What lights do you use

[Andy_H]

I know there have been past threads about lights, but new innovations appear all the time, the front light on my new bear whist adequate for street lit roads, we have some un-lit roads which are effectively pitch black (combination of trees lining the roads and clouds blocking the moon), the light really isn't powerful enough for those roads.

I looked on Amazon but there are so many different types its difficult to tell which are good or rubbish, so wondered what lights you folk use when on unlit roads.

Second question would be, do you think a standard rear light is ok, or is it better to have two rear lights a standard plus a flashing one in an attempt to make car drivers notice a cyclist better.

Thanks

 

[Yamdude]

For the front I use one of those cheap Ultrafire Cree Chinese torches, the ones that take a single AA battery and just have a holder for it on both my bikes..... and a cheap led on the rear.
It does me fine.... might not be good enough for some tho.

 

[Yamdude]

This one in fact.....

http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_226844.html?currency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KEQiAj8uyBRDawI3XhYqOy4gBEiQAl8BJbZq5Kdr3BNvYqsLaNDQyqy-m4S9I9T_wLmXeDqefg4saAo0X8P8HAQ

 

[Alan Quay]

In the past I have built my own, using domestic LED spot lights, and plastic pipe fittings. As you rightly point out, things have moved on.

My trusty WF-502b torch (10 usd from fasttech) with a single 18650 battery is plenty enough to fully light a dark Devon road. If I was doing it again, I'd integrate a couple of them with a dc-dc converter so they run from the battery.

As for rear lights, I think that any old one is good enough, but then I'm not riding in heavy traffic so others may have other, more valid opinions.

 

[Zye]

I got some additional lights recently from China. Takes a while for things to arrive but they are so cheap you can experiment. I have well illuminated Big Bear ...

Rear light fits nicely on NCX seat post, low profile, USB charged ...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SOLEDI-Bicycle-Cycling-Rechargeable-Taillight/dp/B013OVQW9E/ref=pd_cp_23_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0WH50D84EBGKKEY4773X

Same torch as Yamdude
http://www.amazon.co.uk/300LM-Flashlight-Torch-Adjustable-Lamp-Black/dp/B00OLDC6W2/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1448299436&sr=1-2-fkmr2&keywords=Ultrafire+UK+-+68+Zooming+LED+Flashlight

Torch clip for handle bar
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00WHUTGBK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

And a solar light to experiment
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G8YWTIS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

Wheel lights ... you get some dodgy ones but they are effective
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002P7YJB2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

Last but not least ... a pair of arm bands ...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CYHO9VS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

 

[mike killay]

My thinking is that plenty of rear lighting is far more important as long as you have enough front lighting to see your way.
I use the large standard light that came with the bike plus an extra flashing one on my Tonaro.
I have one large rear light on the Woosh folder, but to date, I have never ridden it in the dark.
However, this thread has prompted me to look for an extra red light for the folder.

 

[Benjahmin]

I agree Mike. I've got the 36v rack light that came with the Ezee kit. Plus an led from Lidl, that came with a reasonable rechargeable front lamp, mounted on the rear fork. Plus a little round flasher mounted on the saddle stem. I think it must cause quite a glow because I do hear cars slowing behind me.
My quest is for a good front light that will throw a beam, so that 15mph doesn't feel to fast under Welsh dark skys.

 

[danielrlee]

All my lights are powered from my main bike battery. Having previously ran lights with their own power source for years, I would now NEVER go back to the routine of having to charge them every couple of rides.

Details of my lighting setup can be found in this thread with photos in posts #6 and #12:

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/another-super-bright-head-light.20371/

As a side note, I never liked using traditional torches as bike lights since I could never get them evenly balanced, no matter how they were mounted. At higher speeds (25mph+) over rougher terrain they would bounce causing an annoying flickering effect. Over time, the bouncing would always destroy the mount too.

 

[EddiePJ]

At this time of year the vast majority of my off road riding is carried out after daylight hours, and the light of choice for me, is a Fenix BT20. The spread of the beam makes fastish off road night riding safer and easier when compared to the spot light effect of the cheapo cree lights, where the spot light effect of the beam works against you/me.

That's not to say that I don't use the cheap cree lights, and indeed I have two 1 Cree and one 4 cree light. I tend to switch around depending upon where I am riding. I always keep a 1 cree light fitted to the bike though, as a back up for the Fenix BT20.
With Cree lights for an evening of riding, you do need the six cell 18650 battery pack, and not the four. The one negative of the Fenix, is that it only uses two 18650 battery cells as standard, which is pretty poor. I carry spare batteries.

Cheap Cree lights aren't free of problems, but given the quantity produced and the price, you can't go wrong as a general purpose light. Problems include, water ingress behind the lens, mounting screws that work loose, tight or loose connectors, and the Velcro strap on the battery cover breaks off. But as said, given the price of the lights, these problems aren't a worry or concern.

I'm not worried about the rear lights for my riding, and just buy a box of cheap as chips lights direct from China using Ebay, and pretty much throw a light away after a few months of use. I've either lost or damaged too many rear lights, to want to spend out for one. I do keep a spare light in the rucksack as well though, which has now been used on two occasions.

The first two of the following clips are slightly unfair, as the red rear light of the bike in front is throwing the camera light sensor.

One cree

Two single cree lights

Four cree.

Four cree plus one cree

I'll try and film the Fenix being used as a comparison at some stage, but here is the promo clip. The strobe mode is just plain dangerous to other road users. Also the beam is more yellow than bright white as shown. Not sure how they achieved that.

 

[anotherkiwi]

b+m IQ 30 lux front, the first bike light I have ever owned that makes oncoming cars dip their lights before they come around the corner and then don't high beam me because I am dazzling them. b+m rear which is plenty bright enough according to SWMBO who has followed me home in town a couple of times.

I am out often at night in rural France a magical time when speed limits disappear because the bogey men in blue are mostly back in the warmth of their cars writing tickets for breath tests rather than out in the cold with the radar gun. Lights are important when you are out on the open road with cars doing over 110 kph.

 

[Tubamanandy]

That Fenix BT20 is impressive

 

[RobF]

The B&M dyno lights on my Rose work well for their intended purpose - roads and well made cycle paths taken at moderate speed.

I have a couple of Lezyne rechargeables to add a bit up front, and a Lezyne battery light to add a bit at the back, although I rarely use either.

Were I riding a lot at night off road, I would have something similar to Eddie.

Looking at the specs of 2016 Bosch trekking bikes, it appears many now have lights powered by the main battery.

That could be the best of both worlds, nothing to forget before leaving, and no realistic worry of them conking out.

Even if you ran the battery so low as to lose assistance, I'm guessing it would still power the lights.

The Alfine dynamo on my Rose has performed well, but wheel removal is a fiddle because you have to disconnect/reconnect a small, fiddly, and relatively fragile plug.

 

[Tomtomato]

I have a built-in light on my Kalkhoff pro connect 10, and it's surprisingly bright, and enough to light up the road ahead (as well as road signs etc).

Light is a "Concept EX Pro, 80 Lux LED", powered by a built-in Shimano dynamo in the front wheel hub.

 

[anotherkiwi]

This is what I will put on my next build

90€, 70 lux, powered directly from the battery and daytime running leds which I hope will help in roundabouts and other intersections "oh he arrived so fast I didn't see him" will be much harder to sell, won't it ladies? Sorry girls but my current statistics are that 95% of people refusing me right of way are of the fairer sex. Maybe because they never rode a bicycle? Maybe they did and don't think that a bike can go so fast in town?

 

[carpetbagger]

Hopevision one on front, fly6 on back......fly12 on front as well soon....

 

[Kenny]

I upgraded my original B & M Pro Connect front light with this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Busch-LUMOTEC-1752Q42-6N-04-Premium/dp/B00RSSDMB6

You can get cheaper much brighter lights but the're usually not well designed for road use and blind oncoming traffic.

I have fitted a Busch and Muller Luxos dynamo light on my Agattu and it's also excellent and can even charge your iphone while you ride, though I've not tried this function out yet.

I've also got a B & M rear light that detects when your bike is slowing down and increases it's brightness like a Brake light.

 

[Andy_H]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, given me some things to think about,

 

[Smart eBiker]

I have lots of Fenix torches, absolutely superb as I only buy the best, not bought a bike one as my Daimler Mercedes Smart eBike has built in designer elite Busch & Müller lights front and rear that are also daylight running.

Go with Fenix you won't be dissapointed

 

[awol]

I have a permanently fitted single led light for around town and also just upgraded to a 4x cree led off Amazon for about 18quid and it's uber bright on our pitch-black unlit lanes however I would not use it in town and if anything does come towards me I dip it well forwards so as not to cause an accident. For the price it seems well made too.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Waterproofing-Rechargeable-8-4Vsuitable-maintenance-etc-Extensive/dp/B00S16IA2K/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1448395944&sr=8-6&keywords=4+cree+light

 

[Nealh]

On 2 bikes I have £4 Banggood lights and the rear light is primarily the Fly6 which can be used on all 4 bikes with a backup Lezyne usb micro. The banggood's aren't very focused but bright and have a large spread on themso you get noticed also very good for day running.
I have also just purchased a zoom torch XMLT6 which has a handle bar holder this takes a single 18650 of which I have several from old laptops they are easy to carry so changing batts is not a problem, I may get another so I have twin lights as the beam is pretty good and compact esp when zoomed out to near it furthest focal point. Also hot on my list as mentioned elsewhere is a Fly12 but shall wait to see how the reviews go of actual production models.