Light Recommendations (formerly Front Light For Dark Country) Road Commute

Seweryn

ford2600 wrote: »

I have a Trelock 950 ...

I was thinking about one of these. Are they good? I heard they are, but would welcome your feedback .

ford2600

Seweryn wrote: »

I was thinking about one of these. Are they good? I heard they are, but would welcome your feedback .

It's a nice light. It has a strap and ratchet mechanism for locking holder to bars; you need to put it on tight so not sure if that would be an issue with carbon bars?

The light just clicks into/out of holder very quickly with no fuss. (I did have an issue with movement however when plastic wore on holder)

On light, there are 5 setting. In reality I used 3rd and 4th highest settings and found it perfect for country roads. The runs times are great from 6-45hrs(which is continuously displayed), but in reality probably 12-18hrs or so. Once a week charge should do you.

I have been out with lads with more powerful dynamo lights, also with decent beam patterns and it does look weaker in comparison. If I had never seen those light I would have thought it was fantastic! Greener hills and all that!

If I get a chance for a spin in next month I'll throw it on bike and you can test it. It will mean an early start however!

Seweryn

ford2600 wrote: »

If I get a chance for a spin in next month I'll throw it on bike and you can test it. It will mean an early start however!

Cheers, thanks for that. Will do some day .

Pinch Flat

Seweryn wrote: »

There are reasons why in civilised countries, like Germany you are not allowed to use theses "cheaper options". But sure, here we just don't care about other road users .

Even my lenzynes are prohibited in Germany. The 200 lumen micro drive And 400 lumen macro drive - the latter is perfect for dark roads commuting. Perhaps one with a swappable battery would be handy for longer spins, but even at a lower 200 lumen settings it'll give you 3.5 hours

Lumen

Some random thoughts on bike lighting...

- The human eye/brain system is incredibly effective at operating in low light. Work with it not against it. Specifically, a lot of light output directly in front of the bike will reduce your ability to see further down the road.
- You need exponentially more power to produce a steady increase in perceived brightness. In a war between gadgetry and geometry/biology, gadgetry will lose expensively.
- Efficiency of LEDs drops off with heat so cooling is important for efficiency on a high-power setup.
- A clean cut-off at the top of the beam will allow you to illuminate further down the road without blinding oncoming traffic.
- Steady (not flashing) lights allow other road users to track your movement more easily, making them less likely to run you over.
- Redundancy (multiple lights) reduce the chance of you getting dangerously stranded without functioning lights.
- Hub dynamos are awesome, but there are few (or no) dynamo-driven flashing lights, which means you'll probably end up using a rear flasher anyway.
- Spending a lot of money with a big-name brand does not necessarily guarantee reliability, but you'll have more chance of getting a replacement as they will typically want to keep customers on board to preserve their reputation.
- Hand torches with multiple modes are often a poor choice for bike mounting because the battery connections are maintained with a spring. In the worst case you will go into disco strobe mode every time you go over a big bump.
- You don't need to be lit up like Croke Park to be safe. Be reasonable and considerate to other road users.
- Every device with a non-replaceable battery I've ever owned is junk after a couple of years.

For me the foundation of a good light setup is a decently powerful front light with a well-shaped beam which provides even illumination of the area between about 2 and 20m from the front wheel (about 2 seconds plus reaction time at reasonable speed), plus steady and blinking rear lights.

My commute includes a few potentially dangerous side junctions but in three years or so of using a good dynamo front light I've never had a car pull out on me, so I'm doubtful that adding a front flasher is necessary for safety.

Regarding the first point, check out the example lux values in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux

1.0 lux: brightest full moon on a clear night.
100000 lux: brightest direct sunlight.

That's five orders of magnitude your eyes can cope with. Evolution/God is amazing.

Beasty

Very iLumenating....:)

Rotunda Shill

I use Ultrafire 501B LED Cree T6 strobe option lamps. They use their own proprietary battery LC18650 can be bought on Ebay from China for less than E20 delivered with two batteries and a charger.

They would easily outperform any LED Lenzer at three times the price.

the.red.baron

With a flashing front light, no smidsy

Without Smidsy

You just blend into all the other lights.

When choosing a light, look for flexibility, lots of light settings, lots of modulation, most lights have a few fixed power settings and one flashing, usually tending to the stobe end of the spectrum. Sometimes you want to be low key sometimes you want to be obnoxious.

And a decent low battery indicator.

Mope

ted1 wrote: »

Cycling down shelbourne road yesterday morning at about 8:15 so bright enough. On incoming cyclists had a light that could light the burden at night. It was aiming at straight in front of him and blinding everybody. Ridiculous is the term that comes to mind.

Guys, I understand what you are saying and my appologies as I did not pay attention that this trhread is ONLY about commute lights. Lights I've 'reviewed' were aimed more to off road use.
When you are going downhill you cannot really blind anyone...
Appologies for missunderstanding

Ryath

Mope wrote: »

Guys, I understand what you are saying and my appologies as I did not pay attention that this trhread is ONLY about commute lights. Lights I've 'reviewed' were aimed more to off road use.
When you are going downhill you cannot really blind anyone...
Appologies for missunderstanding

But the problem is a lot use these lights on the road though . They can be fine if used on lower settings and aimed appropriately. A lot don't though I find them an issue on group rides when some one with a high powered light is behind you casting a huge shadow up the road and your night vision is ruined by the halo around it.

I have a SON scmidt edelux 2 dynamo light and a B&M secula rear on the winter bike they are as much light as you could ever need on the road. I've done 70kph descents the front is like a car head lamp and the beam is aimed exactly where you want it.

I do usually carry these for the extra visibility and back up.
http://www.merlincycles.com/lezyne-macro-front-micro-rear-led-light-set-58569.html
The front even on the lowest at 100 lumens by it's self is adequate and lasts around 8 hours. The rear is probably the best rear light I've seen and has a pulse mode that is much better than the disco lights some use. They make a great commuter light set if you just have short amount of unlit road to deal with. I have 17k of unlit road so need the back up and reassurance I'm not going to be left stranded in the dark hence the dyno and back up lights.

Considering getting this for a helmet light though I might just get a helmet mount for my macrodrive. It's as much though just to have a headlamp if I need to change a tube at night. Though the extra visibility it would give if I came of the bike is a plus.

Site with some good beam shot comparisons
http://www.baslerbikes.de/index.php/baslerbikes-3scheinwerfervergleich-2014-maerz.html

Lumen

detones wrote: »

What you use/recommend lumen?

I have a Busch + Müller Lumotec IQ Cyo Senso Plus front light connected to a Shimano LX T665 Dynamo Front Disc hub.

On the shelf is a B&M LUMOTEC IQ2 LUXOS U which I'll pair with a new dyno wheel (probably something which is dragless when not running) when I can be bothered.

ford2600

Lumen wrote: »

I have a Busch + Müller Lumotec IQ Cyo Senso Plus front light connected to a Shimano LX T665 Dynamo Front Disc hub.

On the shelf is a B&M LUMOTEC IQ2 LUXOS U which I'll pair with a new dyno wheel (probably something which is dragless when not running) when I can be bothered.

Big difference between those two lamps, I have the former and have been out at night side by side with the latter.

I couldn't leave it on the shelf!

quozl

Yep, I've got an IQ Cyo of some sort on my commuter and a Edelux 2 (pretty much identical to the Luxos U, exact same reflector) on my road bike. There's some difference in the light output!

It's only really noticable out in the country-side though. In the city they're both washed out by street light and are just for being seen.

How are you resisting putting the Luxos on?

Lumen

quozl wrote: »

How are you resisting putting the Luxos on?

I have an almost infinite reserve of laziness and procrastination.

quozl

Me too but cycling stuff is my procrastination from the things that I really should be doing instead

slideshow bob

Ryath wrote: »

I have a SON scmidt edelux 2 dynamo light and a B&M secula rear on the winter bike they are as much light as you could ever need on the road.

@Ryath: Thanks for these details. What is the wheel/dynamo that you have? Did you get a complete wheel or build it yourself? Is there a "no drag" option when you don't need the light on?

Ryath

slideshow bob wrote: »

@Ryath: Thanks for these details. What is the wheel/dynamo that you have? Did you get a complete wheel or build it yourself? Is there a "no drag" option when you don't need the light on?

SON delux dynamo hub got the lights and hub here
http://www.starbike.com/en/son-dynamo-hub-sondelux/

Hub was only around €180 when I bought it I'd shop around the german site's you probably can still get it for that. Got it built in local bike shop on an mavic open pro rim. You can switch the light on or of with switch on the light or you can leave it in sensor where it turns on it's self when dark. Honestly there is so little drag even with it on I can barely notice the difference with it off.

Some of the german sites Rose, bike24, bikecomponents.de etc have very good prices for wheels with shimano dyno hubs and mavic rims.

The SON hub is a little dearer than a shimano hub but I reckoned it was worth the extra for the 5 year warranty, lighter weight and reduced drag. The last one is probably minimal though.

Lumen

I think my next dynamo hub will be a SONdelux. Less drag, lighter weight and only drops voltage at low speeds I'm unlikely to encounter on my flattish commute.

I suppose it depends on how often one does Kilmashogue-type intervals in the dark. For me, never.

edit: actually I'll probably need a SON 28 15 if I'm going to get a through-axle. But it has only ISO disc mounts. Are there any dynohubs that support through-axle AND centrelock?

edit 2: yes SP PL-8X http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html but where could I buy one?

Rotunda Shill

What dynohubs are fitted on Dublin Bikes?

They seem to lighten up at very low speeds.

Ryath

Lumen wrote: »

I think my next dynamo hub will be a SONdelux. Less drag, lighter weight and only drops voltage at low speeds I'm unlikely to encounter on my flattish commute.

I suppose it depends on how often one does Kilmashogue-type intervals in the dark. For me, never.

Have never found the voltage drop an issue, once your moving at all there is enough light to see for the speed. The stand light lasts several minutes and is more than good enough to see with at low speed. The output goes up quickly even doing 12-13 kph the output visually looks to be nearly on full.

Lumen wrote: »

edit: actually I'll probably need a SON 28 15 if I'm going to get a through-axle. But it has only ISO disc mounts. Are there any dynohubs that support through-axle AND centrelock?

edit 2: yes SP PL-8X http://www.sp-dynamo.com/8Xseriesdynamo%20hub.html but where could I buy one?

Surely SJS cycles can get them they list the PD-8X
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sp-dynamo-shopspdynamo_pg1/

Mechanic in LBS has the PV-8 and is very happy with it.

Rotunda Shill wrote: »

What dynohubs are fitted on Dublin Bikes?

They seem to lighten up at very low speeds.

They're shimano hubs don't know the model they probably work well at low speed put would then have more drag at higher speeds. Not that it's an issue on a 25kg bike that handles like a barge.

Mr Rubicon Conundrum

I received my Solarstorm X2 yesterday. Great light, charged it up in work, about 3 hours for the separate battery pack. For the back roads from Newlands Cross out beyond Baldonnell, these lights are brilliant. On the low setting, the road was very visible for at least 20 metres. Bear in mind the miserable wet & windy night last night.

For €33, these are a fantastic light, if they are well built, which they appear to be, and last, well then I would highly recommend them.

rejkin

Mr Rubicon Conundrum wrote: »

I received my Solarstorm X2 yesterday. Great light, charged it up in work, about 3 hours for the separate battery pack. For the back roads from Newlands Cross out beyond Baldonnell, these lights are brilliant. On the low setting, the road was very visible for at least 20 metres. Bear in mind the miserable wet & windy night last night.

For €33, these are a fantastic light, if they are well built, which they appear to be, and last, well then I would highly recommend them.

Where did you get this? Do you have a link?

I need to get a good light for cycling home from work because around 15 minutes of my cycle is down un-lit country road in Longford.

Would this be good enough for it?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/KK-LIGHT-Bicycle-Headlight-Battery-Charger/dp/B00DHZKOQ0/ref=sr_1_3?s=cycling&ie=UTF8&qid=1415707001&sr=1-3

Can anyone recommend a decent priced front torch if that one is no use?

2 Wheels Good

I think it's this one from eBay
I just got this version, haven't tried it in pitch black outdoors but the light is intense. If the battery life is as advertised it should be great.

Alek

If the battery life is as advertised it should be great.

1 LED Runtime: 4h 2 LEDs Runtime: 2h

??

lennymc

I'm using a edelux front light with a dhn31 hub dynamo and I find it way better than the cree lights i was using previously. The beam is a nicer spread, and gives a good light for a reasonable distance. It also doesn't dazzle oncoming drivers. The wheel is fine, it's a bit draggy up hills, but on theflat I don't really notice the extra weight. The light and dynamo cost me about 120, which is more than some lights, but I normally cycle a lot in the dark and now don't need to worry about battery life. I should be getting rear light in the next few days aswell, so will post my findings on that later

Mr Rubicon Conundrum

Here you go...

ebay.co.uk/itm/2nd-Generation-SolarStorm-X2-Cree-LED-Bike-Bicycle-Light-Headlight-Cycling-High-/131121089366?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:IE:3160

cdaly_

lennymc wrote: »

I'm using a edelux front light with a dhn31 hub dynamo ...

The light and dynamo cost me about 120

Where'd ya get them for 120?

ford2600

cdaly_ wrote: »

Where'd ya get them for 120?

Dhn80 is about 90 on rose built up with Mavic 36 spoke 319 rim.

Not sure on dhn30 price.

Luxus U/B seems to be best of b&m lamps.

I have an older inferior b&m but it's adequate at my speeds.

Rose seem to be best on lamp prices also.

candlepower forum/ yacf are good resources for opinions on lights. Peter White cycles also has good reviews of various dynamo lamps

CatFromHue

My light is 300 lumen, I can't get my mind around a 1800 or 3600 lumen light!

It must be like driving during the day!

ted1

ford2600 wrote: »

Dhn80 is about 90 on rose built up with Mavic 36 spoke 319 rim.

Do they build it all up for you, or is a DIY job?