Light recommendations

a148pro

I've been through a few cheap sets of lights at this stage and they're generally so crap I've come to regard them as essentially disposable.

So can anyone recommend a decent set thats decent value? Either available on the internet or in our local friendly bike store.

Kintarō Hattori

I'm quite the fan of Smart. They are cheap, bright and the build quality seems to be excellent. I know my two local LBS stock them and they are also available online.




http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=56539

DeepBlue

It's kinda getting to that time of year again.
Time to re-browse the epic 400+ post Front Light For Dark Country Road Commute thread to check out recomendations.

-Chris-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electron-Nano-Ultra-Bright-Lights/dp/B002DQ9000/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1314137956&sr=1-1

I have the Electron 9 as a front light, it's excellent.
I have a Smart for the rear, I'd second KH's recommendation.

-Chris-

Electron 9 is here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Electron-Nano-Led-Front-Light/dp/B000NOO3SS/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_in

Out of stock for some reason...


Edit - in stock here: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14397

a148pro

DeepBlue wrote: »

It's kinda getting to that time of year again.
Time to re-browse the epic 400+ post Front Light For Dark Country Road Commute thread to check out recomendations.

Well I picked up a pair of those velcro wrap around straps today having strayed accross a similar thread here.

Ten fecking euros in Halfords. Safety ain't cheap.

Dubba

Hope Vision 1 - expensive but well worth it:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-vision-1-led-front-light/

cipo

Exposure lights are fantastic.
Well made, excellent battery life....

Can't recommend them enough...

Lumen

a148pro wrote: »

Ten fecking euros in Halfords. Safety ain't cheap.

DeepBlue

cipo wrote: »

Exposure lights are fantastic.
Well made, excellent battery life....

Looking through Wiggle there's quite a range of them with some having pretty hefty price tags.
Which particular one do you recommend?

NeedMoreGears

DeepBlue wrote: »

It's kinda getting to that time of year again.
Time to re-browse the epic 400+ post Front Light For Dark Country Road Commute thread to check out recomendations.

For some reason link didn't work

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62463756

I think this may be it - definitely epic.

a148pro

Lumen wrote: »

a148pro wrote: »

Ten fecking euros in Halfords. Safety ain't cheap.

As in ten euros is a lot for a strip of reflective Velcro, not a lot to spend on safety

Thanks for recommendations lads gonna order one of them online

tomasrojo

a148pro wrote: »

As in ten euros is a lot for a strip of reflective Velcro, not a lot to spend on safety

Tesco sells rolls of reflective tape for very little. They also sell a Velcro knock-off for not much either. Then you can make as many reflective wrist-bands and ankle-bands as your heart could desire (four, I'm assuming, unless you're Doctor Octopus).

Holyboy

A bit controversial but how about these http://www.reelight.com/ ?

I really like them but they don't suit everyone.

a148pro

tomasrojo wrote: »

a148pro wrote: »

As in ten euros is a lot for a strip of reflective Velcro, not a lot to spend on safety

Tesco sells rolls of reflective tape for very little. They also sell a Velcro knock-off for not much either. Then you can make as many reflective wrist-bands and ankle-bands as your heart could desire (four, I'm assuming, unless you're Doctor Octopus).

Alas i've bought the feckers already, will Bear in mind tesco though. Word them tonight but didn't feel they were up to much, have to see them on other people I suppose.

I am still alive after cycling lightless from balbriggan back into town after dark so they can't be too bad I suppose. It's amazing how not getting your **** together will have you ending up doing stupid things just cos it's more convenient.

twinsen

Dubba wrote: »

Hope Vision 1 - expensive but well worth it:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/hope-vision-1-led-front-light/

I have one of these. It is Very bright to say at least. Very comfortable to cycle in pitch black with speeds like 30kmh.

cdaly_

Holyboy wrote: »

A bit controversial but how about these http://www.reelight.com/ ?

I really like them but they don't suit everyone.

I'm using two of these in front (one axle mount, one fork crown mount) and one rear. Very handy as I'm always lit without having to think about it. The axle mount ones tend to bounce a bit on their long mounting brackets. I also use a second battery-powered flashing rear light and have a Fenix TK11 front light for winter commuting...

a148pro wrote: »

Alas i've bought the feckers already, will Bear in mind tesco though. Word them tonight but didn't feel they were up to much, have to see them on other people I suppose.

You have to see them from a car at night to assess them. Best place to wear them is on your ankles as the vertical movement will stand out.

Kintarō Hattori

Holyboy wrote: »

A bit controversial but how about these http://www.reelight.com/ ?

I really like them but they don't suit everyone.

Why are they controversial? They don't cause any friction so I can't imagine what issues someone could have with them.

tomasrojo

Well, they do hamper the rotation of the wheel very, very slightly (I doubt it's an issue for any commuter), but I think the main objection to them is that the light is mounted way too low.

EDIT: I was about 100m behind someone with this as his only rear light (apart a multi-LED arm band, which was ineffective due to each of the many lights being too dim and too small). It was ok from a distance, it did catch my eye. But as you get closer in a car or truck it's soon obscured by the dashboard. I think there's a legal minimum distance from the ground for rear lights, but I can't remember what it is or whether these meet it. I seem to remember it's equivalent to about half-way up the seat stay.

-Chris-

When you stop at a red light (I know, it's a craaaazy idea), will the reelight stop shining, or are they able to hold charge for a few minutes?

tomasrojo

-Chris- wrote: »

When you stop at a red light (I know, it's a craaaazy idea), will the reelight stop shining, or are they able to hold charge for a few minutes?

They must have a capacitor or something; they keep flashing.

Lumen

tomasrojo wrote: »

They must have a capacitor or something; they keep flashing.

Yes, it's a capacitor.

droidus

These look good: http://fibreflare.com/

tomasrojo

I went for the 1W Smart rear light recently. I was using two 1/2W, but I decided the 1W was fine on constant on its own. It's very bright indeed. I don't use this, but it has a nice option that combines flashing with constant in the same unit (big bright LED flashes while the two smaller LEDs stay constant). It also has an option where just the two smaller LEDs are on and constant for group riding.

Not that cheap though.

frant2

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/terra-2-light-39893/

I got these - or you can get them as a single - seem to be good value compared to some of the top end schtuff

They are seriously bright on full beams, I sometimes have to cycle on dark roads at nighttime and they light up the road nicely so you can see potholes well in advance.

studiorat

Been doing some "research" since I'm looking for some lights for night time MTB. Found these : Top of range Ay-Up lights Can't justify the price though...

And these : Super Cheap lights from china 900 Lumen etc... The cheap ones get pretty good reviews here and there. Don't forget to have a look around for the team kit shorts and jersey for $41.

And my favorite, Rear light with laser beams!! with USB and mains charger.

tomasrojo

RE: Reelights

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1963/en/si/0189.html

(Rather lacking in metric all this)

(6) (a) No part of the illuminated surface of a lamp shall be less than 15 inches or more than 3 feet from the ground.

A Reelight is about axle height, I think.



Axle height is 35cm on a 700C wheel, which is about 14 inches. So too low for this regulation.

galwaycyclist mentioned this a while ago (same document):

(8) (a) The lamp fitted to a bicycle shall be so fitted that it is not more than 20 inches from the extreme rear of the vehicle.

This implies that it's mostly not legal to mount your light under the saddle.

I'm sure these will never be enforced, but I guess it does mean that a Reelight isn't a legally compliant light (unless a subsequent law has superseded the 1963 regulation).

Anyway, as I said, I think they're ok, but I think they probably need supplementing with another light, just because they're so low.

cdaly_

tomasrojo wrote: »

Well, they do hamper the rotation of the wheel very, very slightly (I doubt it's an issue for any commuter), but I think the main objection to them is that the light is mounted way too low.

EDIT: I was about 100m behind someone with this as his only rear light (apart a multi-LED arm band, which was ineffective due to each of the many lights being too dim). It was ok from a distance, it did catch my eye. But as you get closer in a car or truck it's soon obscured by the dashboard. I think there's a legal minimum distance from the ground for rear lights, but I can't remember what it is or whether these meet it. I seem to remember it's equivalent to about half-way up the seat stay.

They have addressed this with a stay/fork mounted coil and a seatpost/carrier/handlebar mounted light unit. Basically back to the dynamo lights setup but without the friction. In my view they are good as extra lighting but not as bright as some of the battery-powered lights and the low level ones are not sufficient alone.

They do have the advantage that their flash rate is proportional to your speed so you can have a strobing effect going on which should draw the eye in good time. You're welcome to hop on my wheel and have a look...

studiorat

I'm sure there was also a law about having a strip of white paint on your back mud guard. And a bell of course.

tomasrojo

Yeah, the bell one is still there.

tomasrojo

cdaly_ wrote: »

They have addressed this with a stay/fork mounted coil and a seatpost/carrier/handlebar mounted light unit. Basically back to the dynamo lights setup but without the friction. In my view they are good as extra lighting but not as bright as some of the battery-powered lights and the low level ones are not sufficient alone.

That sounds pretty good. You are losing some of the simplicity of the original design, but still neater than a bottle dynamo.