# LED's on recumbents



## DaddyPaddey (10 Aug 2015)

I seem to remember seeing adverts for LED's you could fit to wheel spokes. As I am paranoid about vehicles approaching from behind it occurred that something along those lines would be good to attach to the 'flagpole' of the 'bent trike.

Does anyone have any suggestions as what would be suitable?


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## arallsopp (10 Aug 2015)

Our American friends call the recumbent flag mast a "whip"

There's quite a lot on the web about led whip and recumbents. Be sure to include the word recumbent in your search.


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## stuee147 (10 Aug 2015)

you can get small lengths of led rope light around 12 to 18 inch long that run off watch battery i used to have a couple in my old landrover as interior lighting the could flash or be on constant im sure they only cost a couple of pounds on ebay and were waterproof they would work fixed to the mast/pole 
the other option i have seen is glow in the dark flag poles for bikes but then as with anything like that you would have the issue of needing to charge it every now and then with a torch.
there are loads of options out there for led lights i use motorcycle lights on my recumbent they are nice and bright so everyone can see me


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## ufkacbln (10 Aug 2015)

arallsopp said:


> Our American friends call the recumbent flag mast a "whip"
> 
> There's quite a lot on the web about led whip and recumbents. Be sure to include the word recumbent in your search.




They also refer to the bikes as 'bents

So you can be a bent guy with a whip

Summoning @Fnaar


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## ufkacbln (10 Aug 2015)

Seriously the issue is weight

The flexibility of a flag pole is not well suited to a heavy lighting system, although I have seen some weird solutions


I have used a Cateye SL 1000 for a few years, easy to fit and light enough not to bend the 8mm rod







Having said that my main lighting is carrier mounted and is the same height, visibility and as safe as any other bike or trike


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## glasgowcyclist (10 Aug 2015)

Would a fibre flare be a suitable option? Listed weight is 80g including batteries.


GC


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## ufkacbln (10 Aug 2015)

glasgowcyclist said:


> Would a fibre flare be a suitable option? Listed weight is 80g including batteries.
> 
> 
> GC


Can be zip tied into place, but is not secure.
Works OK on an 8 mm pole, at about 2/3 of the height


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## paul fellows (11 Aug 2015)

movement catches the eye, more than any other property so a led that flashes is better than a bright one. my sugestion would be to add some high viability reflective material to your flag. see https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/our-mini-zombie-fest-2015.185357/


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## glasgowcyclist (11 Aug 2015)

How about a lightsaber then?






Handy for those close passes.

GC


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## Encephrich (11 Aug 2015)

Currently using a fibreflare attached to the bottom of the flag (whip) pole, in addition to usual lights. The rubber/silicon straps are oversized for the job so am using velcro zip ties similar to these;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BonusBatter...=1439281656&sr=1-6&keywords=cable+ties+velcro


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## Davidc (11 Aug 2015)

Don't know what it was, not concerned as I don't ride recumbents, but saw an excellent one recently with white and red bright leds, clearly visible on a sunny day. There was a battery box at the bottom of the pole. I'd look first on US web sites.


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## paul fellows (11 Aug 2015)

Lights on druring the day can actually reduce how visible you are by braking up your out line. RAF Coastal Command used his trick to hide there air craft when flying, during WW2.


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## paul fellows (11 Aug 2015)

if you want bright leds, i got a block of 72 on a battery pack. i got them after we had a power cut. for illuminating a work space.


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## starhawk (12 Aug 2015)

I have seen poles with built in LEDs, some even have fanciful blinking and walking light, I think they are called glow whips.


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## flake99please (24 Aug 2015)

Website is based in the US, but may be of some use.

http://www.tribalwhipsstore.com/


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (24 Aug 2015)

I have attached some hi-viz tape (from a yellow/orange hi-viz jacket) to my flag - strangely not visible in the picture below, but it is in the middle.

I also have both yellow and orange hi-viz material strips (simply cut from a £1.99 hi-viz jacket) as well as the hi-viz tape. I am repeatedly told that my flag is very obvious and people use it to find me. I went with 2 colours because I know only too well how yellow hi-viz can disappear in sunlight spring greens (well into summer as well) and how orange can disappear in autumn colours, so both help. The reflective tape is in the middle. These obvious move around a lot and attract attention to the point that my husband said that I need to attach my flag pole to my wheelchair so he can find me when we are out shopping (I was in a clothes shop at the time and 'being independent').

I trialled the little LED light from cateye for a while at the top of the pole, but it wasn't particularly effective and I was concerned about the weight and how much it was bending my particular pole.


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