# Do you want good quality, bright front lights on a budget ?



## cycling fisherman (19 Oct 2008)

*I HAVE THE ANSWER !

*I have been reading this forum and others for a couple of months to find a decent set of front lights on a budget.

I have found them...

Get yourself round to your nearest tesco superstore and look on the light bulb isle, you want to be looking for their tesco 3 watt led aluminium torch, it has a 3 watt cree bulb fitted as standard and they are very cheap they are £10 each.

At that price i have bought 2 of them and i am in the process of buying torch mounts so they can be fitted to the bike...

I have a link for members to look at for more information...

first of all this...

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12588492
  
and secondly...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=209585


The torches take 2 AA batteries and i can tell you that for £10 each they can not be beaten for value. ​


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## hackbike 6 (19 Oct 2008)

Are you one of those bot things?

I got caught the other night when having a skinful and looks like im being caught again.


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## gratts (19 Oct 2008)

Just read that entire thread..
Seems the only negatives are possibly rechargeable batteries not fitting, which I was already aware of, and a bit of a narrow beam..But for a tenner, I think I'll try one!
Will cycle down to tesco some time next week, maybe pick up that £2odd double light combo also, and probably lots of other stuff! 
Overdraft here I come..


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## hackbike 6 (19 Oct 2008)

Cycling bot ,your link looks very untidy,try this

*http://tinyurl.com/3wattlight

*also there is an even more tidier way to do it but I forgot how.


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## BentMikey (19 Oct 2008)

LOL, Hackers, that tinyurl link you posted didn't work.

Here's a shorter working version of the first link:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12588492


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## Tynan (19 Oct 2008)

you can buy a good a cycle front light for £10 though surely?


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## cycling fisherman (19 Oct 2008)

Tynan said:


> you can buy a good a cycle front light for £10 though surely?



nowhere near as good as these, they really are astonishingly bright i have some 2500 AA recharchables as well, you cannot go wrong with these lights.


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## upandover (19 Oct 2008)

I wondered about these. Presumably these are more for seeing than being seen. How much would you say the angle of visibility is?


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## Origamist (19 Oct 2008)

Reasonable throw, poor spill. Good value for money, but you can get P7s from HK for 20 quid or so and they piss all over the 3w Tesco torch.


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## hackbike 6 (19 Oct 2008)

BentMikey said:


> LOL, Hackers, that tinyurl link you posted didn't work.
> 
> Here's a shorter working version of the first link:
> 
> http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12588492



Actually it does work on my computer dude.

Did anyone else find it didn't work then?


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## gratts (19 Oct 2008)

Works fine for me


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## fossyant (19 Oct 2008)

It's not a bad torch - has a powerful throw, and goes with my two Cateye 510's. Certainly good enough for commuting, and as a handy backup.


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## hackbike 6 (19 Oct 2008)

gratts said:


> Works fine for me



Works on my other computer as well,just tested it.


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## TwickenhamCyclist (19 Oct 2008)

cycling fisherman said:


> *I HAVE THE ANSWER !
> 
> *I have been reading this forum and others for a couple of months to find a decent set of front lights on a budget.
> 
> ...




Whilst very cleaver, your avatar is so f**king irritating I really don’t want to read any of your posts – it’s far too distracting and, as well as being a right royal pain in the arse, could in all seriousness trigger a seizure in those susceptible.


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## Mr Pig (19 Oct 2008)

TwickenhamCyclist said:


> your avatar is so f**king irritating I really don’t want to read any of your posts



Give the guy a break, I think you're over reacting, just a tad. I hadn't given his avatar a second thought until you mentioned it, and I doubt many other people would be irritated by it either. 

Good call on the torches, I think I'll get one. Some of the other torches that were recommended looked good but had short battery life and expensive batteries.


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## Rolling Thunder (19 Oct 2008)

Trigger a seizure? Surely anybody with photo sensitive epilepsy would have animated GIFs turned of in their browser options.


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## TwickenhamCyclist (19 Oct 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Give the guy a break, I think you're over reacting, just a tad. I hadn't given his avatar a second thought until you mentioned it, and I doubt many other people would be irritated by it either.
> 
> Good call on the torches, I think I'll get one. Some of the other torches that were recommended looked good but had short battery life and expensive batteries.



I'm trying to give the guy a break Mr P  - by letting him know that his avitar really pisses me off... it's nothing personal


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## Mr Pig (19 Oct 2008)

TwickenhamCyclist said:


> I'm trying to give the guy a break - by letting him know that his avitar really pisses me off.



Well I think long hair and moustaches look idiotic. Are you going to change your avatar to please me? :0)


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## TwickenhamCyclist (19 Oct 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Well I think long hair and moustaches look idiotic. Are you going to change your avatar to please me? :0)



Careful Mr Pig – or I’ll be round huffing and a puffing – LINK: 
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cLgW5whYkY


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## hackbike 6 (19 Oct 2008)

Whilst very cleaver, your avatar is so f**king irritating



I actually found domtylers avatar a bit irritating but managed to ignore it and it doesn't bother me at all now.

<----Some avatars go with the name although im not sure what TC's avatar is about.

His avatar is easy to make it's a gif file.


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## Mr Pig (19 Oct 2008)

Man, Christopher Walken is so good isn't he? One of those actors who's always a joy to watch.


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## jassy-x (19 Oct 2008)

....heading back on-topic a tad.......I have two of the tesco 10 quid jobbies on my winter bike now...seem to be doing a job on the unlit canal paths..and rechargables seem to fit OK..


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## Piemaster (20 Oct 2008)

Sure I've sung the praises of Tescos £10 ones here before.
With some (admitedly poor) photo links

Perhaps I wasn't shouty enough about them


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## DJ (20 Oct 2008)

That's "Brilliant" ! I'll go and get one of those Tesco ones!


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## hackbike 6 (20 Oct 2008)

What is the battery life?


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## fossyant (20 Oct 2008)

About 2 hours on 1800/2000 batteries - that's on full brightness, just drops off after that, but still plenty bright enough to 'be seen' whilst commuting.


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## hackbike 6 (20 Oct 2008)

Yes that's what I thought.

I have fit and forget lights low maintenance.(Because I designed them)

These sort of lights are good as a backup though.


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## Plax (20 Oct 2008)

How do you mount these Tesco torches to the bars?


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## gratts (20 Oct 2008)

Most people seem to use these

I've read about using 2 jubilee clips threaded through each other, one tightened around the handlebars and the other around the torch..I'm going to pick some up from Wickes and try that option first, just because I'm skint


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

Plax said:


> How do you mount these Tesco torches to the bars?



I use a 'Livestrong band'. Loop it under the bar and shove the torch through the ends. Unbelievably simple and quick.


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## Mr Pig (20 Oct 2008)

Mr Phoebus said:


> I use a 'Livestrong band'.



Doesn't the torch scratch the bars?


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Doesn't the torch scratch the bars?



No, because it's mounted just on the end of the bar tape. Ooooooooooh!


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## gratts (20 Oct 2008)

Any chance of a picture Mr P?


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

gratts said:


> Any chance of a picture Mr P?



I'll get one ASAP.


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Doesn't the torch scratch the bars?



Slip a bit of old inner tube over the torch body.


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

gratts said:


> Any chance of a picture Mr P?



Quick release.


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## gratts (20 Oct 2008)

Sweet! And it holds tight alright? No rocking about?


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

gratts said:


> Sweet! And it holds tight alright? No rocking about?


Yep! Rock solid, the band is very taut. Pot holes... no problem.


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## hackbike 6 (20 Oct 2008)

I was cycling down the cycle lane tonight and apart from the cyclist cycling towards me being in my lane he was also blinding me with a very bright front light so I had to slow down till he passed.Don't think it was a Fenix though.


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## Mr Pig (20 Oct 2008)

Good that. Simple and effective.


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Good that. Simple and effective.



It's very recession friendly.


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## hackbike 6 (20 Oct 2008)

Tynan said:


> you can buy a good a cycle front light for £10 though surely?




...and don't call me surely.


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## gratts (20 Oct 2008)

Excellent, that's £7 saved, thanks! 
And I have a red band, matches my bike colour perfectly


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## HJ (20 Oct 2008)

TwickenhamCyclist said:


> I'm trying to give the guy a break Mr P  - by letting him know that his avitar really pisses me off... it's nothing personal



There is a simple solution the avatar problem, use a Firefox browser with the Adblock Plus add on. Then you can selectively block any image you don't like. Personally I get rid of all animated avatars.

The fact that he has to shout about a torch is an irritation I can't easily get a round.


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## fossyant (20 Oct 2008)

Another Tesco Torch mount - spare bottle boss pump mount, bolted to an old bracket to my stem.


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

Another good idea.


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## cycling fisherman (20 Oct 2008)

*great idea !*



Mr Phoebus said:


> I use a 'Livestrong band'. Loop it under the bar and shove the torch through the ends. Unbelievably simple and quick.



that is a great, simple idea, kudos to your good self


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## J4CKO (20 Oct 2008)

Just bought a couple of these to replace my Cateye Single Shot Plus with its disintegrating bracket, amazing for a tenner, seems as bright as the cateye and mounted with two Jubilee clips it doesnt move, have put a cheapy old flasher from Halfords on for the be seen bit and the Tesco one for when I need to see the road, will get some more Jubilee clips and have a pair.

How much would I need to spend on Wiggle to better a pair of £10 Tesco Torches ?

Only problem is the battery situation, going to have to start arsing about with rechargables.

Was thinking with a bit of work, they could be made shorter and fitted to a bigger battery somewhere else on the bike for longer runtimes ?

Also, they run at 3 volts, what happens if you feed more juice in, will they go brighter or expire, I have old battery packs with higher voltages hanging around that could be re-used.


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## Mr Phoebus (20 Oct 2008)

cycling fisherman said:


> that is a great, simple idea, kudos to your good self


Cheers, the best ideas are usually the simplest.


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## BentMikey (21 Oct 2008)

Only it's not a livestrong band being white, surely?


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## hackbike 6 (21 Oct 2008)

*Also, they run at 3 volts, what happens if you feed more juice in, will they go brighter or expire, I have old battery packs with higher voltages hanging around that could be re-used.*

Would not advise that.I'd guess expire.

The Fenix I have gets hot anyway so some of that goes in heat.

It also said not to be used for more than 10 mins at brightest setting but I tried it and it seemed ok.


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## Mr Phoebus (21 Oct 2008)

BentMikey said:


> Only it's not a livestrong band being white, surely?



It's white, it's a band and it's got 'Livestrong' written on it.
Lance's foundation doesn't get a single penny from it because it's a fake.
But... It's white, it's a band and it's got 'Livestrong' written on it.


Slow day, Mikey?


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## BentMikey (21 Oct 2008)

Oooh, gotcha! Pressed your guilty button.


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## hackbike 6 (21 Oct 2008)

BentMikey said:


> Oooh, gotcha! Pressed your guilty button.



Typical isn't it?

Bought that Fenix but can't try it out on those guilty traffic lights till December.I'm itching to see if my calculations will work.


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## Mr Phoebus (21 Oct 2008)

BentMikey said:


> Oooh, gotcha! Pressed your guilty button.


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## swee'pea99 (2 Dec 2008)

Rule #1 of cheap bike lights - good electronics, crap bracket. Solution #1: Araldite.


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## Downward (2 Dec 2008)

User1314 said:


> Just tried it on my head.
> 
> It looks, literally, like a dick. I can imagine the taunts and thoughts of people as they see me!
> 
> I've therefore used its three straps to mount onto my handlebars. Looking pretty good and powerful actually, for a to-be-seen-by led light. But the proof is in the using - see how I get on with it on my way home.



Did you make it ??


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