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Lights :-(
I know it is early, but starting to notice it getting light later and dark earlier.
last winter used a set of Ayups for commuting. Commute is 16miles and much of it is on unlit roads. I am thinking about getting a set of dynamo lights, riding home after forgetting to charge battery not good.
So looking at something like the IQ2 or IQ, they give a number in Lux though so don't know how this compares.
Can anyone give any guidance as to how bright they are in the real world?
As an aside, is it possible to use a battery(ie the LiPos from the Ayups?) as a stop gap until i get the dynamo wheel built up?
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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9 comments
I ride 20 miles each way, and the rubber on both my Knog lights perished after not very long! I now used a pair of £3.49 Aldi lights, then fortify them with some Lezeyne monsters when the clocks change. The Aldi lights are good as anything I've seen up to the £20 mark!
I bought a CREE XM-L T6 LED for £17 off eBay. It came with battery pack, charger plus a crap rear light and other bits.
On Saturday night I rode the Exmouth Exodus, it lasted a full 10 hours on the dimmer of 2 settings, which is about 3 times brighter than the Cateye I had as a backup.
No idea how long it will last, but I was amazed.
I swear by my Lezyne's for my commute which is of a similar distance,and best of all they are USB charged so no need to worry about batteries
Which model do you have? I tested out their Super Drive and was super impressed. Battery is replaceable as well.
I've used my Ay-Ups for my 18 mile commute and found them fine, also for longer night time rides. I find the lower light setting plenty for road riding and get a return commute out of a charge. Could just carry the spare battery pack for the return journey - i got the v4 set with two light units so my wife and I had a set, and I got an extra battery. (I usually start in the dark in the depths of winter, but it's usually light by the time I get in)
That is a long commute. I suggest getting a better light for safety reasons. There are really good brands out there like Moon, Lezyne, Knog.
Nothing wrong with the Ayups, just after a more road focused light rather than an mtb light. As for spare batteries, that means organisation, hence the idea of going for a dynamo so i don't have to worry about organisation.
Found it:
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/34746-your-guide-best-front-lights-c...
You need to scroll down for the light comparison, and the example picture is a bit confusing as it has some objects (railway sleepers?) on the right hand side but not the left.
They're easily bright enough for riding on-road thanks to the decent beam pattern (which chucks all the light down at the tarmac). It does mean unlit roads get a bit dull as you can only see downwards, but you won't be dazzling oncoming traffic, which I do find a bit maddening (particularly on cycle tracks where people run their DX specials on full blast).
There's a great light review feature on this site somewhere that lets you compare lots of different units side by side.
Found this review that says you can power them from a 7.4V battery too.
http://mccraw.co.uk/iq-cyo-dynamo-headlight-review/
The only issue I've had with mine is that it's a bit more vulnerable to water than I would have liked, and I had to send one back after last year's wet summer (coupled with a lack of inside storage at work) killed it. The switchless version might be better sealed, or if I was buying again I might pony up the extra fifty quid for the Schmidt Edelux.