Road legal led lights...

[CopperBrompton]

No, it's not even required to have lights on a car when used during daylight hours (but if fitted to a car, they must be working).

 

[semislickstick]

I've never bothered to aquaint myself with the lighting law in respect of bikes. is it compulsory to have reflectors and or lights fitted to a road bike even if you only use it in daylight hours ?

Only at night, going on what the Highway code mentions.

 

[Bigtwin]

I've never bothered to aquaint myself with the lighting law in respect of bikes. is it compulsory to have reflectors and or lights fitted to a road bike even if you only use it in daylight hours ?

Here - bore yourself till you bleed: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4071

 

[spiro]

Here - bore yourself till you bleed: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4071

Just read this and saw this part:

Pedal Reflectors
Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

Obviously this is to allow motorists to see the pedals but cant see them being much good on a bent unless they are coming from under or above you because the pedals will always be vertical rather than horizontal.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Obviously this is to allow motorists to see the pedals but cant see them being much good on a bent unless they are coming from under or above you because the pedals will always be vertical rather than horizontal.

Actually, they are incredibly useful - I've had absolutely no night-time collisions with either moles or flying saucers.

 

[andrew_s]

No, 'flashing lights only' is allowed, law changed in Oct 2005 (?) but I read it's advisable to have a steady if you are anywhere but good street lit areas.(or at speed, because you'll be noticed on the road where the light flashes last )
Isn't it a strange wording where if it does have a steady light it all should be bs or euro standard, if only flashing it has to be at least 4 flashes per second and front being white....not those dodgey green ones you used to get, red on the back.

October 2006.

The law, in it's infinite wisdom (????) says that a flashing light of at least 4cd brightness and flashing at 1-4Hz is fine, but only if the light is incapable of emitting a steady light.
If it has a steady mode, it has to conform to BS6102/3 (1976?)

The only flashing light I'm aware of that doesn't have a steady mode (and is thus legal on its own) is the Reelight. This is a sort of dynamo light that gives a flash each time a strong magnet attached to the spokes goes past the light.

The more significant change was that flashing lights are no longer illegal, so you can have as many bright flashing lights as you like, provided that you have one legal light as well.

 

[XmisterIS]

Personally, I think plod (and car drivers) are more eager to see that you have lights on your bike rather than whether or not they conform to any kind of British standard.

The other night I was driving along an unlit country lane when all of a sudden a cyclist, dressed entirely in black and riding a black bike, with no lights, reflectors, nothing, just appeared out of the gloom ...

As I went past, I wound the window down and said, "Excuse me mate, do you know that you're almost invisible dressed like that? You should at least get some lights!". "Ah, right" was the unenthusiastic reply ...

Personally, when I'm in the car at night, I prefer to see cyclists with as much lighting and hi-viz stuff on as possible - the brighter the better!

I wear a hi-viz tabbard and have front and rear LEDs when I ride at night. I have no idea what standard they are, all I know is that they make me visible at night. Also, I always set the rear one to flashing mode because it draws the eye more than a constant light.