Road lights with EU standards approval

[subaqua]

In other words, break the law, who cares?!?

Front Lamp
One is required, showing a white light, positioned centrally or offside, up to 1500mm from the ground, aligned towards and visible from the front. If capable of emitting a steady light, it must be marked as conforming to BS6102/3 or an equivalent EC standard.
If capable of emitting only a flashing light, it must emit at least 4 candela.
Rear Lamp
One is required, to show a red light, positioned centrally or offside, between 350mm and 1500mm from the ground, at or near the rear, aligned towards and visible from behind. If capable of emitting a steady light it must be marked as conforming to BS3648, or BS6102/3, or an equivalent EC standard.
If capable of emitting only a flashing light, it must emit at least 4 candela.

the CTC did an article on lights http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations
The Euro-friendly clause
Thanks to a European Directive of a few years ago, wherever a British Standard (BS) is referred to, equivalent standards from other EC countries must now also be recognised - but only if they provide an equivalent level of safety. It’s not exactly clear which do. However Germany has arguably the strictest cycle lighting laws in Europe so we consider it safe to use equipment that is marked accordingly, with a “K~number”.
It should also be noted that wherever a British Standard is referred to, that reference applies to a specific edition. In the case of BS6102/3, that is the 1986 edition, as amended on 15th April 1995 and again on 1st September 2003. These amendments (in conjunction with the 1994 amendment of RVLR) removed the filament bulb design restrictions, so that lamps may now get their light from LEDs, HIDs – or whatever comes next!

My Bold in the main body text


as others say bright lights and nobody will use it against you that they didn't meet BS blah blah blah

 

[Dan B]

I'd strongly encourage anyone who can afford it and has no particular reasons not to, to import a standards-compliant dynamo light set.

I did this. Then I slid on a wet manhole cover and pringled my front rim (still not sure exactly how) and now I'm back on the backup bike with a battery lamp until I have time to put the commuter bike back together. That's the only real downside I've found: if you have more than one bike, dynamo lighting is only really good for one of them and you have to decide which.

 

[oldstrath]

Worry about British bike light law, which allows you to use German standard lights.

But otherwise makes no sense. At least the German restriction to only STVZO-compliant lights makes sense. I'd argue it's too restrictive, but at least it is coherent. Whereas in Britain if I run my Strada, which exceeds requirements for frontal and side illumination and minimum run time, and can be set up not to dazzle on low beam, I'm breaking the law. But if I add a minimal k-marked 15 lux junk special suddenly I'm legal? Sorry, but this is too bonkers to take seriously.

 

[annirak]

I'm set on a battery light for the same reason as Dan B suggests.

Consider this a matter of philosophy. I want to comply with the law because it's the law.

Sorry, but this is too bonkers to take seriously.

I think you're looking at the laws the wrong way. There's two things going on here: first, the British bike light laws haven't been enforced since the blinky clause was added. Then, the manufacturers have backed this up by not bothering to get their lights approved. Remember it's not requiring lights to conform to the standard; it's requiring them to be marked as approved. This is the same as CE testing. Just conforming to CE requirements isn't good enough, you have to go through the testing.

This is just about burden of proof. If it were about compliance, rather than approval, it would shift the burden of proof off of the manufacturer onto the consumer. The burden of proof of compliance (i.e. approval) belongs with the manufacturer so that a consumer knows what they're getting.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

@annirak. If you already have the Chinese cree light I can highly recommend getting a fresnel lens for it (about a fiver off ebay). It flattens and broadens the beam, eliminating the spilling of light which causes the dazzle.

 

[mjr]

@oldstrath why isn't your Strada approved then? Simple failure to test, or is it obviously non compliant in some way?

 

[oldstrath]

@oldstrath why isn't your Strada approved then? Simple failure to test, or is it obviously non compliant in some way?

It has a (stupid) flashing mode. Beyond that, I have no idea and less interest. I can see by it, and colleagues who drive tell me it is both visible and non-dazzling, which is enough for me.

Juden's comparison that he did for the Times 'we hate cyclists' piece suggests above horizon maximum is probably above 2 lux, but below the 6.25 allowed for cars. Since 2 lux is essentially a random number, and the subjective difference is trivial, I really don't worry.

 

[moo]

I have 5 Chinese lights and often consider strapping the lot to my bike. I'm constantly being blinded by motorists with misaligned bulbs/lenses (pointing up too much), uneven power/dying bulbs (one light twice as bright as the other) and idiots running full beam.

I run a B&M Ixon Premium and find it provides good brightness for the first 10 minutes while batteries are at a higher than normal voltage. Once the NiMH batteries level off to 1.2v the brightness drops to a rather lackluster level. I bought two because of this, but one died from water ingress (waiting on replacement). Nice beam patterm tho. If the Germans could make a similar light with double the brightness using 18650 batteries I'd buy it in an instant.

 

[annirak]

@annirak. If you already have the Chinese cree light I can highly recommend getting a fresnel lens for it (about a fiver off ebay). It flattens and broadens the beam, eliminating the spilling of light which causes the dazzle.

I couldn't find anything that looked like that off of eBay. If you've seen them before, could you post A link to one?

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Put in search wide angle lens magicshine. The two options seem to be from the USA at about a fiver, and it gives you somewhere to start. Hope this helps.
@annirak

 

[annirak]

Put in search wide angle lens magicshine. The two options seem to be from the USA at about a fiver, and it gives you somewhere to start. Hope this helps.
@annirak

I tried searching around, but unfortunately, it seems that the version of cree light I have (XML U2 X2)is not common enough to have wide-angle lenses which are compatible widely available.

After comparing Trelock, B&M, Axa, & Supernova offerings, I'm leaning towards the B&M Ixon IQ Speed Premium. It has a wide, bright beam, with a (stated) 10 hour run time. I'd prefer more brightness settings, like the Trelock LS 950, but it has a narrower beam than I would like.

 

[anotherDave]

I'd like to buy a set of Reelight RL700. They're a danish company, and the lights are described as having "E6 approved reflectors" (I assume E6 means Denmark)

http://shop.reelight.com/bicycle-lights/20-rl700-set/

What I like most about them is that they're a frictionless dynamo (powered by magnetic induction) so you never have to worry about the batteries running low.

There's a video of them in action on YouTube.


View: http://youtu.be/WQVFk5HwwFE

 

[annirak]

That's an interesting concept for the generator. I'd love to see a beam comparison, though.

 

[DRHysted]

The reelights are fine for a "see me" light. But useless for unlit rural roads.