Front light advice
Comments
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How long are your rides?
What would you be prepared to spend?
Some of the prices are well into three figures. The more expensive systems have more powerful lights and higher capacity batteries for longer run times. The cheaper ones tend to be relatively low-powered or heavy, or both.
<i>~Pete</i><i>~Pete</i>0 -
how about a light and motion solo http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=12610
relatively powerful and has a small battery. and cheap!
<font size="1"><font color="red">www.myspace.com/sfcv2</font id="red"></font id="size1">0 -
http://www.lumicycle.com/Product/Produc ... =1&dep=100
Lumicycle sell these seriously bright HID lights. Their downsides are: price, easily flicked switch, you cannot dip them or reduce power, and they last about 2.5h on a single charge with the lithium ion battery.
If you had them there would be no excuses for falling into potholes[:)]. Another upside is that you get more respect from motorists, they actually give way to you [:)]0 -
another re-chargeable suggestion which also lasts about 2.5 hours and is very compact:
http://www.dinottelighting.com/ProductLines.htm0 -
Cheers for the advice.[:D]
Pete
PETE TPETE0 -
Could try one of mine. Various wattages/beam patterns. Got a source for batteries & chargers too.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 01028700340 -
rooster is it possible to see some pics of how bright the light is? ie some night shots? pretty please
http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpgBMC TM01 - FCN 0
Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
Premier (CX) - FCN 6
Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN30 -
Don't think you have to spend a fortune here. I use a single Cateye HL-E500 and regularly ride on pitch black dark lanes. These things light upo the road ahead for a long way. Two would be awesome. DotBike do it for 33 quid.
http://www.dotbike.com/ProductsP967.aspx?Track=FGL
Latest model claims to be even brighter:
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/345
I discounted lots of rechargeables because the runtime of a couple of hours is too short, particularly when the nights come in early and I want to be out on the road for 3+ hours. Other bright battery lights with short run times just ended up costing me a fortune in batteries and too many times being caught out with dying lights. The cateye one above is superb and runs for hours and hours.0 -
I've got a Cateye EL530, not up to the job on unlit roads unless you don't go over 5mph.
I've also got a Dinotte 5w which I'd say is just about up to the job for speeds on a flat road, say 17mph. Put a downhill in the way and it's not much use. It's big plus is that it takes AA batteries.
If you're looking to turn night into day ignore either of these.0 -
The CatEye HL-E500 is not comparable to a HID light like the Dinotte. True, the batteries will die after about an hour and a half, but I carry spare rechargeables, as would most users.
ChucklesChuckles0 -
The Cateye's OK to get you to be seen, but not for you to see. I find the Dinotte very compact and light and ideal for road use, but for off-road use you really need HIDs - depends how much you want to spend really - good LEDs start from around œ100 and HIDs from about œ2000
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I started with a cheap Cateye British Standard model that I quickly ditched in favour of a Solidlights 1303
www.solidlights.co.uk
Dinotte do a nice little lamp but wasn't as good IMHO as the Solidlights 3x LED model.
Dinotte's can be configured to run on normal batteries - useful if you're caught short on battery life.
Cateye have a nice looking 3xLED and 2xLED model. Not tried it.
Topeak have just launched an LED one with stonking battery capacity. Check out their website for further details.
Lupine do a superb but expensive 4xLED model.
Lumicycle ran a close second, however lost out to the Solidlights as I could change the power consumption/light output of the LED Solidlight at the touch of a button.
In terms of cost justification, think about how much it would cost to replace your front wheel! I think there's some psychology here too - I notice that cars give a wider berth when I use my brighter light - I the human brain is allowing for the width of the beam when overtaking.
(I too ride down unlit country roads in winter occasionally).0 -
Well I use the Cateye above out in the Cotswolds in the dead of night. Its fine to light up the road ahead, I've never hit a pothole out there and regualry truck along at 20mph+.
Each to their own I suppose!0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by spasypaddy</i>
rooster is it possible to see some pics of how bright the light is? ie some night shots? pretty please
http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Don't have any nights pics, sorry, and it's not dark now 'til after 11pm. I can say that with 35w I can descend flat out , on and off road. Best suited to overvolting. Sold 60ish last winter.0
