Rear light?

CyclingObsession

I'm caught between two lights, hope district 3 at 85lumens and exposure flare at 75 lumens, one is 100£ excluding
Battery back and other is 45£, I will do commuting In the city but also club spins at night and I will b coming home on my own on dark roads, which one is better? I was thinking of getting two flares, I already have fiber flares at my rear

jthef

these are good.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/magicshine-mj-818-ha-iii-ssc-42180u-3w-3-mode-led-bike-tail-light-set-4-18650-included-42077?item=18
but I do like hope stuff.

iPete

The hope will be bombproof and the external battery is easy to take off and charge but lots of hassle if the bike isn't locked away safely at either end.

The District makes more sense if you run a Hope 2/4 up front and use a single battery.

CyclingObsession

Do you need the external battery case? on chainreaction you can buy the hope with just splitter cable, I assume a charger comes with this

bails87

CyclingObsession wrote:

Do you need the external battery case? on chainreaction you can buy the hope with just splitter cable, I assume a charger comes with this

The Hope has no internal battery.

You either buy it with the external batter, which I would imagine comes with a charger. OR you just buy the light and a splitter cable. Which you use to 'share' a battery with a Hope front light. If you don't already have a hope front light and battery then you can't use the splitter. And a charger, light and splitter cable will be no good because there's nothing for the charger to charge!

CyclingObsession

thats so crap its an extra 70euro for the charger alone

Kieran_Burns

and the Hope is insanely bright. Couple it with some spoke reflectors and you are this mobile red glow on the road.

Well, I say glow... it's more like a Red Dwarf on wheels.

CyclingObsession

I have sucked it up and bought the light cant wait for it to arrive I am sick of using disposable batteries

Koncordski

CyclingObsession wrote:

I have sucked it up and bought the light cant wait for it to arrive I am sick of using disposable batteries

The district 3 is awesome, i know it seems a lot for a light but the locking mechanism on the bike and light housing itself are engineering marvels. I get compliments on it every time i ride at night from people wanting to know what it is. I use the splitter cable and power a Vision2 front light as well. They're a lot of money but they're easily worth it.

CyclingObsession

sweet I am looking forward to getting it, can you leave the light itself on the rack and just take off the battery pack to charge it? as I hate taking my lights off

vermin

Koncordski wrote:

CyclingObsession wrote:

I have sucked it up and bought the light cant wait for it to arrive I am sick of using disposable batteries

The district 3 is awesome, i know it seems a lot for a light but the locking mechanism on the bike and light housing itself are engineering marvels. I get compliments on it every time i ride at night from people wanting to know what it is. I use the splitter cable and power a Vision2 front light as well. They're a lot of money but they're easily worth it.

I have exactly the same set-up (Vision 2 and District). They have sat in boxes in the cupboard since last winter, when the connections became so unreliable that I lost all trust in them. They either wouldn't charge, or would randomly turn off whilst riding, due, seemingly, to bad connections in the wiring. As a result I have a Moon X-Power 500 on the front and a Moon Shield on the back. Saddens me, because the Hopes are gorgeous and very effective, when they work.

Yes, you can leave the light on the bike whilst charging the battery separately.

Koncordski

vermin wrote:

Koncordski wrote:

CyclingObsession wrote:

I have sucked it up and bought the light cant wait for it to arrive I am sick of using disposable batteries

The district 3 is awesome, i know it seems a lot for a light but the locking mechanism on the bike and light housing itself are engineering marvels. I get compliments on it every time i ride at night from people wanting to know what it is. I use the splitter cable and power a Vision2 front light as well. They're a lot of money but they're easily worth it.

I have exactly the same set-up (Vision 2 and District). They have sat in boxes in the cupboard since last winter, when the connections became so unreliable that I lost all trust in them. They either wouldn't charge, or would randomly turn off whilst riding, due, seemingly, to bad connections in the wiring. As a result I have a Moon X-Power 500 on the front and a Moon Shield on the back. Saddens me, because the Hopes are gorgeous and very effective, when they work.

Yes, you can leave the light on the bike whilst charging the battery separately.

This is my second year using them and have ridden in all weathers, never had a problem with the connections. Not teaching you to suck eggs but you have to be careful when you separate the connectors. They're a really snug fit and tugging on them away from the boots will quickly stress the cable inside. A little bit of vaseline :oops: on the connectors makes it less trying.

I had a fault on the charger, even though it was a month outside of the warranty they sent me a replacement which has been fine ever since.

iPete

My second winter cometh for the District, although I ran it all summer too. Perfect for all year use, especially those days when the sun is super low. The light pays for itself [eventually!], I've broken many many cheap lights that have died in the wet or fallen off.

Vermin, you sent yours back?! I remember you mentioning it previously.

vermin

iPete wrote:

My second winter cometh for the District, although I ran it all summer too. Perfect for all year use, especially those days when the sun is super low. The light pays for itself [eventually!], I've broken many many cheap lights that have died in the wet or fallen off.

Vermin, you sent yours back?! I remember you mentioning it previously.

I did. They replaced the charger and returned it to me, no argument. Great customer service, undoubtedly. It worked again for a few weeks, but the problem returned and I abandoned it. I should really try again, but you need to have total confidence in your tail light.

iPete

That sucks, I still run a backup along side mine but I'm yet to run the battery down or have it fail. Maybe give it a go without the splitter and run rear only?

My house mates gf thought I was a car from the end of our road, that's nearly 1/3 mile long and they said it wasn't blinding when they got up close, so all good.

CyclingObsession

has anyone had experience with a Hope Vision R4 LED Front Light 2013 I am thinking of saving up for that I am using shitty cree lights at the moment

jejv

Why ?!?

This is a lot brighter than car tail lights - more like a fog light:

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p39112/RSP-As ... Light.aspx

4-5 hours on steady (both LEDs) on rechargeable AAAs. (burns ~160mA).

Need more runtime ? Buy two! Or half a dozen!

This £10 light is already maybe too bright. Brighter is not going to make you safer.

Whatever you do, don't use flashing modes on these bright tail lights unless the batteries are nearly flat.

Kieran_Burns

CyclingObsession wrote:

has anyone had experience with a Hope Vision R4 LED Front Light 2013 I am thinking of saving up for that I am using sh!tty cree lights at the moment

....wimper....

iPete

jejv wrote:

Why ?!?

This is a lot brighter than car tail lights - more like a fog light:

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p39112/RSP-As ... Light.aspx

4-5 hours on steady (both LEDs) on rechargeable AAAs. (burns ~160mA).

Need more runtime ? Buy two! Or half a dozen!

This £10 light is already maybe too bright. Brighter is not going to make you safer.

Whatever you do, don't use flashing modes on these bright tail lights unless the batteries are nearly flat.

For the very reasons stated. Two lights running off one battery, no AA or AAAs to deal with. Solid and reliable (unless you are vermin), long run times, great construction and as you noted these cheap lights in flash mode are just stupid bright, with the hope you get a better spread and a flash mode that isn't blinding.

Have lost 3 Smarts to water damage,a blackburn to falling off and that quickly adds up every year. The best thing is not having to bother with AAAs, riding 12+ hours a week in horrid weather the Hope system is great, give me a Hope District over half a dozen cheap lights!

The best bit, cars actually give you more space. That might be a placebo mind...

The Rookie

I use a Moonshield at the rear, about £40-45 internal battery, charged by USB port and bright as heck, car drivers at work say it's as bright as a cars fog light, you have a choice of power and flash settings as well.

Oh and for weight weenies it's pretty light as well!

bobinski

jthef wrote:

these are good.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/magicshine-mj-818-ha-iii-ssc-42180u-3w-3-mode-led-bike-tail-light-set-4-18650-included-42077?item=18
but I do like hope stuff.

Is it possible to attach the light to a seatpack/seatpost bag, the batterie pack being contained within the bag? One with just enough room to also take a spare inner tube, co2 cannister and inflator? Interested in this as a commuter but would want to be able to easily remove and reattach given nowhere at work to lock my bike up except outside railings.

jthef

hi

here is my set up
http://twitpic.com/axd8ly

but as for your question some people have used some round pipe attached to thing to which you add the light.
Some other people had posted how they have attached this light.
hth

Jon

CyclingObsession

Need some advice on a front light now, I currently have 4 lights at the front, they are all cheapy lights, around 30£ each they use disposable batteries, Should I use these or should I invest in a 600 cordless and an eposure diablo, or a 2000lumen cree light off ebay that has an internal battery? I want to be seen as easy as possible in the city

iPete

seen in the city? then you don't need a gazilion lumens.

The exposure flare front has a really good pulse (I think) or since you are running a hope battery already why not a 2 or r4 alongside a cheap blinker like an Electron Milli usb or one that you already have.

I'm currently running a Hope 2 with a Milli at the front and at the back a Hope District with a cateye flasher of some sort.

CyclingObsession

What about country lanes as I will be doing training rides in a group on a dualcarriage way but will be going home on my own from there and its out of the city?

iPete

Then in that case, yes, a solid front light is a good idea. My Hope 2 does me ok, rarely needs putting on full power. It made sense to buy it as I wanted the district and an easy charging solution.

But there may be better for your money out there. Check out some of the stickies in the mtb sections, be plenty of info on cheap torch options etc.

Have also heard good things about ay up lights from some of the roadie commuters on here.

edit: a recent thread in commuting chat viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12876974

supersonic

Different things for different people. I use bargain basement rear lights from OnOne (skulls). They have worked through monsoons, so no reason to change them. Easy to fit as use an elastic cord.

CyclingObsession

Do I get a single high powered light with 1000 lumens or two lights 500 each one for each side of the handle bar so drivers can see me? I am completely confused on what to do, I have my Hope district it came today, it's awesome light so dam bright.

supersonic

I'd get one, less cables and battery packs. Or two torches, as these are all in one units and more flexible.

CyclingObsession

Good point ill prob would 600lumens be sufficient to alert cars and light up a road going 20mph

supersonic

Plenty usually, even if a floodlight. Consider augmenting with a small flashing light too.