Best lights for cummuting and training
piersj01
Posts: 32
Hi,
What do people recommend for the best lights for winter night training and commuting? I'm interested in good brightness but also good endurance on batteries and relatively light weight.
Cheers
What do people recommend for the best lights for winter night training and commuting? I'm interested in good brightness but also good endurance on batteries and relatively light weight.
Cheers
0
Comments
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What's your budget?
What type of roads do you ride on? By this I mean, do you need the lifts to help people see you or do you need a very bright one as you ride on roads with no lighting so you there need a brighter one.
I personally like the Cateye ones. I personally would buy the most expensive ones I could afford as they are likely to be brighter. I'd also look for ones with rechargeable batteries.0 -
Another vote for Cateye. Volt 800 and Rapid X.
You could get the 400, but the 800 gives you the option of very decent power when you need it, and double run time when you don't.
I Have have several Volts/Rapid X's and reliability/use-ability has been faultless (having previously had issues with another popular brand).0 -
501b in either a XP-L or XM-L2 LED, cost about a £5er, you'll need some 18650 lithium batteries (e.g old laptop battery) a charger (e.g. 18650 mobile power bank) and a couple of bits of Inner tube to mount them on the bars.
No single LED unit will be be brighter, or more efficient under £50
here :
http://www.dx.com/p/rustu-wf-501b-cree-xm-l2-t6-680lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-x-18650-202894#.VhttgUZ2KnM
or here:
http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S0237260 -
I have 2 front lights for night riding - I use cateye Nanoshot + or the Volt700 and I have one of those cheap Cree torches.
Both are as bright as each other, but the Cateye units focus the light better - the cree torches (I've got two) have a hotspot in the middle and quickly dim towards the edges.
I use two for a few reasons
1) I can use one to "Beam up"
2) Using the Cateye one on lower power most of the time gives me greater runtime overall
3) The cree doesn't give warning of power level and the battery I have doesn't last as long as the Cateye
4) The cree isn't as reliable - the first cree torch I had flicks between modes as I go over bumps (plenty of bumps around here) I've dismantled it and put it back together, it behaves for a bit then goes off again, I need to do a more pemament fix. The second cree torch seemed a bit more reliable, but it's doing similar, not quite as bad though.
5) The flash mode is rubbish - it's a strobe - way too quick and dazzles other road users - the Cateye units are more sedate - and are designed for bike use.
In all that time, my Cateye Nanoshot+ has been rocksolid and very reliable.
The only complaint I have on the Volt is that I haven't quite got around to learning the button presses to quickly switch between modes - I like being on high power on the nanoshot, one button press takes me to 1/2 power and the same button press takes me backup ... very handy if you need the brightness and meet an oncoming vehicle.
I will happily stick to using the Cateye/Cree combo - but if I had to stick to one type it would be a Cateye - or other branded equivalent ...0 -
@Slowbike - regarding point 4.
try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpQAvum0bM
On the hotspot issue, it really depends what LED they have. Earlier LEDs like the XRE, XPE and even the XPG were very hot spot prone, but the later XM-L2 and XP-L are better. A bit of opaque tape on the inside of the lense can improve this as can increasing the diameter of the whole in the reflector0 -
thanks - yes, I should go through and fix them properly ...
my point still stands - the torch, as sold, isn't reliable as a bike light.
I do know some people who use the separate light/powerpack and swear that that is reliable - one certainly seems to be on the rides I've done with them - but both have had issues with the powerpack becoming disconnected during the ride (probably partly user error in making sure they're securely fastened).
I can understand why people use them - they are cheap and bright - but the fact remains, unless you're good at(like!) diy - if you want a reliable light then you're best to pay to get a branded light.0 -
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On Strava.{/url}0 -
I appreciate mileage may vary and there is a lot of rubbish on ebay from china, but those I've had from http://www.lightmalls.com have been well made with good quality drivers. I've done lots of night MTB riding with them and never had one I couldn't fix. Plus its so easy to pop spare cells in your bag. I personally wont use those with a separate pack because the cells tend to be junk.
At £5 you can throw them away every and replace them with the latest LED each year.
I have XRE, MC-E, XM-L, XP-G XM-L2 and XP-L versions of the 501b. I've killed one XP-G dropping it and one MC-E (over driving it). The rest even the 5 year old X-RE versions are working fine.
for clarity CREE is the LED maker, not the light maker. 90% of the good branded lights today use CREE LEDs though often they use the older XP-G or XM-L LEDs, rather than the XM-L2 or XP-L leds.0 -
Yup - appreciate that ... partly why I use 2 lights on the front when night riding - in case one goes down ... and partly why I don't use 2 "cheap" torches on front - because I know my Cateye one will work until the battery runs out of charge - and then it warns you before that happens ...I appreciate mileage may vary and there is a lot of rubbish on ebay from china, but those I've had from http://www.lightmalls.com have been well made with good quality drivers. I've done lots of night MTB riding with them and never had one I couldn't fix. Plus its so easy to pop spare cells in your bag. I personally wont use those with a separate pack because the cells tend to be junk.
Noted about the junk cells ...
True - but tbh I've got better things to be doing than constantly repairing these new lights ! Started the evening club rides a month ago, charged up the Cateyes, popped one on the bars and the other in the jersey pocket ... rode off ... job done. Yes - it'd be handy to be able to take a spare battery with you - you can with the Volts - they're quite dear though ...At £5 you can throw them away every and replace them with the latest LED each year.
yup - the branded ones are using the same technology - it's not the technology you're paying for - it's the certainty of operation ...for clarity CREE is the LED maker, not the light maker. 90% of the good branded lights today use CREE LEDs though often they use the older XP-G or XM-L LEDs, rather than the XM-L2 or XP-L leds.
TBH, if I was doing a lot more night riding then I'd get a dynamo hub and light ... my friend has one and it's as good as my Cateye and lasts for a bit longer than you can ride for (it has a small storage capacity)0 -
Why do people that buy cheap cr@p have this compulsion to force the concept onto everyone else?
I have cree torches and bike lights (for MTB) and love them, but for road and commuting feel that branded/expensive lights are a much better option.
The OP did not even mention a budget, or being on one.
Just do as he asks and recommend on features/quality/usability etc rather than perceived value.
Let the OP spend his own money, rather than trying to spend it for him!0 -
Fwiw, I had a Lezyne macro drive (fantastic light, until it got stolen), a £20 eBay twin spot thing with external battery (great for a year or two until battery died) and now I'm onto a Magicshine 858 (great reviews, but still at the post office.......)0
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Fwiw, I had a Lezyne macro drive (fantastic light, until it got stolen), a £20 eBay twin spot thing with external battery (great for a year or two until battery died) and now I'm onto a Magicshine 858 (great reviews, but still at the post office.......)
Magicshine 858 seems like a great choice. Might get one myself.0 -
It's always the power packs that are the weak link. It's why I prefer lights with removable cells. You can get packs with removable cells though. The problem with the cheap lights is that the cells are often very old with new shrink wraps. Decent cells are going to cost at least £5 each unless you harvest them from laptop like I do.
However for road riding, two XM-L2 or XP-L Cree based lights running at an amp each will be easily bright enough and give you 2.5 hours run time with any decent Japanese 18650 cell0 -
It's always the power packs that are the weak link. It's why I prefer lights with removable cells. You can get packs with removable cells though. The problem with the cheap lights is that the cells are often very old with new shrink wraps. Decent cells are going to cost at least £5 each unless you harvest them from laptop like I do.
However for road riding, two XM-L2 or XP-L Cree based lights running at an amp each will be easily bright enough and give you 2.5 hours run time with any decent Japanese 18650 cell
Reckon these would be decent for £16? A few of my mates have recommended them.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00T4B4DNQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=AR8H8WF3NT7IA0 -
5000LM 2x CREE XM-L U2
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8.4v 6400mAh Battery Pack 4x18650,full charge will last more than 2 Hours
XM-L LED is quite old now - you can get the above with the XM-L2 now.
Its impossible to know you are getting a U2, its identical to the T6
XM-L v1 (released 3 years ago) is 975-1040LM in a U2 and 910-975LM in a T6 thats in Lab conditions so expect less.
I very much doubt the 18650s in that pack are 3.2Ah at 2A, which is what the head will need minimum.
Having said all that - its pretty cheap.
But the above is available in an XP-L for similar price:
http://www.lightmalls.com/new-black-solarstorm-x2-with-2-cree-xp-l-v5-led-4-mode-bike-headlight-bicycle-light-set-4-18650-battery-pack-included
or XM-L2
http://www.lightmalls.com/new-black-solarstorm-x2-with-2xcree-xm-l2-led-4-mode-bike-headlight-bicycle-light-set-4-18650-battery-pack-included0 -
I have a similar setup to Slowbike, except my main light is a Cree (I'm a cheapskate, ok?!) Ebay special. Mine also gives no warning when the battery is low and it only has to happen to you once when you are proper out in the country for it to make you think again.
I think the mental strobing of the Cree is good in certain conditions; there's a dual carriageway I sometimes commute on, often with a 2-3 mile tail back. I can ride down the middle of the two lanes heading my way fairly safely (I feel) and if I switch the strobe on it magically increases the separation between the two lines of cars.
I'd recommend anyone to have two lights front and rear; you can never be 100% sure they are not going to conk out on you one way or another.0 -
The reason these lights often have strobe (and SOS) is that they use the same standard drivers that go in the tactical torches that attach under the belly of a rifle. The purpose of the strobe is to disorientate and reduce the ability of the oncoming person to pick out where you are firing from.
Probably not a desirable feature on bike lights0 -
Hey, you lot burn everything in front of you with indiscriminate, unshaped blind-beams of cheap super torches, might as well go all they way and strobe.0
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I use hope r4 front and rear imo best lights out thereColnago c60 Eps super record 11
Pinarello F8 with sram etap0 -
The reason these lights often have strobe (and SOS) is that they use the same standard drivers that go in the tactical torches that attach under the belly of a rifle. The purpose of the strobe is to disorientate and reduce the ability of the oncoming person to pick out where you are firing from.
Probably not a desirable feature on bike lights
I once managed to accidentally activate the strobe function on my Fenix L2D when I was trying to angle it down for an oncoming vehicle. Clearly bewildered the driver because he brought his Range Rover to a complete halt. Certainly wouldn't recommend riding like that deliberately though...0 -
I wonder what would happen if the driver was epileptic and faced a cyclist who was riding with his/her lights on strobe?
My rear light (Stix Comp) has a nice slow pulsing glow effect that wouldn't annoy drivers. The front (Moon Meteor) has only two useful modes: always on or flashing. It also has two completely useless modes as mentioned earlier in this thread: SOS and strobe.0 -
I wonder what would happen if the driver was epileptic and faced a cyclist who was riding with his/her lights on strobe?
Don't think you'd be driving if you had that kind of epilepsy...0 -
I use hope r4 front and rear imo best lights out there
R4 may be overkill on the road - R1 at the front and two Moon Comets at the rear (one flashing) seems fine for me.Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
XM-057 rigid 29er0 -
two headlights are better than one imo - I'd rather have two lights pushing 250 lumen each than 1 with 600.0
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Agree with DIY. Two lights, front and back are a necessity. I wouldn't carry the spare in a pocket, either, I'd mount it on the bars and have it turned on at a low level.
Sure, the chances of an expensive light failing may be lower (although experience hasn't always been the case). But, as the phrase goes, "it's easier to engineer redundancy than reliability".
If a front light goes out (battery down, faulty link, you fall off your bike), and you only had that one light on, it can plunge you in to darkness. On unlit roads or trails you'll be lucky not to fall, on lit roads it leaves you very exposed to being hit.
A rear light failure can be just as dangerous as it's possible to go a whole ride before noticing... if you're not knocked off first.
For anyone who is doing serious rides in the dark (more than nipping to the shops, or finishing a commute at dusk) I'd recommend buying four lights and mounting two each front and back.0 -
and to answer the recommendations...
On the road I use this as my main light. Ultimate brightness wasn't as much of an issue, I wanted a compact light. I've done four hours with the light on medium, plenty to see with on unlit road up to 25mph, above that you want to go up to the brighter level... over 35 mph on unlit road I think you'd want a brighter light altogether, or probably two. Downside for me was that it can with a separate button, which take up more space on the bars. http://www.dx.com/p/trustfire-tr-d001-cree-xm-l2-t6-600lm-4-mode-white-bicycle-light-black-2-x-18650-330662#.Vii1in6rTcs
As backup on the front on the road I just a usb chargeable lifeline single led light. It does 30 lumen which is just enough to get you home. Out on the mtb I have a proper second light mounted on my helmet (helmet light not really suitable for traffic).
At the back I have a moon LX70 as the main light. However, I preferred the light output of the comet I had previously, although the total output was lower (i only ever set to full brightness for fog / mist in the daytime). Unfortunately I had two comets fail, but they have a new model now.
As back up for the rear I have two cheap rubber band mounted jobbie that run on watch batteries. One on the helmet, one on the seatpost. They usually last a year then I buy another couple. Get them off ebay for £2.0
