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

ford2600

ted1 wrote: »

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

Comes in a box, well built at that.

Very strong wheel and heavy also, but for winter who cares. Bought a rear wheel from rose in summer handbuilt too. 5k later, trouble free.

lennymc

cdaly_ wrote: »

Where'd ya get them for 120?

wheel was 57 quid on ebay including delivery. Light was from cramcycle for 60 quid - it's the original edelux which you may be able to find for about that price.

Kaisr Sose

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

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.

Seen a guy with something like this on his helmet in Clonskeagh tonight.
Even on lowest settings, they are too bright and dazzle other road users.

2 Wheels Good

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Seen a guy with something like this on his helmet in Clonskeagh tonight.
Even on lowest settings, they are too bright and dazzle other road users.

I'm just planning to use them occasionally in rural west Cork so not too worried about meeting traffic, but they do seem a tad bright for urban use

rejkin

2 Wheels Good wrote: »

I'm just planning to use them occasionally in rural west Cork so not too worried about meeting traffic, but they do seem a tad bright for urban use

I ordered one similar to the one you posted. Should have it next week. I'm in the same situation, just need it for the country roads in longford where I would rarely pass a car so I can turn it off going past a car if need be.

Macy0161

Think this is a thread that I am allowed to resurrect? Or is this the wrong megathread?

Any current recommendations for a rear light? I'm extending out my commute, so I'll be on more rural roads (such as across the Scalp). Looking at the Knog Blinder 4V LED Rear Light? Anyone any experience of this light?

I have a Cree front light, so happy enough with that...

Thanks

cdaly_

Macy0161 wrote: »

Any current recommendations for a rear light? I'm extending out my commute, so I'll be on more rural roads (such as across the Scalp). Looking at the Knog Blinder 4V LED Rear Light? Anyone any experience of this light?

I've had experience of the Smart Lunar 2x1/2Watt (on other peoples' bikes) and it seems to be a good light from the visibility POV without being blinding like some of the red searchlights you see about the place...

tomasrojo

Yeah, I got the 2x1/2W when my Smart 1W stopped working. I reasoned that 0.5W was always plenty bright, and I just wanted a larger light of that intensity. I didn't like the "disco" setting though, so I just leave it on constant mode.

Seems to work great, especially if you angle it one notch up from the horizontal plane. Good battery life too (compared to the 1W, I mean; slightly surprised me that).

slideshow bob

Knog Boomer rear light has good visibility, robust, easy to fit/unfit. There's a few variants, but this one has 2*AAA
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-lights-locks/bike-lights/knog-boomer-usb-rear-light

and was on clearance in TKMax for €7 recently.

OleRodrigo

Ive been using the Smart lunar for a while, its a good light. That said, you'd be doing well to find a bad light amongst most of whats available today. Front lights tend to be trickier to get right. Spending 20 or 30 euro should be enough, in conjunction with refelctive strips, IMO. The problem with most of them is the weather seal. USB chargeable tend to be better sealed than battery ones .

There are some newer types coming on the market that offer increased visibility from multiple angles, such as the Smart superflash, which is worthwhile, IMO.

Unknown Soldier

If you want to seen from the International space station I think the following might do the job.

http://www.wiggle.com/exposure-flare-rear-light/

Fupp me.

A fella came into cycle superstore last week when I was in there with one of those on.

I had to shield my eyes walking up to the till, where he had his bike parked.

In fairness, he did turn it off and apologise to me.

minterno

I like the more powerfull rear lights on the market as I cycle late at night and in all weather, once the wind drops im out and as I cycle in a rural area on pitch black back roads I like to be seen and am more concerned with my safety than the comfort of drivers coming up behind me, I keep my lights on the lower settings but they are still bright and if im on a dangerous stretch of road during the day they're on full blast. I have the 'cateye volt 50 rear light' which I think is tops, very well and good run times, the moonshield 60 rear light which is very bright even on the lowest setting but great for daytime use, and one of the lezyne Microdrive rear lights, of the three the moonshield 60 would be the most visible from any angle and is super bright with great run times but a friends one leaked after about a year, mine is still fine, the cateye volt rear is also very bright and well made and of the three I would rate the lezyne last as its angled down to the ground too much therby losing too much light to the tarmac. just my jmho

keith_d99

OP here ... My MagicShine after 7/8 years has given up the ghost ...
Wont't charge from what I can see ... and the replacement batteries don't seem compatable

It's been a fantastic light for my country road commute


My original Magicshine which was up to 900 lumens and used it at the highest setting

Can anybody recommend a replacement?

thebouldwhacker

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/

For value for money hard to beat this guy. Great follow up service. Triple Cree light with long life battery gives you all night light, middle setting about 15 hours, top setting over 4 hours.
When I got mine I switched it on to fully discharge before fully charging, it took over 24 hrs to empty....

Beasty

This thread's life on Boards is nearly as long as mine

keith_d99

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/

For value for money hard to beat this guy. Great follow up service. Triple Cree light with long life battery gives you all night light, middle setting about 15 hours, top setting over 4 hours.
When I got mine I switched it on to fully discharge before fully charging, it took over 24 hrs to empty....

Excellent specs and value ...

His batteries look very very similar to the Magicshine ... would just replace the battery if it was a fit

thebouldwhacker

Send him photos of what you need replacing, you'd never know.

keith_d99

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Send him photos of what you need replacing, you'd never know.

Good man ... Looks like a match ... thanks!

Alanstrainor

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/

For value for money hard to beat this guy. Great follow up service. Triple Cree light with long life battery gives you all night light, middle setting about 15 hours, top setting over 4 hours.
When I got mine I switched it on to fully discharge before fully charging, it took over 24 hrs to empty....

Thanks for this. Just ordered one from them. Only realised that my commute from fairview up to Baldoyle on the coast was on an unlit off-road cycle track this week. Hopefully 1000 lumens will be enough to see with!

saccades

1000 lumens?

You'll be fine.

CatFromHue

be careful with a 1000 lumen light as you will blind people with it

Ryath

Make sure its pointing down if you meet Jep or buffalo!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101913752&postcount=1306

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

In my view, there are two circumstances in which citizens should be permitted to take the law in their own hands.

In the case of people who use high powered lights, either undipped or on strobe setting, it ought to be permissible for anyone to drag them from their bike and beat them to within an inch of their lives.

The second exception should be for people who put up their Christmas tree before December 1. Their neighbours should be allowed burn them out.

They are good value light those magicshine type lights but really they're for mountain biking you're far better of with dedicated road lights. They've improved a lot and come down a lot in price over the last few years. I rate lezynes highly even cateye do decent lights for reasonable money now. If you do a lot of night riding you can't beat a decent dynamo set up. I still carry good battery powered ones as backup/supplementary lighting though.

Lumen

Weepsie wrote: »

I'm having trouble picking a dynamo light. Anyone in here able to make some recommendations? Was going to go for the B+M Lumotec IQ2 LUXOS U with the built in USB but might be better off buying a light not and something like the e-werk down the line. That and I believe there are some issues with that light.

I have the Luxos U but I haven't really used the USB charging much and it doesn't work when the light is on. I used it to charge my Di2 on the move a couple of times, which seemed cool but involved a lot of cables. I suspect most modern phones require too much current for fast charging - the USB output will only go to 1A but modern fast chargers require 2A.

The B&M IQ-X looks like the daddy. Good beam pattern and 100 lux!

cdaly_

Mine is an 80lux Cyo Premium T which has cars pulling over for the oncoming 'motorbike' as well as lighting my way nicely.

ford2600

Weepsie wrote: »

I can get the IQ X for 80 quid possibly. Could certainly go without the USB charger, it was more for future proofing, but can add one down the line.

Have the IQ-X fitted, replacing the 60 lux B&M light.

With the supplied bracket it is close to useless; a hard plastic bracket with two pivot points. Switched out for a standard B&M stainless bracket and it's a fantastic light. Loads of power with a lovely wide beam pattern. Equivalent of a 400 lumen light with a good beam.

Good alternative to Edelux, Luxus U/B, Supernova etc

On Luxus U charging feature has had a load of failures.

If you want dynamo charging the b&m thingy or the thing I started a thread on a month ago might be a better option

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057682478/1/#post101976471

what_traffic

cdaly_ wrote: »

Mine is an 80lux Cyo Premium T which has cars pulling over for the oncoming 'motorbike' as well as lighting my way nicely.

I also use the B&M "Cyo Premium T" with a Shimano Hub Dynamo. Excellent light.

ford2600

Weepsie wrote: »

I've decided to no bother with the power option. I forgot I had a portable solar charger too if I really wanted to for the mid-term anyway.


Probably go with the IQ x or the Supernova E3 Pro 2 and order tonight hopefully

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/supernova.php

Review of supernova & beam shots. They are a super light in use, I'm just too mean!

He also has similar pages on edelux, b&m etc

Hard to buy a bad light considering the ones you are looking at.

ted1

what_traffic wrote: »

I also use the B&M "Cyo Premium T" with a Shimano Hub Dynamo. Excellent light.

Me too, I use the Dynamo on my winter wheel. Put it in the bike in October and havn't had to worry about it getting dark since. And havn't had to worry about batteries or charging.

I really don't understand why bike shops/suppliers don't offer them as an option when selling bikes.

ford2600

ted1 wrote: »

Me too, I use the Dynamo on my winter wheel. Put it in the bike in October and havn't had to worry about it getting dark since. And havn't had to worry as much about batteries or charging.

I really don't understand why bike shops/suppliers don't offer them as an option when selling bikes.

Fixed your post.

Dynamo is no use when wheel isn't turning and you need to fix a mechanical

ted1

ford2600 wrote: »

Fixed your post.

Dynamo is no use when wheel isn't turning and you need to fix a mechanical

Wouldn't say no use, I get 7 minutes of light from the smaller LEDs on the front.