Commuting lights for unlit country roads?

[Alexvs]

I've bitten the bullet and gone for the smooth crown light, thanks Cubist.

I currently don't ride on the road but ride alongside on the redway so hopefully won't have any many issues with dazzling any drivers. Can't wait to have a proper light as opposed to my current one that just about reaches the path in front of my wheel. Will be angling it down in order to keep the beam low.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Just been out....I would normaly have ridden on the road to & from my destinaton, but tonight thought i'd come home along the cycle path..there is a part set back off the road along the beach with no lighting & wnated to see how bright the light would be.. BRIGHT!
The wide lens covered the entire path & more! No more dark shadows between the beach huts, no more hiding places for the bogeyman to leap out on me

And I could see for miles, well maybe not miles, but certainly a very very long way!
One thing I must remeber though...to drop the light down to low beam once back on the road... As I came round the rab at the bottom of the road I heard a voice go "Whoooo that's bright" out the window of the car waiting to pull out, I caught a brief glimpse of he driver rubbing his eyes as i zoomed away..Oooopsie!

geezo that was quick delivery or have I missed a post

 

[funnymummy]

geezo that was quick delivery or have I missed a post

You've missed a post!

My lights arrived 10 days ago, have tried them out on streets, but onight was the first chnace i've had to test them in near total darkness

 

[MrGrumpy]

so for road riding are these the dogs danglies or are they just retina burning

 

[funnymummy]

I've only had them on low beam on the streets until tonight, the few trips i've made after dark have been on pretty well lit roads - But I'd say from the poor chaps reaction tonight on full beam, retina burning is a pretty good description!
I'm off over The Downs moro night, to find some really dark tracks, where i reckon they will prove to be the Dogs wotnots

 

[Cubist]

In the pitch black the T6 is simply awesome. I run mine as a helmet lamp with a MS816 on the bars. The magicshine provides a great spread of ambient light, but the T6 has small furry creatures scurrying into the darkness with their pelt smoking........

I've taken it out on two club runs now, and no less than seven people have ordered one after seeing mine, and that's in an established club where people were prepared to spend hundreds of pounds on lighting.

 

[MrGrumpy]

just reading the thread over on Bike radar just now and there is some debate about the battery chargers that come with not just these lights but others of the same ilk. How safe are they? Do they do the correct charging, do they switch off when they are supposed to?

 

[jefmcg]

just reading the thread over on Bike radar just now and there is some debate about the battery chargers that come with not just these lights but others of the same ilk. How safe are they? Do they do the correct charging, do they switch off when they are supposed to?

Link?

 

[2wd]

I just found:
http://www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2737wt_1167
on ebay for a fair bit cheaper than other lights I've looked at - would this be sufficient? I'm a bit worried about battery life though - I can get some rechargeable AAAs but if it's going to eat through battery power too quickly it may not be a good idea.

Just bought the Cree Q5 zoom and it's a great light for the money,lights up the road well enough for me.

Paid £16.99 and use rechargeable AAAs,I always carry a spare charged set as well.

As far as dazzling oncoming traffic,I have the mount just loose enough to be able to angle it up or down as
I ride

 

[MrGrumpy]

Link?

In this huge thread near the end


the main point is that these cheap lights whilst good value, are cheap for a reason and there are costs cut in places. Now in saying that it will still not put me off but I`m going to check out chargers as well.

 

[jefmcg]

Thanks. HEaps of reading for a £30 product, but I don't want my house to burn down

 

[fossyant]

In this huge thread near the end


the main point is that these cheap lights whilst good value, are cheap for a reason and there are costs cut in places. Now in saying that it will still not put me off but I`m going to check out chargers as well.

The newer MS lights have a better charger - comes with a us plug but it's on a flex that uses a standard radio type two pin connector, so I just used a spare flex. The batteries are OK, just don't get them wet as this can damage the protection circuit. These cheap T6's (I've got the Magic shine MJ808E) use the shrink wrapped battery- To waterproof, wrap more electrical tape round it, especially ends, or use duck tape to ensure a tough seal.

The newer MS lights use a rubberised battery or the sealed digital one. If these fail, you can easily get two dual 18640 battery holders, glue together and wire together to create a new pack, and buy protected cells and a new smart cell charger.

Just be careful using these buggers on the road - very bright and light spill everywhere. Mine is for off road.

 

[Maz]

I just bought a Serfa True 150.
Impressed with it, so far. Time will tell if it's a good buy.

 

[MrGrumpy]

My current setup, BTW these are not mine for sale just found a link to my model of lights http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cateye-Triple-Shot-HL-EL700RC-/260869854770#vi-content Mine have got upgraded LEDs from Farnell in them which boosted light output with no battery expense. In the battle for Lumens I feel an upgrade coming on

 

[jefmcg]

Just be careful using these buggers on the road - very bright and light spill everywhere. Mine is for off road.

Ah! I want one for a commute across London. I'm not superfast, and I am sick of changing batteries mid commute. Most of my commute is on busy city roads. Is this a bad choice? I've got an L2D at the moment, which isn't bad, but I'd like brighter and the batteries (2900 AA) start fading around the 1 hour mark at the highest setting.