what REAR light?

Jawgap

You got to love internet ads sometimes.......:)

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

I ended up ordering a Shield 60 on Dirk's recommendation. It's probably too bright so I'll run it on low.
]

Oh dear...

Actually, I was going to ask you about front lights. I quite like the TK11 except for the "spottiness" (minor) and the soft mount (major).

I want something that preferably has a slide on/off mounting for the light rather than having to velcro myself to my gloves and doesn't cause the light to jump around on rougher roads.

Those Lezynes look nice.

EDIT: If I could go back to Oz I'd be using that staff discount to buy the Moon X-Power 500, super little light!

Seweryn

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

EDIT: If I could go back to Oz I'd be using that staff discount to buy the Moon X-Power 500, super little light!

Yeah, this is a very nice light. I used to have one, then I replaced it with the X-Power 300, which is also almost as good as the 500 one.

DirkVoodoo

Seweryn wrote: »

Yeah, this is a very nice light. I used to have one, then I replaced it with the X-Power 300, which is also almost as good as the 500 one.

Bikeradar gave the Trelok LS 950 a great write-up. I like the idea of an indicator for remaining battery life, although I tend to charge up once a week so it's never been a problem. Cheaper than the Moon too.

Seweryn

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Bikeradar gave the Trelok LS 950 a great write-up. I like the idea of an indicator for remaining battery life, although I tend to charge up once a week so it's never been a problem. Cheaper than the Moon too.

The Moon XP 300/500 also has the dying battery indicator and once it starts flashing red around the power button, there is enough energy to get you home. Secondly, a spare battery (which you can keep in your pocket) is only 15 GBP and I have one for the piece of mind.
Nevertheless, the Trelok looks good. Another test here...

Lumen

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Those Lezynes look nice.

I ordered a Lezyne Micro Drive LED Front Light last night from Wiggle.

Today I found it a few euros cheaper in Snow & Rock in Dundrum. Ah well.

The reason I didn't order a Lezyne Micro rear light was because they don't have any angle adjustment. It's easy to the adjust angle of a handlebar-mounted front light, but the decision to apply a fixed-angle design to the rear seems a bit odd considering that seatpost angles vary quite considerably between different bikes

Wishbone Ash

Another fan here of the Smart Lunar R1. I have one on the seat post and one on the helmet. Never had any problems with them.

ian_rush

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Another fan here of the Smart Lunar R1. I have one on the seat post and one on the helmet. Never had any problems with them.

How do you mount it on the helmet?

Jawgap

ian_rush wrote: »

How do you mount it on the helmet?

I had one on my helmet - it just clips on to the adjustable strap at the back

at1withmyself

Lumen wrote: »

The Hope District is almost €200. A fiver. Two hundred euros. Haven't we done well?

I paid about 85 for mine when it came out but I am sharing the battery pack from the front so imagine that helped alot on the price when bought without battery and charger.

I bought mine as I cycle the dark country lanes and never use on the highest setting in town (or in the country that often come to think of it!). Same with the front light, have yet to use it off-road but keep on low power in the city. Only ever used top setting when testing the light when I bought it and a few times in the fog.With low power the battery lasts a full week which is ideal for me.

Craig06

I have a Blackburn flea but don't commute in the bike so it's really just a be seen light when light fades. USB chargeable as well.

Wishbone Ash

ian_rush wrote: »

How do you mount it on the helmet?

I use a cable tie to secure the neat little mounting bracket to the helmet. I can then fix/remove the light when required (leaving the bracket on the helmet).

ian_rush

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I use a cable tie to secure the neat little mounting bracket to the helmet. I can then fix/remove the light when required (leaving the bracket on the helmet).

Should have thought of that. The simplest solutions are normally the best.

letape

Anyone ever used a BikeRay Tail Light - 120 lumen.

http://www.lightslightslights.co.uk/Bikeray-Lights/bikeray-tail-light

They have been recommended to me over the MigicShine MJ-818, by the shop selling them. They say that they are brighter and much better quality - Stg50.

Lumen

letape wrote: »

Anyone ever used a BikeRay Tail Light - 120 lumen.

http://www.lightslightslights.co.uk/Bikeray-Lights/bikeray-tail-light

They have been recommended to me over the MigicShine MJ-818, by the shop selling them. They say that they are brighter and much better quality - Stg50.

The MagicShine is advertised as 85 lumens. This is interesting:

MagicShine MJ-818 Rear Light at dusk

Specifically the comparison to the brightness of dipped car headlights:



It would be good to see a similar comparison in total darkness.

The Magicshine has two flashing and one steady mode, all at 85 lumens.

The BikeRay you linked to has the following modes: "Hi 130 lm 10 hrs, Low 85 lm 20 hrs & Flash 130 lm 100hrs"

That means neither than Magicshine or the BikeRay have any sort of low-power mode for when it's fully dark.

I just received my Lezyne Microdrive front light today. The instructions cover the Microdrive Rear light too, which has the following modes:

Enduro: 30 lumen
Blast: 70 lumen
Economy: 5 lumens
Flash 1: 30 lumens
Flash 2: 30 lumens

Those modes look really useful. You could use the Blast or Flash modes at dusk, and then switch to Enduro or Economy when it gets properly dark to avoid blinding people.

In summary: the Lezyne Micro Drive Rear looks more useful mode-wise than either of the Magicshine or the BikeRay. The lack of angle adjustment on the Lezyne is still possibly an issue though.

letape

My worry is exactly that, that I'd end up blinding people with the strength of the rear light.

However, it is advertised as being similar to a car brake light, which should be acceptable. My other concern is needing to have two batteries on the bike!

Lumen

Took some pics of the Shield 60 at twilight, on the highest steady level.

Shield vs driving lights.


Shield vs brake lights, eye level


Shield vs brake lights, low angle


Conclusion: highest brightness is mid-way between car tail lights and brake lights, and the lack of angle adjustment is irrelevant since it puts out light at a wide angle.

letape

Lumen wrote: »

Took some pics of the Shield 60 at twilight, on the highest steady level.

Shield vs driving lights.


Shield vs brake lights, eye level


Shield vs brake lights, low angle


Conclusion: highest brightness is mid-way between car tail lights and brake lights, and the lack of angle adjustment is irrelevant since it puts out light at a wide angle.

Thanks Lumen

What lumen is the output of your light in those pictures?

I must learn how to post pictures in thread!

Chips Lovell

Wow, look at the spill on the road.

G rock

i ordered a moon 60 the other day based on the assumption that if it's good enough for lumen, it's good enough for me!

looks pretty good, looking forward to getting it now.

thanks for the pics

Wishbone Ash

I saw the brightest ever rear light recently heading north on the R132. I had just exited the roadworks at junction 4 (Donabate) and couldn't help but spot it up ahead beyond the Topaz station heading for the Tesco roundabout. I was travelling faster and closing the gap but he continued north as I turned at Blake's Cross. Savage light - I'd love to know what it was.

letape wrote: »

I must learn how to post pictures in thread!

Photobucket

Chicken liver

Hello there I would very grateful if someone could tell me
where I can get front and rear lights for my bicycle with brackets
that fix onto the frame. I went to a bike shop and was given price of 27 euro.
This was without batteries, I thought this was too expensive.
Would appreciate any advice. Limerick region.
Thanks in advance.


27euro is way too dear for bike lights. Where can I get cheaper ones?

Wishbone Ash

Chicken liver wrote: »

was given price of 27 euro.
This was without batteries, I thought this was too expensive

If you travel at speed on unlit roads you'd want to spend a lot more that €27 on lights. Most people here will spend way more than that on a rear light never mind a front one. You might get away with cheap light if you have a very short commute on lit roads. If however, you value your life, travel on unlit roads, and have a reasonably long commute, you should consider spending a lot more as the lights will have to withstand torrential rain, have a reasonable duration, be easily chargeable, be securely mounted for rough roads and have various lighting modes. Weigh and ease of use are other considerations. (All lights regardless of price come with mountable brackets)

Chicken liver

City cyclist only. Just to avoid hassle with the law.

What you're saying is 27 euro is a good deal with brackets?

Keep_Her_Lit

Chicken liver wrote: »

City cyclist only. Just to avoid hassle with the law.

So if you weren't compelled by law, you would opt to cycle through the winter without any lights? Forgive my bluntness but that ain't too smart. On some wet, miserable night, it's entirely possible that some poor unfortunate driver will be oblivious to your presence right up to the point at which they hear a sickening thud.

If you're a budget conscious cyclist, fair enough. But please don't argue that your life isn't worth a measly €15.36:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70364

This set comes with brackets which should allow you to mount the front light on your handlebars and the rear light on your seatpost (or do you want to mount them only on the frame and not the bars/seatpost?). They are LED lights, so will probably be reasonably bright and last a reasonable length of time on a fresh set of batteries.

Go on, treat yourself.

Lumen

Chicken liver wrote: »

City cyclist only. Just to avoid hassle with the law.

What you're saying is 27 euro is a good deal with brackets?

Depends on the lights.

You don't need to pay loads of money on lights for city cycling. Just get front and rear flashing LED lights that take AAA batteries.

Like these:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-ld170-and-tl-ld170-light-set/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-hl-ld130-and-tl-ld130-light-set/

Chicken liver

Keep_Her_Lit wrote: »

So if you weren't compelled by law, you would opt to cycle through the winter without any lights? Forgive my bluntness but that ain't too smart. On some wet, miserable night, it's entirely possible that some poor unfortunate driver will be oblivious to your presence right up to the point at which they hear a sickening thud.

If you're a budget conscious cyclist, fair enough. But please don't argue that your life isn't worth a measly €15.36:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=70364

This set comes with brackets which should allow you to mount the front light on your handlebars and the rear light on your seatpost (or do you want to mount them only on the frame and not the bars/seatpost?). They are LED lights, so will probably be reasonably bright and last a reasonable length of time on a fresh set of batteries.

Go on, treat yourself.

I'll bet you feel good now you had the opportunity to speak down to someone. you condescending prick. Next time with out the lecture.

Thanks for the info.

Lumen

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Wow, look at the spill on the road.

Yeah, that's because it sits parallel to whatever you attach it to, in my case the seatpost, so it points down at the road.

Seweryn

Lumen wrote: »

Yeah, that's because it sits parallel to whatever you attach it to, in my case the seatpost, so it points down at the road.

But the Shield 60 can be shifted to point in parallel to the road surface - there is some adjustment in the bracket.

Lumen

Seweryn wrote: »

But the Shield 60 can be shifted to point in parallel to the road surface - there is some adjustment in the bracket.

Oh yeah, so it does. Clickety click!