suitable lights for unlit variable quality country roads

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

2. Hub dynamo.

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary. I have two bikes that I use for commuting so
a light that is easily transferrable between the two bikes would be
preferable (although I appreciate this is not possible with a hub
dynamo). My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill. My commute typically
lasts about 45 minutes. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Towards the upper end of your range but I can thoroughly recommend one
of these:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/105723.html

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

2. Hub dynamo.

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary. I have two bikes that I use for commuting so
a light that is easily transferrable between the two bikes would be
preferable (although I appreciate this is not possible with a hub
dynamo). My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill. My commute typically
lasts about 45 minutes. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

Adam

These look like a bargain at Chain Reaction at the mo:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1388
On your budget you could get two or three for the flexibility of spare
batteries & chargers. Add a couple of front and rear LEDs for that being
seen/lit up like xmas tree thing and you'll still have plenty left out
of your budget to get some non-essential but nice bike toys 🙂

Ian

Tony Raven said:

Towards the upper end of your range but I can thoroughly recommend one
of these:
http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/105723.html

Blimey...does that thing have a stun setting or is instant
vapouristation only? Just out of interest, how much are replacement
bulbs for a thing like that?

Ian

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

2. Hub dynamo.

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary. I have two bikes that I use for commuting so
a light that is easily transferrable between the two bikes would be
preferable (although I appreciate this is not possible with a hub
dynamo). My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill. My commute typically
lasts about 45 minutes. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Wear Hi Vis. I drive and ride. Screaming yellow coats help drivers to see
you. I bought another Hi Vis wind coat from Aldi today for £10.

To see rough roads I use a Petzal head torch converted to halogen with 4
high capacity rechargeables in the bum bag. Where you look is where you see.

John

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

I gave up on rechargeable lits, as I was continually
forgetting to charge them, pick them up in the morning, or
overcharging them. I killed a rechargeable Pb battery in
under one month once.

Use this option only if you are well organised.

Saying that, my cateye dual daylights lasted me about 10
years, (apart from batteries, bulbs, and power cords).

Quoted message said:

2. Hub dynamo.

If you were only going to use one bike, then I would say
that this is definately the way to go.

Quoted message said:

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

These can be picked up for just over 30ukp on ebay. I have
one waiting at the post office for me.

Quoted message said:

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary.

If you use one bike a lot more that the other, then I
would get a hub-dynamo set up for that bike, and battery
lits for the other.

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

I gave up on rechargeable lits, as I was continually
forgetting to charge them, pick them up in the morning, or
overcharging them. I killed a rechargeable Pb battery in
under one month once.

Use this option only if you are well organised.

Saying that, my cateye dual daylights lasted me about 10
years, (apart from batteries, bulbs, and power cords).

Quoted message said:

2. Hub dynamo.

If you were only going to use one bike, then I would say
that this is definately the way to go.

Quoted message said:

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

These can be picked up for just over 30ukp on ebay. I have
one waiting at the post office for me.

Quoted message said:

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary.

If you use one bike a lot more that the other, then I
would get a hub-dynamo set up for that bike, and battery
lits for the other.

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill.

If it's a commute, experience helps with potholes. Do a road enough times
and you learn it.

cheers,
clive

Martin Dann said:

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

1. Rechargeable high powered halogen lights possibly from lumicycle.

I gave up on rechargeable lits, as I was continually forgetting to
charge them, pick them up in the morning, or overcharging them. I killed
a rechargeable Pb battery in under one month once.

Use this option only if you are well organised.

Lumicycles come with a smart charger, so if you can park your bike near
a socket you just plug them in every night.

--
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Quoted message said:

My budget is ideally somewhere around the £100 mark, but am willing to
go to £400 if necessary. I have two bikes that I use for commuting so
a light that is easily transferrable between the two bikes would be
preferable (although I appreciate this is not possible with a hub
dynamo). My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill. My commute typically
lasts about 45 minutes. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Haven't checked the prices this year, but you could probably get a
Lupine Edison 5 or maybe a nearly new Edison 10 for around that (only
diff is batt. life). I doubt either could be beaten for brightness or
burn-time, and transferring between bikes would be a sinch 'cause
there's no bracket to attach, the light just sits on an O ring that
wraps around the bars.

I can tell you what not to buy - the Blackburn X6 lightset - top-
dollar, underpowered, overweight, naff burn time (not as advertised) ,
and fragile design issues - leaves one feeling a little short-changed.

Regards,

Duncan

In article said:

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill.

If it's a commute, experience helps with potholes. Do a road enough times
and you learn it.

But you do still want lights adequate to show you new unexpected obstacles
(e.g. roadkill badger, broken car exhaust) in time to avoid them at 40mph,
just in case. I'm not entirely sure I'd trust my DLumotec or EL530 at 40mph,
but my commute doesn't really do hills.

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back.

I used one of these sets http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15442
all last winter for an unlit towpath commute. It was just fine and
the burn time will easily get you there and back. Add a couple of
blinkies on the back and a reflective jacket and spend the rest on
beer.

Adam Lea said:

It is that time of year when I need to consider purchasing some
seriously decent lights for when the clocks go back. I am considering
the following possibilities:

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

For 113euro delivered you could have a pair of these
https://www.roseversand.de/output/controller.aspx?cid=156&detail=10&detail2=9452
with a smart charger and 2 spare mounts. (You'd also need to spend ~
£10 on re-chargeable NiMH batteries off e-bay.)
I've been using an LS 600 for a couple of years for unlit roads and
really like the sensible 'distorted letterbox' beam pattern and
brightness: the LS730 sounds significantly better 🙂

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

Is what works for me.

POHB said:

I used one of these sets http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15442
all last winter for an unlit towpath commute. It was just fine and
the burn time will easily get you there and back. Add a couple of
blinkies on the back and a reflective jacket and spend the rest on
beer.

Looks good - is the cable long enough to put the battery pack in your
saddle bag rather than bottle cage?

Ian

7@m3 G33k said:

Looks good - is the cable long enough to put the battery pack in your
saddle bag rather than bottle cage?

Dunno, but it would certainly go in a bar-bag as a lateral thought.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Clive George said:

"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My commute is on unclassified roads for the majority of the
time which can contain potholes and my cruising speeds are in the
15-20 mph range, up to around 40 mph downhill.

If it's a commute, experience helps with potholes. Do a road enough
times and you learn it.

And chasing dogs.

Not relevant to cycling speeds, but I used to run in the dark in quiet
roads the country; it was never too dark to see obstacles such as
potholes -- and all the easier if you were familiar with the road. But
any light at all, even a sodium light many hundreds of meters away,
would cause minor blinding.

Best regards,

Jon C.

7@m3 G33k said:

POHB said:

I used one of these setshttp://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15442
all last winter for an unlit towpath commute. It was just fine and
the burn time will easily get you there and back. Add a couple of
blinkies on the back and a reflective jacket and spend the rest on
beer.

Looks good - is the cable long enough to put the battery pack in your
saddle bag rather than bottle cage?

Ian

Mine is last years model so may not be quite the same, but although
the cable has a coily springy bit in the middle I'd guess it wouldn't
easily reach to a saddle bag. However, the battery pack wire connects
to the wire from the lights with a standard-looking plug like you find
on lots of electrical stuff like personal stereos, to charge it you
disconnect that plug and connect it to the charger instead. So, it'd
be easy to fix up an extension to the wire without any cutting.

7@m3 G33k said:

POHB said:

I used one of these sets
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15442 all
last winter for an unlit towpath commute. It was just fine and the burn
time will easily get you there and back. Add a couple of
blinkies on the back and a reflective jacket and spend the rest on
beer.

Looks good - is the cable long enough to put the battery pack in your
saddle bag rather than bottle cage?

Looks like it has standard power connectors. Extension leads are cheaply
available from eBay, etc.

~PB

In article said:

Adam Lea said:

3. A couple of Cateye EL530 lights.

For 113euro delivered you could have a pair of these
https://www.roseversand.de/output/controller.aspx?cid=156&detail=10&detail2=9452

[...]

Quoted message said:

brightness: the LS730 sounds significantly better 🙂

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2159904
has photos of EL530 and LS730 beams compared. (And LS-730 with brighter
(newer more efficient, same current) replacement LED, which looks
rather more easily done than on an EL-530.)