What light to buy?

Johnpsanderson

I'm doing the Dunwich Dynamo at the end of the month. I need a good light to keep me going through the night - which will then get pressed into service for winter training once the light leaves us. I already have £20 Cateye light with 3 LEDs which is good - but want something a bit brighter. I am not keen on filling my bottle cages with batteries as i'll be carrying water in them. Please share your experince and advice!

2007-06-24

I've used this one for about 4 years:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=8379

You get 8 hours use when you have the lower power light on its own.
2 hours with both on together.

Even the lower power one is excellent on its own.

Before these I'd use piddly little lights. With these, it's like having headlights on. They're great.

Battery is a bit heavy though, but then I'm no speed demon anyway.

OnTow

Condor sell the Dinotte lights - Now a new model which will run for 10 hours.
They are good, and there are normal-battery versions, which allow you to fill your boots with disposables, or drop in at the 7-11 on your way round. dinottelighting.com, I think.

I personally went for a Solidlights 1303, but you'd need extra batteries. solidlights.co.uk, I think. The problem with the 1xLED Dinotte was that I didn't find the beam spread as good as my heavier Solidlights 1303.

Tip - take your old light with you, as it's nigh on impossible to know what a light will perform like in darkness, unless you can find a large broom cupboard in the shop - so at least you'll have something to compare against.

Other options would be the Lupine 4x LED model, if you have a limitless supply of cash.... or there is a unit on the Topeak website that looks pretty cool - there's a high capacity battery option to go with it.

or you could buy a new front wheel with a dynohub, and run something like a Solidlights 12xx series, and save it for winter training - something a bit more solid for the pothole dodging winter months.

pieinthesky

Lumicycle halogen with Lithium Battery.

A 5w bulb will last 8 hours + with the midium, size battery. Combine this with a 12w for fast decents and a bobby dodger LED for when you are in a group to conserve your battery.

cooper.michael1

The Infini Contrail is £20 at chainreaction and is very good. One gives just about enough light to see on an unlit road, it is amazingly bright in comparison with my cateye one which is couple of years old. Two would give reassurance, or simply pair it with your existing light.

Gives a good broad beam of light, unlike the cateyes. 30hr battery life, this sort of light would have cost you a £100 a couple of years ago.

Hugh A

I recently acquired a Cateye EL530 (1W single LED) which is pretty good and easily lasts all night. Used it on the Exmouth Exodus. It is not as bright as the more expensive and separate battery pack type but was enough to see by in the dark (when it wasn't raining too much and cars coming the other way) and certainly much better than the older Cateyes.

I also had a 10W halogen which I switched on for extra light going down Cheddar Gorge but I would say it was probably not much brighter then the EL530.

And another thing - the 530 is almost completely waterproof with a magnetic switch, so I was pleased with mine that night. Mind you if you leave it in a bag it can easily switch itself on without you seeing it.