[CR]re: a question about lighting

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:34:52 -0400
From: "Harvey M Sachs" <sachshm@cox.net>
To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, marcgarcia80@ameritech.net
Subject: [CR]re: a question about lighting

Marc Garcia asked about lighting for his vintage Raleigh International that he rides at night. I'm gonna answer from the heart and head, and pretty succinctly:

1) I don't care what is on your bike when you display it at home or a vintage show or whatever.

2) If you are riding the bike at night, it is imperative that you can see and be seen.

3) I commute through the winter, always coming home in darkness. Over the years, I have decided that the MINIMUM requirement is a good, fairly large, wide-angle, rear light with reflector, and at least a 10W halogen front light. I keep looking for the affordable "better." My commute home starts in downtown DC. There I have the "advantage" of street lights, which primarily serve to decrease the contrast so my lights aren't quite as visible. I then go to bike trails w/o lighting (in part), where I need to be able to see deer and other wildlife (bike riders w/o lights) on the trail. I finish on 2-lane residential streets, where I need to see potholes and be seen.

4) I'm sure that my purist friends will respond that this-or-that vintage or modern 3 watt genset does great for them. I respect their beliefs, but this is not an area in which I will take short cuts. I am darned near invisible to drunks and tired, distracted commuters, and I want every advantage I can get.

I use for conventional lighting, but since it isn't vintage I'd suggest we take follow-ups to my post off-list.

harvey sachs 60 years old, with almost all the original equipment. mcLean VA +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Marc wrote: thank you to those who responded about my campy steel crank question. I have another one, this time it's about lighting. I've got my raleigh international set up as a tourer but I would like to add some lighting. How do you guys usually go about it? Do you just say the heck with it and go with modern lights? Do you maintain the integrity of the vintage of the bike itself? Is there a compromise? I know the answer has to do with practicality and if the bike is going to be really ridden at night and for what distance.

I think I'd like to stick with something vintage. I have some soubitez fender lights I'd like to use, but I've got plaste esge fenders so I'll have to run a ground wire. to those of you who use generator systems, do you have any tips for wire routing?

thanks
marc garcia
chicago IL
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