I'm after recommendations for lights.
PostieJohn
Posts: 1,105
Specifically front lights, preferably considerably less than £100, but still blooming bright for unlit country lanes.
Having looked around most sub sections I can't find any chatter about lights.
I assume that to mean I've missed an entire section devoted to them, but just in case I haven't I could do with some real recommendations.
Having gone down the usual route of buyers guides and on-line discounts I'm still none the wiser.
Too much choice with too many variations.
As said super bright, rechargeable & wireless would seem to be my simple wishlist.
Having looked around most sub sections I can't find any chatter about lights.
I assume that to mean I've missed an entire section devoted to them, but just in case I haven't I could do with some real recommendations.
Having gone down the usual route of buyers guides and on-line discounts I'm still none the wiser.
Too much choice with too many variations.
As said super bright, rechargeable & wireless would seem to be my simple wishlist.
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Have you looked at cree lights on Ebay, you can get a light and a charger for about £15.00 or so and they are bright enough for anything. No way would I pay loads out like £100. Also its bull about them exploding etc, mine have been fine.0
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Plenty of wire free, internal battery, USB rechargeable options out there now.
I've got a Sirius MK4 but not tested the 500 lumens on proper country lanes yet. For less money there is the Cateye Volt 700... there are now loads of similar lights with over 400+ lumens for your budget.0 -
Well I've been making do with a L2D Fenix torch I bought 7 years ago. 2 AA batteries; I get about 80 mins on full power which is about 180 lumens. Spare batteries are easy to carry / insert. It's just about bright enough to ride unlit roads / lanes I'm familiar with. Wouldn't be good enough for exploring new territory in the dark though.
However, it's still a torch. The beam does a lot of lighting up the trees, and needs to be angled down quite severely to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers. Much of the time I can tell it is annoying drivers, and all too often they think it's helpful to put their lights on main beam. It isn't.
The good news is that a lot has changed in the world of LED lights since I bought it.
There's now a selection of tiny, bright, rechargeable bike lights that would knock it into next week. Google some of these (the number generally refers to the max output in lumens, so they are all in the same ballpark):
Cateye Volt 800
Bontrager Ion 700
Niterider Lumina 750
Light & Motion Urban 800
Lezyne Macro Drive 600XL (and a bewildering range of higher and lower Lezyne models)
I'm also interested in the Busch & Muller Ixon IQ Premium, because it's shaped beam is compliant with German law and won't dazzle oncoming road users. Confusingly they describe the output in Lux (80 max) and reviews are a bit marmite. Some say it's near perfect, others say it's dangerously dim. One further attraction is the 4 1/2 hour run time on 4 x AA batteries. I might give one a whirl. The only downside is having to buy it from Germany to get a decent price, but these days that's as easy as any other online shopping.
If I commuted, or did a lot more night riding I think I'd just get a dynamo hubbed front wheel and decent dynamo lighting front and rear, but for my use I can't justify the expense.0 -
I think that's more than half my problem, too much choice.Plenty of wire free, internal battery, USB rechargeable options out there now.
I've got a Sirius MK4 but not tested the 500 lumens on proper country lanes yet. For less money there is the Cateye Volt 700... there are now loads of similar lights with over 400+ lumens for your budget.
Is 400+ lumens ok, some lights are 10 times that.0 -
I think that's more than half my problem, too much choice.Plenty of wire free, internal battery, USB rechargeable options out there now.
I've got a Sirius MK4 but not tested the 500 lumens on proper country lanes yet. For less money there is the Cateye Volt 700... there are now loads of similar lights with over 400+ lumens for your budget.
Is 400+ lumens ok, some lights are 10 times that.
I get the impression 600-800 is the current sweet spot re price vs lumens for road lights.
If I had a spare £250 I'd have the Exposure Strada Mk6...0 -
I think that's more than half my problem, too much choice.Plenty of wire free, internal battery, USB rechargeable options out there now.
I've got a Sirius MK4 but not tested the 500 lumens on proper country lanes yet. For less money there is the Cateye Volt 700... there are now loads of similar lights with over 400+ lumens for your budget.
Is 400+ lumens ok, some lights are 10 times that.
Around 500 lumens or more on a decent light will let you ride on pitch black country lanes. Just check how long they will run at the power you need. I use a leynze superdrive xl i got half price in a sale. It has a built in battery and charges via USB so is very handy.
The cheap chinese lights often exagerate their power output and how long they last by a large margin. They also suffer from very variable quality control. If you choose cheap lights buy a couple in case one cuts out. Also the often have external battery packs which are not waterproof and also need attaching to your bike.0 -
I'm glad you've written that.Also the often have external battery packs which are not waterproof and also need attaching to your bike.
I've been browsing ebay as per Dandelionclock30 and thought I was going nuts as I couldn't find any wireless lights.
As my winter hack has internal cabling they couldn't pay me enough to cable tie a light connection across the top tube.
#biketart0 -
the smart 700 is supposed to be pretty good and only £35 ish"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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I think that's more than half my problem, too much choice.Plenty of wire free, internal battery, USB rechargeable options out there now.
I've got a Sirius MK4 but not tested the 500 lumens on proper country lanes yet. For less money there is the Cateye Volt 700... there are now loads of similar lights with over 400+ lumens for your budget.
Is 400+ lumens ok, some lights are 10 times that.
I get the impression 600-800 is the current sweet spot re price vs lumens for road lights.
If I had a spare £250 I'd have the Exposure Strada Mk6...
Agree. One day I'll justify the Strada.
I cranked it upto 400 tonight in Richmond Park (no street lighting); more than enough so turned it back down. The beam pattern is road specific on the Sirius too.0 -
I use Lezyne Macro Drive lights, purchasing two front (one for 20-30m ahead and the other closer at around 10m) and two back, two years ago and they're still going strong. I also purchased numerous spare holders so can share across all three of my bikes and the missus road bike. They're USB rechargeable, so I re-charge on the Laptop in front of the TV along with the Garmin. They're also a great pocket size for using generally and so get used for far more than just cycling.
I also purchased a Cree and can't fault the power, but the comparatively bulky size, weight and fact the battery needs to be removed to be recharged in a specific charger makes it much less handy to use than the Lezyne and so it sits in my spares basket. Also almost being knocked off at the same roundabout twice in two weeks last year, I've also added a helmet mounted Cree to shine directly where I look. It might sound overkill, but I'd rather ride around looking like a Christmas tree and be seen than the alternative and I really don't like using the Turbo unless I absolutely have to.
http://road.cc/content/review/111356-lezyne-macro-drive-front-lightTim0 -
The new lezyne micro drives are worth a look, I've got the 300xl and the 400xl for commuting. Very bright and last a good time between charges depending on what mode you have them on, also got a moon comet in my backpack in case of emergency.0
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I do a lot of riding in the dark, commuting and general training rides. The training rides are on country lanes with no street lighting.
I use two front lights, the main light is a Bontrager Ion 700 (700 lumen). The second light is a knog blinder 3 (300 lumen). These are both small, lightweight and very easy to take off/put on. Both are USB chargeable.
The bontrager light is fantastic, it is definitely a "to see" light. Generally I use it on the normal setting, so not full beam, I get at least 30 miles of riding with it, this is interspersed by sections where I run it on full beam. I have the knog blinder on in flash mode, this is just out of habit. I did a test ride with the bontrager predominantly on full beam, I got over an hours life, I got home and it was still going strong, not sure how much longer it would have lasted.
When riding in built up areas, I switch to the knog blinder. This is mainly to conserve battery on the bontrager, may not be necessary, this is where I would be in a built up area for a few miles.
The bontrager has a nice little feature on the stand (rubber bit that connects to the bars), it allows you to turn the light about 25 degrees to the left, this gives you a better view of the road area you are in and also helps avoid blinding oncoming vehicles.
I would think 400 lumens in dark lanes might be a tad worrying, isn't the 400 when on full beam?
I've also used the Chinese eBay Cree lights. Worked we'll, great value. They were more like a general torch though, so the light wasn't as concentrated as the bontrager.0 -
I'd want more than 400 lumens for dark lanes at speed. I've had a Cateye Volt 1200 for a good while now, and I couldn't recommend it more highly. It has a broad beam that lights up the full road and gives you the confidence to zoom along. The hyper-constant mode is great in traffic where you want to get noticed and the overall package is neat and convenient for moving from bike to bike and charging. If I were to buy a new light now, I would probably go for the Volt 1600 because you can never have too many lumens for unlit roads IMO.
http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/Cateye/Volt-1200-Lumens-USB-Rechargeable-Front-Light/2V9H?gclid=CPyxhfWjscgCFYTnGwodd_ME2Q
I've had Magicshine type lights in the past, but these are just so much better for beam shape and convenience.0 -
I use 2 Cateye Volt 700 lights, compact don't take up much space on the bars and light weight. On high mode, 700 lumen is more than enough to light unlit roads sufficiently to ride safely at speed. I get around 2hrs 15mins out of mine run constantly on high mode, however I usually switch down to medium, 300 lumen if riding on well lit roads or use hyper-constant flash mode if there is a lot of traffic around.0
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I asked the same question a year ago - I settled for this after researching the options that were recommended - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-139357/wg_id-803
I wasn't disappointed. The link is for a front light and charger and is in stock. Approved for all bikes according to German road traffic regulations (StVZO).
Check out this review by a guy that is particular about his lights! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU0 -
I've got a MK3 Sirius mounted under the bars and a Lezyne MacroDuo on my helmet, both are 400 lumen lights. Previous to this I had a Cree light with seperate battery pack which was a PITA at times. Much better with the CFD set-up I have now.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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He does love his lights!!I asked the same question a year ago - I settled for this after researching the options that were recommended - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-139357/wg_id-803
I wasn't disappointed. The link is for a front light and charger and is in stock. Approved for all bikes according to German road traffic regulations (StVZO).
Check out this review by a guy that is particular about his lights! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
Although it's tough for me to chuckle at his commitment as I'm currently stroking my chin thinking 'oh he's done a good job there'.
So good in fact I think that's the one for me, thanks.0 -
At about 300 lumens, the Ixon IQ Premium is nowhere near bright enough for dark lanes IMO. Not convinced about the build quality either.0
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I also recommend this, on initially switching it on i was underwhelmed because it is not out and out powerfull like a torch or focused beam like most lights.I asked the same question a year ago - I settled for this after researching the options that were recommended - http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/busch-mueller-ixon-iq-premium-led-139357/wg_id-803
I wasn't disappointed. The link is for a front light and charger and is in stock. Approved for all bikes according to German road traffic regulations (StVZO).
Check out this review by a guy that is particular about his lights! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwM7vDvvGhU
But use it on dark country lanes it is superb. The beam pattern and smooth even light makes it easy for the eyes to focus. It is very much like a car headlight on low beam. The run time on full is very good, i put in a better set of rechargables than what came with it.
And importantly is very reliable and i have been out in very heavy rain with it over the whole of last winter.0 -
I have a light at 1000 lumens but the Ixon gives out much better light for dark country lanes. The light 300 lumens is purely focused on the road.At about 300 lumens, the Ixon IQ Premium is nowhere near bright enough for dark lanes IMO. Not convinced about the build quality either.0 -
I have a light at 1000 lumens but the Ixon gives out much better light for dark country lanes. The light 300 lumens is purely focused on the road.At about 300 lumens, the Ixon IQ Premium is nowhere near bright enough for dark lanes IMO. Not convinced about the build quality either.
See what I meant about the marmite reviews? People either rave about it or say it's not bright enough. I think I'm convinced by the detailed online reviews with beam shots and am going to give the Ixon a try.The other attraction is the optional fork crown mounting bracket, which will get it out from behind my annoying Shimano gear cables :evil:
Coincidentally yesterday my son cycled to school (teacher, not pupil) but was delayed coming back in the evening and it was getting gloomy. A colleague very generously lent him an Exposure Diablo for his return trip, so now I know what 1300 lumens looks like :shock: It's not a road-friendly beam shape though
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Whatever light you buy, please, don't be an abnoxious ignoramus, just leave the superbright, unfocused beam cheapsters alone. There is no need to blind and annoy everything facing you; there's plenty of choice from lezyne, moon, cateye etc that do not break the bank and are good0
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Well I've been making do with a L2D Fenix torch I bought 7 years ago. 2 AA batteries; I get about 80 mins on full power which is about 180 lumens. Spare batteries are easy to carry / insert. It's just about bright enough to ride unlit roads / lanes I'm familiar with. Wouldn't be good enough for exploring new territory in the dark though.
Keef I upgraded to the Fenix torch a few years back - blimey - was it 7 ? I was amazed at how awesome it was and so much better than the lights I'd had before. Mind you I go back to Everready Nightrider torches...
But then about a year later I got a cheapo Cree off ebay. It peed all over the Fenix. Go get one and be amazed. The fenix is still a great torch - I like to mount it on the helmet for night rides - so you have light where you are looking.
The cree really opens up night riding and no need to strain your eyes to see.0 -
Well I've been making do with a L2D Fenix torch I bought 7 years ago. 2 AA batteries; I get about 80 mins on full power which is about 180 lumens. Spare batteries are easy to carry / insert. It's just about bright enough to ride unlit roads / lanes I'm familiar with. Wouldn't be good enough for exploring new territory in the dark though.
Keef I upgraded to the Fenix torch a few years back - blimey - was it 7 ? I was amazed at how awesome it was and so much better than the lights I'd had before. Mind you I go back to Everready Nightrider torches...
But then about a year later I got a cheapo Cree off ebay. It peed all over the Fenix. Go get one and be amazed. The fenix is still a great torch - I like to mount it on the helmet for night rides - so you have light where you are looking.
The cree really opens up night riding and no need to strain your eyes to see.
But I find if I point the Fenix far enough down the road to ride at a sensible speed, it's also dazzling oncoming drivers. Would be even more of a problem with a brighter torch with a similarly circular beam. That's what I thought when I had a go with the Exposure Diablo last night. Jesus it produces a lot of light, and it would be brilliant for riding on closed roads with no traffic, but I cannot imagine using it around other road users. It's either going to be producing a blindingly bright pool of light just in front of the bike, or pointing further ahead and blinding everyone else.
That's why I'm going to give the B&M Ixon IQ Premium a go.0 -
Might want to try the Fenix BC30 (not BC30R) all in one light.
Collomated lenses for a wide smooth beam with a upper cut off (shine it on a wall and you get a circular beam with the upper half lopped off and refocused down just below the central spot) so that drivers get a reduced amount of light shining at them. 1200lumen on high with a 1800 lumen toggle option on the remote switch (you can replace this with a latching switch if you get tired of holding it for the extra light).
Quite possibly one of the brightest twin emitter lights you'll ever see (and i own loads and loads of Chinese XM-L based lights to compare it against). You will have to buy your own 18650 batteries and charger for it (preferably flat topped batteries rather than button topped as these are easier to get in and out of the caddy).
It's a great beam pattern. Only the B&M mentioned above can do better with shaped beams but that light is quite big and uses standard batteries that don't really have the capacity or voltage of modern Li-Ion style batteries (so runs dimmer for shorter time spans). I'd rate the Fenix above the Lezyne equivalents which tend to be dimmer, more expensive and don't have some of the options of the Fenix.0 -
Might want to try the Fenix BC30 (not BC30R) all in one light.
It's a great beam pattern. Only the B&M mentioned above can do better with shaped beams but that light is quite big and uses standard batteries that don't really have the capacity or voltage of modern Li-Ion style batteries (so runs dimmer for shorter time spans). I'd rate the Fenix above the Lezyne equivalents which tend to be dimmer, more expensive and don't have some of the options of the Fenix.
The B&M runs on rechargeable AA batteries (cheap and readily available) which for me have lasted a very long time, and gives a very long run time on full beam so not sure what more you want?0 -
Might want to try the Fenix BC30 (not BC30R) all in one light.
Collomated lenses for a wide smooth beam with a upper cut off (shine it on a wall and you get a circular beam with the upper half lopped off and refocused down just below the central spot) so that drivers get a reduced amount of light shining at them. 1200lumen on high with a 1800 lumen toggle option on the remote switch (you can replace this with a latching switch if you get tired of holding it for the extra light).
Quite possibly one of the brightest twin emitter lights you'll ever see (and i own loads and loads of Chinese XM-L based lights to compare it against). You will have to buy your own 18650 batteries and charger for it (preferably flat topped batteries rather than button topped as these are easier to get in and out of the caddy).
It's a great beam pattern. Only the B&M mentioned above can do better with shaped beams but that light is quite big and uses standard batteries that don't really have the capacity or voltage of modern Li-Ion style batteries (so runs dimmer for shorter time spans). I'd rate the Fenix above the Lezyne equivalents which tend to be dimmer, more expensive and don't have some of the options of the Fenix.
Size:126.7mm*50mm*31.8mm
Weight:419g
I don't consider myself a weight weenie, but no wonder this does not come with a helmet mount ^ ^0 -
It weighs 275g with batteries and mount. The ebay listing is for the weight of everything (the box it comes in etc).0
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Thanks for clarifying.0
