Front Lights to 'see' with

[rusky]

I have these batteries http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5776

And this charger http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105

 

[Noodley]

30 minutes? Not much good for an audax is it? But looks good for a short commute

Going back to the ay-ups: the kits look as if they have loads of wires, cable ties, bags, fixing systems, batteries, and 'other stuff' in them. Which suggests to me they will be fiddly and there is a lot to go wrong with them. But comment on this thread and elsewhere indicates they are straight forward and easy to move between bikes. So, my question is: how can they be so easy tom use with so many apparently fiddly bits? I like things kept as simple as possible....and am currently on the look out for good lights.

 

[Rezillo]

30 minutes? Not much good for an audax is it? But looks good for a short commute

My P7 lasts about an hour at full power but several hours at medium setting. Not sure just how long but three hours has been ok. Medium is still brighter than a pair of 3w Tesco torches so it's not a bad option.

John

 

[TheDoctor]

OK, both these were taken with the same settings, F2.8, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400.

The blue play house is approx 25m away.

Tesco 3w

Dealextreme

That's impressively bright!!!
I take it all back, my Tesco 3W LEDs are finest cr@p by comparision...
They did only cost £9 each though (said he, trying to console himself).

 

[Noodley]

Just ordered one of these things:

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/productdetail.asp?productcatalogue=HOPELIGH120

 

[kyuss]

30 minutes? Not much good for an audax is it? But looks good for a short commute

Going back to the ay-ups: the kits look as if they have loads of wires, cable ties, bags, fixing systems, batteries, and 'other stuff' in them. Which suggests to me they will be fiddly and there is a lot to go wrong with them. But comment on this thread and elsewhere indicates they are straight forward and easy to move between bikes. So, my question is: how can they be so easy tom use with so many apparently fiddly bits? I like things kept as simple as possible....and am currently on the look out for good lights.

There's nothing really fiddly about them at all. You get 2 mounting brackets in the standard kit (spare/extra ones are only a couple of quid) that are cable tied to the bars and the lamps attach to this with a rubber band type thing. I believe the helmet mount is the same. Means you can have a bracket permanently attached to all your bikes so the only thing that needs moved between them is the lamp unit and battery.

Cable tying the brackets to the bars sounds a bit low tech but in practice it's really sturdy and makes removing/fitting the light a doddle. Takes seconds and is much easier than mucking about with screw on brackets, especially with numb fingers. They're about the simplest lights I've ever used. In fact, mine don't even have an on off switch (that only came about recently) let alone different settings, you have to plug them in/out to turn them on or off.

 

[summerdays]

30 minutes? Not much good for an audax is it? But looks good for a short commute

Going back to the ay-ups: the kits look as if they have loads of wires, cable ties, bags, fixing systems, batteries, and 'other stuff' in them. Which suggests to me they will be fiddly and there is a lot to go wrong with them. But comment on this thread and elsewhere indicates they are straight forward and easy to move between bikes. So, my question is: how can they be so easy tom use with so many apparently fiddly bits? I like things kept as simple as possible....and am currently on the look out for good lights.

If I remember I can take a piccy of Mr Summerdays Ay-ups on Monday morning - it only seems to take a moment to mount the lights and battery. I really like them but don't cycle very much at night time and usually in lit areas so I can't really justify them to myself.

 

[HJ]

For a review of the AyUps with beam shots see here or see the official AyUp website, by all accounts they are good lights...

 

[billflat12]

OK, both these were taken with the same settings, F2.8, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400.

The blue play house is approx 25m away.

Tesco 3w

Dealextreme

Ayup not really value for money in these recessionary times guys, just use a cheaper and superior performance chinese led torch setup. solid build quality too
I ran cheapie torches last winter for singletrack trails , started with the lower power tesco £8 jobbie (q5 cree 3w led) on a fenix 360 plastic turntable thingy that constantly rattled an split after 2 rides , (wont even fit 31.8 oversize bars)
ended up with 2 lockblocks (flexible rubber, high grip mounts & velcro straps) . 1x inline for helmet & 1x rightangle for bars. replaced the tesco with 2x p7 2mode led torches, (claimed 900 lum) from dealextreme.com. (The P7 led is the brightest flood light. but Cree Q5 and R2 leds are the brightest focused ) torch output is probably nearer 400 low & 800 full for each .
1x 2.4mah 18650 battery would last just over 1hr on full just under 2 1/2 on low
One p7 torch on low on my bars was sufficient for less technical trails & fireroads at landegla forest, (helmet one helps on faster turns and dips.) using both on full was plentiful for any technical black graded sections.
Main drawback was anyone slower upfront gets a little nightblind as you approach, also unregulated 18650 batteries wont recharge if you run them flat and the regulated ones plunge you into sudden darkness, I preffered using the cheaper unregulated ones and changed them if they went dim.
torch on my bars does flash over rough stuff but has proven reliable. (no fiddly wires or battery packs to mount either)
just ordered car charger and 2x extra 3.0mah batteries from ebay ready for this winter.

anyhow heres link to some decent mounts and the newer cycleblock ones , also link to torch mentioned. free postage on everythin !!

http://www.thephotonshop.co.uk/page64.htm

for lockblock helmet mod see

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/helmet_mount_mod.html

reviewed torch here

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623

There is also a 5 mode tactical assault model avail, for use in emergency or defense against yobs & road rage !! (what use is a bell)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16091

 

[danphoto]

Just for the info of anybody considering an Ixon IQ, I finally got a quote from Bike24 for one without batteries and charger ('cos we have a house full of NiMH AA's and chargers) of €65.85 including shipping to UK and VAT. That's currently £57.62.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Good review that Bill - useful links.

Proprietary bike lights as you say, are just such a rip off compared to the same or better tech in a torch.

This months cycling plus has a light review. Amongst all the stuff is the Cateye R2 which has outdated technology and is feeble in its output. It retails for a bargain £249 and as its Cateye (and distributed by C+ big advertiser Zyro) they award it 8/10!

 

[John the Monkey]

Proprietary bike lights as you say, are just such a rip off compared to the same or better tech in a torch.

Depends though, I think.

I found the run times of torches to be a bit disappointing, as was the beam from them (have to angle them down quite seriously to not blind on coming traffic).

Danphoto, thanks for the info re: the Ixon. v tempted by one of those.

 

[andrew_s]

...and no mention of Ayups.

There's no Ayup importer to give them free test samples now.

 

[Ranger]

If I remember I can take a piccy of Mr Summerdays Ay-ups on Monday morning - it only seems to take a moment to mount the lights and battery. I really like them but don't cycle very much at night time and usually in lit areas so I can't really justify them to myself.

Noodley
As you say there is loads of stuff in the box, most of it gets fitted once and forgotten about or not used at all.

My handlebar mount with the light in it stays on all the time including when the bike is on the car (might have to reconsider that one) . As for the battery I tend to use the extension lead and stick the battery in my pocket but it doesn't take long to mount to the frame (mine just doesn't fit brilliantly on the stem as they suggest)

 

[leyton condor]

My local tesco never seemed to have the £9 wonder that everyone talked about, so I bought a hope vision1. I am more than happy with it, on unlit country roads you don't even have to have it on max power for it to light up the road.
Highly recommended.