Dark Mornings, Darker evenings

07Lapierre

Now that the mornings are darker and the evenings are drawing in...Whats the best set of lights money can buy? My commute is mainly on unlit country roads, which is great during the summer, but a right pain in the winter.

I'd like to continute commuting during the winter, but the thoughts of cycling along narrow country roads in complete darkness is not very appealing. I was thinking in investing in a good set of "headlamps" but are there any lights out there that are bright enough for completly unlit country roads?

Don't you just hate winter? :mad:

Lumen

I have this.

I fancy getting this.

One day I'll get this.

damoz

Also looking for front and rear light set at the moment. Must match a black frame... ! Any suggestions welcome.

leeroybrown

I'm almost exclusively on lit roads so I have this and this. That rear light provides excellent rear and side lighting so it would be great on unlit roads too. I know someone who has this for mixed lit and unlit use and they're quite happy with it. For rural roads I'd definitely spend some money and get a serious front light like those that Lumen suggests. A good quality high-vis jacket/vest would be a must too.

rottenhat

Lumen wrote: »

I fancy getting this.

Now I do too - I need something helmet-mounted for the longer audaxes. The standard Ixon IQ is a good light too but it is considerably over the 100g mark.

Edit: okay, just looked at the price of this on bike24...Petzl Tikka it is then.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

I have this.

I fancy getting this.

One day I'll get this.

Coool!.........that Big Bang lamp doesn't have batteries.. it runs on a "Lithium Ion accumulator" ! Very Star trekkie!

TinyExplosions

rottenhat wrote: »

Now I do too - I need something helmet-mounted for the longer audaxes. The standard Ixon IQ is good light too but it is considerably over the 100g mark.

I'd just helmet mount a second TK11, or even one of these -it runs on AA's so you'd not be stuck if you ran short of juice

Lumen

The Fenix is good but I would prefer to have a larger and better shaped centre spot. I find that it tends to illuminate a small spot a few metres ahead, rather than a larger defined area like a car headlamp does.

Hence the interest in the bumm.de stuff.

07Lapierre

leeroybrown wrote: »

I'm almost exclusively on lit roads so I have this and this. That rear light provides excellent rear and side lighting so it would be great on unlit roads too. I know someone who has this for mixed lit and unlit use and they're quite happy with it. For rural roads I'd definitely spend some money and get a serious front light like those that Lumen suggests. A good quality high-vis jacket/vest would be a must too.

+1 Good headlamp and a hi Vis jacket is a must!. Not really interested in looking "Cool", more interested in staying alive! (And being able to spot the potholes) I also like the idea of having a headlamp bright enough to encourage oncoming cars to dip their headlights. :cool:

Redvers

I'm always concerned about cars behind me (I can do something to avoid those in front). Just bought one of these, its as bright as anything I've seen and a good price:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_1~2_Watt_3_LED_Rear_Light/5360026001/ - they have a wide selection of lighting and stanadard delivery to UK was very quick.

Get a high-vis jacket/top, one with broad relefective tape in a "H" shape on the back.

tunney

Lumen wrote: »

I have this.

I fancy getting this.

One day I'll get this.

In a review in cycling plus this month the big bang didn't do so well, they prefer the use exposure strada.

Cycling plus is pants but at least their reviews are honest, not everything is excellent!

I use the use exposure maxx daddy and a use exposure joystick.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

One day I'll get this.

Thanks Lumen..this is exactly what I'm looking for. Are they available in Ireland?

Lumen

tunney wrote: »

I use the use exposure maxx daddy and a use exposure joystick.

I had a Joystick, it broke after a couple of wet spins. I got a refund, and decided to try something else. IMO it's just a very expensive torch. Both those lights are principally designed for off-road use as they don't have a shaped beam.

Will check out the Strada.

Lumen

07Lapierre wrote: »

Thanks Lumen..this is exactly what I'm looking for. Are they available in Ireland?

Have you seen the price! :eek:

adodsk

i've got an older version of this:http://www.lupine.de/web/en/products/lightsets/wilma/5/and it's fantastic. http://www.lupine.de/web/en/products/lighttest/

The switch is programmeable too for different settings.

BryanL

I have these babies and they are hard to beat, like having fulls and dims in a car. solidly made too.
bryan

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5769

penexpers

If you are commuting on unlit country roads, then I highly recommend looking into getting a hub dynamo and associated lights. This will mean that you don't have to worry about batterys running out and the lights will last a lifetime (literally!)

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/headlights.asp

07Lapierre

Redvers wrote: »

I'm always concerned about cars behind me (I can do something to avoid those in front). Just bought one of these, its as bright as anything I've seen and a good price:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Smart_1~2_Watt_3_LED_Rear_Light/5360026001/ - they have a wide selection of lighting and stanadard delivery to UK was very quick.

Get a high-vis jacket/top, one with broad relefective tape in a "H" shape on the back.

Your right, its very important not to "neglect" your rear (if you know what i mean!). I normally wear a hi-Vis jacket, one red light under the saddle, one flashing red light on the seatpost, a reflective strap on my right ankle. Any more that that i think is overkill. I need a really good headlamp to not only allow other road users to see me, but It also has to be bright enough to light up the road aheah. The "Big Bang" seems to fit the bill perfectly;
http://www.bumm.de/index-e.html?docu/197e.htm

TinyExplosions

The Smart 1/2 watt rear lights are excellent -Blorg has 3, and you don't want to be cycling anywhere near the back of him when they're on!

@Lumen -fair point about the beam shapes, though I do find the torches do me ok at night time, but it's horses for courses

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

Have you seen the price! :eek:

There's always a catch! isn't there? :rolleyes:

Maybe one of these might be worth considering;
this

accompanied with;
this

and for the rear!;
this

Hadn't considered a dynamo before, but all that extra pedalling resistance would be good training!

penexpers

I wouldn't bother with a bottle dynamo - the amount of resistance is huge.

I have a pdf of how hub dynamos perform - I'll see if I can dig out the link.

Lumen

Useful discussion on dynamos here.

07Lapierre

adodsk wrote: »

i've got an older version of this:http://www.lupine.de/web/en/products/lightsets/wilma/5/and it's fantastic. http://www.lupine.de/web/en/products/lighttest/

The switch is programmeable too for different settings.

Does the 480 euro include VAT? . I dunno between the mornings/evenings getting darker, weather probably getting crappier and the price of all these lights..the turbo trainer doesn't seem so un-appealing anymore!

Turbulent Bill

Lumen wrote: »

The Fenix is good but I would prefer to have a larger and better shaped centre spot. I find that it tends to illuminate a small spot a few metres ahead, rather than a larger defined area like a car headlamp does.

Hence the interest in the bumm.de stuff.

Maybe try a torch with a textured reflector rather than a smooth one? I've a cheapo DealExtreme torch (roughly similar to the Fenix L2D) where the reflector surface is like an orange skin, which gives a car headlamp-effect at the expense of beam throw.

penexpers

penexpers wrote: »

I wouldn't bother with a bottle dynamo - the amount of resistance is huge.

I have a pdf of how hub dynamos perform - I'll see if I can dig out the link.

Here is the pdf

http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/VBQgenerator.pdf

07Lapierre

Anyone have these lights?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14895

Would you recommend them?

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

The Fenix is good but I would prefer to have a larger and better shaped centre spot. I find that it tends to illuminate a small spot a few metres ahead, rather than a larger defined area like a car headlamp does.

Sounds like you have it angled down too much- if you point it directly ahead, the brighter centre spot illuminates stuff very far down the road while the spill around it illuminates the larger defined area. You actually get quite an even illumination this way. It can be a bit of a challenge trying to get a LockBlock to stay in exactly the right place though.

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

Sounds like you have it angled down too much- if you point it directly ahead, the brighter centre spot illuminates stuff very far down the road while the spill around it illuminates the larger defined area. You actually get quite an even illumination this way. It can be a bit of a challenge trying to get a LockBlock to stay in exactly the right place though.

I tried that, but got flashed by drivers.

Lit roads are easy: you just need to be seen.

Traffic-free unlit roads are easy: you adjust the light to illuminate what's ahead.

Trafficked unlit roads are tricky: your night vision is screwed by oncoming traffic, you don't want to blind drivers, but you want to see a decent distance ahead.

I'm obviously doing it wrong, or maybe I'm just used to a car where you turn on the dipped headlights and they just work perfectly.

I might just make up a diffuser myself.

DualFrontDiscs

Hub dynamos rock

http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/lighting___safety.shtml

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm

Perfect for Audax and hassle free commuting.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

I tried that, but got flashed by drivers.

I just hold it down after I am sure the oncoming driver has seen me (e.g. after they dip their lights.)

rottenhat

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

Hub dynamos rock

http://www.kinetics.org.uk/html/lighting___safety.shtml

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm

Perfect for Audax and hassle free commuting.

Yes, probably a SON in my future, once I've finished paying for this other bike....

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

I just hold it down after I am sure the oncoming driver has seen me (e.g. after they dip their lights.)

That's great for out in Wicklow, but there are lots of unlit roads around here which have an almost constant stream of oncoming traffic, which would mean cycling one handed much of the time. Maybe in that situation you just leave it dipped and rely on the cars to illuminate the roads, but it's hardly ideal.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

That's great for out in Wicklow, but there are lots of unlit roads around here which have an almost constant stream of oncoming traffic, which would mean cycling one handed much of the time. Maybe in that situation you just leave it dipped and rely on the cars to illuminate the roads, but it's hardly ideal.

Yes, it only works for occasional traffic. For busier roads you could consider using it in standard mode (e.g. non-turbo) - bright enough but I am not sure it has such a blinding tendency to oncoming traffic.

Super Freak

I'm tempted to get one of these.................
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149

Three hours at 900 lumens Apparently the build quality is not great but nothing you should be affraid of so long as you are happy enough to open it up and check the soldered connections (or have a friend who can do this for you).

Don't think that it would be suitable for commuting though:cool:

Kieran

Lumen

Super Freak wrote: »

Three hours at 900 lumens Apparently the build quality is not great but nothing you should be affraid of so long as you are happy enough to open it up and check the soldered connections (or have a friend who can do this for you).

I have a 900 lumen torch, not this one. It's crap, because the battery connection (in the tail clicky) cuts out when you go over a bump, i.e. all the time.

Surprisingly 900 lumens isn't much brighter than 250 lumens. It's all in the beam pattern.

Build quality is everything with bike lights. That and beam pattern.

DualFrontDiscs

For increased visibility (which I personally link to increased safety) when cycling with the kids, I'm thinking about fitting some LED tape to the 'box' on the trike. I'd need to fit a battery. I'm thinking of white on the front, amber on the sides and red at the back. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks,

DFD.

Beasty

I lit up the country lanes this morning with the following combination:

this on the front;

this on the back;

this on the helmet; and

this on the ankle

It probably looked like Xmas had come early, but the traffic of North County Dublin certainly gave me a wide berth:)

On the helmet light, is there a preference for where it is placed? I had it on the (road)side of the helmet, but the weight then made the helmet feel a bit lopsided. Is there a general preference to place these on the top of the helmet?

Lumen

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

For increased visibility (which I personally link to increased safety) when cycling with the kids, I'm thinking about fitting some LED tape to the 'box' on the trike...Does anyone have any advice?

DualFrontDiscs

Lumen wrote: »

Well there is that Though if that was the look I was going for, I'd buy this!

Seriously though. I really want to light the trike up.

Lumen

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

Well there is that Though if that was the look I was going for, I'd buy this!

That is soooo cool.



TrikeRider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. DualFrontDiscs, a youngish loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.

DualFrontDiscs

Lumen wrote: »

TrikeRider, a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of a man who does not exist. DualFrontDiscs, a youngish loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.

If you have a problem- if no one else can help- and if you can find them......... okay wrong hero

Super Freak

I have a 900 lumen torch, not this one. It's crap, because the battery connection (in the tail clicky) cuts out when you go over a bump, i.e. all the time.

Surprisingly 900 lumens isn't much brighter than 250 lumens. It's all in the beam pattern.

Build quality is everything with bike lights. That and beam pattern.

Power is nothing without control !

I was out this evening, riding on country roads from daylight into darkness and I'm thinking that the light I linked to would be useless for that. I think I (and the OP) would need something that would not blind everything in our paths.

Kieran

DualFrontDiscs

http://www.niton999.co.uk/products.expanded.asp?product=3585&querycategory=Hats-Gloves-And-Glasses&querybrandname=&querysubcategory=&search=&new=&pricedrop=&ukexclusive=&featured=&customised=&offer=&productname=LED-Light-Vision-Glasses-(EAR16)

ryan_sherlock

Beasty wrote: »

I lit up the country lanes this morning with the following combination:

this on the front;

this on the back;

this on the helmet; and

[/QUOTE

Mel and I both use similar setups to this for road and off-road with the exception of the MaXx, we have the lower powered Enduros as our main light.

I love the build quality, the packaging, ease of use and light given. I have not used them that much (about 15 night rides and two 12/24 hour races) but never found them lacking.

I may have a Joystick and Enduro for sale in a couple of weeks - I'll post if I do. (Disclaimer - Exposure may be giving me some lights for doing some Enduro events so I would sell my current ones)

skstretch

has anyone used this front light yet??
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/318

Super Freak

has anyone used this front light yet??
http://www.cateye.com/en/product_detail/318

That CateyeR3 looks great in the Wiggle light comparison (It's the old version and not the pro with the Li-Po battery).

Comparison here
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Front_Lights_Brightness/index.htm

I wonder what the price will be on this, it looks good.

Kieran

07Lapierre

Many thanks to everyone for comments/recommendations/suggestions etc.

After considering the various options, Lights, Dynamo's etc. I'm think of getting something like this . I think one lamp is good when in built-up area/oncoming cars and then two lamps can be employed on dark isolated roads. I may not get this exact light set, but definitly going to get a similar light set-up. I also think that when they are combined with a hi-vis jacket and rear lamps...well thats about as good as it gets.

Thanks again and safe cycling during the winter!!

Captain Havoc

Be safe be seen

Hokey Spokes

07Lapierre

jerseyeire wrote: »

Be safe be seen

Hokey Spokes

Jesus!! those things legal?

Lumen

07Lapierre wrote: »

After considering the various options, Lights, Dynamo's etc. I'm think of getting something like this.

Old tech low-output LEDs and Ni-Mh batteries, wouldn't be my first choice.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

Old tech low-output LEDs and Ni-Mh batteries, wouldn't be my first choice.

I know and not even in stock...bad example, but what I'm saying is I'm not going for a dynamo, or lights with AAA batteries etc. Should have directed you here;
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29380