Lighting Bikes

[xela]

Going car free means riding a lot more, and in particular is going to mean riding a lot more at night. I don't subscribe to Neal Stephenson's theory (in Zodiac) that the safest way to ride at night in Boston is with no lights, because lights just give the drivers something to aim for. So I want to light my bike thoroughly. I'm thinking a generator system, and as best I can tell from preliminary research, that means permanently mounted lights.

So first: If anyone knows of good generator-powered lights that have a mounting system that lets you easily take the lights off and leave only a bracket on the bike, I'd love to hear about it.

But I assume it's not going to be that easy. And I know form experience that in Boston, anything that can be stolen off your bike is at risk. So: those of you with permanently mounted lights: what's your experience with theft? Do you find that the mere necessity to use tools to remove them is generally a sufficient deterrent to thieves? (Which is to say: Am I more paranoid than necessary to be thinking about tamper-resistant fasteners?) What lights do you like?

Also, does anyone know any good regional forums for cyclists? I joined the Bikes in Boston LJ community, but it's moribund (18 members, including me; most recent post a year and a half ago). If there's not a good local forum, maybe we can breathe some life into it....

Comments

[zkzkz.livejournal.com]

I thought generator systems went out in the 80s and went really really out when low power LED lights put the final stake in them.

[yakshaver.livejournal.com]

Best I can tell, the high-end remains generator-driven lights. Except now the generators are built into hubs (much lower drag and none of the annoyances of old-school tire-driven generators), and top of the line lights have capacitors to power the LEDs when you're stopped.