The perrinial MTB lighting thread and headtorch question
Discussion
So, whose about to buy a set of lights or dust off their old ones that'd been in hybernation since the spring?
It's been nice weather here today and my new commute (in the car... haven't stumped up the courage to cycle it yet after seeing the hills and the traffic) takes me straight past the local woods. I really fancied a ride this evening, but it's too dark to ride after work without lights now and my system isn't set up or charged.
So, as I'd been meaning to do since last winter, I went onto the Lumicycle website and ordered a second battery (the result of being left at the far side of my ride with no light at the beginning of the year!) and I'm just off to charge the existing one.
Waffle-aside here's a quick question: I'm thinking of getting a head torch. I have a pair of Lumicycles to light my way, so I just want something convenient with a decent run time for changing batteries over, mending the occasional puncture etc. Can anyone recommend one? Also, how do you fix them to your helmet (or do you just keep them in the bag until you're stationary and de-hat'd)?
It's been nice weather here today and my new commute (in the car... haven't stumped up the courage to cycle it yet after seeing the hills and the traffic) takes me straight past the local woods. I really fancied a ride this evening, but it's too dark to ride after work without lights now and my system isn't set up or charged.
So, as I'd been meaning to do since last winter, I went onto the Lumicycle website and ordered a second battery (the result of being left at the far side of my ride with no light at the beginning of the year!) and I'm just off to charge the existing one.
Waffle-aside here's a quick question: I'm thinking of getting a head torch. I have a pair of Lumicycles to light my way, so I just want something convenient with a decent run time for changing batteries over, mending the occasional puncture etc. Can anyone recommend one? Also, how do you fix them to your helmet (or do you just keep them in the bag until you're stationary and de-hat'd)?
I use a Petzl Myo XP, zip tied (re-leasable types) to my lid. Mainly for off road but still very usefull on, especially on winding unlit roads.
The new versions have a wacking great output for a single LED head torch.
£40 - £50 depending where you look.
: Also, Lumicycle are about to release an LED lamp that is backward compatible with their battery systems. A 700 - 900 lumen range is expected. The specs should be with me in a day or two I'm told.
The new versions have a wacking great output for a single LED head torch.
£40 - £50 depending where you look.
: Also, Lumicycle are about to release an LED lamp that is backward compatible with their battery systems. A 700 - 900 lumen range is expected. The specs should be with me in a day or two I'm told.
Edited by Sloe on Thursday 2nd October 08:59
I have one of these zip tied to the top of my lid with the battery pack on the back, it's very light so you don't really notice it that much.
Very similiar light output to my Exposure Maxx on Race setting, last for 2 hours from 3 standard AA's and it's nice and cheap if you do manage to land on your noggin and break it.
Very similiar light output to my Exposure Maxx on Race setting, last for 2 hours from 3 standard AA's and it's nice and cheap if you do manage to land on your noggin and break it.
Edited by WildCards on Thursday 2nd October 09:33
A half-decent head-mounted light is a real bonus for night riding singletrack; when your bar-mounted lights are pointing straight ahead but the trail's jinked left around a tree you can't see where you're headed.
Having spent the "serious" money on a decent HID setup for the bars, and being prone to falling off a lot and also head-butting overhanging branches, I prefer to have something a bit less pricey up-top. I've tried quite a few cheapo lights on my helmet and have finally settled on the BLT Ozone 21ne which CRC have on sale at £50 at the moment.
The helmet mount is too tall for my liking, so I just zip-tie the lamp onto my helmet. The only downside is that it comes with throw-away lithium camera batteries, but that's solved with a cheap set of rechargeables from eBay.
Having spent the "serious" money on a decent HID setup for the bars, and being prone to falling off a lot and also head-butting overhanging branches, I prefer to have something a bit less pricey up-top. I've tried quite a few cheapo lights on my helmet and have finally settled on the BLT Ozone 21ne which CRC have on sale at £50 at the moment.
The helmet mount is too tall for my liking, so I just zip-tie the lamp onto my helmet. The only downside is that it comes with throw-away lithium camera batteries, but that's solved with a cheap set of rechargeables from eBay.
) but the missus has now given me her cold and seeing how ill she's been the past few days I don't think it's a wise move. Doh.In which case, any small & cheap LED light zipped to yer noggin will do the trick.
e.g. Something like this for a tenner.
e.g. Something like this for a tenner.
Done.
Went half way for one of these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
Bearable time between charges, but might provide a bit of extra light on the singletrack.
Not happy about the man-flu situation preventing me from getting out there this evening though.
Went half way for one of these: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?Mod...
Bearable time between charges, but might provide a bit of extra light on the singletrack.
Not happy about the man-flu situation preventing me from getting out there this evening though.
I use a pair of the previous version of those (the Nano-1, just 1 LED as the name suggests) on my commuter bike; they last for ages on flashing mode.
Sounds perfect for what you describe but I found the Nano-1 not to cut it for seeing where I was going at night in the woods (hence the upgrade to the BLT).
For rechargeable batteries, see if you can borrow some to try out before buying your own (if the -9 is the same as the -1, it takes 4 AAAs); sometimes LED lights aren't happy with the reduced voltage and won't run.
Sounds perfect for what you describe but I found the Nano-1 not to cut it for seeing where I was going at night in the woods (hence the upgrade to the BLT).
For rechargeable batteries, see if you can borrow some to try out before buying your own (if the -9 is the same as the -1, it takes 4 AAAs); sometimes LED lights aren't happy with the reduced voltage and won't run.
It really depends on the shape of your helmet and the shape of your light.
Usually the helmet mount that comes with a light is the best bet, but at this end of the price scale you don't tend to get one.
FWIW, with the Electron Nano range and similarly shaped lights, they'll usually "sit" nicely in one of the helmet vents. You'll have to experiment to find the spot that works best for aiming it in the right direction.
I find that packing it out to get it aimed correctly almost always ends in tears as the packing inevitably falls out and then the tension in the ziptie is lost, potentially leading to the light falling off!
One thing I'd probably do with the Nano is wrap a bit of rubber around it where the ziptie sits, to stop it slipping. The BLT I have now is shaped such that there's an obvious groove that prevents the light from slipping out of the ziptie.
Usually the helmet mount that comes with a light is the best bet, but at this end of the price scale you don't tend to get one.
FWIW, with the Electron Nano range and similarly shaped lights, they'll usually "sit" nicely in one of the helmet vents. You'll have to experiment to find the spot that works best for aiming it in the right direction.
I find that packing it out to get it aimed correctly almost always ends in tears as the packing inevitably falls out and then the tension in the ziptie is lost, potentially leading to the light falling off!
One thing I'd probably do with the Nano is wrap a bit of rubber around it where the ziptie sits, to stop it slipping. The BLT I have now is shaped such that there's an obvious groove that prevents the light from slipping out of the ziptie.
Found a very similar solution using a collection of the OH's hair bands.
I've got an old Giro Xen where the the longitundinal bits go down to your head, but the cross members sit about half an inch clear of it. So, you can get a couple round the torch at the front and back, while the base plate of the handlebar mounting system almost locks into the groove between them. What's more it's even pointing in the right direction.
Following a series of, err, highly scientific tests, I can confirm that the sort of rubbery material of the hair bands has enough friction to stay on the torch.
Job done.
I've got an old Giro Xen where the the longitundinal bits go down to your head, but the cross members sit about half an inch clear of it. So, you can get a couple round the torch at the front and back, while the base plate of the handlebar mounting system almost locks into the groove between them. What's more it's even pointing in the right direction.
Following a series of, err, highly scientific tests, I can confirm that the sort of rubbery material of the hair bands has enough friction to stay on the torch.
Job done.
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