anyone used reelights ?

souter

Winter approaching, mudguards went on *long* ago, now time to get new lighting. Considerring these:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/product/sl100-flash-compact-28244
as a backup, anyone have any experience with them?

I remember the old wheel rubbing dynamo from my youth, whirr,whirrrr,whirrrrr,wheeeewheeee then POP as the bulb blows when you're flying downhill.

I presume circuitry and LEDs have advanced since those days and will be able to survive my awsome velocity?

Morgan

I've seen these on a few bikes and without exception they look awful. Aesthetics aside - they aren't particularly bright, they're too low down and as the review mentions - they stop when you stop. They're definitely not suitable to use as your only light.

A set of good quality LED lights (Cateye, Smart etc) would be many times better. Dynamos have also come a long way - either hub dynamos or traditional bottle ones.

souter

ta morgan. I wouldn't be too hung up on aesthetics, plus there is a version (sl120) which gives a few minutes output from it's capacitor.
Definitely not for primary system, for that I'll be going for the fenix yoke everyone here raves about, http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055380967&highlight=fenix

DirkVoodoo

Backup lights? You get over a hundred hours out of most LED lights these days and should replace the batteries once they begin to dim (better yet, get a good set of rechargable ones). Unless you lose them, or as I did, catch them in a door, I don't really think you need any other backup light than a second set of your current ones.

mr potato head

Saw them at Eurobike, as Morgan says they are very low down.

There are three versions:

one that only runs while you're moving... front light 30 candela, back 10 candela

One that stays going for 2min after you stop ... front light 30 candela, back 10 candela

Last on is brighter but also only runs while you're moving... front light 30 candela, back 20 candela, (it says you can add extra magnets to make this one brighter)

(the danish guy on the stand i was talking to used live in Dublin, he said he worked in Lucan and commuted from blanch by bike.... its a small world)

blorg

I think they are a good idea, at least as a backup. The Bicing bike rental scheme in Barcelona uses this system as its only lighting.

cyco

i've put 4 sets on a few bikes around the house and reelight's are great. No noticeable friction at all. And the lights are at least as bright as a standard 3 led light. You can get a version of then with a capacitor to keep flashing when you stop but in my experience they are more problematic. Also running a nexus front hub dynamo and hub brake and it's also good but heavier and not but not as simple as the reelights i'd recommend the non capacitor version.

cyco

also have a lovely busch and muller lumotec retro front lamp. Looks old, works new. Perfect for the hub gear and stays on when you stop

souter

Just about persuaded myself to lash out on these - the no battery thing is good for the environment maannnn. The fly in the ointment is I pretty much always travel with 2 panniers, so the rear light would be invisible down on the axle. So close but no cigar.

cyco

i use them with a pannier without a problem. they do stick out a little behind the bike and are actually lower down than my ortlieb pannier