Eurolight Twin Rechargeable Halogen Lights



D

David Glover

Guest
Just got these from Argos - £35, seems a good deal.

They come with a 10W "wide" beam and a 5W "spot" beam. What's the
recommended place to point these?

My ride home (which is now in the pitch dark) goes along a fairly long
country lane covered by trees on both sides, so without good lights you
literally cannot see your hand in front of your face.

It then joins a fairly busy A-road, which is partially lit at one stretch,
so annoyingly I have two rather different conditions to deal with.

My plan is to point the wide, brighter beam straight ahead, to illuminate
trees and hedges and also to force oncoming drivers to see me, and to point
the spot down at the road so I can see any debris or other things to avoid
in the road.

Good plan? Or not?
 
David Glover wrote:

> My plan is to point the wide, brighter beam straight ahead, to illuminate
> trees and hedges and also to force oncoming drivers to see me, and to point
> the spot down at the road so I can see any debris or other things to avoid
> in the road.
>
> Good plan? Or not?

I generally find the best way to find this sort of thing out is
empirically. Try a few different things and see what works the best for
you on the roads concerned.

Another factor to consider in how you use the lamps is total duration of
illumination and a recharging schedule[1]. You'll need to ensure that
you can get through a typical week (or whatever your work cycle is) with
the lamp still working acceptably the whole time. That was always the
bit I found a PITA and a good reason to switch to dynamos, though good
bright rechargeables are still a good "extra" and really the only game
in town if you're heading offroad or downhill on unlit roads at serious
speeds and prefer not to suffer from Extreme Terror.

Pete.

[1] if the lamps don't have a smart charger, and they probably don't,
get a time switch to control the recharge so you don't accidentally
overdo it, as that might damage the battery)


--
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 protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 13:43:52 -0000, "David Glover"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Just got these from Argos - £35, seems a good deal.
>
>They come with a 10W "wide" beam and a 5W "spot" beam. What's the
>recommended place to point these?
>

I have the same lights and have them both pointed ahead slightly
dipped. I don't seem to need to worry about being seen at the front as
my commute run is basically cycling through bright urban areas then
hitting a dual carriageway where I need to be seen from behind more
than anything and then back into an urban area about 7 miles later.
Because there's parts of my ride where I cycle quite fast and there
also happens to be a lot of roadkill badgers and rabbits about I need
as much light as possible focused on the road itself in order to be
pre warned of obstructions.
 
"Peter Clinch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Another factor to consider in how you use the lamps is total duration of
> illumination and a recharging schedule

They use a detachable lead-acid battery for power. I will simply take it
into the office with me and charge it every day, which the manual recommends
anyway. Not a problem.
 
David Glover wrote:
>
> Just got these from Argos - £35, seems a good deal.
>
> They come with a 10W "wide" beam and a 5W "spot" beam. What's the
> recommended place to point these?
>
> My ride home (which is now in the pitch dark) goes along a fairly long
> country lane covered by trees on both sides, so without good lights you
> literally cannot see your hand in front of your face.
>
> It then joins a fairly busy A-road, which is partially lit at one stretch,
> so annoyingly I have two rather different conditions to deal with.
>
> My plan is to point the wide, brighter beam straight ahead, to illuminate
> trees and hedges and also to force oncoming drivers to see me, and to point
> the spot down at the road so I can see any debris or other things to avoid
> in the road.
>
> Good plan? Or not?

Mine were £27.99 :p

It sounds as if you have a similar ride to my usual one.
I often have a five mile pitch-black narrow lane with lots of trees,
half a mile of main unlit road, and about half a mile of lit residential
roads.
I too have the 10W pointed straight ahead with the 5W permanently on and
pointed down slightly.

I'm presently using them on both my audax and my Brommie.
I agree they are a good buy.

John B
 
>
> I'm presently using them on both my audax and my Brommie.
> I agree they are a good buy.

John, can I ask how you've found them on the Brompton? I'd like to get
some 'proper' lights for mine, but wondered how it'd affect the folding.
Do you have to remove the battery pack, or does it all fold up with the
lighting system in place?

Ian
--
My email address is invalid to prevent spam.
Real contact details are on my website at http://www.drianwalker.com
 
David Glover wrote:
> Just got these from Argos - £35, seems a good deal.
>
> They come with a 10W "wide" beam and a 5W "spot" beam. What's the
> recommended place to point these?
>
> My ride home (which is now in the pitch dark) goes along a fairly long
> country lane covered by trees on both sides, so without good lights
> you literally cannot see your hand in front of your face.
>
> It then joins a fairly busy A-road, which is partially lit at one
> stretch, so annoyingly I have two rather different conditions to deal
> with.
>
> My plan is to point the wide, brighter beam straight ahead, to
> illuminate trees and hedges and also to force oncoming drivers to see
> me, and to point the spot down at the road so I can see any debris or
> other things to avoid in the road.

Most important in your case is to be able to see where you're going on the
unlit lanes. I suggest having both lamps pointed down somewhat: down
enough to cast a bright enough light on the road, but up ahead enough to
provide enough reaction time -- a tricky balance. The brighter the lamps,
the easier this balance is to achieve, and the faster you can cycle in
safety. Neither of your two lamps will be powerful enough to point very
far down the road and illuminate it properly so that'll limit your top
speed down any hills.

Your lamps should be bright and wide enough to get you noticed without
having to have them pointed directly at motorists' eyes. In fact, I'm
finding that it makes sense to "dip" my lamps more on urban roads to
prevent blinding people. Having the brackets just loose enough to force
round on the Space Grip means I can adjust without stopping.

You don't need to see much to the sides when on road. No need to actually
illuminate the trees as long you can make out where the edge of the road
is.

~PB
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Pete Biggs" <pblackcherry{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:
> In fact, I'm
> finding that it makes sense to "dip" my lamps more on urban roads to
> prevent blinding people.

If only motorcyclists thought of this, going everywhere with full beams
on. I remember driving down a motorway one night and I glanced up to the
rear-view mirror in time to receive a many-Watted full-beam blast from
the biker behind. He then overtook me and in one effortless movement
pulled into the huge blind spot he'd just given me...

Ian
--
My email address is invalid to prevent spam.
Real contact details are on my website at http://www.drianwalker.com
 
If still concerened about being seen, you could have a third lamp: a small
LED blinkie. Smart Polaris can be bought for £12.98 inc post via eBay,
and also acts as a backup* and an emergency torch.

* It is /just/ bright enough to see where you're going on unlit roads at
low speed (in steady mode) if your main lights conk out, and is adequate
on its own in flashing mode on lit roads. I wouldn't want to be without
something like this after dark. Cateye EL200 is an alternative (and casts
a narrower & brighter spot), though is bulkier.

~PB
 
Ian Walker wrote:

>> In fact, I'm
>> finding that it makes sense to "dip" my lamps more on urban roads to
>> prevent blinding people.
>
> If only motorcyclists thought of this, going everywhere with full
> beams on. I remember driving down a motorway one night and I glanced
> up to the rear-view mirror in time to receive a many-Watted full-beam
> blast from the biker behind. He then overtook me and in one
> effortless movement pulled into the huge blind spot he'd just given
> me...

At least motorcyclists have smaller/fewer lights and whizz by quickly :)
Cars are the problem for me when cycling. On narrow country lanes, I find
I have to *memorise* the view ahead as an oncoming car approaches because
I won't be able to see where the hell I'm going for a few seconds!

~PB
 
Ian Walker wrote:
>
> >
> > I'm presently using them on both my audax and my Brommie.
> > I agree they are a good buy.
>
> John, can I ask how you've found them on the Brompton? I'd like to get
> some 'proper' lights for mine, but wondered how it'd affect the folding.
> Do you have to remove the battery pack, or does it all fold up with the
> lighting system in place?

Brilliant for light :)
I now don't know how I managed without.

But they do affect the folding :-(
I have the brackets on the bars, the switch on the stem and the battery
hangs just behind the main hinge.
The battery is in the way as the back wheel comes up under the frame tube.
I do have to take the battery and the lamps off (easy) but the brackets
can stay in place.

I'm going to look at a way of fixing the battery on the top of the frame
tube whch would mean it could remain in place.

As with so many things with a folder it is all compromise.

John B
 
Installed these tonight. Small disaster.

The clamps that attach to the handlebars never seemed to get tight, they
were always very easy to move up and down. So I screwed it tighter. And
tighter.

And then a bit of plastic snapped.

****. :(
 
In message <[email protected]>, David Glover
<[email protected]> writes
>"Peter Clinch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Another factor to consider in how you use the lamps is total duration of
>> illumination and a recharging schedule
>
>They use a detachable lead-acid battery for power. I will simply take it
>into the office with me and charge it every day, which the manual recommends
>anyway. Not a problem.
>
>
Until you forget to put it on charge and it runs flat halfway home, or
put in charge and then leave the battery behind (obviously not when it's
dark)......
--
Chris French, Leeds
 
chris French wrote:
> Until you forget to put it on charge and it runs flat halfway home, or
> put in charge and then leave the battery behind (obviously not when it's
> dark)......

You're right, I'm obviously totally underqualified to ride a bike at night.

*Goes to buy car*
 
Richard Goodman wrote:
>
> "JohnB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Mine were £27.99 :p
> >
>
> Alright then, so where did you get them, or was it just a one-off special
> offer?

I got them from Argos.
I fink it was a promotional offer.
Someone posted the info here so I whizzed down my local store asap.

John B
 
David Glover wrote:
>
> Installed these tonight. Small disaster.
>
> The clamps that attach to the handlebars never seemed to get tight, they
> were always very easy to move up and down. So I screwed it tighter. And
> tighter.
>
> And then a bit of plastic snapped.
>
> ****. :(

Sh*t

Eurolight should really supply at least two different rubber shim thicknesses.
I had to rummage in the spares box when I fitted mine to the Brommie's handlebars.

John B
 
In message <[email protected]>, David Glover
<[email protected]> writes
>chris French wrote:
>> Until you forget to put it on charge and it runs flat halfway home,
>>or put in charge and then leave the battery behind (obviously not
>>when it's dark)......
>
>You're right, I'm obviously totally underqualified to ride a bike at night.
>
>*Goes to buy car*

Wrong answer. Correct ones is 'Goes to buy dynamo' :)

Seriously, whenever I have used a rechargeable lights, it's all gone
wrong sooner or later for reasons like the above. I SAlways havew some
sort of backup lighting.
--
Chris French, Leeds
 
chris French <[email protected]> writes:

>Until you forget to put it on charge and it runs flat halfway home, or
>put in charge and then leave the battery behind (obviously not when it's
>dark)......

I have a Sigma Mirage X with a 5W and a 20W lamp. I got it when I moved
and had a commute which was 4 miles through pitch black country lanes
followed by 4 miles lighted streets.
Battery life using the 20W lamp was fairly short so if I used it only for
the dark part and did the rest on the smaller lamp I could just manage one
commute before recharging.
And yes, I have forgotten to recharge before I needed it. Or recharged in
a very cold room which didn't work very well. Or recharged without
switching the socket on. Or set up to recharge and then knocked out the
plug slightly so it didn't make contact. And you can't tell if the battery
is full or not by looking at it.
The amount of light is great, and there are probably better batteries
out there, but I'm quite looking forward to my Xmas present as a
replacement :)
(and my current commute only involves city streets)

Roos
 
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