Bike lights...

What is the best value LED lights for front and rear.

I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

Your thoughts please?

--

Regards, FaHeL

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"FaHeL" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What is the best value LED lights for front and rear.
>
> I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

Even in $AUS, $47 for a even-LED rear lamp sounds outrageous. In Canada, a Planet Bike 7-LED
taillight is about $10 CDN ($11.50 AUS.)

I think I paid $30 CDN at my LBS for a Cateye EL-110 (one super white LED.) One of the things I like
about it is it has only one mode - solid, not flashing - so you don't have to dick around with the
switch. I wouldn't want to have to cross a minefield with it, but it makes a good 'see me' lamp.

 

FaHeL wrote:
> What is the best value LED lights for front and rear.
>
>
>
>
> I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.
>
>
>
>
> Your thoughts please?
>
>
> --
>
> Regards, FaHeL
>
>
>
>
> --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system
> (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.431 / Virus Database: 242 - Release Date: 17/12/2002
>
>
the so-called white-LED headlamps have one deficiency: there is no red in these lights. The illusion
of white is a a combination of blue and yellow light. Why does this matter? Because red reflectors
do not show up in these lights - like the tail-lights of parked cars.

I use a white-LED front blinky to be seen. I still use a halogen-bulb headlamp to see.

Note that this could be fixed many ways. One way: add a red LED to the mix of "white" LEDs. On a
multiple LED headlamp: synthesize "white" from blue, green, amber, orange and red LEDs (oh, look,
that makes 5...).

Sorry all, but part of what I do for a a living is design LED lighting systems (not for bikes
though...). And I have personally observed this deficiency of "white" LEDs on showing up red
refelectors.

Bike Dude.

 

EL300 is a fine light if it is bright enough for you. The Cateye Micro II halogen is about the
brightest for the lest cost. But I would personally want more light.

"FaHeL" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> What is the best value LED lights for front and rear. I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for
> front and Cateye LD600 $47.00 for the rear.

 

> almost at once, tho. I do keep an EL100 (first LED model), with the case covered in tape to
> eliminate light spill, as a backup to my Night Hawk.

Silvery reflective tape, I hope...

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

In rec.bicycles.misc Bike Dude <[email protected]> wrote:
: the so-called white-LED headlamps have one deficiency: there is no red in these lights. The
: illusion of white is a a combination of blue and yellow light. Why does this matter? Because red
: reflectors do not show up in these lights - like the tail-lights of parked cars.

this one does,

http://www.photonlight.com/fusion/

otoh it costs $82US.
--
david reuteler [email protected]

 

LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light, so there isn't much reason
for a front LED light.

I've made a few 12V 2.0 Ah SLA headlights for $15 and they have worked well.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rehaston/index.html

The simplest and most reliable construction is attach the switch (such as a simple in-line appliance
switch) to the battery. My next model will be the 15 minute, 15 dollar bike light that uses the
connector as the switch.

"Rubin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> EL300 is a fine light if it is bright enough for you. The Cateye Micro II halogen is about the
> brightest for the lest cost. But I would personally want more light.
>
>
> "FaHeL" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > What is the best value LED lights for front and rear. I have been told Cateye EI300 $85.00 for
> > front and Cateye LD600 $47.00
for
> > the rear.

 

Well, "covered" is overstating it. The problem was light spill off the top of the LED section, so I
slid off the cover, cut a business card to fit, and slid it back on. So the sides still radiate, but
the top doesn't, which improves my aging night vision significantly.

My main light is a $35 SLA NightHawk 6W light, complete with a smart charger for $35 from
Performance. A fair bit more light than the 300, and a much better distribution of light. The 100 is
in my bag for backup...

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > almost at once, tho. I do keep an EL100 (first LED model), with the case covered in tape to
> > eliminate light spill, as a backup to my Night Hawk.
>
> Silvery reflective tape, I hope...

 

On Thu, 26 Dec 2002 03:33:25 GMT, "Robert Haston" <[email protected]> wrote:

>LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light, so there isn't much reason
>for a front LED light.

Good for a "being seen" light, too dim for a "seeing with" light I would say. I would rather
use a couple of the bog-standard Cateye halogens as well, or better still a proper light set
(SON on order

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
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work. Apologies.

 

I forgot another good solution. Buy two cheap 2C light sets and use rechargeables. You get
redundancy, two lights up to 2.8 watts each, independent aiming, all for less than $20 plus
batteries.

If you hate removing the batteries, just get a DC power supply and put charging plugs on them.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 26 Dec 2002 03:33:25 GMT, "Robert Haston" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >LEDs are not much more efficient than halogen for producing white light,
so
> >there isn't much reason for a front LED light.
>
> Good for a "being seen" light, too dim for a "seeing with" light I would say. I would rather use a
> couple of the bog-standard Cateye halogens as well, or better still a proper light set (SON on
> order
>
> Guy
> ===
> ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
> dynamic DNS permitting)
> NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
> work. Apologies.

 

On Fri, 27 Dec 2002 02:27:53 GMT, "Robert Haston" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I forgot another good solution. Buy two cheap 2C light sets and use rechargeables.

I guess these things are relative - I am forever forgetting to recharge my lights, so have ordered a
SON for my recumbent (I have a Nexus hub on the tourer). For town use your two cheap C-cell lights
is probably all you need.

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.