country night riding help

ianbar

the problem i have is that i work nights, now in the summer this is good, i can get up at 3 or later and get out for atleast an hour easy say 3 times a week and get my long ride in the weekend.now obviously its getting darker its pretty much going to be dark when i set off.....

so i have been looking for lights, now i asked today my cousin what he would buy and said the one worth buying are going to cost a real fair bob or 2 which i had thought would be the case.

next option was to get on the turbo, i have one entry level cycleops, the thing apart from the bordum is (if i describe this right) the figures and stats, is there a way on such a low specked turbo to know how far you have ridden? i know i can use my heart rate monitor and cadence though. do many of you just ride turbo during the week and head out over the weekend?

Alinshearah

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-1000LM-Lumens-CREE-XML-XM-L-T6-WF-501B-LED-Flashlight-Torch-Lamp-Light-/140718566099?clk_rvr_id=398261210648#ht_4566wt_902&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229508&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg job done

Kendal Black Drop

Surely some good quality bright lights will cost the same or less than a turbo. I know which I would buy.

I have the Hope Vision 2 which works well, and is made in Britain. (Other lights are available.)

tenbar

I bought an Ultrafire last week as a back up for my AYUPs. The Ultrafire doesn't work when the battery cover is screwed right in. It stops the switch working. You have to loosen it off for the light to work which will probably let water in if it's raining. Very low quality.

t.m.h.n.e.t

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/big_f_d_d/m.h ... 7675.l2562

simon_masterson

£50 of lights should be ADEQUATE for night riding on unlit roads; you can spend much less, even. My front light is an Electron that my wife bought me for about £15. It's very effective for seeing where I'm going at the dead of night on unlit country roads; tried and tested and much better than my trusty old Cateye HL500!

Honestly, you do not need to break the bank. The Cateye HL-EL530 is one of the most popular they've made, and that costs £50. Yes, it isn't so bright that you can go as fast as you like without a care in the world, or go off-road, but as for the former I'm not so sure you should do that anyway!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-el530 ... ont-light/

elvis loved burgers

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/big_f_d_d/m.html?item=300787078148&pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&hash=item46084e9404&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Im using these, I got them last week, fantastic light.

centimani

You can (i do) move your computer to the back wheel in the winter for turbo work. It is a compromise if you have a wired computer, magnet on the back wheel, sensor on the seat stay, cable running up to somewhere near the top bar (unless youre lucky enough to have a long cable), then i tape the computer head somewhere out of the way.
It allows you (not easily on the go TBF) to see what mileage you did.

houndlegs

These have good feedback on another forum
http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/

unixnerd

Cree XML-T6 torches with 18650 batteries are perfect. Bought a pair with all the bits for 30 quid last week on ebay for a friend at work. With two of these I can ride happily at 30mph in pitch darkness. And if one dies I have a backup, don't ride with a single light source or tail light.

OwenB

houndlegs wrote:

These have good feedback on another forum
http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/

I've got one of the T6 1200 (claimed) lumen bike lights and last winter it was a total bonus to me to have that. I live in a rural area and most of my routes are totally unlit, it really helped me keep getting out and doing a bit. Can't remember the claimed run times but I've had well over two hours out of the medium setting without any worries and the medium setting is more than bright enough to ride by.

Ouija

tenbar wrote:

I bought an Ultrafire last week as a back up for my AYUPs. The Ultrafire doesn't work when the battery cover is screwed right in. It stops the switch working. You have to loosen it off for the light to work which will probably let water in if it's raining. Very low quality.

You need to tighten the inside of the tail cap up (the two depressions either side of the rear spring) and also avoid using protected 18650 batteries, which are longer (screwing the tail cap in crushes the longer battery, causing cracks to appear in the lithium).