New bike lights <£30

sharp910sh

As you can see its getting darker these days. I have a nice road bike. but no lights. I have about 30 quid to spare. I have no idea what to buy. any advice?

cjcp

Smart lights from Chain Reaction.

asprilla

I found these to be excellent:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... D=1&f_bct=

Edit: I have, however, just been out to the garage to take them off my fixed and put the on my road bike only to find that the front light doesn't fit my oversize bars.

Bugger, as they are great.

wizzlebanger

+1 to the ones from edinburgh cycles. Cracking set for the money.

The front isn't bright enough to cycle unlit roads but it is very bright on flashing mode for getting you seen by other road users which is the main point for me.

The front bracket was a tight squeeze on my bars but I did manage it by removing the rubber hose.

bluehelmet

2 sets of these...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5w-LED-CREE-Flash ... 2306f1696d

Job done.

Or spend the change on a really bright rear light.

tomb353

just got two of these from ALDI and torch mounts from ebay:

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/sp ... _15768.htm

ooermissus

bluehelmet wrote:

2 sets of these...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5w-LED-CREE-Flash ... 2306f1696d

Job done.

You have these? Are they good as well as cheap?

jeremyrundle

These are worth every penny and better that the ones from ED Cycles by a mile

Rooner

just got a blackburn flea front light from Chain Reaction (£22 I think). Used it this morning and it is mental bright for the money. Went to work at around 7.30am, so twilight, and I had it on strobe (ie epileptic) mode, and the road signs were flashing a good 150m-200m further on down the road. Amazing for the money, and its usb charge so no battery!

Adds a bit more money, but I also got a Mars rear light by the same manufacturer, really good as well.

Don't bother with Knog frogs by the way, poor light output and drain batteries like they are going out of fashion

PBo

Rooner wrote:

just got a blackburn flea front light from Chain Reaction (£22 I think). Used it this morning and it is mental bright for the money. Went to work at around 7.30am, so twilight, and I had it on strobe (ie epileptic) mode, and the road signs were flashing a good 150m-200m further on down the road. Amazing for the money, and its usb charge so no battery!

Adds a bit more money, but I also got a Mars rear light by the same manufacturer, really good as well.

Don't bother with Knog frogs by the way, poor light output and drain batteries like they are going out of fashion

Crikey - you in the Arctic circle? do you mean p.m, or do you mean dawn?

jeremyrundle

I dont think I have ever been up after 3am, only once in a 24 hour darts match for charity.

How people can work nights astounds me, the country would grind to a halt if people didn't.

cyberknight

jeremyrundle wrote:

I dont think I have ever been up after 3am, only once in a 24 hour darts match for charity.

How people can work nights astounds me, the country would grind to a halt if people didn't.

Needs must
Day shift ... 7am- 5pm

Night shift 8pm-6 am

On nights i never see daylight to cycle in, on top of which my route is along this bit of road... maybe 5 miles in total of unlit roads.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&q=repton&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Repton,+Derby,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&ei=B7DJTJZJlM2MB_SL3PsP&ved=0CBgQ8gEwAA&ll=52.823201,-1.525555&spn=0.072715,0.15295&z=13&layer=c&cbll=52.81467,-1.559057&panoid=6NeA1vQmo5yRcYjjP_C2Hw&cbp=12,45,,0,5

jeremyrundle

If I had roads like that I would never be home

joelsim

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CATEYE-Bike-Light ... 559wt_1141

fastbatard

£23 for these 2 (plus 20% discount before 12.30pm today) good reviews too. Could even get 2 of the rear ones within budget.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 4136/#more

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/LifeL ... 360044133/

gaz545

I would suggest getting 2 sets of lights, 2 front and 2 rear, have one of each on flash and the other on steady. This makes you much more visible and easier for people to judge your speed.

jeremyrundle

Here is my lighting setup

http://sirpatrickmooresales.co.uk/Ourpage.aspx

jeremyrundle

Asprilla wrote:

I found these to be excellent:

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/ebwPNLq ... D=1&f_bct=

Edit: I have, however, just been out to the garage to take them off my fixed and put the on my road bike only to find that the front light doesn't fit my oversize bars.

Bugger, as they are great.

£15 new on ebay

jeremyrundle

£7 Cycle helmet light

I won't pay silly prices, use something you may have spare.

http://sirpatrickmooresales.co.uk/Ourpage.aspx

cyberknight

jeremyrundle wrote:

If I had roads like that I would never be home

Got to imagine it when its pitch black and cars are doing 50 -60 mph up you ass .......

cyberknight

jeremyrundle wrote:

If I had roads like that I would never be home

Got to imagine it when its pitch black and cars are doing 50 -60 mph up you ass .......

jeremyrundle

cyberknight wrote:

jeremyrundle wrote:

If I had roads like that I would never be home

Got to imagine it when its pitch black and cars are doing 50 -60 mph up you ass .......

Just thinking it must be nice to ride roads like that on a nice day, that is the problem with long roads, bad drivers

simon_e

sharp910sh wrote:

As you can see its getting darker these days. I have a nice road bike. but no lights. I have about 30 quid to spare. I have no idea what to buy. any advice?

£30 isn't enough for a decent set of lights. If you're riding near traffic you want to stand out as much as possible - drivers need to notice you as too often they are not really paying attention and only looking for big, bright things (car/lorry lights), talking on a mobile or peering through a misted-up or only partly defrosted windscreen.

Cateye LD600 is a good choice on the back, the 2 x AAA last ages and it's certainly bright. Haven't tried the EL-450 front but it would probably be OK in streetlit areas. The more expensive Cateye front lights (e.g. EL-320, EL-530) are not great value and have a narrow beam spread. My EL-320 is sidelined now I have a Fenix LD20 (£50 inc mount).

jeremyrundle

Whilst I was in the cycle shop yesterday a chap came in with his two sons, about seven and nine, and asked for two sets of the "cheapest" lights they have, and went on to say he didnt want them cycling home on the road from school without lights

At nine I was still collecting my sons, and as for riding home ON THE ROAD at nine and seven in the dark with the "cheapest lights", what a father.

Here is my setup.

http://sirpatrickmooresales.co.uk/Ourpage.aspx

My teenage sons is the same.

Cafewanda

You should've 'ad a werd and politely pointed out the error of his ways.

simon_e

jeremyrundle wrote:

Whilst I was in the cycle shop yesterday a chap came in with his two sons, about seven and nine, and asked for two sets of the "cheapest" lights they have, and went on to say he didnt want them cycling home on the road from school without lights

I know, desperate isn't it.

My kids are 9 and 7 and don't go anywhere unaccompanied.

I was crossing an A-road tonight and a guy cycled past in hi-viz vest with small blinking rear light which looked bright enough. Ah, at least he has a decent light, I thought. Another 100 yards up the road it was barely visible and the light level was already dropping.

Ryan Jones

gaz545 wrote:

I would suggest getting 2 sets of lights, 2 front and 2 rear, have one of each on flash and the other on steady. This makes you much more visible and easier for people to judge your speed.

I'm aware that's also the law, you can't legally have just flashing lights need fixed lighting in the dark, however certainly where I live the chances of being picked up for that technicality are minute.

I'm running a £6.99 set of lights from tesco (not recommended they don't stay in position) on my commuter, though it's fully lit 30mph roads and i wear high visibility clothing as well, even my wheel reflectors

jeremyrundle

Actually the law changed, I also believed you needed a fixed rear light but you don't, flashing is legal, I confuse everyone with my setup, three lights two flashing differently and one fixed and my helmet light looks like KIT, from kniterider.

You legally have to have a fixed front light, and reflectors, I don't as they fell off.

I paid £30 for my new peds, and the reflectors went (unseen) within 3 rides.


Still I am seen.