got when I was a kid...
 
This is how I did the brake switches.
[youtube]JdtFGaINz_c[/youtube]

One thing I have found is that you absolutely, positively, MUST have some sort of alert that the turn signal is on. I don't know how many times I have forgotten to cancel it after a turn. The problem is the amount of distraction - you are concentrating on traffic and that pedestrian crossing the road and changing gears and missing that pot hole and giving it throttle and, and, ...the turn signal is quickly forgotten.

I think I'll throw a little buzzer in the control box...
 
extremegreenmachine said:
Its things like directional lights that are going to kill the whole ebike movement.... :shock:

Why do i say that?

#1 The "dork factor" is super high with directional lights...super high.

#2 They really make your bike ugly...with all those extra wires alone....yuck yucky.

#3 Throw stealth out the window...electric bikes are cool cuz they should look like regular bikes. Why not just buy an electric scooter or motorcycle??

#4 Once you put a bunch of street safety equipment on your bike someone somewhere is going to demand you get a license plate.

#5 You really shouldnt be riding like cars with cars without a license plate anyway. The real beauty of riding an ebike in traffic is that you can ride like a bike. Imagine lance armstrong riding with directional lights...he is going at ebike speed...why hasnt someone outfitted his training bike with directional lights and a horn???...for one oakley would probably throw his sponsorship out saying this guy has gotten OLD.

I live in SF where being a bicycle messenger is all the rage...they are king of cool on bikes...those guys would be laughed out of there scene if they installed directional lights. Chopper riders dont install directional lights on there real motorcycles..and either do many of the custom rice rockets.

Once your on the slippery slope for directional lights on your ebike...you might as well outfit that thing with a horn, a cruise control, and some rear view mirrors on both sides of your handlebars. Then go the DMV and see if they will license it. Then you will have a super dorky rear license plate to mount to add to your "ugly factor".

Until ebikes are perceived as cool they will never make it to the mainstream...guys do the ebike movement a favor and rip those lights off your bike today :)

By the way...directional lights are ok if #1 your over 60....or #2 your riding a death trap trike in traffic. There is a big difference in getting hit and getting run over...and a trike you get run over, on a bike you get hit. You also need a big ugly flag if you ride a trike in traffic. By the way a big orange flag will keep you safer than directional lights even on a regular bike...also how about a full face helmet and some leather riding gear if your going to obsess over safety...shoot just leave the ebike at home and take your mini van.

I ride in a big city (SF) and all you really need on your bike is a good headlamp and a small blinking red light for your rear...and those are for riding at night.
 
Yup. Being a 'dork' is almost as bad as being intolerant.

Oops. :)
 
extremegreenmachine,

First, I would remind you that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I love my e-bike, turn signals, horn, lights, flashers, brake lights and all. I also want to be safe, remember, there's no steal cage between you and bigger vehicles on the road to offer any type of protection. I found it frustrating that many drivers didn't recognize hand signals (especially the signals for right turn and stop). I don't have that issue now. Drivers now understand what direction I'm going to turn (and realize when I'm stopping). They really do give me wider berth. I don't have to use my AirZounds often, but it's nice to have. FYI, here in the US, ready-made e-bikes that have motors over 750W or can reach speeds over 20 MPH must meed moped/motorcycle safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), meaning beefier frames, brakes, lights and signal lights (as of now, the categorization of e-bikes to determine which federal safety regulations doesn't apply to e-bikes but that could change given the high-powered hub motor kits being shipped from China). Currently, many states categorize e-bikes meeting this standard as mopeds, meaning they have to be licensed (will need lights, signals lights, etc) and insured.
 
extremegreenmachine said:
#1 The "dork factor" is super high with directional lights...super high.
Why? Every other legal piece of road traffic has them or should, by law in many places.

#2 They really make your bike ugly...with all those extra wires alone....yuck yucky.
So hide the wires. Run them inside the frame if you like. As low power as is used for them the wires can be even thinner than your brake and shifter cables. Run them alongside those, they'll be essentially invisible. There are some very nice looking LED signals out there designed for scooters, motorcycles, etc., so unless you just hate the entire idea of having anything on the bike but a frame, seat, wheels, pedals, and bars, not much aesthetics reason that I see to not do it if you can. :) Everyone's got their own style, and their own likes/dislikes, so no one has to do it if they don't like it.

#3 Throw stealth out the window...electric bikes are cool cuz they should look like regular bikes. Why not just buy an electric scooter or motorcycle??
Stealth has nothing to do with it, since I use them even on my regular bikes, and so do many people, because you *want* to be seen on a bike (even if you don't want them to know it's electric assisted). Just because it has inter-traffic communication devices on it doesn't mean someone is going to know it's assisted. ;)

#4 Once you put a bunch of street safety equipment on your bike someone somewhere is going to demand you get a license plate.
Why would they? Here in AZ, it's illegal by state law for anyplace to do that. And I've had law enforcement and firefighters that see me riding *thank me* for having proper lighting and signalling on there. :D


#5 You really shouldnt be riding like cars with cars without a license plate anyway. The real beauty of riding an ebike in traffic is that you can ride like a bike.
If you are on the road you *should* be riding like cars, in that you should be obeying the traffic laws, signalling, etc. So if you mean by "riding like a bike" to ride without doing that, well, I can see why you wouldn't want signals--they'd get in the way and probably attract more attention from law enforcement, who would then remind you of how you *should* be riding. :p

If in your area you can ride on sidewalks and do, I guess it doesn't matter. But anyone on the road needs to be riding or driving the same way, so all traffic can be predictable to all other traffic. Most "accidents" happen because of people that weren't driving or riding predictably, except for the ones that were simply not paying attention. However, in the latter case, seeing lights on a vehicle, including a bicycle, would probably increase the chances they'd notice it and not run it over or run it off the road unintentionally even if they would not normally have noticed it due to inattentiveness.

Imagine lance armstrong riding with directional lights...he is going at ebike speed...why hasnt someone outfitted his training bike with directional lights and a horn???...for one oakley would probably throw his sponsorship out saying this guy has gotten OLD.
I have no idea why they've not put them on their bikes, but I suspect they're not riding in city traffic as much, but rather on long out-of-town roads (like they do in southern AZ). But having signals on a vehicle that is on a road doesn't make you old, it makes you visible, and makes you the same as the rest of the traffic, with the same communications method, the same language so everyone can understand (even if they choose not to try).


I live in SF where being a bicycle messenger is all the rage...they are king of cool on bikes...those guys would be laughed out of there scene if they installed directional lights. Chopper riders dont install directional lights on there real motorcycles..and either do many of the custom rice rockets.
That's their choice, as it is also yours. But I would not advise recommending that others *not* put them on just because there are people that also do not put them on. It's a bit like the helmet arguments. Just because some choose not to wear them should not be a reason to advocate that no one wear them, or to recommend to others that they not wear them. It is up to each individual to choose, after they understand the reasons for wearing a helmet (or having directional signals, marker lights, etc). I advise people of the reasons to have them, and leave their choice to them. Even if I did not like the idea of them I would not ever recommend that they not use them, which is essentially what your original statement does, by stating it will kill the whole ebike movement if they did.

FWIW, most of the drivers in vehicles like cars and trucks here in Phoenix do not even *use* the signals they already have, but they know what they mean when they see them--they don't know what hand signals mean, so the choice is pretty simple to me: I put signals on there so even those people will know what I intend to do in traffic. :)


Once your on the slippery slope for directional lights on your ebike...you might as well outfit that thing with a horn, a cruise control, and some rear view mirrors on both sides of your handlebars. Then go the DMV and see if they will license it. Then you will have a super dorky rear license plate to mount to add to your "ugly factor".
I do have a horn (a car horn, so I can be sure they'll hear me with their radios blaring and windows closed, in those few times I ever need it). I also have a rear view mirror, though it is only on the left side, as that is the only place I really need one. Cruise controls are commonly available for ebikes, though I don't have one (missed out on the recent sale or I *would* have one). I may yet build one. ;)

The DMV *can't* license it here in AZ, due to state law preventing that. Dunno why anyone would *want* them to, either.

Until ebikes are perceived as cool they will never make it to the mainstream...guys do the ebike movement a favor and rip those lights off your bike today :)
Then you need to go out there and tell all the people that have them on their regular bikes to rip them off too. :) And go to all the stores that sell them for regular bikes to take them off the shelves and send them back. :)

Seriously--don't advocate for people to take safety equipment off (or not use it in the first place) just becuase *you* don't think it looks cool with it. That's just stupid. :evil: You can leave it off your own bike if you like, but advising others to do that is not right.


By the way...directional lights are ok if #1 your over 60....or #2 your riding a death trap trike in traffic. There is a big difference in getting hit and getting run over...and a trike you get run over, on a bike you get hit. You also need a big ugly flag if you ride a trike in traffic. By the way a big orange flag will keep you safer than directional lights even on a regular bike...also how about a full face helmet and some leather riding gear if your going to obsess over safety...shoot just leave the ebike at home and take your mini van.

Wow. :shock: I think you need to take a look at your attitude, because you are being ridiculous. I guess we'll take all the directional lights off all the cars and trucks, too, unless the drivers are over 60, or have three wheels. That'll help EVERYTHING, I'm sure. Since most people don't use them anyway, why bother to have them? :roll:


I ride in a big city (SF) and all you really need on your bike is a good headlamp and a small blinking red light for your rear...and those are for riding at night.
Sure. When you are a pavement smear, don't come back and cry at us. :lol:

Honestly, there's nothing wrong with you choosing to not have safety lighting like this, in that it will only really affect you. But please don't go around telling people not to do it because *you* don't think it looks cool. It has nothing to do with whether ebikes will be accepted or not, it only has to do with your aesthetics.
 
rscamp said:
One thing I have found is that you absolutely, positively, MUST have some sort of alert that the turn signal is on.
Since I have front and rear signals, I can see them blinking and so I know they're still on. :)
 
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