advice on lights

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Comments

  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    jedster wrote:
    you've got several excellent recommendations already on this thread so I'll just add a few comments:

    1. the smart lead/acid rechargeable is OK but the battery life is not great and you have to be careful not to overcharge the battery as it begins to deteriorate. this is a pain because its OK to charge it overnight but if you dont cycle the next day and leave it plugged in then you will erode the battery. It's also really bulky when you take it off the bike.

    Yes I would agree with that - I would probably opt for the Electron NIMH for those reasons. I have solved the overcharging issue however, I got a very cheap digital timer to go in the wall socket.

    Dynamo hubs sound like a good option if commuting is the main use of the bike.
  • cupofteacp
    cupofteacp Posts: 578
    I have one on my helmet and one on my rucksack and these really make a difference, motorist seem to see these better than the two on my handle bars and the other two on my seat post.
    15 * 2 * 5
    * 46 = Happiness
  • david2
    david2 Posts: 5,200
    I've tried most methods including expensive rechargeables, cheap replaceable batteries and bottle dynamos. The only solution that you can rely on is a hub dynamo(I use a schmidt but the Shimano ones are pretty good at a fraction of the price) and B&M lights. I'd go as far as to specify the Oval headlight but I know they've come out with some new units since I fitted my Oval and they may be even better, there's an LED front light for example.

    Everything else fails with boring repeatability.

    The biggest problem I find is that spring connections are inadequate and fail far to quicly to be acceptable. Problem is you may not notice that your lights aren't working if your riding under street lights until its to late.
  • Yellow Cliff
    Yellow Cliff Posts: 231
    joe422 wrote:
    Hi!!
      Best: SON (
    www.nabendynamo.de)
    Best value: Novatec (Search www.laufrad-shop.de for "nabendynamo nova tec"
    Still OK: All the shimano hub dynamos

    Agreed that hub dynamos are great! Super reliable. I have built my own lights, which have no standlight feature - brighter than commercially available lights.

    How do you get on with the Novatec dynamo hub? I have a cheap Shimano one and it seems to be impossible to service the bearings without risking breaking the internal wiring. The Novatec have cartridge bearings - have you tried to change them yet?

    I don't think the Novatec has a voltage limiter either (which is good, as I use about 10V from mine).

    If you also use coax or twisted pair cabling, you will never need any maintenance.
    Note that the switch is not needed since the additional load caused by the light is negligible.

      I haven't heard of this before - sounds like a good idea, although difficult to get it into the housings and hub contacts?
    • Yellow Cliff
      Yellow Cliff Posts: 231
      Although the bulbs in dynamo lights seem to blow incredibly often (I use a 0.5 A, 2.4W bulb in mine) - so I have built a LED front and rear light, but I still have one filament front light and it drives me crazy with bulb failures every few months (at £5 a pop too).

      So still use backup lights for when I am stationary and when the bulb blows...
    • Ale
      Ale Posts: 180
      I use a 5w DiNotte. It's excecptionally bright, and in strobe mode, very noticeable. On a couple of occasions I've even had cars pull over to let me past whilst using it.

      If you can pick it up ATM for £85 I think that's a bargain, and a no brainer compared to the new model if it really is going to cost £140!

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