Bike Lights help

[bikeman66]

Just bought myself a Lezyne Micro Drive 400 XL. Not a bad light at all for £40, although run time on the 400 lumens maximum is a bit mean at only one hour. Knock it down to 300 and it will go for an extra 20 minutes. I find that even on just 150 lumens it lights up the road ahead (even unlit areas) quite satisfactorily to ride at a good pace. On 150 it will run for 2h-45m. Now use my old Micro Drive as a back-up, which still works pretty well.

On the rear, I run a Cateye TL-LD 600, which is fantastically bright. Back-up is a Lezyne Femto Drive, which is also a great little light for just over a tenner.

 

[RoubaixCube]

For some of the best light reviews (though a little dated now) i must refer to 'TorchyTheBatteryBoy's' blog/website

I use a mix of ebay purchased Cree lights that range from 300-600lm. I did also purchase a Fluxitent U2 Mini which runs upto 1000lm for those late night rides that require more lighting due to torchy's recommendations.


Ebay's Cree lights shouldnt be overlooked but to get the best out of them you need to run them with 3.7v rechargeables instead of your regular batteries.


I also have a Cateye Volt 300, a Lezyne 400XL i bought just to see if i could helmet mount.


P.S

I also have a Lezyne Micro Drive for flash strobe goodness.

 

[RichardB]

I have a Moon 200 and Moon 250 (helmet and bars, or bars and reserve) which are good for unlit country lanes up to about 15 mph. For under £50, I think they are good value and very solidly made. USB chargeable. I have a cheap Cateye AA job on the back.

One thing to bear in mind is how the batteries fail. Ordinary batteries gradually get dimmer and give you plenty of warning that they are about to give out. Rechargeables tend to go much more suddenly. I tested my Moon lights inside the house, and they didn't dim at all, just went out as if I had switched them off. The burn time is about 150% of my usual commute time, so I should be OK as long as I remember to keep them charged, but I am happier with some kind of reserve light on board.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I got a B & M Ixon IQ Premium from Rose recently (link). Very impressed with it as it puts out lots of light in a wide, flat-top beam pattern just like dipped beam on a car, so it's not dazzling to other road users. Ideal for my country lane evening commute.

My vote.
As good as a dynamo ...without the Dynamo!
Will run rechargeable and regular AA which are Readily available in an emergency. Long run time on high and the low setting still good enough for most usage.
Proper broad beam shape for road use without blinding oncoming drivers and without causing tunnel vision gazing at a bright spot in the road.