Dynamo headlights - brightness

[User]

 

[avsd]

I have one - used it all winter and only use batteries as a back-up in flash mode. Spa cycles do a wide variety at different prices and have great customer service.

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s170p0

I treated myself to Son28 which I highly recommend.

 

[palinurus]

[QUOTE 1827100, member: 45"]Would I get sufficient light for unlit lane riding at night? [/quote]

Can do. I've been using a B&M IQ Cyo and a Shimano hub for three or so years. Bright enough for unlit roads (I run a rear light off the hub too- take that out and the front is that bit brighter). Not having to charge batteries is a great advantage. Difficult to compare directly with battery lights- the Cyo puts out a similar amount of light as my old Dinotte, it's nowhere near as bright as my Hope vision 2 on max- however I can ride unlit lanes with that on its lowest setting.

 

[Smut Pedaller]

Battery lights can mean anything from £5 flashing to-be-seen lights to £300 rechargables which would light up a whole neighbourhood. But for the same amount of money (if you include dynamo and other costs) the battery light will have a higher lumens rating, and the dynamo light will generally have a proper beam pattern (more light on the road) and a better more permanent mounting.

There are plenty of things to consider, but personally for a city bike I much prefer dynamo for the convenience and the better more efficient beam pattern.

 

[andrew_s]

Battery lights can mean anything from £5 flashing to-be-seen lights to £300 rechargables which would light up a whole neighbourhood.

Some rechargeable battery lights are as bright as good car headlights
Generally, you can say that a good dynamo light is as bright or brighter than anything that uses AA batteries.

The B+M IQ Cyo is the best reasonably priced light. The basic choice is whether to get the 60 lux version that puts all the light into a long distance beam for fast riding, or the 40 lux version that scatters some of the light so you have better lighting close to the bike. Other choices to make are standlight or not, daylight running lights or not, auto on/off or not, black or silver. This all adds up to a lot of options

 

[Davidc]

I use the CYO60 (B&M) with a Shimano hub. I've been very pleased with it.

I've done comparisons with my Hope Vision 1, which is generally thought to be one of the brightest front lights running on conventional sized batteries. It's not precise as it's subjective, and the beam patterns are different as is the colour of the LED.

With a B&M Toplight (rear) running at the same time I can't tell the difference between the CYO60 and the 3rd (of 4) brightness levels on the Hope. If I disconnect the rear light the CYO is definitely brighter than the Hope on 3 but less bright than the Hope on maximum (4).

The CYO is more than enough on its own, most of the time, with the rear light running. On unlit country roads I normally have the Hope on as well, at level 2 (of 4) to show up the kerb/ bank on the left. My only serious criticism of the CYO is that there's a gap in the lighting near to the bike when it is set up according to instruction sheet, but I believe that has been improved on the recent ones.

If you want a flashing light, front or back, you'll need to have additional battery lights. That's because German research based law bans flashing lights, and the big market for dynamo lights is Germany. In practice I have run with both dynamo and battery since I had my first dynamo in 1963 (my dad was keen on having the diversity to make sure there was still a working light if there was a fault. That was in the days of filament lights though).

Another issue is lighting when stopped. If you buy the standlight version of lights they stay lit for several minutes after you stop moving. Not as much of an issue if you have battery lights as well.

 

[andrew_s]

My only serious criticism of the CYO is that there's a gap in the lighting near to the bike when it is set up according to instruction sheet, but I believe that has been improved on the recent ones.

If the gap bothers you, you want a Cyo 40.
It's the same as the Cyo 60, except that there's a reflector built in to the bottom part of the lens that takes about 1/3 of the light from the beam and spreads it around closer to the bike, filling in the gap, lighting the nearer verges etc. The downside is that with only 2/3 of the light used for the beam, it doesn't reach so far.

Mr Paul:
A Cyo will have about the same amount of light as one of the two head units on an Ayup set. However, it will limit the light to the road surface more, so that will be lit as well as with both Ayup heads in use.

 

[tyred]

I think the advantage of dynamos is that the lights are designed for road use and have a proper beam pattern which lights the road surface. This is even true of the pre-historic ones i have on some vintage bikes. I would never go back to battery lights.

The German websites like Rosebikes and Bike 24 are way cheaper than SJS.

 

[Camrider]

I use one of these on the front and although this is the version that diverts some of the beam to fill the otherwise unlit part of the road around the front wheel it is more than ample to ride dark country lanes. I run it off a off a Sonn hub which is also driving this back light.

Germany is the place to purchase these far cheaper then any UK supplier.

 

[Camrider]

[QUOTE 1829670, member: 45"]Thanks. So you don't think it's worth going for the 60 lux version for more light but losing the close cover?[/quote]

Not for me, I was quite impressed with the cover I get. I suppose if you ride fast the longer reach might be useful though.

 

[ushills]

I have the 60 lux and it is really goog on unlit roads, I don't notice the near beam edge, it still lights the road but not as well as further out. However, it is really bright on the mid to long distance road surface.

 

[Flying Dodo]

[QUOTE 1829670, member: 45"]Thanks. So you don't think it's worth going for the 60 lux version for more light but losing the close cover?[/quote]

I went for the 60 lux version purely for the extra output, but would normally also have a Hope One on the bike, partly for the flashing mode in town, but also to have extra illumination and also as a reserve, just in case (unlikely I know) that something happened to the dynamo.

 

[al78]

I use the CYO60 (B&M) with a Shimano hub. I've been very pleased with it.

I've done comparisons with my Hope Vision 1, which is generally thought to be one of the brightest front lights running on conventional sized batteries. It's not precise as it's subjective, and the beam patterns are different as is the colour of the LED.

With a B&M Toplight (rear) running at the same time I can't tell the difference between the CYO60 and the 3rd (of 4) brightness levels on the Hope. If I disconnect the rear light the CYO is definitely brighter than the Hope on 3 but less bright than the Hope on maximum (4).

The CYO is more than enough on its own, most of the time, with the rear light running. On unlit country roads I normally have the Hope on as well, at level 2 (of 4) to show up the kerb/ bank on the left. My only serious criticism of the CYO is that there's a gap in the lighting near to the bike when it is set up according to instruction sheet, but I believe that has been improved on the recent ones.

If you want a flashing light, front or back, you'll need to have additional battery lights. That's because German research based law bans flashing lights, and the big market for dynamo lights is Germany. In practice I have run with both dynamo and battery since I had my first dynamo in 1963 (my dad was keen on having the diversity to make sure there was still a working light if there was a fault. That was in the days of filament lights though).

Another issue is lighting when stopped. If you buy the standlight version of lights they stay lit for several minutes after you stop moving. Not as much of an issue if you have battery lights as well.

Not necessarily.

 

[scotty110788]

I'm getting some of them reelights sl120s, only because get them half price totally forgot i asked him for some so thanks for reminder