Front Lights

[Angelfishsolo]

Hi Guys. I have just realised that I will be cycling back from an event when darkness will be falling. I currently have a three led front light which is about as useful as a chocolate fire-guard. I have seen lights priced as high as some BSO's and have no means of affording them. Would something like this be suitable for a 2 hour (max) ride along road and trail http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Electron-Combined-3-LED-Halogen-Front-Headlight-2008-Front-light_15517.htm?

 

[byegad]

Also
Revolution Vision Hi Power LED Front Light

Brightest LED on the street at this kind of price
We reckon that this 1 Watt wide-beamed front lamp will be the brightest LED on the street at this kind of price. And in a world of £20-£200 plastic bike lights, prepare to be impressed (and reassured) by this lamp's robust tooled-aluminium body.

• Constant or flashing beam.
• Smart city super-wide beam.
• Run time: 20 hours full beam + 80 hours back-up from 4 x AAA batteries (supplied).
  
  £14.95 from Edinburgh Cycle Cooperative

Also think about a head torch. On a steady beam your head movement draws attention to you and you can use it to pick out any part of the raod without having to point your bike at it.

 

[wafflycat]

I don't think I'd be happy using one of those where there's no street lighting. For that you need something to see by as well as be seen by others.

There's been much chat about lights on various threads. If you do a search, loads of information should come up.

For me, if money was no object, I'd be wanting some AyUps

http://www.ayup.com.au/uk-shop-kits.html

But as money is an object, this is my current set-up of front lights:

2 x Cateye EL530s (shopped around & got two for the price of one effectively)
Lid-mounted LED headtorch (I look a right twit, but hey, it gets me noticed which is a good thing)

Where I live, any night time riding is almost all on unlit roads. The two EL530s together flood the road ahead with light for a decent distance (I don't ride fast though) so I can see well. The lid-mounted LED is *brilliant* at lighting up road signs, street signs, and most importantly, for letting oncoming drivers know you are there. I think it may be the WTFIT? factor at work. Excellent for getting oncoming drivers to dip headlights promptly too. I found a noticeable difference in how soon oncoming drivers dipped headlights when I started using a lid-mounted LED. They do it much sooner. For those who forget - a swift and brief aim of LED headtorch to where the driver is located tends to do the trick..

 

[birdie1]

Hi, Cateye EL610s are the biz...very good, they keep an eye on things!!!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Look great but out of my price range :?:

Hi, Cateye EL610s are the biz...very good, they keep an eye on things!!!

 

[jimboalee]

The threads on this subject are in "Accessories and Clothing"

 

[marinyork]

I would say in response to the opening thread, no chance. If you know the route like the back of your hand then you offset some of this but I'd say it's still not a good idea.

For not spending millions of pounds I'd say Wafflycat is about right. The Cateye EL-530 isn't a a bad light at all and ebay and places sell it at a lot less than RRP sometimes. A mate has it and it works all right going through a completely unlit park at dark. The cateye single shots are good but are very expensive for what you get. There are better value lights.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

OK thanks very much indeed. Looks like it will be the EL-530 then :-)

Dave

I would say in response to the opening thread, no chance. If you know the route like the back of your hand then you offset some of this but I'd say it's still not a good idea.

For not spending millions of pounds I'd say Wafflycat is about right. The Cateye EL-530 isn't a a bad light at all and ebay and places sell it at a lot less than RRP sometimes. A mate has it and it works all right going through a completely unlit park at dark. The cateye single shots are good but are very expensive for what you get. There are better value lights.

 

[wafflycat]

If you are going the route of the EL-530s, think about getting & using two.

 

[fofo]

Revolution Vision Hi Power LED Front Light

I have this I had it on flashing the other day and a car moved out of the way at some traffic lights to let me through . It's bright enough for the city but I don't think it would be bright enough on a dark country lane

 

[marooncat]

I have got a EL-530 and a cheaper Halfords light that is about half the power of it. I have the Halfords one pointing in front of my wheels and the 530 further in front and that seems to work well. Am thinking of adding another 530 to the collection (well adding it to my xmas list anyhow) but I will see how I feel having cycled a bit more in the dark with the current setup.

Intrested in getting a head torch but was really wanting one that would clip onto my helmet and the ones I have seen seem to have straps to go on your head and I am not sure how well that will stay on over a helmet.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I run an EL-530 and a 320 up front. Plus a whatever-number-the-Cateye-bright-rear is at the back. Then I have a cheapy Tesco red LED job on the back of my helmet and hope to soon add a 3-LED head torch thing at the front.

For road use, I have the Cateye rear on steady and the Tesco job flashing; up front, the 320 flashes and the 530 on steady. When I hit the woods I put the two fronts on steady and that does the job; were I faster, it might not be enough but I'm not that fast.

I quite like the idea of the head torch as that will shine where I'm looking which will be handy in the woods I think. Also, as wafflycat says, the more you've got going on the more you get car drivers to think, "is that a mobile Christmas tree?".

Having said that, NEVER assume they've seen you. EVER.

Edit: I think I'll be able to get the head torch to stay in place by running the straps sort of round the base of the helmet, then using those velcro cable tie things through the vents in the helmet to hold it in place. I'll let you know if I manage it !!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Do it. You know it makes sense!!!

Oooh - shall I , shan't I, shall I, shan't I?

Found a Hardware shop at Leather Lane Market that sells LED Head torches for between £4 and £8.

 

[gratts]

3W LED Torch from Tesco.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Oooh - shall I , shan't I, shall I, shan't I?

Found a Hardware shop at Leather Lane Market that sells LED Head torches for between £4 and £8.

Mrs-LC found a pair at £5 each last week from Millets what she got for the Little-LCs, for use when camping or (soon) Bonfire Night. I plan to "borrow" one or other of those for the commute if I can fix them succesfully.

Better than that, they're wind up ones so I can wind up everyone at work last thing in the arvo with the noise as I wind up my torch.