Lights - How bright is too bright?

mudcow007

Currently running a Moon X Power 300 (supposedly 300 lumens) on the front and an R1 & R2 at the back.

im happy with how much rear light im throwing out. i did a bit of a test last night an my dad could see my lights from half a mile away 8)

im thinking of buying another light for the front either to use as a main light or a back up to my moon

im thinking of going brighter than my 300 lumen moon as on part of my route its a pitch black disused railway line (super scary in the dark on your own)

ive just spotted a 1400 lumen light on fleabay for about £35 is it worth a punt do you reckon or too bright?

aidso

1400 sounds more than adequate. I'd check to see if it had different settings as if you eventually made it on to the road, approaching drivers might be cheesed at the brightness.

I've a 900 lumen for off-roading and its plenty.

bails87

For off roading I have a 1600 lumen light on the bars, and 1200 on my head. Most of the time they're just on 1/4 or 1/2 power though.

On the roads I also use the 1600 lumen one on the bars, but on 1/4 whenever there's traffic around or streetlights. When I need to see, again 1/2 power is enough. IT's probably not even 1600 at full, so 1/4 and 1/2 are probably lower than the 'expected' 400/800 lumens.

If you can't see where you're going then, yes, you may well need brighter lights.

If the "1400" lumen light is the XML-t6 one then it's definitely not 1400, it's a max of 1200 I think, and that's only claimed. Plus it's a very spotty beam, I found it too much of a spot for bar use.

As for the rear, I've just commented on the 'Idiots with bright lights' thread about how good the R2 is.

asprilla

bails87 wrote:

If you can't see where you're going then, yes, you may well need brighter lights.

Or just better focussed lights.

I've been looking at reviews a lot recently and the imaginatively named Philips LED bike light gets brilliant reviews. Whilst not getting anywhere near the claimed output of the cheap chinese lights it has a well constricted beam pattern which is wide, long and even without blinding oncoming traffic or distracting low flying aircraft.

bails87

Asprilla wrote:

bails87 wrote:

If you can't see where you're going then, yes, you may well need brighter lights.

Or just better focussed lights.

Ok, yes, but the Moon ones aren't cheapo chinese ones, I assumed they'd have a decent beam pattern.

meanredspider

I think it makes all the difference if you know the route or you don't. I've found the 200-300 lumens is entirely adequate for my commute in the pitch dark of the Scottish Highlands because I know the road and where the obstacles are. I just need to light to spot them as I approach and to be seen by. I'll happily head down a singletrack winding road at 40mph with that light level when I know it.

Off-road or roads you aren't familiar with are a different story & 600-800+ would be nice depending upon how fast you expect to be going.

Kieran_Burns

1400 stated or actual?

The Hope Vision R4 is a measured 1000 lumens and costs £200 for the basic light, so I'm not sure what kind of quality you expect to get for that money

My Vision 2 is 380 lumens on full whack and lights up a pool of light that looks like a dipped main beam

veronese68

I need bright lights to see the deer in Bushy Park. The buggers keep moving. It's quite worrying when riding along quite happily and I catch a strong smell of deer. I konw they're close but can't see them.
If only they were all like Rudolf. I do appreciate it when dog walkers put little flashing lights on their dogs though. It's really funny watching little flashing LED's tearing across the grass.

ride_whenever

It's all about the lens and reflector. You can throw a 1000 lumen emitter into a shoddy light and not be able to see where you are. Toss 300 behind a clever lens and it works really well. My favourite example is the supernova airstream. 300 lumen but shaped to actually provide useful light in a broad flat beam.

cougie

For bushy park you'd need a light on the front and then a light on the helmet so you can see what you're looking at - not just where the bike is going. Easy enough to do with a torch type light.

mudcow007

the moon 300 is pretty good to be honest with quite a broad beam. That cost me £50 which i dont think is too bad

there is a bigger version of mine stated as 500 lumens (£100 Highonbikes) an even a 1500 Lumen version (£200)

if the cheap one off ebay is pants £30 isnt that much to waste if its pants.....i suppose

or i might just get another 300 an have my self some headlights 8)

bails87

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L ... 0611766675
Something like this?

It's very, very bright, and a very defined spot. There is a lens you can buy for £4 from the USA that spreads it out though.

Kieran_Burns

Face it the other way and down - light yourself up

mudcow007

bails87 wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicycle-Light-HeadLight-headLamp-/160611766675
Something like this?

It's very, very bright, and a very defined spot. There is a lens you can buy for £4 from the USA that spreads it out though.

aye thats the one

what cha think?

a worry is the battery will die somewhere out in the sticks an i will have to try an find my way home using the keypad light off my phone.....

asprilla

bails87 wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicycle-Light-HeadLight-headLamp-/160611766675
Something like this?

It's very, very bright, and a very defined spot. There is a lens you can buy for £4 from the USA that spreads it out though.

Those lights make me cry. Literally.

If someone comes the other way with one on then you'll hear me scream all manner of profanities at them and discuss their mother in unflattering terms.

Yes you will be able to see, but for everyone else it will be like riding towards a WWII search light. 1400 claimed lumen, actual output about 800 and of that about 200 is useable. The rest is used for searing the retinas of other road users, scaring sleeping birds, heating up hibernating moles and signalling alien civilisations.

When I first started commuting I went mad with the chinese lights and had about 2000 lumen coming of the front of the bike. It was rubbish. Now I've got about 300 and I can see much more that I ever could before.

bails87

mudcow007 wrote:

bails87 wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicycle-Light-HeadLight-headLamp-/160611766675
Something like this?

It's very, very bright, and a very defined spot. There is a lens you can buy for £4 from the USA that spreads it out though.

aye thats the one

what cha think?

a worry is the battery will die somewhere out in the sticks an i will have to try an find my way home using the keypad light off my phone.....

I've got that and a Magicshine Mj-872.

The 'proper' magicshine is much better put together than that one. But it works. I used a bit of sealant to try to waterproof the battery a bit. You could always just put it in a bit of old inner tube. For cheap lights look at the What Lights thread(s) in MTB Buying advice. You can get a lot of lumens for not much money, and if you need it to illuminate an 'uninhabited' area, rather than for being seen on the roads, I 'd go down the torch route, then swtich back to the Moon when you're on the roads again.

I use the Magichsine on my commutes now, but always have a Smart (15 lux I think) in my bag as a backup. I'd never go out in the dark on the MTB or a commute without a half decent backup light.

Asprilla: I know they're very[/] bright, so I always make sure it's on low if there's anyone else around. the MJ-872 on 25% is probably ~300 lumens, so I don't think it's recklessly bright. Some people obviously don't know how bright their lights are though, or more importantly, they don;t realise how badly they are affecting other people.

Someone was riding towards me the other evening, it was just dark enough to need lights to see with, and he seemed to have (didn't get close enough to actually see) a light like the one I linked to, on strobe mode. It was horrible to ride towards, and I was a fair distance away. This is on a country road with pretty much no traffic. I can't understand how he could ride with a constant pulsing light strobing off the ground and hedges around him. A slow flash, or a pulse, is useful, but I don't know why people make lights with proper rave style strobe modes.

mudcow007

coolio!

right im getting one, as i said earlier it it turns out to be pants its not a huge amount of wonger to loose out on

there is a guy i pass in the morning with duel lights pointed directly into my face im bedazzled for about 20 seconds afterwards

why dont people aim them down especially when its not that dark!!!

Origamist

Fenix TK 35 on Turbo:



Tooting Bec Common

Exposure 1 sec
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 200

Sorry could not be bothered with a control shot!

£65

shouldbeinbed

very pleased with my dealextreme kit ultrafire 500lum torch, 2 x 18650 rechargeables, the charger and bike mount for £27. Took a month to get here mind, so one to order in the summer ready for the cold and dark.

all work fine and even if they just last a winter its not bankrupting money.


the torch is plenty brighter than my Hope Vision 1 was, is far more frugal on the batteries and is as bright ans well spread as the tooting bec picture above on the completely dark countryside bit of my ride

davis

meanredspider wrote:

I'll happily head down a singletrack winding road at 40mph with that light level when I know it.

I know you're a grown-up, etc,etc... but... Potholes. They can develop overnight.