Hokey Spokes: has anyone used them? (lights for keeping your body intact)

Sandiman · Nov 18, 2008

I ride on the street, at night, in an urban area. I am around a great many cars.

When it comes to lights, as far as I'm concerned, a taillight and a headlight are never enough. It's imperative that I have a sidelight. It's imperative that any car that approaches my side be able to see a light on my bike. I would not ride at night without a quality sidelight.

Hokey Spokes appear to be a good sidelight. But they are expensive, real expensive. To get the full effect, it would cost right around $200 (three Hokey's per wheel or $100 per wheel).

Before I even think about paying that much, I have to wonder how reliable these lights are.

Has anyone had them for a signifcant amount of time? If so, how reliable have they been for you? Would you buy them again?

http://www.hokeyspokes.com/what.htm

Resist · Nov 19, 2008

If I were 12 years old I would use them. Well maybe I'd use them for riding in a parade or a holiday.

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

Resist said:
If I were 12 years old I would use them. Well maybe I'd use them for riding in a parade or a holiday.

I do a considerable amount of riding in the city.

Do you have a better suggestion for a sidelight?

Or do you just like to insult people?

hootsmon · Nov 19, 2008

I do agree with Sandiman that some sort of sidelights are useful for commuting, etc. That's based upon several near-misses, in which motorists blast of dimly-lit side-streets without looking first (well I reckon they're looking for cars and trucks, but bikes just sort of blend in).

As for Hokey-spokes, I guess they do look cool, however I feel they're just too gimmicky and expensive for me, not to mention all that added rotating-mass in the wheels.

As for what commercial bikelights would function as sidelights, I guess you could try mounting more-or-less any off-the-shelf taillights so they're facing sideways. Ideally I suppose yellow/amber coloured sidelights would be preferable, however they're not common.

So for all these reasons I'm thinking of incorporating some form of sidelights in my DIY lights that are in the works.

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

hootsmon said:
As for Hokey-spokes, I guess they do look cool, however I feel they're just too gimmicky and expensive for me, not to mention all that added rotating-mass in the wheels.

To cut down on the gimmicky aspect, you could use only one light per wheel, as opposed to three lights per wheel. Total cost: $60.

Still, at $30 per light, they're expensive, and like some Nike shoes that are priced with 3 digits, they may be overpriced.

Which is why I'd like to know if they're reliable or not. At 30 bucks a piece I'd expect them to last years and years and years. I don't have a crystal ball, but my gut tells me my expectations might be urealalistic.

BBW · Nov 19, 2008

Sandiman said:
To cut down on the gimmicky aspect, you could use only one light per wheel, as opposed to three lights per wheel.

Still, at $30 per light, they're expensive, and like some Nike shoes that are priced with 3 digits, they may be overpriced.

Which is why I'd like to know if they're reliable or not. At 30 bucks a piece I'd expect them to last years and years and years.

hahaha NOW I'm pretty sure you are doing the marketing here

Only a legally blind would not see me

On the other hand, you are the responsible for your safety and YOU have to be aware of cars even if they don't have the right of way because you don't have a bumper:nono:

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

BBW said:
On the other hand, you are the responsible for your safety and YOU have to be aware of cars even if they don't have the right of way because you don't have a bumper:nono:

Yeah sure so based on what you say we can all save a lot of money by not buying any

headlights

sidelights

or

taillights.

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

BBW said:
hahaha NOW I'm pretty sure you are doing the marketing here

Only a legally blind would not see me

I'm a marketer??????????????????????????????????????

hahaha WHEN you read the thread starter and my subsequent posts you WERE legally blind.

If you know of a different sidelight out on there, then post a link to it.

As I've stated on numerous occasions, Hokey Spokes are EXPENSIVE AND OVERPRICED NOT TO MENTION POTENTIALLY UNRELIABLE.

Which means they might be crap, as far as longevity is concerned.

BBW · Nov 19, 2008

Sandiman said:
Yeah sure so based on what you say we can all save a lot of money by not buying any

headlights

sidelights

or

taillights.

Just headlight and tail light, if they are bright no need for side light IMHO.. get the DiNotte rear light that is EXTREMELLY bright and a good headlight.... you will be seen, if somebody hit you on the side, sorry but you were not paying much attention to your surroundings:nono:

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

BBW said:
if somebody hit you on the side, sorry but you were not paying much attention to your surroundings.

You don't know my surroundings.

Or the streets I ride on.

Or even what country, or countries, I ride in.

You don't know any of that.

AND STOP TRYING TO HIJACK THIS THREAD.

Sandiman · Nov 19, 2008

Here's another sidelight by a totally different manufacturer.

They too are expensive and like Hokey Spokes, perhaps overpriced:

http://www.monkeylectric.com/

troutie-mtb · Nov 19, 2008

If you have mtb type handlebars then you could make some red led lights to fit in the bars

johnmyster99 · Nov 19, 2008

I know a guy who rides with these hanging from his handlebars. http://www.speedgoat.com/product.asp?part=129619&cat=11&brand=1137

If you have MTB style handlebars, they make red flashers that go into the end of road drop bars. You could use them just the same.

You could use the down low glow. http://www.rockthebike.com/lights/downlowglow

You could be like me and purposefully point my handlebars at cars on side streets.

You could get an annoyingly bright LED flasher headlight and put it on your helmet and point it at cars to get attention.

You could stop wearing all black at night. You could pay attention and just expect that they'll probably hit you. And stop running red lights. Putting a brake on your fixie may help with this.

You should stop riding in countries where people drive sideways.

Ken2 · Nov 19, 2008

HokeySpokes long-term user

To the OP:
I've had Hokey Spokes for 5 years, they've worked fine. I only use them during standard time, i.e. I remove them during DST. Still, I commute to work in San Antonio all winter usually 3x weekly so they've seen some usage.

I just use one red and one yellow on the front wheel only. More is just overkill. They mount or unmount in under a minute. Each takes 3 AA batteries but I use NiMH rechargeables and only need to charge them 2-3 times all season.

They are supposedly programmable but it's complicated. I just use the stock light patterns in a random rotation mode. The wheel seems heavy the first time you ride, then you just don't notice it.

Hokey Spokes: has anyone used them? (lights for keeping your body intact)

Sandiman

Resist

Sandiman

hootsmon

Sandiman

BBW

Sandiman

Sandiman

BBW

Sandiman

Sandiman

troutie-mtb

johnmyster99

Ken2

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