4D Toplight Senso Multi - minor cautionary tale

BtC

My LED tailight (4D Toplight Senso Multi) finally arrived and it now
completes my rig powered by the Schmidt hub and the IQ Fly headlight. It is
alot wider than I thought and on the positive side, it is a highly visible
light and reflector array (which sits just nicely on my brand new Tubus
Cargo rack which so far is living up to its reputation for real quality).

I got everything connected and I was dismayed to note that the standlight
feature on the tail light was not functioning.

Sadly, most of the "exploitation" I had read on this model gave the
impression of a standlight function for this light. (For those not familiar
with these lights, they have options of "senso" which senses the light
levels and decides if the light should be on or not, and the option of
"plus" which is a standlight or capacitor which is charged by your dynamo so
that standing at lights, it gives you about 4-7 mins of light before the
capacitor discharges.

However, the tail light I bought does not have a standlight function. Most
if not all of the fault for not properly reading the documentation and
reading more widely rests with me.

Instead of giving an alternative to batteries, it requires a battery to act
as if it were a standlight. So instead of being independent of batteries,
it still requires them if you want to be visible standing at traffic lights.

Originally, I thought I needed a senso only for the front, as I figured that
the headlight would supply current to the tail light when the headlight
sensed poor light. My LBS advised that the senso function was necessary for
both the front and the rear lights. Hence, I went for a tail light which
also had the senso function which was the model I bought.

In retrospect, I suspect I was right about the tail light being a slave to
the headlight - c'est la vie. If anyone can confirm this I would love to
know.

Anyway, the caution is that I went to unnecessary expense for something that
is less environmentally friendly and ultimately less practical. This model
cost significantly more than the standlight models without the sensor, so
hopefully this raises awareness others thinking about a dynamo hub and
lighting options.

Happy trails,
BtC

Zebee Johnstone

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:07:00 GMT
BtC <oomph@bigtown.com.au> wrote:
>
> In retrospect, I suspect I was right about the tail light being a slave to
> the headlight - c'est la vie. If anyone can confirm this I would love to
> know.
I think the LBS was wrong. Mine is a standlight taillight running off
a senso front light and it all works as you would expect.

I never even knew there was a senso tail light.

I'm pondering an IQ Fly senso. I like the Lumotec LED I have but a
friend's much more powerful battery light has me envious.

Zebee

BtC

"Zebee Johnstone" <zebeej@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:slrng4mgvn.il7.zebeej@gmail.com...
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:07:00 GMT
> BtC <oomph@bigtown.com.au> wrote:
>>
>> In retrospect, I suspect I was right about the tail light being a slave
>> to
>> the headlight - c'est la vie. If anyone can confirm this I would love to
>> know.
> I think the LBS was wrong. Mine is a standlight taillight running off
> a senso front light and it all works as you would expect.
>
> I never even knew there was a senso tail light.
>
> I'm pondering an IQ Fly senso. I like the Lumotec LED I have but a
> friend's much more powerful battery light has me envious.
>
> Zebee

Hi Zebee,

Yeah, the light setup had me envious as well.

I was not sure how much light was enough light. Some amongst the "battery:
light brigade" (oh look -- a military pun) advised that they loved the light
output but abandoned half the lights in the kit on the basis that they were
not necessary.

In the end for me, the two things that mattered were that the output of the
IQ Fly was twice the 20 lux of the Lumotec and sounded sufficient for
suburban use and the utility of riding anytime without having to remember to
charge the battery.

Do you use one fo the Schmidt hubs? How do you feel about it? I read the
write ups on how minimal the drag is, but as I have not been out for a test
spin, [damn pluracy] I don't really know how much that drag will translate
to in practice. I do not think that I am going to regret it, although if I
ever decide to do any more Audax events, I might wish that I went for a
battery setup.

Thanks for the input on the taillight. I suspected as much, but I think I
can live with my 'airhead moment' for now and continue to contribute (albeit
minimally) to the landfill. When I get too annoyed with it to keep it, I'll
trash/flog on ebay.

Cheers,

BtC

Zebee Johnstone

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 04:59:09 GMT
BtC <oomph@bigtown.com.au> wrote:
> Do you use one fo the Schmidt hubs? How do you feel about it? I read the
> write ups on how minimal the drag is, but as I have not been out for a test
> spin, [damn pluracy] I don't really know how much that drag will translate
> to in practice. I do not think that I am going to regret it, although if I
> ever decide to do any more Audax events, I might wish that I went for a
> battery setup.
>

I have a schmidt hub and I don't notice the drag. But then I'm no
weight weenie athlete rider, I am just a commuter on a heavyish bike.

So I wouldn't...

The Lumotec is reasonable, and better than many lights, but having
seen what is possible I want better

Zebee

Zebee Johnstone

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 06:45:19 GMT
BtC <oomph@bigtown.com.au> wrote:
>
> If you already have the Schmidt hub, maybe you should give the IQ Fly a go
> first? I do not think that resale will be a problem if you do not like it.
>

Oh I wasn't going to buy a battery light. I would never go back to
those! (I do have a flashing rear light as well as the dynamo rear as
a signal - flash means bike.)

I will probably buy a Fly, but have to put the money aside for it.
ONly so many toys a month.

Zebee

PeteSig

"Zebee Johnstone" wrote:

> Oh I wasn't going to buy a battery light. I would never go back to
> those! (I do have a flashing rear light as well as the dynamo rear as
> a signal - flash means bike.)
>
> I will probably buy a Fly, but have to put the money aside for it.
> ONly so many toys a month.

Or you could always go for the Supernova E3
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/lighting/supernova.html

A bit expensive (well, ok, a lot) but 60 lux at 6 kmh. Wooohooh!!

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

Zebee Johnstone

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:06:10 GMT
PeteSig <petesig@bigpond.com> wrote:
>
> Or you could always go for the Supernova E3
> http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/lighting/supernova.html

Woo!

>
> A bit expensive (well, ok, a lot) but 60 lux at 6 kmh. Wooohooh!!

A lot. yes, that's a good word

Zebee

BtC

"Zebee Johnstone" <zebeej@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:slrng4n7d2.504.zebeej@gmail.com...
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:06:10 GMT
> PeteSig <petesig@bigpond.com> wrote:
>>
>> Or you could always go for the Supernova E3
>> http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/lighting/supernova.html
>
> Woo!
>
>>
>> A bit expensive (well, ok, a lot) but 60 lux at 6 kmh. Wooohooh!!
>
> A lot. yes, that's a good word
>
> Zebee

Petesig: Just goes to show - you wait a bit they become cheaper and more
obsolete every day! The Fly is $100, but it might come down in price a
little with the Supernova out there!

Zebee - it might be worth the wait.

Wow, 60 lux!! Yep, might be a bit hard to go back to the CEO and ask for a
few $ as my week old headlight just become superseded...