justal
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| posted on 4-10-2007 at 18:02 |
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Which Lights?
I went out night biking earlier this week and used a borrowed handlebar mounted light which ws fine, but now I need one of my own..
Any recommendations? Would a helmet mounted light be better?... I think it would as then the light points where you are looking rather
than where your wheel is pointing.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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jon d hat
A Force-of-Nature **  
Member #: 1437 Posts 410
Registered: 11-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Not long to go..Morocco again!
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| posted on 4-10-2007 at 18:25 |
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Checked out a load of lights but its another minefield
I looked at some of the gear on www.chainreactioncycles.com and there is a lot of choice.
Some silly money but i'm considering as set of these
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=8914
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justal
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| posted on 4-10-2007 at 18:32 |
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Talking of silly money check these out:
http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=12739&categoryID=105
They cost more than my bike!!!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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jon d hat
A Force-of-Nature **
Member #: 1437 Posts 410
Registered: 11-8-2005 Member Is Offline Mood: Not long to go..Morocco again!
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| posted on 4-10-2007 at 18:44 |
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 Jeez
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Spooker
A Force-of-Nature *** 
Member #: 932 Posts 624
Registered: 24-8-2004 Member Is Offline Mood: rattle dem bones
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| posted on 5-10-2007 at 07:59 |
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Al - both is best!
Ultimately where you go with lights depends how serious you plan ride at night - both frequency and the type of riding. The more you
pay - the brighter the lights, the longer the battery life and the lighter the rig.
For 'proper' off-roading you'll need at least a 5w - preferably 10w for climbing, and then as much as you can afford for descending -
at least 20w+
Batteries - lead acid are cheap, but big and heavy, NiMH and Lithiom Ion are smaller, lighter and give longer burn time - but they
cost.
I bought a set of Vistalite nitesticks when I started a few years ago, 10w and 15w lights. They have individual batteries which is
pretty neat coz you can buy and carry a spare. Also you can mount them to handlebars or helmet - or both.
Even these are very average compared with with the more modern ones, HID bulbs are the new halogen, super-bright but with low battery
consumption.
Bottom line - go for the highest light output, longest burn time and lightest weight you can justify for the use you'll get from them.
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adam
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| posted on 7-10-2007 at 20:42 |
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Must be that time of year; I've just done the same. Mine is mostly for commuting rather than trails though, but it is over fields,
potholed/muddy bridleway and a bit of singletrack, all unlit so similar use I guess.
I think if just having one light have it on the bike; ideally would want a helmet light as well.
There is a test in WMB this month but its mostly lights >£100-150 and didn't really want to spend that much...
Its not just the wattage need to look at; Hope state their 10W LEDs are equivalent to 50W Halogens. HIDs look the mutts like Xenon car
headlights but are a bit pricey.
I thought that the Smart one posted above was the best budget one.
Then there was this one for a bit more cash:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14895 />
And also saw this at Rutland but not sure can justify that much if I decide to get a helmet light as well.
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/7750/groupID/11/categoryID/261/v/689c4c16-f32a-4e93-84f0-4a26f3d8eb7d[/
url]
In the end have gone for a:
[url]http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?W=0&Manufacturer=Topeak&UberCatName=&Cat=cycle&CategoryName=&ProdID
=5360022942&UberCat=0
Which got a good review in the mag despite only being 3W and going to get a high power Petzl Myo/Tikka LED headtorch as a helmet
light.
Will let you know what they are like after the clocks go back!!
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justal
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| posted on 12-10-2007 at 08:18 |
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Decided to splash out in the end and get some Lumicycle lights.
Lots of the cheaper ones have big heavy Lead Acid batteries, so my first thought was some Hope LED or Hope HID lights at around
£200, both with a single lamp or some built to order Lumicycle ones with twin lamps....
Went for the Lumicycle ones with a 12 Watt Spot Light for mounting on my helmet so that the spot points where I'm looking and a 20W
Flood light for mounting on my bars to light up the whole world on tricky descents!... Next choice was the battery.... heaver NiMH
which over-voltssthe bulbs by around 10% or the lighter Li-ion battery which is also more powerful, (over-volting a 20 watt bulb to 26
watts). Li-ion got the vote obviously.
I also compared the Lumen output of them which is meant to be the best way to compare brightness, but I always take manufacturers specs
with a pinch of salt.
Hope LED: 300 lumens
Hope HID: 450 lumens
Lumicycle 12w Spot: 370 lumens
Lumicycle 20w Flood: 650 lumens... So total could be 1020 lumens!
Final nail in the coffin was the test in this months MBR magazone and especially the photos they published of the beam aptterns... the
Lumicyle set up looked miles better than anything else.
Looking forward to some cold icy nights in the woods now.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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adam
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| posted on 12-10-2007 at 16:23 |
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Nice one sounds good!
I think you splashed out as you are secretly scared of the dark 
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justal
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| posted on 12-10-2007 at 17:15 |
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You could be right Adam.... Trouble is with the lights on I'm scared of the drop offs, the berms, the rocks and just about everything
else!!
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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badexcuseforasailor
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| posted on 12-10-2007 at 18:33 |
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Even trails you know really well look scary in the dark
http://brogboroughlake.windsurf.me.uk/
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justal
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| posted on 15-10-2007 at 09:35 |
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My lights are here... ordered them online on Thursday evening and they arrived on Friday... Hows that for service.
Now I have no excuses for not getting out in the dark.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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adam
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| posted on 23-10-2007 at 20:37 |
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So how are they??
I ended up with a Light and Motion Vega. Really impressive for a 4W LED. Lovely blue/white light - got flashed by a car today so maybe
have to dim it or point it further down for the last bit by road...
Don't think its enough for off road riding on its own at a decent speed but perfect for me and is a single small unit so quick to pop
on for the ride home.
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justal
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| posted on 24-10-2007 at 07:25 |
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They are great!! I used them last week on a night ride from Pendam across to Anglers Retreat and back along some pretty technical
trails that I had never been on before. I used only the spot light most of the time and it was plenty bright enough, to the extent that
I didn't really think about the fact that I was riding at night, I just got on with it.
I did turn the floodlight on for a while just to try it out and the amount of light was amazing. In fact, in the 'foresty' sections I
could probably see better at night with the lights on than I can during the day as the sections under the trees can be pretty gloomy in
daylight.
I had both lights mounted on my helmet and the battery pack (which isn't too bulky) in a mesh pocket on my hydration pack. Once riding
you forget that it is all there.
Off out again tonight as well. 
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk