Friday, December 14, 2007

Bicycle Christmas lights

Cyclists riding at night always talk about being "lit up like a Christmas tree." Battery powered Christmas lights added to my bicycle are so pretty that they're a new incentive for me to ride!

Christmas <br />lights on Raleigh One Way bicycle


The lights are small strings of battery powered LED lights that I bought from Walgreens for $3.33. They're meant to put on wreaths. I have one side on each side of the rear triangle attached with electrical tape.

If you put the lights on the chainstays like I did, be very careful the wires and lights won't get into any moving parts, including brakes, shifters and cables. Note also that many (most?) people strike their heel on the chainstay so arrange your lights accordingly. Be sure also that you can still remove your wheel for flat repairs -- you don't want to wrap any wires around the hub nut or quick release skewer.

If you can't find the lights at your local megamart, there's a good deal at DealExtreme: a string of 30 LED lights for $6.82 including 2 to 3 day shipping.

All I need now is a portable Star of Bethlehem hovering over me as I ride and I'll be very visible!

Here's the drive side -- the lights are arranged slightly differently.

Bicycle Christmas lights -- drivetrain


Merry Christmas, all!

10 comments:

SiouxGeonz said...

Or just put the whole tree on:
http://www.resourceroom.net/pcc/treebike2007.jpg

Yokota Fritz said...

You crack me up! I love it.

Pete LaVerghetta said...

Man, I've been doing this for years! I used to use some battery powered lights I got at big box retailer and sliped them into a water bottle battery. My co-workers thought it was a hoot.

Pete LaVerghetta said...

Err, spliced!

Frostbike said...

I just did the same thing on Monday. Sweet!

Anonymous said...

What the hell is that green stuff all over the ground

Anonymous said...

...fritz, looks very lovely & festive but please do not buy a santa skinsuit...

...cold in toronto...that geen stuff is called an addiction...you can ride on it year 'round w/out worrying about frostbite, eh !...one a' the reasons i left the great white north oh so many years ago...

Itinerant Rick said...

I recognize that bike. Mine was next to it on CalTrain the other night.

Yokota Fritz said...

CyclistRick's question answered at his blog.

The green stuff is just weird lighting on black asphalt.

amidnightrider said...

I need to ride soon. The road are just so bad now. Snow, melt, freeze makes for very jagged tire puncturing riding conditions. More stuff tonight, but it's one of those, snow sleet rain combinations.

Holiday lighting is definitely on the adjenda for tomorrow though. Walgreens.... here I come.