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Winter Cycling – Lights

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  • September 15, 2014 at 10:51 am #22378
    stefanitely

    Hi,

    The days are getting shorter and shorter now, and I wish to continue cycling in the evenings after work in the dark.

    Can anyone recommend a good cycling front light to see in night time conditions? I will be cycling on mainly unlit B roads in the countryside – so need something fairly powerful!

    Is there anything available for £50-100 price range?

    Thanks!
    :B

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  • September 16, 2014 at 1:47 pm #814389
    0
    GrahamSt

    I’m a big fan of my Gloworm
    I’m a big fan of my Gloworm X2.

    Double Cree LEDs for up to 1500 (real) lumens. Small, light, multiple programmable modes, swappable lenses, remote switch, and completely waterproof (rated IP67 – [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNRVJHLxs7M]here is a nice YouTube video of the whole system being used underwater[/url]).

    On the highest settings they are way too bright for road use, but perfect for seeing my way along the unlit cycle track in the local country park during the pitch black of winter commuting.

    http://www.crgmoto.co.uk/mountain-bike-lights-26-c.asp
    http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/review-gloworm-x2-v3-lights-13-47891/

    September 16, 2014 at 1:45 pm #814387
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    oozaveared

    I have a 2010 Exposure Strada
    I have a 2010 Exposure Strada still going strong. on it’s 4th year. No batteries and it’s battery runs the staggeringly bright RedEye rear light as well.

    http://use1.com/exposure-lights/outlet-store/strada-2010

    http://use1.com/exposure-lights/cycle-lights-2015/red-eye-long-cable

    I commute most of the year 20 miles each way so these lights have had a lot of use and still work perfectly. I always run them during the daylight commutes the rest of the year albeit with the strada on flashing mode. Pricey yes but Exposure have an outlet store and you can get a 2010 model for £75.

    My son races and he needed a light for time trialling on the A31 which in the late summer has the sun in drivers eyes. I wanted something neat and powerful and was mightily impressed with Four4ths range particularly the Scorpion. It has a specific TT function. http://four4th.co.uk/products/lights/scorpion/
    Fits neatly under the saddle. Can’t really use a saddle bag with it but when commuting he keeps the spare tube tools etc in a BBB Tool Tube. Like a water
    bottle you put it in your bottle cage.

    You could spend £110 and have a really top notch set of lights that will last you at least 4 years and no batteries to pay for either.

    September 16, 2014 at 1:24 pm #814385
    0
    Anonymous

    I used to have these –
    I used to have these – http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171452266073 – terrible things, weighed a ton, gave off less light than the moon. Putting a modern LED in one would be interesting… it’d probably melt.

    September 16, 2014 at 8:14 am #814383
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    MKultra

    I want a retro metal bodied
    I want a retro metal bodied two D cell so I can put a drop in LED bulb in it.

    September 16, 2014 at 2:54 am #814381
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    MaxP

    The thing about ‘Ever Ready’
    The thing about ‘Ever Ready’ lights is that the mounts came with the bike (at least for all of mine). People who had any other colour but grey were chased with pitch forks and flaming torches.

    Oh those were the days! I can still picture the blue green gunk inside the torch where the battery leaked sigh*

    September 15, 2014 at 10:29 pm #814379
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    Simon E

    Daveyraveygravey wrote:There

    Daveyraveygravey wrote:
    There are plenty of Chinese made LED lights on ebay for about 30 quid that are fantastic. I hang the battery pack under the stem and they light the road really well on the less bright setting never mind the full on one. I can’t understand why anyone would pay 3 times as much for a brand name…

    While the cheap Cree lights seem to be very bright and excellent value I will pay more for a branded front light, despite being a cheapskate. The people selling them may be fine but they could be a here-today-gone-tomorrow types for all I know. It’s peace of mind.

    Part of the cost of branded gear is the cut taken by an importer/distributor and retailer. But someone has to pay for BS/EU safety tests, warranty claims, giving gear to mags & websites to test for us and so on. I don’t have a problem with that, they need to earn a living too. The owner of my LBS does more for cycle sport in Shropshire than most clubs or teams could manage between them. He and his friendly staff deserve some support.

    September 15, 2014 at 10:28 pm #814377
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    bikebot

    rnick wrote:Ah….the warm

    rnick wrote:
    Ah….the warm glow of Ever Ready lights (do you remember upgrading to Duracells from the blue D cells)……. and then there’s chrome rims, rubber brake blocks and steep descents of Lake District passes on rain sodden roads with laden panniers. Halcyon days indeed.

    Careful now, with fine words like that you’ll only encourage the hipsters.

    September 15, 2014 at 10:06 pm #814375
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    rnick

    Ah….the warm glow of Ever
    Ah….the warm glow of Ever Ready lights (do you remember upgrading to Duracells from the blue D cells)……. and then there’s chrome rims, rubber brake blocks and steep descents of Lake District passes on rain sodden roads with laden panniers. Halcyon days indeed.

    So now, I’ve a twin beam cateye LED which cost around £90 last year which seems to do me just fine for an hour or two around rural Leicestershire.

    September 15, 2014 at 8:20 pm #814373
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    BigAl68

    I got a set of double lens
    I got a set of double lens Chinese cree ones last month and I can’t believe how good they are for under 20 quid.

    September 15, 2014 at 7:30 pm #814371
    0
    therevokid

    No Max … you’re not alone
    No Max … you’re not alone … When those batteries said Lead / Acid they
    really, really meant lead 🙂

    September 15, 2014 at 7:04 pm #814369
    0
    MaxP

    Am I the only one who
    Am I the only one who remembers ‘EverReady’ cycling lights?

    Am I really old 🙁

    September 15, 2014 at 7:04 pm #814367
    0
    MaxP

    Am I the only one who
    Am I the only one who remembers ‘EverReady’ cycling lights?

    Am I really old 🙁

    September 15, 2014 at 6:50 pm #814365
    0
    Daveyraveygravey

    There are plenty of Chinese
    There are plenty of Chinese made LED lights on ebay for about 30 quid that are fantastic. I hang the battery pack under the stem and they light the road really well on the less bright setting never mind the full on one. I can’t understand why anyone would pay 3 times as much for a brand name…

    September 15, 2014 at 6:33 pm #814363
    0
    Welsh boy

    Have a look at this site
    Have a look at this site (http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/bike-light-database.html) it has some very good comparisons of beam patterns with photographs rather than graphs and descriptions. After playing around for the last few years with torches (such as the Lenser P7) and 2 or 3 ebay offerings I bought the Fluxient XM-L2 last year and it is superb and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good road light.

    September 15, 2014 at 5:58 pm #814361
    0
    Must be Mad

    For £100, the Lezyne Super
    For £100, the Lezyne Super Drive is worth a look. Enough light to cycle down unlit country B roads in the dark – and the swappable battery option means that run times are not really a problem either.

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