Night Rider - Front lighting dilemma

Supercell

I recently bought this Cateye EL530 And LD1100 Light Set and while the lights are nice and bright (the back light is really good all round have to say), the front light only gives a highly focussed beam so in front of my bike I have this small little circle thats lit up great and the rest is unlit completely.

I'd far rather something that has much greater light spill that lights up an area generally rather than one small area brightly. Of course everything brightly would be brilliant but that looks like it will cost huge euro.
Anyone have night riding front light recommendations?

DirkVoodoo

There was a good site that did actual luminosity tests with various lights. Excuse me while I try and google it....

Ok, cant find it. But it does seem that commuter lights offer a focused beam, whereas the (much) more expensive MTB options will flood an area with light like you want.

Is it for commuting, is the area free of any/all street lighting?

Supercell

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

There was a good site that did actual luminosity tests with various lights. Excuse me while I try and google it....

Ok, cant find it. But it does seem that commuter lights offer a focused beam, whereas the (much) more expensive MTB options will flood an area with light like you want.

Is it for commuting, is the area free of any/all street lighting?

Great, if you find that test than i'd love to see it

Trojan

I have a stupidly expensive L&M Arc and love it for late night riding. Wouldn't use it in city rush hour traffic though - too bright

DirkVoodoo

Nuts, sorry supercell, I have been unsuccessful.

I can, however, point you here CandlePowerForums

They seem to know their stuff about bike lights so maybe you can find one you like or post your plight there.

Gavin

Winter really is coming, second in a day.

Have a look at a Fenix l2d. i got one based on a recommendation on here and kenmc did too. How's yours going ken ?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055364963&highlight=fenix

There are cheaper options on dealextreme.com.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10727

That isn't as high quality as the fenix, but I haven't had any problems with it at all. Takes AA batteries.

This is also in the wiki too

kenmc

Verb wrote: »

Winter really is coming, second in a day.

Have a look at a Fenix l2d. i got one based on a recommendation on here and kenmc did too. How's yours going ken ?

Yeah mine is going well but there's still a bit too much light when I'm going home to really show it up - i have it on strobe now and can see it reflecting off cars, wing mirrors, signs etc.
Savagely bright, but heavy on the batteries though. Glad I got rechargables from dealextreme - really cheap.
Might get a second one for helmet mounting, to make eye contact with drivers..

btw, the smart 7 led rear light is a very bright light too,

Trojan

The Planet Bike rear LEDs are extremely bright too.

DurtyMurty

I have this Niteflux and I'm really pleased with it. I do a fair bit of night cycling on unlit country roads. The beam area is about right and the high beam setting is very good. On bright dry nights the low setting is adequate. The Lithium ion battery always lasts longer than I do, and is easily recharged - just plugs directly to the charger. Also doubles as an excellent general purpose flashlamp. Excellent sturdy construction.Unless you are doing very high speed or DH mountainbike stuff, I think you should find it adequate and good value for money

Just one thing to note: - it doesn't mount well on a stem as the swivel is only one direction (left to right) so it will point in the same direction as your stem This might work with a negative stem angle but it works best when bar mounted

If you feel you will need high power for rides longer than 2 hrs, thisis its big brother - with longer lasting battery


+1 to the review on CRC

TinyExplosions

Verb wrote: »

Winter really is coming, second in a day.

Have a look at a Fenix l2d. i got one based on a recommendation on here and kenmc did too. How's yours going ken ?

Ordered one myself the other day too, so I'd recommend it too

Supercell

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Ordered one myself the other day too, so I'd recommend it too

Have to admit a little drool escaped reading about that, think I have to have one

TinyExplosions

Supercell wrote: »

Have to admit a little drool escaped reading about that, think I have to have one

It can be the lighting equivalent of the Giant Bowery!

Chips Lovell

I got the Light & Motion Solo Logic recently. Haven't had much of a chance to use it yet, so I'll hold off on the full write up. On the plus side its very powerful, three brightness settings and a good 'spill'. Minus is that its pricey and needs a battery pack. Got a Blackburn Mars rear light as well, which I'm very impressed with.

Gavin

kenmc wrote: »

Yeah mine is going well but there's still a bit too much light when I'm going home to really show it up - i have it on strobe now and can see it reflecting off cars, wing mirrors, signs etc.
Savagely bright, but heavy on the batteries though. Glad I got rechargables from dealextreme - really cheap.
Might get a second one for helmet mounting, to make eye contact with drivers..

Go for a cycle up some unlit road, up three rock, or through the park at clonskeagh and you'll see how well it lights up pitch black.

I use the strobe on occasion, if someone is too far over on the left and is blocking my way, but otherwise I reckon it's too much on the road. The strobe is too fast, it could even be epilepsy inducing ! Usually I use high mode, so get four trips out of it before changing batteries, but yeah it does go through em.

For the helmet light, try one of the dealextreme ones above. Considerably cheaper and as good!

TinyExplosions

el tonto wrote: »

Got a Blackburn Mars rear light as well, which I'm very impressed with.

That's the rear light I ordered too!

Vélo

TinyExplosions wrote: »

That's the rear light I ordered too!

which one did you order 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0?

Supercell

Ok, deal done preordered me one of these Fenix Digital LD20 Black Premium Q5 lights and mounts.
Next month I shall hopefully be scaring car drivers in Bray

TinyExplosions

Aquinas73 wrote: »

which one did you order 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0?

The 3.0 -18eurobucks delivered is a bargain!

Chips Lovell

I got the 3.0 too.

5uspect

You know, I saw this thread title and I thought someone wanted a Knight Rider strobe for their car...

/runs away...

Vélo

OK I took you're advice I got the Blackburn Mars 3.0 and the Fenix light.

I also went for one wristband and one clip on light. (See below)





I'll certainly be lit up like a christmas tree.

kenmc

i HAD a blackburn mars 3 until it went missing - reckon someone pinched it in work . They were out of stock of them so went with the smart, every bit as bright and was only 5.99 sterling on wiggle when i got it. might get a second as a backup. damn good. also have a knog on my helmet

@verb, just ordered the dealextreme cree this morning, and a load more batteries! I know what you mean about the strobe - won't be using it in the dark, cos it'd be a bit surreal - kinda like in a niteclub when it comes on and everything goes in slow motion - not a good idea methinks!

zzzzzzzz

http://eddys.com/page.cfm?PageID=493

not sure if the lights are the latest models or what...

Raam

My rear light is a Blackburn Mars 3.0 also. I've had one nicked and bought another.
For the front, I run a light and motion Vega. Class.

Supercell

FWIW the posters on SmartCqandlePowerForums seem pretty impresed with this SUPERFLASH rear light.
I thought two are better than one so ordered one to go alongside my LD1100 (which they like too), I REALLY want to be seen at night!

Gavin

Supercell wrote: »

FWIW the posters on SmartCqandlePowerForums seem pretty impresed with this SUPERFLASH rear light.
I thought two are better than one so ordered one to go alongside my LD1100 (which they like too), I REALLY want to be seen at night!

Yeah I got two of those from wiggle alright. They are very good. I leave one on the bike running steady and one flashing on my bag. Got some AAA rechargables from dealextreme too.

Dealextreme is a dangerous site, there's too many ridiculously cheap gimmicks on it. It's heaven for someone who used to love going into pound shops

Trojan

Supercell wrote: »

FWIW the posters on SmartCqandlePowerForums seem pretty impresed with this SUPERFLASH rear light.
I thought two are better than one so ordered one to go alongside my LD1100 (which they like too), I REALLY want to be seen at night!

It's a rebranded Planet Bike Superflash. Probably the best tail light you can get without going to Dinotte.

Supercell

Verb wrote: »

Dealextreme is a dangerous site, there's too many ridiculously cheap gimmicks on it. It's heaven for someone who used to love going into pound shops

God don't I know it, I just love the stuff on there for insane prices compared to here , my credit card doesn't love it so much.

neilled

Hmm I got one of those cateye el 530's from high on bikes and was slightly disappointed in the amount of light it produced. I mean with all the hyped up advertising and all that. I've spotted a triple shot for about €100 and might go for it - over kill for the city i know but its tempting..........

Supercell

neilled wrote: »

Hmm I got one of those cateye el 530's from high on bikes and was slightly disappointed in the amount of light it produced. I mean with all the hyped up advertising and all that. I've spotted a triple shot for about €100 and might go for it - over kill for the city i know but its tempting..........

The 530 is frankly rubbish in terms odfd lighting the road, deffo would be useless in an area without street lighting. I suppose its good for traffic moving in the other direction though.
If you want brightness you could order one of these bad boys which I have as well as the Fenix I mentioned earlier (whoever mentioned dealextreme first has a lot to answer for!!). Its pretty hard to resist at that price, I'm gonna mount it on the bike as well and see how it works out.
Think though i might have more fun acting the maggot at night startling local cows and horses as i live in the middle of bogland.

Gavin

yeah, the ssc p7 c bin leds are seriously impressive bang for the buck. The MTE one is what I've seen more on the various forums as it is smaller than the trustfire. Poor runtime though, only around 1 hour with a 2500 mah 18650. But you are getting around 670 lumens or so (the manufacturer rating is ridiculous) and a massive flood. Numerous threads about the MTE on candlepowerforums, mtbr, bikeforums, bikeradar etc. When the more reputable manufacturers start using the SSC P7 and producing reliable 350 lumens or so with two hour run time, people will probably stop buying the 'bicycle' branded complete rip-off lights. Particularly for MTB as with the torch there is no external battery pack with dangerous dangling cords and mounting on helmets is easy.

New Cree leds on the way as well which should start knocking down prices and increasing the range of lights. I wish I knew how to do metalwork.. I must read up on CNC machines.