Advice on Front lights

[guppy02]

hi guys

i am after some help/suggestions/advice on a good light for the front of my bike.

Back in January i was in a bad accident at some traffic lights i went straight into the side of him smashed my hand in quite badly!
Any how this was a well lit road i had had high vis top on and a light i thought to be bright a Cat Eye single shot.

Before i even think about going riding again in the dark i want to purchase some new lights, I am after a reasonably priced light with good output. I am a road cyclist and will occasional venture onto unlit country roads, however mostly lit roads during winter.

I have been looking at the MagicShine lights they seem well priced however when i read them they seem to be geared towards mountain bikers with a wide angle which might dazzle on coming traffic. I want something bright to light up the roads but something that wont annoy the other drivers!

So any advice on lights would be much appreciated. Happy to spend up to £150 for a good light.

 

[PpPete]

Doesn't matter how bright you go - you'll still get nobbers who don't see you.

 

[rb58]

Check out the Exposure Joystick. Just about within your budget and it works well as a light to be seen by and to light up those country lanes. I've had mine a couple of years now and it has been faultless, even after all the abuse I've given it.

 

[PpPete]

You could also get two x Hope Vision 1 and still have change for some spoke reflectors and a couple of seriously bright rear flashers.

 

[ushills]

Have a look at the Trelock LS950. Thinking of one for my MTB.

My road bike has a shimano dynohub and B&M Cyo 60 lux jobbie.

The Trelock is 70 lux and like the B&M put that on the road.

 

[Rob3rt]

Torchy!

 

[Kestevan]

I considered the Magic Shines as a commuter light, but decided to go with a Vision 1, mainly because of the build quality. I wanted to know that the light would survive daily exposure to the UK weather, with no problems. The thought that if something did go wrong, the company was just up the road, rather than in Hong Kong also helped.

2 years on, the vision 1 is still going strong, although I am considering a magicshine as another lamp for off-roading / in addition to the Hope.

 

[MrJamie]

Im a fan of the Magicshines, my mj872 is awesomely bright, amazing for country lanes, has been out in all weather over the past (nearly) year without problem. The build quality of the official ones has improved a lot in the last 2 years IMHO, the originals were surrounded by horror stories of them catching fire etc. Its worth not being lazy and carrying them by the wire though as loose connections dont seem impossible. They are insanely bright to oncoming cars/pedestrians, although most windscreens reduce it a lot, but it does also seem to reduce the number of drivers pulling out on you, its very hard to judge distance by a light and when the light is dazzling they dont seem to take the chance.

Ive currently got the wider angle magicshine and a narrow longer beam T6 on the front, ~2800 chinese lumens and is amazing on trails in the middle of the night no problem >30mph down farm type single tracks in the middle of the woods, and very nice on quiet country lanes at night, but a bit offensive even on lower settings if you're in a lot of traffic. I dont think id use one commuting through central london in winter for example.

 

[ianrauk]

You could also get two x Hope Vision 1 and still have change for some spoke reflectors and a couple of seriously bright rear flashers.

2 Hope Vision 1's is what I run with and would be my suggestion.

 

[Svendo]

I have a hope vision 1 and an ebay zoomable cree q5 torch (with extender to take 18650 battery instead of 3xAAA), This gives me quite a range of brightness and flashing options, and a variable beam on the q5. Both lights on bright and focussed I find good for 20 mph+ on unlit unfamiliar roads.
Looking to get a Cree T6 torch but torchy doesn't seem to have any at the moment.

 

[guppy02]

Thanks guys got plenty lights to go away and look at. I was chatting at work and two guys have got Magicshines but both admitted they bought them for the mtb.

Those hope visions look good though

 

[Herr-B]

I recently bought Torchy's twin Cree Q5s from his Ebay account for £40, did a dusk into night ride and they were super. Come with two torches, two brackets, two 18650 batteries and a UK charger. The torches also come with an adapter so you can use 3x AAA batteries instead of the 18650 ones.

 

[DCLane]

I've a Cree T5 which keeps switching off, so I'm looking at the Lezyne Super Drive XL - any thoughts on this one?

 

[wisdom]

I have 2 crees on the front of my commuter.One of mine keeps switching off any ideas what causes it?
I thought it may be vibration from rough road surfaces.

 

[Wobblers]

I have 2 crees on the front of my commuter.One of mine keeps switching off any ideas what causes it?
I thought it may be vibration from rough road surfaces.

It probably is vibration. Try bending the battery contacts out a little so that the battery or battery carrier is held a bit more securely, that sometimes works.