The Bike Light Thread 22-23

[Jody]

The old Yinding 2xU2 is my favourite, tiny and compact and you can get copies - it's a Gemini clone. Works OK on the road if angled down.

The old Solarstorm x2 'owl' lights are OK. I have one of them and an XT40, which is very bright, off road only, but you'll need a good battery for it.

MTB Batteries do a fair few 'decent' lights, and good batteries.

I've got an external pack with some decent cells so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

My SS light is over 8 years old now and whilst it hasn't faltered, it's had a decent service. Not sure the LED's are quite as bright as they used to be.

 

[ColinJ]

Having just recently returned to cycle commuting...

Yay!

 

[fossyant]

PS Amazon have some deals on today on the Cateye Ampp range.

 

[fossyant]

Yay!

We are working on him extending the 'short route' but he keeps knocking 0.1 mile off it...

 

[mjr]

I love my Cateye lights.

Only the G models are good and there are better out there for the price.

 

[fossyant]

Good from MJR = StVZO standard, which 95% of lights folk use aren't.

 

[wafter]

Good call on Ali Express - it seems they have the Fenix BC21r I've been looking at for considerably less than domestic sellers (maybe £55-60 v. £85). Ordinarily I'd be wary of knock-offs, but since they're Chinese in origin anyway and Fenix appear to have an official outlet on there (complete with decent feedback) it looks worth a punt

 

[steveindenmark]

I have got everything from cheap chinese lights which have been good for 3 years in deepest darkest Denmark. I then moved on to Exposure lights . I recently bought a MagicShine 6500 with remote. It has 4 settings . The highest being 6500 lumens. Number 2 setting is plenty enough for anything I encounter and that is totally pitch black farm tracks at 4.30am. Push the remote on the handlebar and it instantly goes from whatever setting its on to 6500 lumens. That is ridiculously bright. On number 2 setting the run time is at least 5 hours. The battery pack also acts as a powerbank. I am really pleased with it as most of my riding is in the dark.

 

[HLaB]

I really like my NiteRider Swift lights I've had a 350 for about 6years and got a 500 to back it up as my commute has changed from the straight busway to dark twisty and narrow lanes. My favourite thing is their integrated strap/mount which allows easy transfer between bikes and they are plenty bright for their size. When it really gets dark for the whole commute I also stick a helmet light on (a Cateye Volt 400).

https://road.cc/content/review/252199-niterider-swift-500-front-light?amp

I also like the road CC beam comparison engine.

https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/updated-front-lights-buyers-guide-beam-comparison-engine-212914

 

[si_c]

I use a whole chunk of different branded lights. Fenix. Cateye. Lezyne. Moon. Supernova. Aldi.

The best value lights are by far and away the Aldi ones, particularly the rear lights. The front lights are good for urban riding where you are under streetlights - they are point spots, so very bright and good for being seen, less good for seeing with as they tend to flood light in all directions as the optics are not great. That being said I'm keeping an eye open for special buys this year as I always do.

I've got a Fenix BC30, which is a fantastic lamp up to about 1200 lumens, but with the good optics on it I rarely run it above 500 as it's unneccessary. I've done a 100km night ride with the 200lumen setting on dark cycleways and country roads and it's fine as it puts the light were it needs to be.

Supernova do my Dynamo lights, not more needs to be said really. Expensive, spectacularly good in all regards.

Currently though as I'm not commuting daily any more I'm using Lezyne front and rear lights. I have a large 1300xxl which is great for longer rides (8 hours at 450lumen or 23 hours at 150lumen) or riding down dark lanes at pace as the max output lasts a couple of hours. I also have a smaller 600xl which I use as a day blinky as the day flash is noticeable.

For rears I use a Lezyne Strip Drive Pro 300 which lasts a good amount of time (I only ever use day flash mode even at night), about 6 or 7 hours or so, I also use a Garmin Varia light as well, which lasts nominally 14 hours or so in day flash mode and is my primary rear light most of the time.

I've got a mix of other lights as well in a box which means that if Mrs C is going out on her bike she can just grab a set of lights too and they'll be charged and ready to go.

 

[andrew_s]

New out this year is the B+M IQ-XM Speed

20 lux (23 h) / 70 lux (7 h) / 120 lux (4.5 h) STVZO dipped beam, plus a 170 lux (1.5 h) high beam, all on a handlebar remote clicky switch.

Seems to be a 2-3 sec press for on/off, a long press (0.5s) to cycle the dim/medium/bright dipped beam, and a brief click for high beam on or back to dip.
70 lux is the same as a decent dynamo light, and plenty for normal riding around on unlit country lanes.

Note that lux aren't the same as lumens, as any conversion depends on beam shape.

I would be pretty interested if I hadn't already splashed out on a Supernova M99 mini (450 lm/150 lx/10 h bright STVZO dip, 75 lm/30 lx/50h dim STVZO dip & 1,150 lm/260 lx/3.5h main beam, as configured on the handlebar clicky), as an alternative to another SON dynohub/wheel & Edelux for the new bike with thru-axles.

 

[vickster]

New out this year is the B+M IQ-XM Speed

20 lux (23 h) / 70 lux (7 h) / 120 lux (4.5 h) STVZO dipped beam, plus a 170 lux (1.5 h) high beam, all on a handlebar remote clicky switch.

Seems to be a 2-3 sec press for on/off, a long press (0.5s) to cycle the dim/medium/bright dipped beam, and a brief click for high beam on or back to dip.
70 lux is the same as a decent dynamo light, and plenty for normal riding around on unlit country lanes.

Note that lux aren't the same as lumens, as any conversion depends on beam shape.

I would be pretty interested if I hadn't already splashed out on a Supernova M99 mini (450 lm/150 lx/10 h bright STVZO dip, 75 lm/30 lx/50h dim STVZO dip & 1,150 lm/260 lx/3.5h main beam, as configured on the handlebar clicky), as an alternative to another SON dynohub/wheel & Edelux for the new bike with thru-axles.

How much?

 

[si_c]

How much?

I know, I really liked the IQ-X when shopping for dynamo lights and this seems to be the battery powered version, but it is expensive compared to other options and I'm not sure it's what I would go for.

That being said my dynamo lighting setup is significantly more expensive now, although it wasn't at the time. If you use it most days all through the year for commuting I think the cost is worth it.

 

[Milkfloat]

Funnily enough I bought yet another light a few weeks ago that looks very similar to your @fossyant . I already use a dynamo system but wanted a boost of light in the really dark areas. I wanted a Go Pro mount so I could leave it on the bike without a casual thief nicking it, I also did not want to pay too much. £20 on eBay (without the bracket) got me this and I am really happy with it.

I have a much brighter light for full off road adventures, but this is great as a fit and forget supplement on my CdF.

 

[mjr]

Good from MJR = StVZO standard, which 95% of lights folk use aren't.

Or close equivalent. Light on the road, not in oncoming riders' eyes. Be-seen blinkies (which are over half of all bike lights) are mostly fine (not bright enough to dazzle) but riders using MTB floodlights on roads are a danger to themselves and others because a blinded driver could hit any of us before they can stop. It is almost inexcusable when decent 80lux sets started from about £15 two months ago. I prefer unlit riders to floodlighters!