New lights : New lease of life

itboffin

Okay so perhaps the title is a little exaggerated but not far off, let me explain.

In the winter I use the main A road on the way home, this road is a main through road from the M3 to M4 and a shockingly busy fast road anyway blah blah back to me, each night i'm passed in waves by car commuters and lorries most of which either dont see me or dont care.

Tonight that changed, today I bought an Exposure Flare rear light and guess what every and i mean every car gave me plenty of room some even waited behind me and dimmed their lights, even the Green Parcel co. lorries that practically push me into the road everyday crossed to the other lane.

Best money i've spent this year, loved the commute home tonight

chadders81

I've ordered Exposure Flash and Flare so glad to hear they're working well for you sir.

Are you running them on the rechargables or disposables?

itboffin

Chadders81 wrote:

I've ordered Exposure Flash and Flare so glad to hear they're working well for you sir.

Are you running them on the rechargables or disposables?

Rechargeable

iPete

Had the same thing since bolting on a Hope District and the flares look excellent, especially for the price.

mudcow007

in the word from street..."tru dat"!

i had my first twilight ride last night, front light is a Moon X-Power 300 an rear is an RSP Astrum.

i had to got to go to my ma an pa's last night at about 21:00 so it was properly late (dark) i used the disused railway track going (pitch black) an the roads on the way back. Every single car/ truck an van gave me load of space

i think i might start going on night rides!!

dhope

Might pick some up this weekend since I'll be leaving at 6am for most of my winter commutes and even in town it's not overly bright at that time in the morning.

itboffin

Dont get me wrong the front light can't touch any of my magicshine P7 units for London riding it's perfect, out here in the windy wild west you need a lot more.

In fact next week will see me switching from 1 x 900 lumin to 2 x 900, one to see ahead (bloody pheasants) one to see the ground directly in front (stones & branches).

jonginge

Interesting, very interesting. I've just bricked my Single Shot by breaking the bracket rails. The battery was pretty well shot anyway...

fossyant

Two 3w rear magicshines on my commuter - hell bright. Only had one complaint, milk float driver, last year.

These high powered things are very effective in poor light/heavy rain as they don't half show up.

I've had a number of other cyclist's comment on how bright they are - one even knew what they were and was asking as he was about to buy one. I've modded mine by running the rears of a 6xAA pack, as I've got a raft of AA chargers/batteries and use Hope 1's on the front so even more AA's. The old magicshine batteries are spares for the MJ808E T6 that is on the MTB.

bails87

fossyant wrote:

Two 3w rear magicshines on my commuter - hell bright. Only had one complaint, milk float driver, last year.

The MJ 818? I'm tempted by this, especially as my T6 light is what I use on my commutes, and the easiest place to mount the battery pack for that is under the saddle....

apreading

Whats the best way to mount multiple lights on the rear?

I have a bracket on my pannier rack for one.
I can put another on my seatpost but it may be partly obscured by the rack.

all the mounts are designed for a wide metal bar and dont seem like I could fit them to the metal bars of the rack as I would like. I suppose there are cable ties but that might affect the ability to remove them during the day at work.

chadders81

I used a piece of inner tube wrapped repeatedly around my girlfriend's pannier frame to make it sufficiently thick to hold a light bracket.

Works well.

It's a bit low but she has a second light on her helmet.

UndercoverElephant

I'm amazed every year by the space I get on my first proper dark commute, it's an amazing feeling. I'm not sure if it's all to do with how awesome your new lights are, but I'm sure it doesn't hurt.

apreading

Chadders81 wrote:

I used a piece of inner tube wrapped repeatedly around my girlfriend's pannier frame to make it sufficiently thick to hold a light bracket.

Now why didnt I think of that...? Perfect solution, thanks.

fossyant

apreading wrote:

Whats the best way to mount multiple lights on the rear?
.

I've got a Blackburn MTX pannier that sits ontop of the rack, with two small side panniers - so obscures the seat post.

Solution... 25mm diameter length of plastic pipe (from DIY store) wrapped in black duck tape, and bar end plugs. Cable tied to the little light strap on the back of the pannier. Both magicshine 818's sit there strapped on. I use the seat stay clamps for my Smarts, with some old inner tube wrapped round the rack uprights to give the right thickness for the seat stay clamps.

fossyant

Here is an example of the cable tied tube...

prj45

itboffin wrote:

Tonight that changed, today I bought an Exposure Flare rear light

I got the exposure flash/flare rechargable set the other day. I''d bought a RSP Astrum (great light output), but the weedy internal lugs snapped and the back of the light fell off in the road, took that straight back, I swapped it for a cat eye, but hated the mount (it sticks right out at the side so my leg hit it on my downstoke),

So found the exposure flash/flare whilst looking for a light with a minimalist bracket.

Love em, currently desiring another flash for the front to aesthetically balance my bars.

Did you work out the tap function that appears no where in the operating guide? Double tap the back of the light and you can switch it between flash and steady mode, or is t just mine that do that? Impractical for the rear, but with the front one all I've got to do is flick the back and it switches. Not looking forward to doing this with cold fingers though!

itboffin

Hey 45 you're right a hard flip on the back of the case does indeed swap modes, i suspect this is a design fault.

prj45

itboffin wrote:

Hey 45 you're right a hard flip on the back of the case does indeed swap modes, i suspect this is a design fault.

I can't even work out how it's doing it, I mean, surely the battery doesn't lose contact with the case (which acts as the minus) or the positive contact. There is a weird click from the light when you do this.

I might cease doing it.

At least I know it's not just mine now.

iPete

Since we're talking about lights, anybody recommend any that are waterproof enough to survive life on the rear triangle in all weather? AA or AAA a must, can't be bothered with CR032s.

Want to try the new Electron Milli but not sure it will angle correctly.
http://www.electronlights.co.uk/lights/ ... rear--blue

Also tempted by a Fibre Flare
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=62256

itboffin

rode home with just the exposures tonight, not bad even out here in the sticks - that said I could only see about 6-10 ahead which is enough coming back along the Kennet & Avon route.

itboffin

rode home with just the exposures tonight, not bad even out here in the sticks - that said I could only see about 6-10 ahead which is enough coming back along the Kennet & Avon route.

daniel_b

fossyant wrote:

apreading wrote:

Whats the best way to mount multiple lights on the rear?
.

I've got a Blackburn MTX pannier that sits ontop of the rack, with two small side panniers - so obscures the seat post.

Solution... 25mm diameter length of plastic pipe (from DIY store) wrapped in black duck tape, and bar end plugs. Cable tied to the little light strap on the back of the pannier. Both magicshine 818's sit there strapped on. I use the seat stay clamps for my Smarts, with some old inner tube wrapped round the rack uprights to give the right thickness for the seat stay clamps.

Hi Fossyant, I'm considering ordering a magicshine for my bike, after seeing your excellent thread on 'another' forum, and I see how you created the mount for your lights.

I'll have a similar issue to you, using a rear Madison rack, with a creek2peak rackbag on it, so the seatpost is not an option, so I reckon I will need to try and make up a bracket as you have done for your own setup.

I might need to try and stitch it onto the bag even, or maybe use some velcro straps or something - will need to tackle it when I receive it.

Anyway, on another thread I saw someone suggesting that they were not too watertight, so wondered what your own experience was, and if it is the same, I imagine sticking it in a bag/wrapping it in clingfilm or similar would provide a solution of sorts,

Cheers

Dan

asprilla

Must admit that I'm very impressed with the flash / flare combo. I've actually invested in a second flare (undoubtably overkill) and I've got a strada on my xmas list.

jonginge

Asprilla wrote:

Must admit that I'm very impressed with the flash / flare combo. I've actually invested in a second flare (undoubtably overkill) and I've got a strada on my xmas list.

Quite like but I was a bit surprised how small the Flash actually is. Another is on order along with the charger unit

asprilla

Only downside is that I keep putting the flare on constant instead of pulse and I only find out the battery is dead the following morning. Definitely worth getting some extra batteries for back-up.

itboffin

6am start is all to much for the tiny front light, time to get out the big guns.

itboffin

itboffin wrote:

Okay so perhaps the title is a little exaggerated but not far off, let me explain.

In the winter I use the main A road on the way home, this road is a main through road from the M3 to M4 and a shockingly busy fast road anyway blah blah back to me, each night i'm passed in waves by car commuters and lorries most of which either dont see me or dont care.

Tonight that changed, today I bought an Exposure Flare rear light and guess what every and i mean every car gave me plenty of room some even waited behind me and dimmed their lights, even the Green Parcel co. lorries that practically push me into the road everyday crossed to the other lane.

Best money i've spent this year, loved the commute home tonight

Update: the rear light has failed won't turn on, I also noticed that both head caps have multiple cracks.

dhope

itboffin wrote:

Update: the rear light has failed won't turn on, I also noticed that both head caps have multiple cracks.

New bike, right?

itboffin

dhope wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Update: the rear light has failed won't turn on, I also noticed that both head caps have multiple cracks.

New bike, right?

Hmmm good idea besides I miscounted last time I currently have 10 bikes ....

iPete

Hope.

And a new bike to mount it.