It's Nearly That Time Again - Bike Lights!

[Watchman]

Kell said:

Out of interest, how long did your stuff take to arrive?

I ordered at the back end of July, as it said 3-5 business days, but looking back through reviews, people are saying 'came within the 20 days quoted'.

Just wondered.

I've had a few things in separate orders from them so I'm not 100% certain but it felt like a couple of weeks at a time. May have been slightly longer.

[Kell]

Ta.

Mine's just turned up today, but with a Japanese/USA charger.

did you also have this?

[marting]

Bought a TraceR rear light to go with my existing Exposure Diablo.

The saddle rail mount looks very clean but a bit of a fiddle to get on/off - I'll have to report back on how I find it.

[Watchman]

Kell said:

Ta.

Mine's just turned up today, but with a Japanese/USA charger.

did you also have this?

US (don't know about Japanese) - flat blades - yes. But the Chinese CREEs turned up the same, with an adapter. For the price I sort of expect that and I'm not bothered. I've bought so many lights over the past 5 years, I've loads of adapters now. I just change them when I find something else I like the look of. I've two of these on my handlebars - makes for a REALLY brightly lit road ahead.

For some chargers you can get very snug adapters that make the pair (adapter and charger) feel as though they're one piece. I've got one for our Polish satellite TV mains plug. Haven't bothered for the bike lights given that they don't need charging that often.

[turbo-ww]

I have just fitted a Moon to the front. Very happy with the operation and brightness, but.

I also have a Cateye Velo Wireless+ - All worked really well. Until I put the light to flashing mode then it sends the computer nuts!

Speed reading and distance covered is about a third of actual.

Change the light to steady mode and it's fine.

Am I the only one?

[ALawson]

Just sent a Cateye Volt 1200 back via mate to warranty, stopped charging after 22 months. When it worked which was up to last month, I couldn't fault the beam or battery.

[slk 32]

yellowjack said:

SixPotBelly said:

I was driving up the A1 DC on a Sunday morning earlier this year and came over a brow to see a bright red-red-white sequenced flashing light in the distance. Turned out to be the last rider of an ITT. I thought the light was excellent, by far the brightest and most attention-getting daytime light of any I've seen. Everyone driving had maximum warning to get into single file and over into lane 2, and they all did.

Did some digging and I believe it was of of these. http://four4th.co.uk/products/lights/scorpion/. If I were strong and brave enough to ride TTs on dual carriageways it's what I'd be buying. Obviously on the setting it was on it would be far too bright for urban or night time use but it has other settings for that. No idea how well made it is though. Might be superbly so, might not be.

Four4th lights is local to me, in Aldershot. From what I've seen of their products, they are excellent. An offshoot of TC Engineering... http://www.tcengineeringltd.co.uk/index.html ...as far as I can ascertain. They made their own lights when they couldn't find a commercially available light that suited their needs, or at least that's the background story they tell.

They sponsor some local MTB races, and always have a decent stand displaying their wares. The chaps seem to know their stuff, and are not shy of discussing things with you, and are happy to receive visitors (by appointment) at their premises. They mill all the bodies for their lights here in UK, and may even have a hand in producing the driver boards etc. I'd imagine that they import the LEDs though.

Based on this thread I popped over to Aldershot and picked up one of the scorpion lights having called them a couple of hours earlier. What was great was being able to see the factory, they machine all the aluminium housings on site and are really an engineering led company. The light feels super solid and is great for riding this time of year with a low sun.

[LordHaveMurci]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Cateye Volt 700, it seems to crop up in all my searches & seems to get decent reviews every time.

I've bitten the bullet & bought one for £79.99 on eBay, used my Nectar vouchers which was ideal - only downside is delivery date anytime up to 5th Oct.

Edited by LordHaveMurci on Friday 25th September 12:40

[LordHaveMurci]

Well it arrived yesterday, build quality seems pretty good, it's small & quite light. 4hrs to fully charge via USB. Mounts very quickly & easy to detach light from mount.

Not tried it on a ride but in the garden it seems plenty bright enough! Three brightness levels + constant&flash or strobe.

Will report back next week but for £80 it's looking like a good buy

[lemonslap]

LordHaveMurci said:

Well it arrived yesterday, build quality seems pretty good, it's small & quite light. 4hrs to fully charge via USB. Mounts very quickly & easy to detach light from mount.

Not tried it on a ride but in the garden it seems plenty bright enough! Three brightness levels + constant&flash or strobe.

Will report back next week but for £80 it's looking like a good buy

I have the 300 version that I picked up for £35 and it is a great piece of kit. I commute 2 miles of dark cycle paths then 5 miles London roads (CS2 yuk!), use the highest setting during the dark and strobe in the day.

[ClassicMercs]

LordHaveMurci said:

Surprised nobody has mentioned the Cateye Volt 700, it seems to crop up in all my searches & seems to get decent reviews every time.

I've bitten the bullet & bought one for £79.99 on eBay, used my Nectar vouchers which was ideal - only downside is delivery date anytime up to 5th Oct.

Edited by LordHaveMurci on Friday 25th September 12:40

Bought this last year and worked very well out in the countryside last winter. Only downside is slowish charge times which I think have been improved upon in the updated 800 version.
Some lights out there are brighter but it's a quality light - and you can get a second battery and charge cradle if needed. Otherwise carry a spare older light as a back up - as common with the technology - when the charge goes it's pretty quick but you will get the red warning light first ( except mine is invisible due to where I need to fit the unit )

[spiritof'76]

I'm considering a Lenser M7rx torch for the front with the optional bike mount......not especially cheap but quite versatile as a good walking torch too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbadGXJgXPg

http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/led-lenser-rechargeab...

Only worry is that it may be a little on the large side compared to some bike specific lights !

[funkyrobot]

It's that time of the year again folks.

I originally did a big post detailing everything I have invested in for dark night riding this winter. However, due to me being a ham-fisted idiot, I closed the tab before posting. Therefore, here is a summary of what I'm running on the bike (first winter on a bike for years):

I bought a Cree off Ebay to be my main light:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201197774392?_trksid=p20...



This has three modes. First one melts wallpaper so isn't suitable for anything with any traffic on. Perfect for me though as I ride mainly country lanes. Second setting is less intense, so the one to run on busier roads with. Third setting is an epilepsy-inducing mega strobe. Can't see where I'll run that.

Bought a lipo bag to house the battery pack in when charging and when being stored. Have read stories of these packs going pop, so trying to keep things as safe as possible. Seem to have a proper three plug charger with my light though.

Cree will be backed up by a small LED flasher light from Aldi. It simply straps to the handlebar via a rubber strap.

Further backup will come in the form of one of these:



Whilst recently sorting out my bike stuff, I found two of these. They require AA batteries. I bought some rechargeable ones the other day and will use them in these light. One of these will go on the handlebars as a good backup/light to be used in town etc.

For the rear, I have one of these on the right seat stay:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/fibre-flare-ultimate-safet...



Gives off a good beam of constant or flashing light. Can be attached to places that may be difficult for other lights. Also helps motorists to see where you are as it is a beam of light, rather than a point.

The Flare will be backed up by another Aldi flashy LED. This is on the left seat stay.

All of the above are backed up by a Topeak Headlux helmet light:



I am yet to evaluate all of these lights in the rain. I know the Cat Eyes do ok as I ran them years ago. I need to wrap the Cree battery pack in a sandwich bag, and may apply some Vaseline to the seal parts of the other lights. Will see how they go though.

[ecsrobin]

I use these:







No need for sand which bags, the only issue I have is I keep wanting to buy the whole range!!

[funkyrobot]

ecsrobin said:

I use these:







No need for sand which bags, the only issue I have is I keep wanting to buy the whole range!!

Is that the Mk8?

Yes, sandwich bags aren't the best. However, the light was cheap.

[raceboy]

I've got the Moon copy Bikemate/Aldi LED lights, perfectly good enough for my requirements but I can't work out what the correct charging arrangement is?
The orange light has come on, which I presume is the 'I need charging' indicator, I was amazed to actually find the charging cable as I've moved house since last using them, plug it in and the orange light flashes, or sometimes just stays constant, after a few hours of charging the orange light is still on, but the light still works too....no idea how long for though and if it's actually 'charged'.

[ecsrobin]

funkyrobot said:

Is that the Mk8?

Yes, sandwich bags aren't the best. However, the light was cheap.

Mk7 Diablo running a red eye on top.

[PorkRind]

I've got a lezyne deca drive for the roads, and I intend on buying a Exposure Six pack for the mtb in the winter..

[yellowjack]

raceboy said:

I've got the Moon copy Bikemate/Aldi LED lights, perfectly good enough for my requirements but I can't work out what the correct charging arrangement is?
The orange light has come on, which I presume is the 'I need charging' indicator, I was amazed to actually find the charging cable as I've moved house since last using them, plug it in and the orange light flashes, or sometimes just stays constant, after a few hours of charging the orange light is still on, but the light still works too....no idea how long for though and if it's actually 'charged'.

I have a set of them. When using them, the wee 'lightening flash' is a tell-tale, so you can look back at the top of the light and see that it's on (a bit pointless, as the lamp itself lights up the ground behind you, it's so bright). I like long rides, so I always know when they need charging - they switch off! (I carry two, to be safe).

When plugged in to charge, the small light flashes to say that it's charging. When it turns 'solid orange' and no longer flashes, it should be fully charged. Mine were lasting (red/rears, used on lowest 'flash' setting) for three-ish hours when new. I get about two and a half hours out of a full charge about a year down the line. I've heard tales of woe about them, so I always have a Smart ½ Watt rear lamp as a back-up plan if I know I'll be out for hours in the dark. I can carry spare AA batteries for that light, so it can potentially last all night.

[funkyrobot]

ecsrobin said:

funkyrobot said:

Is that the Mk8?

Yes, sandwich bags aren't the best. However, the light was cheap.

Mk7 Diablo running a red eye on top.

Nice light. Not sure if you can still get the 7.