Decent Lights

[Healthebike]

more on decent lights

John here is the source data here in the US for my light fixture and MR16

12 Volt Meteor Garden Spotlight Fixture With 20 Watt MR16 Bulb - Black

As you see you don't need any of those handy skills. I just put that base tube that encloses the 2 wires over my reflector mount. I like the adjustable base and the heat tolerance, and the look of it.


If you choose your own fixture to enclose the MR16 bulb, any sort of plastic fixture will be inadequate due to the heat, particularily if you overdrive. You want the protective flat glass in the front rather than just the exposed bulb. I have seen claims of good bulb life overdriving 50% of the voltage but I don't have any experience.

Flecc makes a good point about it not just being the watts or lumens of the light bulb that matter, but the reflector, focus and pattern of the light generated. Its more about what the end result of the amount and light pattern on the road 20 feet in front of you is. MR16 bulbs come with their own reflector but are either of the "flood" or "spot" variety. And they come in Narrow flood, Narrow spot, etc. I don't know yet what the ideal MR16 halogen is but surely it is more of the spot than flood variety for onroad use.

 

[flecc]

Thanks for the additional information John Boston. As you say, the spot would seem to be more appropriate.

To: Johninstockie. The consumption of one of these will use 13% of your bike's battery's capacity in one hour John, so you can work out what you'd lose by calculating for your journey duration.
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[Ian]

If Grandad reads this he'll be doing a cartoon of a bike with a chandelier.

 

[Healthebike]

Re cartoon

Here's one for the cartoon. My boys were sleeping in the front room on an inflatable bed because of houseguests. I started to inflate the bed with the air compressor on the back of my bicycle but my wife made me use a hairdryer because it was late and she felt the air compressor was making too much noise. Spoilsport, huh?

 

[flecc]

Very annoying after all your good work John, and I don't think your bike would look as good with a hair dryer fixed to the carrier!
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[rsscott]

Here's an interesting shoot-out done by MTBR :

Mountain Biking Product Spotlight: MTBR Lights Shine-Off