Cycle lights with rain in short – one needs a conductor (9)
I believe the answer is:
orchestra
'cycle' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's an association between them I don't understand?
I can't explain the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for orchestra that I've seen before include "Gamelan, for instance" , "LSO, for example" , "Company of musicians" , "Large group of musicians" , "Assembly of musicians as in pit" .)