Bike lights...

[JustBikeIt77]

Hello to all cyclists! Since I often ride my bike to work in the future and it's still dark as I need a decent light ... What kind of wheel light can you recommend? I would actually like the simplicity of a no "wiring". Does anyone have a tip in the following selection?
http://www.fahrrad24.de/fahrradzubehoer/fahrradbeleuchtung.html
Or are there other ideas?

Greetings Ralf

 

[Volnix]

Something like 3 watts and concentrated beam is ok for the front for up to 20km/h... 1 watt is ok too. Something like this:


Giant Numen




For the back something like 1 watt + additional leds is ok for enough visibility: 1/2 watt is ok too...

Smart Superflash 1watt.



Batteries are probably as important as the led unit.

Rechargable batteries work at 1.2 volt, not 1.5 like alkalines so they produce less light.

It's probably a good idea to get some flat-discharge curve batteries so the lighting system will operate constantly at 1.2 volt throughout the battery discharge curve and not be dim for longer. Some flat discharge curve batteries:


GP Recyko:




Sanyo Eneloop:

 

[JustBikeIt77]

Thanks for your comment!

 

[dbvanhorn]

The headlight doesnt meet your requirement of "no wiring", but I just got this set from Ebay and I am very pleased.
Ebay numbers: 191005523792 for the tail light, and 181201202951 for the headlight.
I have no relationship with the sellers, I am just a pleased customer.

The light is not 5000 lumens as advertized, but I knew that going in. It's about 2000 which puts it square in the middle of the range of brightness for car headlights.
Small, easy to get on and off, and the cost is very reasonable.

 

[urge2kill]

The Two Fish velcro flashlight holder can hold small and medium sized flashlights. The only downside is that flashlights can slip out when it's wet.

- Make sure the flashlight is weather-resistant, like a diving flashlgiht for example.
- If it's a flashlight that will temporarily blind drivers (most of them do), temporarily tilt it downward for oncoming traffic.

 

[dbvanhorn]

My Fenix PD30 is serving as a backup function with a less sophisticated mount. I have some of the twofish mounts on order.

 

[rosco888]

These might be of interest to you. Came across these the other day they look fantastic.

http://www.seesense.cc/#sthash.Rc5t1Twx.dpbs

Built in road sense smart piece of kit.

 

[Toenails]

I have only recently bought my first light set. Make sure you get strong lights with high lumens. Whilst most are ok with street lights or moon light, when you're out where there is neither of those to help it pays to have good quality (especially if you're going fast down a hill on an unfamiliar road).

 

[dbvanhorn]

I want to see and be seen, and this rather inexpensive light from Ebay certainly accomplishes that. Honestly, I don't think I WANT any more power. That feels very weird to say, from a dedicated flashoholic, but there is such a thing as too bright.

My Wicked Lasers flashlight is brighter, but with about a 5 minute runtime and the ability to ignite black things that get too close, it's not a good solution.

 

[urge2kill]

Rarely will all three conditions be met (a. downhill slope; b. no streetlights; c. at night).

Scratch that. I encounter that on my regular commute on a busy road that's full of potholes. It's dangerous when my flashlight batteries are low.

Good point.

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by urge2kill
It's dangerous when my flashlight batteries are low.

There are some batteries that have a flat discharge curve. Rechargables have an 1.2v output instead of alkalines that have an output of 1.5v

With the non-flat discharge curve ones, the battery will discharge at 0.7v instead of 1.2v for a few hours, whilst the flat discharge ones will work around 1.2v or 1.1v for the whole duration of the discharge and then go very dark very fast.

Some brands of those are GP Recyko and Sanyo Eneloop.

They also dont lose charge if unused.

But for some strange reason these dont have a high storage capacity in mAh like the "normal" ones.

 

[urge2kill]

I already have "normal" AA and AAA rechargeables, and any upgrading will be to the Li-ion batteries, but I will keep that in mind.

 

[dbvanhorn]

Carry spares! The only thing I really dont like about LED lights is that they dont yellow as voltage drops, they just get dimmer. By the time you realize they are getting low, they are very low.

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by urge2kill
I already have "normal" AA and AAA rechargeables, and any upgrading will be to the Li-ion batteries, but I will keep that in mind.

Looks promising...

Anyway something like this is providing with a useful voltage throughout the discharge. Plus these batteries dont lose charge unused so they are good for carrying as spares in a bag too.

Are the Li-Ion ones 1.5v???

 

[urge2kill]

Originally Posted by Volnix

Are the Li-Ion ones 1.5v???

3.7 volt, baby. They're also 147% more dangerous. You have to handle them more carefully than alkalines.

I have two flashlights that can take either AAA or Lithium-ion.

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by urge2kill

3.7 volt, baby. They're also 147% more dangerous. You have to handle them more carefully than alkalines.

147% more dangerous? I got to have them!!!

 

[urge2kill]

Originally Posted by Volnix
147% more dangerous? I got to have them!!!

Although Li-ion batteries are less dangerous to the environment.

Because they carry more energy per gram, they're less harmful on every measure except ozone depletion, according to researchers Majeau-Bettez, Hawkins, and Strømman at NTNU. Furthermore, the iron phosphate Li-ions are slightly less harmful than the nickel cobalt manganese Li-ions because of their "greater life expectancy".
http://www.ntnu.edu/news/batteries-for-the-future

And a less toxic version of the Lithium-ion battery, made from madder root, should be developed soon.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121211145240.htm

 

[Volnix]

At 3.6v, wont they cook the circuit?

That's a very nasty "Boom" btw...

 

[dbvanhorn]

You can use a single Li-Ion cell to replace a pair of AA cells or C cells, the voltage doesn't have to be exact, unless the designer is an optimistic idiot, but it should be as close as possible. Normal AA cells can go as high as 1.8V/cell when new, so they should be designing for >3V peak.

I wouldn't leave any cells, especially Li-Ion outdoors when temps are expected to get above 120F or below freezing.

 

[dbvanhorn]

Exploding cells do happen, with NIMH and Li-Ion or Li-Polymer. Li-Poly is safer in general because of the soft sided package, but the electrolyte is flammable, as is the lithium itself. Don't buy cheap cells from off-brand makers, and don't buy cheap chargers.