Lights - being prepared

[machew]

If I have one of these, do you think that the car drivers will be able to see me?


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgNh3fLxJc

 

[summerdays]

If I have one of these, do you think that the car drivers will be able to see me?


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vgNh3fLxJc

No ... They will be blind .... And drive towards the light

I'm contemplating the Volt 800, does anyone know how it compares to a Hope 1? (Old style)

 

[Kevoffthetee]

One trick is to ignore the present fashion of rechargeable lights.

A set of battery lights is ultimately expendable

I use the Ixon IQ on the front

There is a rechargeable system, and a realistic battery life. If you extend the trip and the battery expires, just bung in a set of 4 AA batteries available anywhere

I use the Moon Shield on the rear, again battery (AAA)

I keep thinking a battery light would be handy but are they water tight? I had a cateye a few years back and it drowned the first time it rained properly

 

[ufkacbln]

I keep thinking a battery light would be handy but are they water tight? I had a cateye a few years back and it drowned the first time it rained properly

No probems with either

 

[summerdays]

Most of the lights I've had have been waterproof. The occasional Smart light hasn't but then has gone into permenantly on rather than off and been fine after drying out. The only one I've had issues with are some cheap Knog copies that let the water in and then rust, but I was given the free and they are my backup backup ones that I leave on the bike.

 

[smutchin]

For the front, the Cateye Volt 700 has been my go-to light for general use for a couple of years. Good battery life (I've used it for an all-night ride), lots of settings, and powerful enough for use on unlit roads if you get caught out (I also have a Gemini Duo but find I don't need it very often because the Cateye is so good). It has been superseded by the Volt 800, which I assume is just as good but a little more powerful.
http://road.cc/content/review/172440-cateye-volt-800-front-light

If that's out of your price range, the Volt 400 is functionally identical though obviously not as bright, so possibly not the best option if you're likely to need it on dark country lanes.

The Bontrager Ion 700 is reckoned by some to be even better than the Volt 700, but I've not used it myself.
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/e...ories/bike-lights/bontrager-ion-700-r/p/10945

For the rear, I'd recommend the Bontrager Flare R or Moon Shield 60 - both excellent lights with various settings and good battery life.
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/e...e-lights/bontrager-flare-r-tail-light/p/13202
https://www.evanscycles.com/moon-shield-60-rear-light-EV161763
(I think both come with belt clips as well as seatpost mounts but you'd have to double check)

For emergency 'get me home' lights, I've recently acquired a set of Bontrager Ion 100 / Flare R City lights, which are excellent - tiny but powerful. No belt clip fitting for the rear though.

 

[smutchin]

Most of the lights I've had have been waterproof.

If you want to know for sure, look for the IP67 rating on the packaging. If it doesn't state IP67 explicitly on the packaging, I would be wary of putting any waterproofing claims to the test! (Most decent quality lights these days are weatherproof, but that's not the same thing.)

One that I know is certified to IP67 is the Light & Motion Urban 800 (a good light but not the best battery life, in my experience).
http://www.lightandmotion.com/urban-800-fast-charge

 

[summerdays]

If you want to know for sure, look for the IP67 rating on the packaging. If it doesn't state IP67 explicitly on the packaging, I would be wary of putting any waterproofing claims to the test! (Most decent quality lights these days are weatherproof, but that's not the same thing.)

One that I know is certified to IP67 is the Light & Motion Urban 800 (a good light but not the best battery life, in my experience).
http://www.lightandmotion.com/urban-800-fast-charge

Sorry I meant have stood upto the downpours of rain I'm sometimes out in and kept working, the cheap lights are the only ones of mine that are very temperamental in the rain.

 

[smutchin]

Sorry I meant have stood upto the downpours of rain I'm sometimes out in and kept working.

No worries, and sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I'm picking on you!

I'm just being a bit pedantic because "waterproof" in this context is a well-defined term and there are independent verifiable standards. I would agree with you that most decent quality lights these days are well capable of standing up to a bit of weather but "waterproof" strictly means it can survive being fully submerged. My Cateye Volt 700 is not "waterproof" as such but continues to work well after two years of use in all conditions.

If you're interested in getting a bit geeky about it, it's worth reading up a bit on the IP standards:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code

 

[RoubaixCube]

I have looked, a lot, but this is more of a "what have you got and is it any good or $h1t3". You give me you opinion of yours which was good, but I responded with something I thought might help people offering suggestions something to go off.

I mentioned my solarstorm which has a separate battery in my original post, and that I didn't want it on my bike 24/7. I don't see your problem but if you don't want to contribute that's fine

If you have googled it then you would know that it is indeed a torch style light that runs off a single 18650 battery cell housed within the light itself. It that not what you are looking for? or are you going to accuse me of not reading your original post because you've already ignored my recommendation simply on the grounds of 'i have one so it must be awesome' you might aswell go the full mile.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Front light will be my standard recommenrtdation cateye Volt, Its high setting 300 lumens is enough to see by at moderate 10-15mph speed. I can Brompton and Hybrid on it in pitch dark happily. It also has the benefit of dual flash/steady beam at flash at 300, steady at lower which is good for dusky and dull days giving you a very good stab at both worlds in one. robust, compact, has survived some darned good soaking rides with me brilliantly, good mount, excellent battery life - internal battery, interchangeable and USB charged. if you would feel happier with brighter then there is an 800 version which is properly bright.

I like the Volt 50 on the rear too but it is not a bag clippable one. it comes with saddle rail mounts (not brilliant IMHO) in the box or for a couple of quid you can buy a seatpoast mont which is very good - if you have post exposed under your saddlebag I would suggest you conside this option too. Also has the benefot that the bodies are the same so the batteries can be interchanged if needs be. 300 lm/50 lm so if the front is waning a bit, switching them can give you enough oomph in both to get home.

 

[summerdays]

Front light will be my standard recommenrtdation cateye Volt, Its high setting 300 lumens is enough to see by at moderate 10-15mph speed. I can Brompton and Hybrid on it in pitch dark happily. It also has the benefit of dual flash/steady beam at flash at 300, steady at lower which is good for dusky and dull days giving you a very good stab at both worlds in one. robust, compact, has survived some darned good soaking rides with me brilliantly, good mount, excellent battery life - internal battery, interchangeable and USB charged. if you would feel happier with brighter then there is an 800 version which is properly bright.

I like the Volt 50 on the rear too but it is not a bag clippable one. it comes with saddle rail mounts (not brilliant IMHO) in the box or for a couple of quid you can buy a seatpoast mont which is very good - if you have post exposed under your saddlebag I would suggest you conside this option too. Also has the benefot that the bodies are the same so the batteries can be interchanged if needs be. 300 lm/50 lm so if the front is waning a bit, switching them can give you enough oomph in both to get home.

I've got the Volt 50 and agree about the seat clamp... I came close to loosing the light when the bracket came loose on more than one occasion. The bit about the battery swapping is one of the resins I'm contemplating the front light, that and the pulsing mode which I think is good in poor weather conditions rather than at night.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

It is my preferred detachable front light over the Smart 700 for the pulse.

That and the crap Smart bracket

 

[oldstrath]

For road use, ixon IQ Premium. Standard AA cells, adequate light. No flash, but front flashers are so horrible from either direction.

 

[Kevoffthetee]

If you have googled it then you would know that it is indeed a torch style light that runs off a single 18650 battery cell housed within the light itself. It that not what you are looking for? or are you going to accuse me of not reading your original post because you've already ignored my recommendation simply on the grounds of 'i have one so it must be awesome' you might aswell go the full mile.

RC - I'll hold my hands up and apologise, when looking up the light you suggested on my tablet using Firefox browser your suggestion brought up a fluxient light with a separate battery pack. Now I'm home and on my laptop I can see it's a torch so I was completely wrong.