Andre,
I could not agree more; good lighting is very expensive, but absolutely essential for safety if one is serious about riding at night (or simply finds oneself doing so with any regularity). In fact, budgeting for the lights was a good part of the reason why I went with a Sherpa rather than one of Thorn's Rohloff offerings. It came down to a choice between a bare-bones Rohloff bike I could not safely or completely use in a major part of my riding versus a fully-equipped Sherpa that met every possible need for my every use. Easy choice given my budget, and I don't feel cheated.
To add a tiny bit to your suggestion regarding wheel reflectors; I've found it to be more attention-getting if the reflectors are paired next to each other on a wheel, to produce a trackable "wobble" rather than a "ring of light". It also helps to place retro-reflective tape in a line inside the rim between four or five adjacent spokes. To avoid wheel balance problems, I've had good luck using highly retro-reflective tape made into little triangular "spoke flags". Retro-reflective tape is far more effective at directing light back to the source than is regular reflective tape, but is very expensive even in small quantities. It can sometimes be recognized by the "honeycomb" pattern running across the top surface. It seems the lack of symmetry catches the driver's eyes more quickly here, where I need every bit of help to be seen. It is a bit of a shock to come to a traffic light and see a driver next to me, avidly watching television on a sun visor or rearview-mirror monitor. Of course they are illegal, but heavy window tinting -- also illegal -- makes them possible. Makes me realize I'm not a fellow road user, but a minor intrusion into his or her mobile living room; a pretty fine line between me and tragedy. A Scottish student at the University of Oregon here in Eugene was rear-ended and killed by a fellow student at 2AM one night last week. The cyclist -- a promising world-class skier with a major in sports marketing and a job on offer in London -- was in the bike lane and the driver was drunk beyond the legal definition. Such a horrible shame; two lives lost, and each just a school term before graduation.
Yes, that Cyo is likely to stay on every moment I'm not charging batteries. Just as important is what's going on at the back of the bike. I went with a B&M Toplight Line Plus so drivers can get a better idea of just where I am. B&M cite studies showing the wider line of light (basically a prism directing the output of two LEDs) is better for judging distance at night than a single, narrow source with no reference. I added a Portland Design Works Radbot 1-watt LED battery blinky to the rack for when I really need to be seen in dense commuter traffic, day or night. A Blackburn Mars 4.0 1-watt LED blinky rides on the rack-top pack. Multiple reflectors back there, too, and reflective leg bands and sometimes a reflective vest on me if it's a 300-400km day ride where I know I'll be riding well into or through the night in the darker seasons.
Best,
Dan.
