Start-up gear: Advice please!

Tiriel

Hoping to start cycling to work - have bike but need accesssories including: helmet, lock, lights and raingear.

Any pointers on what to spend and where? Any particular shops to avoid etc.? Obviously would rather not spend a fortune

Thanks

Deisetrek

Cork_girl wrote: »

Hoping to start cycling to work - have bike but need accesssories including: helmet, lock, lights and raingear.

Any pointers on what to spend and where? Any particular shops to avoid etc.? Obviously would rather not spend a fortune

Thanks

If I was you I'd log onto chain reaction cycles and shop for the above ( which are incidentally the bare essentials ) . They have free delivery in the Rep of Ireland, and are super fast . For an experiment on saturday , went to Halford's here in Waterford , priced 2 Continental gator skin tyres , an 8 speed sram cassette and an 8 sp sram chain......total 131 euros . With CRC the same items came to 85 euros , huge difference . Top quality lights can be pricey but you can buy "bog standard" one's on Ebay for half nothing

Lumen

After a "trial run" using accessories from Halfords and another LBS, I sold the lot with my old bike and started again.

As far as lights and locks are concerned, do your research and don't just buy what's on offer from the LBS - this could result in wasted money and/or a stolen bike.

The hardest choice is a front light - there seems to be no limit on how much you can spend, there is a trade-off between visibility (who can see you) and illumination (what you can see). In the city visibility is more important. It's possible to convince yourself you need ever more illumination. If you want to save but stay seen, use two cheapish front lights - one on bike and one on helmet for eyeballing side traffic. My bikehut (Halfords) front light was actually fine for visibility, but I plan to ride at night so wanted decent illumination. Arguably defensive riding is more important than being "lit up like a Christmas tree".

Rear lights are easier, since they are relatively cheap.

A mini u-lock is supposed to be harder to lever/jack open than a full size one, but may not lock more than the frame - I've got locking skewers to deter thieving of wheels. Chains are easy to boltcrop unless you spend a fortune on some 4kg monster.

I've mostly used bikeradar and wiggle to research accessories, and came up with:

Exposure Joystick MaXx 2 Front Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Exposure_Joystick_MaXx_2_Wiggle_Front_Light/5360037879/

Blackburn Mars 4.0 Safety Rear Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Blackburn_Mars_40_Safety_Rear_Light/5360037937/

Kryptonite - New York Fahgettaboudit Mini lock
http://www.petracycles.co.uk/york-fahgettaboudit-mini-lock-p-10160.html

Still waiting on delivery of these...

t5pwr

I use chainreaction cycles a lot and they are brilliant.

The only problem is that you will need to know your size in anything you are getting. It's good to go into a shop and try things on that you can get at chainreaction. I have never had a problem with them even when returning stuff and their delivery times are really good and free

Tiriel

I suppose for the moment, I can't afford to spend too much and kind of want to get moving. No point in the bike sitting there. It's not a big cycle - c.2miles each way - morning and evening across Dublin city centre. So light wise, it's really just for safety and not for illumination.

Would something like this do to get me up and running? Link I have a hi-vis vest.

Lumen

Can't argue with the price, but I have a (possibly ill-founded) fear of "death from behind". If I'm going to get squished I'd rather see it coming.

Maybe spend a bit more on a rear light:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9112

72hundred

Cork_girl wrote: »

I suppose for the moment, I can't afford to spend too much and kind of want to get moving. No point in the bike sitting there. It's not a big cycle - c.2miles each way - morning and evening across Dublin city centre. So light wise, it's really just for safety and not for illumination.

Would something like this do to get me up and running? Link I have a hi-vis vest.

But some money into proper lights.

Although those would probably do for safety - if you do find out that they don't work great it'll be a little late! (Cool that rhymes! :rolleyes:)

I'd spend €50 on-line for some lights. That should get some decent quality that could cost €75 in LBS.

Also from your opening post it looks like you're getting into / back to cycling - all the more reason to as visible as possible.

72oo

Tiriel

Lumen wrote: »

Maybe spend a bit more on a rear light:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9112

Yes I agree!! Was looking at that alright but it's not in stock until the 10th October, plus delivery time then. Was hoping to get on the road sooner!

How about Link for rear light and
Link for the front?

Oh and this Helmet? Or this one: Link

I have a small head !!

Lumen

If your budget for lights is £32 (€40), how about:

Blackburn Mars 3.0 LED Safety Rear Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Blackburn_Mars_30_LED_Safety_Rear_Light/5360020250/
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/back/product/mars-30-rear-light-29565
€15.68

Cateye EL135 Front Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Cateye_EL135_Front_Light/5360025763/
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/el-135-3-led-light-16634
€20.92

Both good brands.

Wiggle delivered stuff to me in 48 hours last week, but that was "priority dispatch".

Tiriel

Lumen wrote: »

If your budget for lights is £32 (€40), how about:

Blackburn Mars 3.0 LED Safety Rear Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Blackburn_Mars_30_LED_Safety_Rear_Light/5360020250/
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/back/product/mars-30-rear-light-29565
€15.68

Cateye EL135 Front Light
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Cateye_EL135_Front_Light/5360025763/
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/el-135-3-led-light-16634
€20.92

Both good brands.

Wiggle delivered stuff to me in 48 hours last week, but that was "priority dispatch".

Ok thanks! Will get both of those from Wiggle

Gavin

For a helmet, go into a bike shop. It's important that the helmet fits properly. You could check size and model in the shop and then buy online if you are particularly stuck for cash.

The best rear light for the money is either the blackburn mars 3.0 or the Smart 1/2 watt.

Front light, the exposure maxx is ludicrous money for what you are getting. The cateye front lights are decent.

Don't get too excited about having everything perfect. You'll know yourself if the lights are bright enough. Search through the forum for the recommended bits and pieces when you decide to spend more money. Also have a look at the wiki, http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Category:Cycling

Aquos76

Lumen wrote: »

Wiggle delivered stuff to me in 48 hours last week, but that was "priority dispatch".

I ordered stuff from them on Monday evening last week and had all my order on Friday morning. I used their standard free delivery service.

Lumen

Verb wrote: »

Front light, the exposure maxx is ludicrous money for what you are getting.

Possibly. I was attracted by the compactness of the design, which allows helmet-mounting if I go completely mental and upgrade the main lights further.

Tiriel

Verb wrote: »

For a helmet, go into a bike shop. It's important that the helmet fits properly. You could check size and model in the shop and then buy online if you are particularly stuck for cash.

Front light, the exposure maxx is ludicrous money for what you are getting. The cateye front lights are decent.

Don't get too excited about having everything perfect. You'll know yourself if the lights are bright enough. Search through the forum for the recommended bits and pieces when you decide to spend more money. Also have a look at the wiki, http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Category:Cycling

Thanks, I really just want to get enough to get me going. Want to be safe - but also there's no point pumping money into it only to find I don't end up using it. Makes sense about the helmet - will pop into town tomorrow, there's a bike shop on Parnell St. I could see what they have.

With regards to a lock - any tips? It will usually be locked in a courtyard or my backyard - rarely on the street unless popping into shop for a bit. To/from work is the main thing really.

Lumen

Cork_girl wrote: »

With regards to a lock - any tips? It will usually be locked in a courtyard or my backyard - rarely on the street unless popping into shop for a bit. To/from work is the main thing really.

Off-street is a mixed blessing. It makes the bike less likely to be discovered, but gives the thief more privacy to break the lock.

Spending money on locks is depressing. A bike is nickable no matter what you buy, it's just a deterrent. Even if you get a expensive, heavy lock the thief may just remove whatever it's attached to.

I covered my last bike with ugly reflective tape from Halfords in an attempt to make it less appealing.

Gavin

Good locks cost a bit unfortunately. If it's going to be in a fixed location a lot of the time, best bet is a heavy chain left at the location. Carry a u-lock around with you.

Kryptonite, Abus are good brands.

http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Locks_%26_Security

Tiriel

Great advice - thanks lads. It's a gated courtyard, with security code, overlooked by offices. So it's public enough and I haven't heard of any bikes stolen since I've started working here, so fingers crossed!

The bike isn't worth that much either, though I know I'd be raging if it wasn't there any evening going home! Think I'll order this one from Wiggle now, with the lights. Link

SetOverSet

I have a spare Treloc U-Lock in work that's only a couple of months old. Retails for c. €44. You can it for €25 if you like? I work in the city centre if you wanna have a look at it

Ste

FrankGrimes

That savagely expensive front light has me intrigued - just what extra do you get for the money? http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Exposure_Joystick_MaXx_2_Wiggle_Front_Light/5360037879/

Since getting back commuting, I've felt my journey is darker than I recall so I'd be happy to spend money on anything that makes me safer, but I'm wondering if I can justify such a spend for commuting (I'd rarely do any other cycling after dark).

I think that having your head lit up in some way can only be a good thing as people coming out from your left (peds and cars) would be more likely to see you if there's a parked car between you and them if they can see a light on your head. I strapped a hi-viz strip that has flashing LEDs sown into it to my helmet, not great but I feel it helps. I do like that the expensive light above has a helmet mounting kit, anyone used it?

This one has a helmet mount too and sounds like a good powered light but is pricey at €98 and this Cateye one also looks good for €62 with the option to get this one with rechargeable batteries for an extra €26 (€88).

Seems like all the above would be decent lights, just wondering if anyone has experience with any of these?

Lumen

FrankGrimes wrote: »

That savagely expensive front light has me intrigued - just what extra do you get for the money?

It's very difficult to tell from the specs. Cheap lights quote candlepower. Expensive lights quote lumens. These are impossible to compare. Either may mention watts.

Expensive lights include rechargable batteries (lithium ion and occasionally lithium polymer).

The Hope is half the price of the Exposure, but does not include batteries. However, li-ion rechargable batteries are not expensive, although you probably won't get quite the same burn time (Exposure 3hr vs Hope 2:45, both at max= 240 lumen).

If you want to go really mental, look at the Lupine Betty range - 23W, 1500 Lumens. The same light output from different models, just different capacity batteries.

Anyway, here's a question: does anyone bother with "always on" settings in town, or is flashing mode preferable/acceptable?

Gavin

Search through the forum for lights and have a look at the wiki.

In short, led torches are a good alternative to bicycle specific lighting. Anything with a Cree Q5, R2 , MCE leds or a Seoul P7 will be bright. The bicycle light systems are slower to develop and cost more money, a lot of them use outdated luxeon leds as that was top of the line when they were designed. Torches have a much higher turn around time and so are continuously updated with the latest and greatest leds. Cheap decent brands are ultrafire, romisen, mte. A higher quality brand is Fenix.

You get far more lumens per dollar with these options. There is also no external cable battery pack. Runtime is reasonable. Fenix l2d , Q5, is around 2.5 hours at 180 lumens. Ultrafire R2 lights with 18650 batteries give around 200 lumens for 2 hours. P7 torch gives around 600 lumens for around 1 hour with an 18650. Lumens and Luxeons are useful measurements of light.

Re lights blinking or not. You are required by law to have steady lights on the bike, front and rear. Irrespective of that, a constant light makes it easier to determine the distance and speed of the bicycle. I have constant front and rear lights and an additional flashing rear light.

I should really start adding all this to the wiki at some point.

Lumen

Doh! Should have read the wiki.

This crowd do EU shipping for £4:

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix-tk11.html

Looks quite similar to the Exposure, only a third of the price, almost the same lumens but 50g heavier (not sure if that includes battery weight).

Any opinions on usefulness of helmet mounting?

Gavin

I have used velcro straps to attach it to my helmet. Luckily the vents are forward facing, so the torch sits nicely on the helmet with the straps. Very light, not uncomfortable and completely solid. I'll get a photo next time.

The other option people use is a twofish bikeblock on the helmet, but this raises the torch quite high.

That TK11 is a quality torch actually. With fenix you can actually trust that you are getting the lumens advertised.

also have a look at fenix-store.com
free shipping and dollars so a bit better than sterling. maybe.

Lumen

Hmm, always nervous about shipping from US, due to import duty.

Decent range here too:

http://www.thephotonshop.co.uk/page39.htm

That one features a "devastating 650 lumen 12Hz Tactical strobe" if you feel the need to create a major pileup on the way to work.

FrankGrimes

Mmmm, that TK11 does look like a good one alright, not that I'd know much about the specs.

It doesn't appear to come with batteries and doesn't appear to accept AA or AAA batteries though, so would I have to buy specific Li-ion batteries and a recharger for them (I have a Ni-Mh charger but doubt it works with Li-ion)?

The bike mount for £7 on the Fenix site might be worth it, though I'd be interested in picking up a longer velcro strap to use it on my helmet - that way I could bike mount or helmet mount.

I have another LED torch which is decent enough and would leave one on the bike one on the helmet, one flashing, one constant.

MadHatter

FrankGrimes wrote: »

and this Cateye one also looks good for €62

That's the light I use, it's a very good unit. I started off with a more basic Cateye, but this was useless for cycling through the Phoenix Park on dark evenings, so I upgraded to above. Low beam is perfect for in and around town and you just need to be seen, high beam when you need to light up the road/path.

But it may be overkill if you only cycling around city streets.

Tiriel

SetOverSet wrote: »

I have a spare Treloc U-Lock in work that's only a couple of months old. Retails for c. €44. You can it for €25 if you like? I work in the city centre if you wanna have a look at it

Ste

Thanks for the offer but I picked up a lock earlier Thanks for all the advice - appreciate it

Gavin

FrankGrimes wrote: »

It doesn't appear to come with batteries and doesn't appear to accept AA or AAA batteries though, so would I have to buy specific Li-ion batteries and a recharger for them (I have a Ni-Mh charger but doubt it works with Li-ion)?

The Fenix l2d takes AA batteries if you prefer, although once you settle on a particular set of rechargable batteries and charger, it doesn't really make a difference what type they are.

Gavin

Lumen wrote: »

Hmm, always nervous about shipping from US, due to import duty.

Decent range here too:

http://www.thephotonshop.co.uk/page39.htm

That one features a "devastating 650 lumen 12Hz Tactical strobe" if you feel the need to create a major pileup on the way to work.

dealextreme.com and kaidomain.com have a massive range of lights. Be warned though, it's like going into a pound shop, but with free delivery and a credit card. One can buy an awful lot of stuff and get slightly carried away.

67AQUALUNG

Be careful when buying raingear. some waterproof jackets can make you overheat very fast and are unbreathable. You can end up wetter because of condensation on inside of rainjacket.

drcopernicus

I recommend a second (lighter, less expensive) lock in town as it sends the opportunistic city-centre thief on to the next, less time-consumingly secure bike.

I also recommend a buying a couple of spare tubes straight away. Always keep one in your backpack so that you can simply swap out the tubes if you get a puncture. You can repair when you get home.

If you get a puncture in town and you don't have a spare tube and (tyre levers - approx €1.50 ea), you may have to lock the bike and go back for it after work. And if you didn't have two locks, the bike might be gone. For the sake of 20 quid.

FrankGrimes

I think I'm going to go for the Fenix TK11 as it looks like an excellent light that I could use on and off the bike. I'll get the bike kit to mount it to my bike and then try to find a way of mounting my existing LED (that's about the length and width of a penknife) to my helmet - any ideas? Any suggestions where I could pick up some velcro strips - am sure they'd do the job?

I'll want to get 2 Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries for the TK11 so I always have one ready to go. It seems the 18650 batteries are the way to go and I'll probably for for the pair of 2400mAh ones on this page.

Not sure if the dual bay charger on that page would do or if I should go for the Ultrafire charger which has independent channels? The dual bay package with 2 x 2200mAh batteries for £26.50 would seem to be a decent option if it would do the job.

Gavin

Just this morning I bought a MTE SSC P7 900-Lumen 5-Mode Super LED Flashlight (18650) for $43.15

It's more like 600 lumens. Plan is to use it for nightime mtb in conjunction with a fenix l2d and some Ultrafire C5's I already have. At some point.

I got 4 x TrustFire Protected 18650 Lithium Battery for 20 dollars and a Digital Li-Ion 18650 Battery Charger for $8.44

Dealextreme is good, with free delivery but you do need to be cautious of stuff taking a while to get delivered or going out of stock all of a sudden.

Lumen

Verb, do you think the brightness and flood characteristics on that MTE SSC P7 are too much for road use?

I almost burned my eyes out whilst aligning the Exposure light which arrived last night, and that has only 240 claimed lumens. (It is a thing of beauty though, cost-effectiveness aside).

Gavin

Lumen wrote: »

Verb, do you think the brightness and flood characteristics on that MTE SSC P7 are too much for road use?

I almost burned my eyes out whilst aligning the Exposure light which arrived last night, and that has only 240 claimed lumens. (It is a thing of beauty though, cost-effectiveness aside).

From what I've read, the MTE isn't particularly suitable for road use, no. It's just a massive flood of light. Handy for close range, relatively slow, technical singletrack. On road greater speeds need more focused lights with greater throw. The TK11 and your exposure light are more in that line I suspect. I'll have my fenix l2d on the helmet for the throw when going a bit faster to see ahead.

It would be interesting to compare shots of the exposure versus the TK11 alright. After a quick search, I can't find any comparison shots on the major sites. Maybe if Grimesy gets his tk11 we could do a comparison !

Lumen

Verb wrote: »

It would be interesting to compare shots of the exposure versus the TK11 alright. After a quick search, I can't find any comparison shots on the major sites. Maybe if Grimesy gets his tk11 we could do a comparison !

Indeed - a "boards lights shootout" would be interesting.

FrankGrimes

Verb - have you actually gotten your hands on that dealextreme stuff and used the batteris and charger enough to know for sure that they're decent?

I've pretty much given up on dealextreme due to the sheer randomness of the quality, it's real hit and miss - some products are great bargains others are such poor quality they're not even worth $1. I bought a few cheap bike lights off them a while back but they were muck or didn't work at all. They make their customer support so much hassle I just gave up.

That said, I've rarely ordered anything over $15 from them as I thought it was too much of a risk, but if someone like yourself has a good experience with it I might give it a shot.

Gavin

I've bought a few bits and pieces alright. I got an Ultrafire C3 which I was happy with, so bought a second.

I've bought one or two other small cheap torches off them too. One torch was meant to be AAA but turned out to be a CR123a. I was going to send it back, but it turned out it was more expensive, so just left it. I bought AA rechargeable batteries and charger and was happy with those.

I only ordered the 18650 stuff today though.

In general I think they are ok and you do get a refund if stuff causes trouble. The big common complaint is stuff going out of stock when ordered and long delivery times, but I haven't had that problem yet.

The price saving on the 18650 batteries and charger is so much compared to the UK places, I'm happy enough to live with the wait and take the risk. I'd probably buy the torch itself closer to home, just to save hassle.

FrankGrimes

Reckon I'll give it a shot and order a torch and some batteries off dealextreme so. Am thinking that if the torch isn't bright enough I can probably order a second one and that'll give me what I need for less than the cost of the TK11.

Will go with a 18650 torch, dx prices on those batteries and chargers seem good so will chance it (hope they have the right protections etc.).

The choice on dx is a bit overwhelming, will probably restrict it to ones that have a good few positive reviews. For cycling what should I be looking for? Was thinking 2 modes would be good and not too bulky either, but is it throw I'm looking for or a certain level of output to go for?

Verb, how did you mount your torch on your bike?

Gavin

Yeah the 18650 ones seem better than AA. I did read that the Cree R2 lights don't get enough power from the 18650 batteries, so actually a Cree Q5 light works out better.

UltraFire C2 Cree Q5 5-Mode
TrustFire TR-801 Cree Q5-WC

Those both seem decent. Romisen produce good quality stuff, so the Romisen RC-K4 3~8V Versatile Cree Flashlight (1x18650/3xAAA/2xCR123) might be a decent alternative.

Depends what sort of cycling you are doing, if you are speeding along in the pitch black at 40-50kph, then really, a TK11 is probably the best bet for a long throw and reliability. If you are going around 20-30, the others are good. Best to go for a three/5 mode one alright, so you have the option for long battery life. Pitch black at slow speeds really doesn't need very much light. Any bit of light noticeably brightens up the road.

For mounting it on the bike, I've used a Twofish Lockblock. I find it grand for on the road, haven't tried it off road. I also velcro'd the fenix to the helmet which works very well.


Stuck some more info on the wiki about it. Also have a look at candlepowerforums.com and mtbr.com. They both have bicycle light specific sections and there's a fair bit of discussion about dealextreme lights. http://www.light-reviews.com/reviews_18650.html is also good.

ruprect

Verb wrote: »

The Fenix l2d takes AA batteries if you prefer, although once you settle on a particular set of rechargable batteries and charger, it doesn't really make a difference what type they are.

I have the L2D. Replacement AAs are cheap, so I carry 2 spare sometimes. The torch is amazing, everybody who sees it in action is shocked. I have since gotten them for 2 other people.

http://www.fenix-store.com

I got a 8% discount on all of them with this code
CPF8
dunno if it is still active.

They sell bike mounts now, which get dodgy reviews. I put some silicone tube over mine to cushion it against the handlebars, then I have a 6" diameter rubber ring that I use to attach it to the handlebar. I put the ring on the torch at the front of the bike, then let it hang down, now I pull it under the handle bar, and back up and loop it over the torch again.

Lumen

I spent some more time setting up my 240 lumen Exposure light tonight.

The biggest problem is going to be dazzling oncoming traffic. On Max mode I had to point it down significantly to avoid this (testing was limited to standing 20m in front of bike with head at normal car driver level). This slightly defeats the object of decent illumination.

The problem is that with a torch-like form factor, light spills out in all directions equally. You really want a mask (like car headlights have) to block off the top right and produce a more "considerate" beam pattern. You can tape off part of the lens cover, but unless you take the trouble orient the "torch" the same way in the clamp each time, that's not going to work very well.

Of course, you can just switch it to low every time you encounter cars, but that's a PITA (at least without using a remote switch).

Christ knows what a 1500 lumen Lupine Betty is like on the road.

Obviously this is not a consideration for trail riding.

topper75

drcopernicus wrote: »

I recommend a second (lighter, less expensive) lock in town as it sends the opportunistic city-centre thief on to the next, less time-consumingly secure bike.

I also recommend a buying a couple of spare tubes straight away. Always keep one in your backpack so that you can simply swap out the tubes if you get a puncture. You can repair when you get home.

If you get a puncture in town and you don't have a spare tube and (tyre levers - approx €1.50 ea), you may have to lock the bike and go back for it after work. And if you didn't have two locks, the bike might be gone. For the sake of 20 quid.

+1
Good advice here - I would also say get a minipump for about 20€.

With raingear, you tend to get what you pay for. In dear old Erin's isle, you cannot really spend enough!

FrankGrimes

Verb wrote: »

Yeah the 18650 ones seem better than AA. I did read that the Cree R2 lights don't get enough power from the 18650 batteries, so actually a Cree Q5 light works out better.

UltraFire C2 Cree Q5 5-Mode
TrustFire TR-801 Cree Q5-WC

Those both seem decent. Romisen produce good quality stuff, so the Romisen RC-K4 3~8V Versatile Cree Flashlight (1x18650/3xAAA/2xCR123) might be a decent alternative.

Depends what sort of cycling you are doing, if you are speeding along in the pitch black at 40-50kph, then really, a TK11 is probably the best bet for a long throw and reliability. If you are going around 20-30, the others are good. Best to go for a three/5 mode one alright, so you have the option for long battery life. Pitch black at slow speeds really doesn't need very much light. Any bit of light noticeably brightens up the road.

For mounting it on the bike, I've used a Twofish Lockblock. I find it grand for on the road, haven't tried it off road. I also velcro'd the fenix to the helmet which works very well.


Stuck some more info on the wiki about it. Also have a look at candlepowerforums.com and mtbr.com. They both have bicycle light specific sections and there's a fair bit of discussion about dealextreme lights. http://www.light-reviews.com/reviews_18650.html is also good.

Cheers for that info Verb, I took a chance and ordered the first two you linked to from dealextreme - at that price it's no biggy if they're not the best, though I'll find use for them somewhere, my Mam is a hill walker and can always do with a spare torch.

Ordered the batteries off them aswell and a charger toom, though it seems the protection doesn't work that well and you have to take off the protection bits to get it to work. Wonder what that means in practice, does it mean the batteries can overcharge or is it to do with discharge rate?

Thanks for updating the wiki - great info there now.

I ordered one of these bike mounts from DX which will hopefully do the job. I'll try mount my other torch to my helmet, am thinking just 2 velcro straps and a lump of foam for it to get a bite on would do the job. Any ideas where to get just simple velcro straps?

Gavin

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Ordered the batteries off them aswell and a charger toom, though it seems the protection doesn't work that well and you have to take off the protection bits to get it to work. Wonder what that means in practice, does it mean the batteries can overcharge or is it to do with discharge rate?

Hadn't seen the stuff about the protection, I'll find out when they arrive I guess !

Thanks for updating the wiki - great info there now.

I ordered one of these bike mounts from DX which will hopefully do the job. I'll try mount my other torch to my helmet, am thinking just 2 velcro straps and a lump of foam for it to get a bite on would do the job. Any ideas where to get just simple velcro straps?

I have two of those fenix mounts alright. They are grand, they vibrate slightly when moving and the screw parts can be fiddley when your hands are numb ! Otherwise they hold the light very securely.

Not sure about the velcro actually ! I was home one weekend and my mother had two packets of em, so I stole one. I think she got them in Lidl/Aldi during one of the specials. It's the sort of thing easons or a stationary/art store might have. You can probably get them as cable ties too. Zip ties will also do the job well.

blorg

Does the TK11 definitely fit the same bike mounts as the L2D?

What is the main benefit over the L2D?

From my one night ride with Verb's L2D on the road I reckon I don't need the spot so much, it's the wide dispersed bit that was most useful.

I am tempted by the cheaper stuff on DX as well, there is just too much choice here!

Gavin

Yeah, there really is a massive range, it's a bit overwhelming.

Basic stuff is stick with a Cree XR-E Q5 torch for a bit of range and battery life or a P7 LED for huge amount of floody light with poor battery life.

18650 batteries gives much more power. The only inconvenience is you can't go into a shop in an emergency to replace. I don't think this would be a problem as I tend to have spare recharged batteries with me all the time on the bike anyway. And in the middle of nowhere at nighttime, you probably won't find a shop..

The TK11 will fit the same twofish lockblock you were using the L2D with. It will probably fit better actually as it's a bit fatter. Benefit of the TK11 over L2D is brightness and throw. I mentioned it for you as you might be going at speeds that need that throw. Otherwise the L2D will do the job.

You could just get the L2D and then one or two of the DX ones to see what they are like. A helmet light is very handy in the pitch black, particularly when going around bends. L2d on the bars and a TK11 on the helmet would work well, but mixing batteries might be hassle. And you'd need to be careful with the TK11 and oncoming cars, it would be a bit blinding.

edit - actually I don't know how you'd mount a torch on the head without a helmet.

Lumen

Verb wrote: »

actually I don't know how you'd mount a torch on the head without a helmet.

This?

SerialComplaint

topper75 wrote: »

With raingear, you tend to get what you pay for. In dear old Erin's isle, you cannot really spend enough!

I dunno if I agree with this. I've never found any raingear that didn't result in getting horrendously sweaty with energetic cycling. My commute is reasonably short, so I generally just get wet from rain (as opposed to from sweat), and shower/change at the other end.

blorg

I will often not bother putting on a rain jacket but am very happy so far with this
Montane FeatherLite H2O Jacket. It's very light, pretty breathable and pretty waterproof (at the moment.) Comes with a stuff sack with a Velcro strap so you can hang it off your bike, I have it on the stem.

Gavin

Coming back to this..

Bikeradar seem to be getting in on the torch scene and have gotten a TK11 for review
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/just-in-fenix-tk11-led-torch-18952?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRMTBNEWS