Lights for dark country roads

[Matt230]

Hi, my Specialized Allez is due to arrive and in my attempt to get fit i will need to ride in the evening / night. Most of the roads will be unlit dark country roads. What light system do you recommend? Dont want to spent big bucks but i also dont want to end up in a ditch. Will be wearing all reflective gear etc

Regards

Matt

[itsnotarace]

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix_LD20...
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/bike_mount...

[r-kid]

How much light do you want? These are the ones used by MTB'ers for singletrack night riding.

torch + battery + charger & mount:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26247
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15642
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1251

or an all in one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44459

All in about £50 for 900 lumens, but you have to wait a couple of weeks for delivery from Hong Kong.

[DrMekon]

If it's only for the road, get a light with a shaped relector. No point wasting light.

I use 2x B&M Ixon IQs, which are about £80 with batteries and charger in the UK, or 70 euros from Bike24 in Germany.I think it gives a better spread of light for road use than the torch-alike lights - I preferred my 2x setup over an Exposure Maxx D.

Obviously, if you can stretch to a dynohub, that brings in to play the possibility of a B&M Cyo, a Schmidt Edelux or a Supernova E3 asymmetrical. Dynohubs don't seem to be mentioned much on here. IMO, they are a much better solution.

Edited by DrMekon on Tuesday 21st September 11:26

[HundredthIdiot]

DrMekon said:

If it's only for the road, get a light with a shaped relector. No point wasting light.

I use 2x B&M Ixon IQs, which are about £80 with batteries and charger in the UK, or 70 euros from Bike24 in Germany.I think it gives a better spread of light for road use than the torch-alike lights - I preferred my 2x setup over an Exposure Maxx D.

I agree with this. I've tried various round beam lights, up to 700 lumens from one of those DealExtreme torch jobbies, and the problem is that you have to dip them so much to avoid blinding oncoming traffic that you get less useful illumination of the road ahead.

That said, whilst I like my dual Ixons they're not hugely bright.

One Ixon IQ ("dipped") and a Fenix TK11 ("full beam") for when there's no traffic would be perfect.

It really depends on how much traffic you're dealing with. A headtorch is also worth considering for seeing round corners.

[Matt230]

pretty much zero traffic on these roads.

Like the torch products but am a bit concerned about the light being too small a spread

Matt

[American iv]

I have both of the lights listed and ride singletrack with both burning. It works quite well for me as it's a good spread and reasonable throw for tight and twisty trails. On the road / open spaces it's not that great as the throw is too great - it'd be much better if there was more of a spot.

[American iv]

r-kid said:

How much light do you want? These are the ones used by MTB'ers for singletrack night riding.

torch + battery + charger & mount:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16092
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26247
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15642
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1251

or an all in one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44459

All in about £50 for 900 lumens, but you have to wait a couple of weeks for delivery from Hong Kong.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12325 would be a better torch - it's only a three mode rather than the 5.

You can also get http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12000 to allow you to fit onto your helmet (although less use for roads I guess)

Edited by American iv on Tuesday 21st September 17:40

[NUEZ]

I have recently bought two of these for the front in preparation for winter

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cateye_HL-EL520_...

(I got them new on eBay for £27 each though)


Using them with rechargeable batteries and very happy with performance

[Mars]

Ay-up.

http://www.ayup-lights.com/

[dmitsi]

itsnotarace said:

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix_LD20...
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/bike_mount...

This. I have one and the light and width of beam is amazing.
I am going to buy another one to fit to my helmet, they have a shorter version and it still gives off a brilliant light.

[jodypress]

Mars said:

Ay-up.

http://www.ayup-lights.com/

Second that.

Just bought some last week, yet to use in anger. I have the roadie version. Beautifully made, totally waterproof and bright as hell

Delivery from Aus was £7.95 and arrived 2 days after ordering

[eightseventhree]

Im currently on the lookout for some lights for a roadbike.

My total budget for front and back is 150 quid for something that i can cycle in the dark and not get myself killed . . . Is this too little ?

[HundredthIdiot]

Hope Vision 1s are worth considering, good review here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=20...

They take AAs which is handy.

The only downside is a sudden cut-off with no warning when the batteries are out, so you'd want to run either two of them or have an auxiliary light.

[a11y_m]

jodypress said:

Mars said:

Ay-up.

http://www.ayup-lights.com/

Second that.

Just bought some last week, yet to use in anger. I have the roadie version. Beautifully made, totally waterproof and bright as hell

Delivery from Aus was £7.95 and arrived 2 days after ordering

Third that. I'm entering my 3rd winter with a set of Ay-Ups. I bought them mainly for MTBing night rides - I've got the twin setup with 2 light units (wide and mid lenses) and 3 batteries - but also use the narrow one as a front light for commuting. Great piece of kit, the LED equivalent of the old halogen Lumi's

[timnoyce]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44459

I have this setup and it is excellent. It is easily brighter than my fellow riding buddies £300 set up and seems to last just as long. Think around 3 hours on full beam, and around 10 on half beam.

In terms of brightness, they are more similar to a car headlamp than a conventional bike light.

Couldn't recommend highly enough.

[PhilLL]

timnoyce said:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44459

I have this setup and it is excellent. It is easily brighter than my fellow riding buddies £300 set up and seems to last just as long. Think around 3 hours on full beam, and around 10 on half beam.

In terms of brightness, they are more similar to a car headlamp than a conventional bike light.

Couldn't recommend highly enough.

I've ordered the updated version of this and waiting for it to arrive.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44676

[Pupp]

Just stuck a pair of these on the Quinn tonight and am well impressed after a quick jaunt outside... loads of forestry tracks round here so looking forward to some night-time XC-ing

The last lights I bought were Vistas in the mid 90s (the rear is still going strong on the original batteries!), and I thought the halogen front was brilliant at the time but it's a candle compared with the new guys. Incredible how the technology has advanced...

Edited by Pupp on Friday 24th September 21:17

[Pupp]

Well, did a couple of hours after dark tonight, mostly forest tracks and muddy bridleways. Lights were awesome, only turned highest power on for a fast woodland singletrack, which was mesmeric

[AcidReflux]

Pupp said:

Well, did a couple of hours after dark tonight, mostly forest tracks and muddy bridleways. Lights were awesome, only turned highest power on for a fast woodland singletrack, which was mesmeric

Thanks for the info. I think I need some lights...
You bought the pair of lights, or the single? Where does the battery pack fit? I can find lots of photos of the lights but none showing the battery. Is it a heavy set-up?

Do you find them adequate on their own or do you have a helmet-mounted light as well?