It's Nearly That Time Again - Bike Lights!

[Steamer]

Well it was dark here by 8.30 tonight so I'm sure I'm not alone digging out the charger & the batteries.

I've got my front lights sorted, but its the rear I've been having trouble with.

I had been using these solar powered ones:



A couple of quid of ebay - but they arnt exactly water proof and do tend to fall off the bracket when going off road.

I have a few bikes so I'd like my next rear light to be electicated (no brackets) ideally, possibly USB rechargable and must be water proof.

Any suggestions?

[gazza285]

Out of stock at the minute, but these are great.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIPHBPDRL/phaart-blee...

[Steamer]

Thats the kind of thing I had in mind. Easy to take off one bike and fit to another I assume.

[Watchman]

I like to dot a few cheap rear lights around my bike, helmet and backpack. These are alloy bodied, so should last a bit longer than the plastic types which always rattle apart:



http://www.lightinthebox.com/angibabe-mountain-bik...


This is a great site for all types of bike lights too. I've switched from the Chinese CREE lights to these recently because of the alloy mounting bracket.



http://www.lightinthebox.com/dark-knight-k2c-4-mod...

[anonymous-user]

A year on pulled the lumicycle out and all is well. Planning on getting a rear light to plug into the battery. It's not a cheap but has proved itself to be robust, especially the mount and connections which I've had grief with on the Chinese Crees.

[j00pY]

I think my £16 ebay cree has been switching itself off in the evenings or its me cycling through too many button presses. Its not been dark enough for me to confirm which but if it is on the way out, does anyone have any personal recommendations for a decent road front light. I'm not sure on my budget really but I don't mind investing turbo trainer savings on a light as I know I'd use it more when the winter hits.

[ecsrobin]

Does anyone use the exposure traceR front and rear lights for commuting? http://www.ultimatesportsengineering.com/exposure-...

I have an exposure Diablo and red eye for my helmet but want something for on the bike itself and happy to stick with exposure if good as like the USB charging and quality.

[Fluffsri]

I have the Exposure rear flare, the battery lasts for ages and its very very bright! I bought it after doing a night time sportive on the south downs and you could see people with them for 5/6 miles away over the downs.

Edited by Fluffsri on Wednesday 26th August 11:48

[j00pY]

ecsrobin said:

Does anyone use the exposure traceR front and rear lights for commuting? http://www.ultimatesportsengineering.com/exposure-...

I have an exposure Diablo and red eye for my helmet but want something for on the bike itself and happy to stick with exposure if good as like the USB charging and quality.

I have the rear. Its good even on the lowest setting and the battery lasts for ages. I am tempted to see what the front is like

[okgo]

So tempted by a Blaze for a rear, great double use for me with time trials on larger roads where being seen is pretty key, anyone got that one?

I have the joystick on the front, but I think I need the more heavy duty attachment as the plastic one slips round a lot.

Must say, though they're expensive they're really well made, lovely kit.

[Dammit]

Once you've tried a bike with a dynamo with front and rear lights you won't ever want to go back to battery powered clip-ons.

[anonymous-user]

Dammit said:

Once you've tried a bike with a dynamo with front and rear lights you won't ever want to go back to battery powered clip-ons.

Examples needed

[TwistingMyMelon]

Dammit said:

Once you've tried a bike with a dynamo with front and rear lights you won't ever want to go back to battery powered clip-ons.

Don't you need a specific dynamo hub to power them though ?

[okgo]

Can't say I've given much thought to Dynamo hubs or else on a race bike

[ewenm]

Dammit said:

Once you've tried a bike with a dynamo with front and rear lights you won't ever want to go back to battery powered clip-ons.

Presumably they have moved on a bit from the old dynamo lights that would go out when you stopped... not good at junctions etc

[SixPotBelly]

okgo said:

So tempted by a Blaze for a rear, great double use for me with time trials on larger roads where being seen is pretty key, anyone got that one?

I have the joystick on the front, but I think I need the more heavy duty attachment as the plastic one slips round a lot.

Must say, though they're expensive they're really well made, lovely kit.

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.

[yellowjack]

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.

[Pablo16v]

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.

Great products. There’s quite a few of us running them after we did a group buy a few years ago and no one has experienced any problems yet. I have the 1700L Genesis helmet light.

[Dammit]

okgo said:

Can't say I've given much thought to Dynamo hubs or else on a race bike

http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/index2.php?cat=accueil&lang=en&page=edito
http://www.transcontinental.cc/
http://transambikerace.com/
http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raam2.php?N_...

etc etc.

I think what you mean is that the races you do are not long enough to warrant a dynamo.

[Dammit]

CoinSl0t said:

Examples needed

Summer mode:



Winter (rear light is on the back of the rack):



Everyone should have a bike with mudguards, dynamo, built in lights, a rack, deep carbon wheels and a powermeter - it's the bike that you can take out whatever the weather.

As winter draws in, and especially in the weather we've had this week it's fantastic to have a fast bike that keeps the rain off and that you never, ever have to worry about finding the lights for.

And, for Okgo, you could race it if you wanted. I'd probably take the rack off first though.