rechargeable light run time /warning lights

t4tomo

So I have a moon crescent light that lasts me most of the week between recharges on a 1-1.5 hours run time per day depending on which station I travel to. The warning light that its running low is only visible looking at the light (not that useful when you are riding) and once it starts flashing you have a about 15 minutes before it just goes off.

I also have a Lezyne Micro drive which the warning light if fully visible and turns from green orange after 1-1.5 hours run time (on flashing mode), however after leaving it on most of the morning it then goes red after about another 1.5 hours and still runs for at least an hour after that. I had been cursing its crap run time and rercharging it whenever it hit arnage but it seems its not as bad as it appears.

rjsterry

Got caught out a couple of times with my new Knog Blinder. Now know to recharge twice a week rather than wait for the light. A graded warning would be better, but I think with a bright light and 1-1:15hrs run per night, it's always going to need charging frequently.

mtb-idle

I've only just moved from a Cateye with about 11 and half lumens that I've used for the past three winters to a Lezyne Super Drive XL with 500 lumens (literally: first ride in with it this morning) so I'm still amazed at being able to see things.

My solution is to leave the Cateye on the bike in case of emergencies. I've also just realised that my Blackberry charger which I leave permanently on my desk at work fits and charges the Lezyne, yay! :P

Kieran_Burns

My Magicshine has a level indicator but I think it uses a Microsoft OS to estimate the run time. It can be green (full) blue (75%) amber (50%) red (25%) at random intervals during the same ride, and then flick back to green / blue when y you get home.

Still better than the Hope that just flicks over to flash mode (vision 2) or off (Vision 1) when it wants to.

bdave262000

MTB-Idle wrote:

I've only just moved from a Cateye with about 11 and half lumens that I've used for the past three winters to a Lezyne Super Drive XL with 500 lumens (literally: first ride in with it this morning) so I'm still amazed at being able to see things.

My solution is to leave the Cateye on the bike in case of emergencies. I've also just realised that my Blackberry charger which I leave permanently on my desk at work fits and charges the Lezyne, yay! :P

I've had the Lezyne superdrive XL for over a year and am very pleased with it. I do the same thing with the Blackberry charger but also charge it up overnight at home. The only thing is to make sure its locked into the holding bracket, I've had it fly off a few times but it still works fine.

MonkeyMonster

My blackburn fleas are being a bit crappy and seem to badly suffer in the cold and I have to charge them more often than i'd like - every 2-3 days. 6 hours run time supposedly...

t4tomo

so it appear most rechargeables have their foibles.

must admit likeing the lezyne more now I know I have a red zone as well as the amber (guess I should have read the manual!) plus it plugs straight into the USB port (no cable).

always have a back up light front and back too, just in case.

MisterMuncher

Lezyne lights are pretty good, but all the ones with replaceable batteries I've used seem very sensitive to different batteries. 3 Lezyne branded cells of the same age consistently running for 8, 5 and 3 hours from a full charge in my Power Drive XL.

Meanwhile, my Femto is apparently operating on voodoo, having lasted since November, with at least 4 dark commutes a week.

meanredspider

AyUps - never managed to run them out.... 8)

veronese68

Seeing this thread just reminded me to plug my light in, thank you.

UndercoverElephant

Veronese68 wrote:

Seeing this thread just reminded me to plug my light in, thank you.

Seeing this thread just reminded me to feel smug that I have a dynamo light.

roger_merriman

I have a exposure flare which becomes dimmer, but my commute is a whole 17mins or least can be and risk from traffic is very low.

With a longer commute a cheap blinkie would seem wise, the halfords own brand seem to be industuctable and last for months.

fossyant

What you riding just 17 minutes for eh ? A real cyclist goes the long way home. Tish !

roger_merriman

fossyant wrote:

What you riding just 17 minutes for eh ? A real cyclist goes the long way home. Tish !

indeed! did tend to loop around, but 17mins is handy when you realize the light is dim or your just shattered or what ever.

il_principe

Exposure Traces are decent. When you turn the light off you a green, orange or red light blinks on briefly to show the charge levels. They're USB so just get plugged into the PC at work as and when.

Applespider

Kieran_Burns wrote:

My Magicshine has a level indicator but I think it uses a Microsoft OS to estimate the run time. It can be green (full) blue (75%) amber (50%) red (25%) at random intervals during the same ride, and then flick back to green / blue when y you get home.

Nothing perhaps to do with temperature. I know my lights vary enormously depending on what temperature it is outside. I can end up with my warning light on after a chilly morning cycle and then make it all the way home at night when it's a little warmer without the warning coming on.

I was in Finland last week where it was -27C on occasion and watching how fast iPhone/camera batteries would discharge and then suddenly come back to life when you went indoors was surprising.

Gallywomack

Find similar with my Lezyne mini drive. The indicator light goes orangey-red quite quickly (say after 1-1.5 hours on constant low power), but that still gives you about the same length of time before it'll actually give out. Decent little light, it's not going to blind anyone and the flash mode is a bit crap (weird slow tempo), but it's very durable - it came off the other week when I was doing around 30mph down Bromley Hill, due to me absent-mindedly not putting it back on properly after using it to hunt round my garage for something, and it survived with little more than a few scuffs. I thought it'd be a goner for sure.