New Lights Needed...

Vivica

Evening All,

I have been using a Cateye Single Shot as my front light, and despite looking after it as if it were my first born child, it gave up on me totally.
I have contacted Cateye about it and they've been very unhelpful...

SO, i need to buy myself a new front light, and i don't want it to be another Cateye,


So what do you guys recommend, i ideally want something that's rechargeable, but am more than happy batteries as well to be honest. Just as long as it's all internal and not one of those external battery jobs!

RufusA

Budget? And do you need a see or just a be seen light?

Rufus.

tptvmbircn

I know what you had more or less, so assuming this its a be seen light, look no further, these things are brilliant for the price:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-5-led-front-light/

Drivers always go nuts at me as the're "too bright" best money i've spent, one year old never shown any signs of giving up, two winters after this one if its over yet, what more can i say?

possibly the only downside is 4x AAA batteries but its never bothered me.

gaz545

You should have two front lights, one steady and one flashing. Buy two

Drysuitdiver

stealthelite1986 wrote:

I know what you had more or less, so assuming this its a be seen light, look no further, these things are brilliant for the price:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-5-led-front-light/

Drivers always go nuts at me as the're "too bright" best money i've spent, one year old never shown any signs of giving up, two winters after this one if its over yet, what more can i say?

possibly the only downside is 4x AAA batteries but its never bothered me.

the battery issue is easily resolved.

Maplin have special offers on their alakaline battery bpacks of 100 quite regularly £14.99 instead of £30 .

or buy a really good set of rechargeables ( 2 is better ) and a high rating 2100mAH as a minimum really and 2 chargers one for work one for home.

bakerstreet

Vivica wrote:

Evening All,

I have been using a Cateye Single Shot as my front light, and despite looking after it as if it were my first born child, it gave up on me totally!

LoL! Does it have its own cot?

I know what you mean about Cateye customer service. My rear cateye let in a load of water and broke and it was only four months out of the box! Had been in its box under my stairs for a year though

Front Cateye appears to be fine. If it ever goes, I think I'll look at that LifeLine unit.

fossyant

Hope Vision 1 and a backup flasher. Simples. So good I bought two !

tptvmbircn

Drysuitdiver wrote:

stealthelite1986 wrote:

I know what you had more or less, so assuming this its a be seen light, look no further, these things are brilliant for the price:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-5-led-front-light/

Drivers always go nuts at me as the're "too bright" best money i've spent, one year old never shown any signs of giving up, two winters after this one if its over yet, what more can i say?

possibly the only downside is 4x AAA batteries but its never bothered me.

the battery issue is easily resolved.

Maplin have special offers on their alakaline battery bpacks of 100 quite regularly £14.99 instead of £30 .

or buy a really good set of rechargeables ( 2 is better ) and a high rating 2100mAH as a minimum really and 2 chargers one for work one for home.

I like that, a new Maplin has just opened in town, think i'll have a nosey in, for the rocord i have two lifeline ones just to take the wee wee haha

ste_

I bought this.





It took about a week to arrive from China and the instructions are in Engrish but it's fantastic. Apparently it's 1200 lumens. I don't know what a Lumen is but it's bloody bright. Can also be switched to a lower setting for longer battery life and has a flashing mode.

tptvmbircn

Looks awesome, tempting, also the on-one site has a set for £50 at the minute:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/LIEL16LEDFR/electron-16-led-light-system

I think the P7 would be a brighter lamp however

mrbodly

+1 for the Hope Vision 1.

Bright (although not in the same league as the P7) and runs on 4 AA's.
I use high capacity camlink rechargables, lasts almost 3hrs on highest setting and eons on the lowest.

Great light for road use, had it a year now, fault free and very well made.[/quote]

cyberknight

ste_ wrote:

I bought this.





It took about a week to arrive from China and the instructions are in Engrish but it's fantastic. Apparently it's 1200 lumens. I don't know what a Lumen is but it's bloody bright. Can also be switched to a lower setting for longer battery life and has a flashing mode.

I have very similar , it is just amazing how much variance sellers give with light output, most say 900 lumen for that light.
Whatever it is its very bright and i would say it has been my best bit of bike light kit so far.

Blue Meanie

+1 for the cree light, me got one, Mrs Meanie got one bruv'n'law got two!
Lumens per £ it's unbeatable' Out of four lights we've only had one minor issue that b'n'law bodged a good fix for.

It really needs to be used in conjunction with a 2nd 'back-up' light (as per pic) as it doesn't shine to the side (RVLR). Also I think it's too bright for RVLR which says max 5w for the front, but I've never heard of the Police cautioning a cyclist for being too easily seen.

Smart 1/2 watt on the rear is also genuinely bright and weather resistant.

richk

="Blue Meanie"...Also I think it's too bright for RVLR which says max 5w for the front ....

Eh? News to me. Got a linky to support that? Whilst RVLR isn't easy bedtime reading I can't see a maximum power stated but will happily stand corrected if I'm wrong.

Blue Meanie

I'm sure I read it in the hard-copy at work, you have to pay for the .pdf, but as you say I'm willing to be wrong.

In a chat with a friend who's a policeman, they really don't care, as long as you've got front / rear and a rear reflector. I was advised that not having pedal reflectors would probably be overlooked as my shoes have reflective sections - unless you're in an accident and the ins company want to blame you.

richk

Blue Meanie wrote:

... they really don't care, as long as you've got front / rear and a rear reflector. ...

Just as well really as I don't think many people have light(s) that are appropriately marked... I personally prefer something that is usable :P

Vivica

stealthelite1986 wrote:

Looks awesome, tempting, also the on-one site has a set for £50 at the minute:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/LIEL16LEDFR/electron-16-led-light-system

I think the P7 would be a brighter lamp however

I've never really liked the idea of having an external battery pack - infact, i hate the idea.
That does look like an absolute bargain though, bookmarks!!!

saladfunky

cyberknight wrote:

ste_ wrote:

I bought this.





It took about a week to arrive from China and the instructions are in Engrish but it's fantastic. Apparently it's 1200 lumens. I don't know what a Lumen is but it's bloody bright. Can also be switched to a lower setting for longer battery life and has a flashing mode.

I have very similar , it is just amazing how much variance sellers give with light output, most say 900 lumen for that light.
Whatever it is its very bright and i would say it has been my best bit of bike light kit so far.

II know 2 people using this light and it is very good. I have seen it in front of traffic and it stands out well. They recommend it highly although it is unknown how long it will last? I had a niterider minewt x2 150 and loads of use in rain and snow for 18 months, but it died this weekend suddenly. Bought another for £99 on ebay as I was so impressed with it.

waddlie

Another +1 for the Hope Vision 1. Bombproof and bright as you like.

gaz545

ste_ wrote:

I bought this.





It took about a week to arrive from China and the instructions are in Engrish but it's fantastic. Apparently it's 1200 lumens. I don't know what a Lumen is but it's bloody bright. Can also be switched to a lower setting for longer battery life and has a flashing mode.

Because that light is soo bright, i know because i have one, i would advise pointing it down at the road a few meters in front of you if you are using it on a road with lots of other road users. Because of the design there is a lot of spill from the light, so even if you point it down it will stilll be very visible from a horizontal plain.
I would also advise to mount it under your handle bar and not over. This not only keeps it pointing at a better angle but also takes it further away from your other light, as no doubt that light is compleatly hidden in the light of the magicshine.

The last thing you want to do is blind other road users, you will be suprised what some idiots do whilst they are dazzled.

ride_whenever

I've got a supernova airstream.

Pricey for the light, but has a very good lens so you get very little spill and there is little thrown above the horizontal so you can point it waaaay down the road without blinding oncoming drivers. Superbly made piece of kit and well worth the money.

Vivica

Still looking for new lights (don't worry, i do have lights!)...

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cat ... t-ec019836

£20, bargain?
Anybody know if it's any good?

gentlegreen

I could have sworn I met a chap coming the other way a couple of days ago with a wind-up torch strapped to his helmet - a big one - and it wasn't even dark - though it could have been a fancy camera. I won't have anything strapped to mine.

I might buy Magicshines if they ran on straight 12 volts. I need them to work with a dipswitch and I dislike electronically switched lights that could turn off with an intermittent connection.

I have a modified "UFO" camping lamp with forty-eight 5mm LEDs as my basic "be seen from nearly all angles" lamp, plus a couple of triple 2 watt "MR16" lamps which are currently being hyped up as "9 watts". Cheap as chips if you're prepared to repair / modify them a bit. :roll:

http://sites.google.com/site/gentlegreen/bikelighting

I'm about to fit a 3 watt cold cathode fluorescent as a gentle alternative for when I'm not interacting with traffic or riding through the woods at night.

jeremyrundle

Maplin have special offers on their alakaline battery bpacks of 100 quite regularly £14.99 instead of £30 .

---

Totally non environment friendly, and sooooooo expensive who uses alcaline these days, buy NiMh.

dilemna

I was going to order a couple of MagicShines today but reading through owners' feedback many are really pissed off as the battery dies after about 4-5 months and there is uncertainty whether the batteries have charge protection and balancing circuits to stop them over charging and thus becoming too hot and catching fire. Some owners have reported really poor build quality which are then strangely followed by a totally opposite feedback singing the light's praises suggesting you buy more acessories to compliment it. Hmmmm ......... sounds a bit ........... fishy.

Anway I bought an Exposure Max D Mk3 2 days ago with 2 year warranty. It is brrrrrightttttt! 1200 lumens bright. Whooooo hooooo!

:twisted: .

Hoopdriver

I do a lot of night riding, lashed out and bought a Lupine (and I am not by any means rich) and I've never regretted it. Superb build quality, reliability, burn time, light spread and brightness. I feel a lot safer with it, better able to see and be seen, and that makes it worth the money; health insurance.