lights for unlit roads?

newbie_cyclist

Hi
Now and then I cycle on unlit roads -not easy with my urban -be-seen (but not see-by) lights.
I'm after some headlights that are bright enough to light the road and are easily removable as I will be swapping them with my regular lights. I need a run time of about 1-2hrs. Any suggestions (or ones to avoid?)?
thanks!

cyberknight

There have been plenty of topics on this lately and it boils down to how much you want to spend and how quickly you want it.
Many people like the p7 torches and i will be getting ...


http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44459

prb007

Most bang-for-buck on the market, IMHO......

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.36018

plenty of choice though...

http://www.dealextreme.com/search.dx/se ... e%20lights

may take 10/14 days to come back, but usually worth the wait

Phil_Gray

I've asked Santa to call in on these folks this Xmas:

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/

They're in the UK, offer next day delivery and a (possibly) more enlightened returns policy....

squired

Are these lights good for roads though? i.e. Are they going to blind drivers because they have a spread more suited to off road?

cyberknight

link to another forum with piccies....

2 nd post has light comparison

http://www.cyclechat.net/topic/72145-ma ... try1460065

The magic shine is about £50 and around 3 times as powerful as the hope vision 1 that sells for £80

jeremyrundle

Phil_Gray wrote:

I've asked Santa to call in on these folks this Xmas:

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/

They're in the UK, offer next day delivery and a (possibly) more enlightened returns policy....

I WOULDNT BUY THESE they have all been recalled due to safety issues, plenty of threads about it, google magicshine safety issue :!:

jeremyrundle

Have you looked at all the many other threads on this matter that are less than a month ond

iPete

Hope Vision 1, British company who make a great product.

Clarion

Hope Vision One is great.

But I would suggest that you go for a hub dynamo and an IQ Cyo. Brighter, no batteries, and you can get set up for £200 if you buy an N72 wheel & lamp from Spa Cycles. You could get a lower grade hub, but I wouldn't recommend it. I've got a Nexus (OK, a bit old now) and it's quite buzzy when I get to 30kph, and you can feel the resistance, which is less obvious with the N72.

If you've got more cash, you could go for an N80 or a Schmidt dynamo, which are really silky.

Yes, it can't be removed, but it can't easily be nicked, either. And it works for city or country.

Because I don't like to use just one light, I back mine up with the Hope Vision One or a Cateye EL-135 - flashing in town; constant in the dark.

The Hope Vision One meets your easy to detach criterion. I take mine off when I park. Just takes a moment.

iainmoss

I would suggest that you go for a hub dynamo and an IQ Cyo.

+1

Three years experience of riding unlit country roads with both Schmidt & Shimano dynamo hub and a B&M IQ Fly, all of which has been faultless. The IQ Cyo would be even better...

prb007

Pardon my ignorance of all thing dynamo - but would this fit the bill?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... ink:top:en

I have a 36 hole rim lying about, and am reasonably adept at wheelbuilding - looks like I might
need some shorter spokes, mind you!

pete54

I've just ordered one of these for £39.99 (Rutland Cycling on eBay):

http://road.cc/content/review/27514-one ... e-bright-1

Mainly for use in town, but hopefully will be good enough for the occasional use on unlit country lanes when I'm touring.

nottscobb

I was very sceptical about the magicshines so for me it was a choice between the Hope 1 and Electron Terra 2. I went with the latter and have been very pleased. The last mile or so if my commute is until and I haven't needed to slow down on this section. I run the lights 1 flashing, 1 low for most of the 45mins and both on full power for 5-10 mins of that. So far I only need to charge them once a week and even then I haven't seen the low battery warning light come on.

The thing that may swing you towards the hope is the need to swap them. I don't know what the hope fixing is like but the electron are each held in place with a built in bracket that you tighten by hand with a knurled nut so aren't the easiest to remove. Lucky for me I just leave them on.

unixnerd

I WOULDNT BUY THESE they have all been recalled due to safety issues, plenty of threads about it, google magicshine safety issue Exclamation

The old battery packs were somewhat less than waterproof and not that well made. The new MJ-836 model not only has a better head but the battery is totally different and even has a charge indicator now.

cyberknight

Seems like it is an issue with the li-ion batteries globally rather than just MS lights.

http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2006/09/7858.ars

jeremyrundle

I don't have these magicshine lights but, and excuse my ignorance, what voltage are they, and would it not be possible to use such lights with NiMh battery power or 12v lead acid.

12v 1.3Ah from Maplin £17

cyberknight

I dont have one yet i have just been reading a lot about them before i commit :shock:

Seems you can mod the power source a lot ,
8.v vlot is the standard configuration but i have heard of people running them on AA`a and sll sorts i guess you would get reduced run times, more brightness or burn out the lED if you juiced it too much .

jeremyrundle

so a 12v to 8v voltage converter from maplin would allow a superb run time on a smallish recargeable lead acid battery.

ride_whenever

I've just got my hands on the supernova light.

Very impressed with the beam quality and light pattern, I can heartily recommend it. The review above isn't particularly glowing as it is done as if for off-road use, for which it isn't really suitable.

benno68

After my Magicshine failed after a few months I bought this:

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Light-and-Motion-Vega-200-Rechargeable-Light_27795.htm

I've had it for around a year and it has been great. A little bulky on the bars and I needed to wrap some inner tube around the bars to get it to grip well and stop slipping - despite this I am very pleased with it.

I find it plenty bright enough for cycling along pitch black country lanes.

turnerjohn

jeremyrundle wrote:

so a 12v to 8v voltage converter from maplin would allow a superb run time on a smallish recargeable lead acid battery.

Lead acid batterys (although v cheap) don't last as long as Li-on or NiHm and weight an absolute ton :shock: ....hence why their hardly used now....

jeremyrundle

They aren't recalled or catch fire either that I know.

What about NiMh

fossyant

jeremyrundle wrote:

I don't have these magicshine lights but, and excuse my ignorance, what voltage are they, and would it not be possible to use such lights with NiMh battery power or 12v lead acid.

12v 1.3Ah from Maplin £17

Just replaced my magicshine battery with a 6xAA Nimh setup, and joined the correct connector. Cost for parts was £2, plus batteries

sebastiandangerfield

I've recently got a b.Spoke 1 watt light from ebay from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 500wt_1156

It uses the 1 watt cree led which is plenty bright enough, has a good build quality with water seals built in and is far far cheaper than the hope. It even comes with batteries and is quick release.

Not quite as bright as my hope vision 1 but I use this for commuting and keep my vision 1 for a helmet light when off roading.

rolf_f

sebastiandangerfield wrote:

I've recently got a b.Spoke 1 watt light from ebay from here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 500wt_1156

It uses the 1 watt cree led which is plenty bright enough, has a good build quality with water seals built in and is far far cheaper than the hope. It even comes with batteries and is quick release.

Not quite as bright as my hope vision 1 but I use this for commuting and keep my vision 1 for a helmet light when off roading.

I have one of those but I think I will be complaining about it. Aside from battery connections that get compressed on jolting (so the light switches itself off) I've found it not to be waterproof even if I line the joint with vaseline. And it is really only good enough to be seen with.

stevie_90210

I just bought one of these:

http://www.lumicycle.com/product/221/10 ... ystem.html

Absolutely incredible! 1340 lumens and the beam pattern is outstanding.