Bike light recommendations

[cyclingfool]

@Harry Meatmotor 80689 wrote:

There’s a couple of ways you could go about this depending on how much you want to invest, imho. if you’re just looking for a good lumens/dollar ratio you can’t beat this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KXDO8Y/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Though, i’d highly recommend getting the wide-angle lens:

http://www.amazon.com/Angle-MagicShine-Gemini-Lights-Headlight/dp/B004WLCLQY/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_img_y

I’ll second that. I’ve got pretty much the exact same setup on my bike, including the wide angle lens, just a different flavor of the Magic Shine knock-off light (mine was branded as Masione). It’s not quite as good as the dynamo lighting system I used to have (and plan to have again), but it’s cheap and it’s bright and has a nice wide beam pattern with the special lens.

@Harry Meatmotor 80689 wrote:

And don’t count on the batteries lasting for more than a season’s worth of charging cycles. the batteries are, however, fairly inexpensive to replace.

Knock on wood, mine are still going strong despite lots of dark hour commuting use over the standard time/winter season. If I don’t have dynamo lights installed by the next dark season, I will probably pick up an extra battery pack just in case, though.

[jabberwocky]

I bought one of the magicshine knockoffs to supplement my aging dinotte. It works fine. For the price its fantastic. I didn’t get the wide beam (my 800L has the wide beam covered) so its definitely a spot light. The battery has a bit of a “built in a garage” vibe but has worked perfectly all winter. I’ll probably get another one with a wide lens to replace the Dinotte next year, since replacement batteries are absurdly priced for it and mine are nearly dead.

[cvcalhoun]

For the headlight, I use a CygoLite Trion 600, which I bought for $100 on eBay. It is bright enough so that I never use anything more than the “low” setting, even on unlit trails. At that setting, the rechargeable battery supposedly lasts for 12 hours. I’ve never fully tested that out, but it means that it’s never run out even on my longest after-dark trips. The only problem I’ve had with it is that the handlebar clamp seems to be a bit too big for my handlebar, which caused the light to slip until it was pointing straight down instead of forward. I solved that one by folding up a couple of rubber jar grippers (a package of 3 is $1 at Dollar Tree) and putting them between the clamp and the handlebar.

I’ve got three tail lights. I have a CygoLite Hotshot SL 2-Watt LED Tail Light (rechargeable), which is affixed to the back of the rear rack and kept on high and steady light. The manufacturer says that should last 4.5 hours on high, but I’m pretty sure I’ve gone quite a bit more than that. I have a bicycle seat light (not sure of the brand, but it looks like it’s a Serfas TL-STN Seat Stay Taillight) that I use on the front of the rack (which is somewhat elevated, so the light can point backward and be seen). I put that on a rolling strobe setting. It uses CR 2032 batteries, which supposedly last up to 100 hours on that mode. And I have a NiteRider Cherry Bomb (which uses 2 AAA batteries that last about 40 hours), which I attach to the neck of an ANSI-II rated reflective vest and put on the flashing setting.

For the drunks and cell phone users, I’ve got a set of Rimfire bicycle lights on each of my wheels. (See video below.) I leave them on the constant on setting. Between the colors and the patterns they make as the wheels go around, even the most distracted drivers see and notice them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qYmTASQ6Wc

And of course, all of this is in addition to my reflectors–the ANSI-II rated reflective vest, a reflective “yield” triangle hanging down from the back of the rack, reflective strips on my panniers, and reflective sides on my pedals. I bike a lot after dark (was #1 in all of BAFS in the “after sunset” category), and I’m totally obsessive about making sure I’m visible.

[brendan]

I’ll second the recommendation for the cygolite expilions. Like most inexpensive lights, they output a round beam pattern. I find that the lowest setting works pretty well in clear weather, so I usually keep it there. I put one mount on the helmet and one on the handlebars. When there are oncoming riders/pedestrians, I can turn my head off the trail or push the light more toward the ground as needed so as not to blind them.

The charging and battery swap capabilities are some of the best out there.

I’ve replaced a couple lost/stolen ones over the years and buy whatever current model appears to be at the right place on the lumen/price curve.

B

[Steve O]

@Steve O 80691 wrote:

Peter White has a pretty comprehensive section on his web site devoted to lighting.

I bought a Schmidt hub from him about 10 years ago. My light was stolen with my bike last summer (but the wheel with the dynamo hub was safely in the shed at the time–thankfully). I bought a new Lumotech light which was an upgrade from halogen to LED. I’m very happy. Note that these lights are designed with very specific beam patterns, which Peter White has photos of on his site.

[mstone]

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2014/04/big-lights-bright-city-seeing-light-or.html

[ShawnoftheDread]

So I picked up a Lezyne Mega Drive off chain love recently. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet because of all the sunshine, but I charged it and turned it on. It puts out a slight humming sound when on. Anyone else have a light do this, or should I be concerned that it’s faulty?

[mstone]

@ShawnoftheDread 83215 wrote:

So I picked up a Lezyne Mega Drive off chain love recently. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet because of all the sunshine, but I charged it and turned it on. It puts out a slight humming sound when on. Anyone else have a light do this, or should I be concerned that it’s faulty?

Pretty much all of the high powered LED lights will have transformer/regulator circuitry. That circuitry will sometimes emit a high frequency hum, which should not be a functional issue.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@mstone 83216 wrote:

Pretty much all of the high powered LED lights will have transformer/regulator circuitry. That circuitry will sometimes emit a high frequency hum, which should not be a functional issue.

Ah, I’ve never had an ELITE light before. Thanks.

[dkel]

@mstone 83216 wrote:

Pretty much all of the high powered LED lights will have transformer/regulator circuitry. That circuitry will sometimes emit a high frequency hum, which should not be a functional issue.

Or it will implode, form a gravitational singularity, and suck in the entire solar system. Either one.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dkel 83219 wrote:

Or it will implode, form a gravitational singularity, and suck in the entire solar system. Either one.

It’s bright enough that I’d believe it possible.

[mstone]

@dkel 83219 wrote:

Or it will implode, form a gravitational singularity, and suck in the entire solar system. Either one.

Nothing is impossible, merely improbable.

[cvcalhoun]

Also, don’t forget reflectors. They obviously don’t help with seeing, but they are often more effective than lights at being seen. Note the visibility of the vest as opposed to the helmet lights in this photo. And this is not even my most reflective garment.

[Vicegrip]

@dkel 83219 wrote:

Or it will implode, form a gravitational singularity, and suck in the entire solar system. Either one.

I have such a light. I use it sparingly and only for good so as to remain in Newtonian space time format.

Had a cheap cateye type cycle computer that would fritz out when my LED light was next to it on the handlebar. This proved to be expensive as I liked the light more than the cateye so I got a Garmin edge 200, which caused me to get a 500, which caused me to get an 800, which caused me to get a 1000. (I sold the 800 for almost enough to cover the 1000 but still….) :rolleyes:

[EasyRider]

@Steve O 80764 wrote:

I bought a Schmidt hub from him about 10 years ago. My light was stolen with my bike last summer (but the wheel with the dynamo hub was safely in the shed at the time–thankfully). I bought a new Lumotech light which was an upgrade from halogen to LED. I’m very happy. Note that these lights are designed with very specific beam patterns, which Peter White has photos of on his site.

Do Schmidt products go on sale in the spring? I’d like to finally bite the bullet and get a winter wheel, a generator hub and headlamp for my commuter bike. Maybe this spring or summer I’ll pony up for one. For now, I have a Cygolite Metro 300, and for me, it’s about the bare minimum for seeing what’s up ahead. It’s fine as a “be seen” light.

Ten years ago, before LEDs were common, cheap, and decent, I hacked together a Home Depot halogen accent bulb and a heavy sealed lead-acid battery. I must have read an instructable about it. Talk about an unfocused beam!
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