Battery lights vs. rechargeable.

[Blue Hills]

That does look good. If it is still around when I need to replace my current light, I might well consider it, though I really have little idea how bright 80 lux at 10m is in terms of how much light it throws in the range I need to see.

well I've ridden through pitch dark nights with it. It lights far enough ahead for me to be totally confident (I'm not racing) and also lights close enough to the front wheel that I can see potholes etc. I think the real test of whether a light is good enough is whether you are confident descending a pitch black country lane with it.

It also doesn't dazzle drivers.

I don't need a light meter - that way lies tech and spec fetishism - part of/a big part of the fashion for built-in battery retina burners I think. Spec oneupmanship. I don't think nights are getting any darker.

 

[I like Skol]

TBH, I'm already not sure where I would get an equivalent to my current main front light using removable rechargeable batteries. Having a quick look, I can't find anything taking AA or AAA batteries with more than 250 lumens. I'd want a minimum of 1100 and preferably the 1600 my current light has.

1600 lumen!

Where/what are you riding? I have a Halfords 1600 lumen light I use for night time mountain biking. It is incredible and rarely needs to be on full power unless going downhill very fast. Light output is eye burning but it has little or no effective beam pattern, making it totally unsuitable for using on the road. However, I do see plenty of selfish nobbers using similar lights on the road and while yes, they can be seen, the side effect is that any other road user that gets that intensity of light shone in their eyes can't see anything else around the source so are effectively driving blind with nothing except the light as a point of reference. Doesn't sound like such a good idea now does it? If it were cars putting out such intense and uncontrolled light we would all be moaning like hell, but few people seem to comment when it is a cyclist that is being so dangerous....

For urban commuting I have two of THESE on the front, one steady on and one flashing. No idea what the output is but they are sufficiently bright and easily seen (if they bother looking!). They fade slowly if I allow the rechargeable batteries to get to the end of charge and the 2 x AAAs can be replaced in a minute if I need to do this during a journey.

 

[Alex321]

1600 lumen!

Where/what are you riding? I have a Halfords 1600 lumen light I use for night time mountain biking. It is incredible and rarely needs to be on full power unless going downhill very fast. Light output is eye burning but it has little or no effective beam pattern, making it totally unsuitable for using on the road. However, I do see plenty of selfish nobbers using similar lights on the road and while yes, they can be seen, the side effect is that any other road user that gets that intensity of light shone in their eyes can't see anything else around the source so are effectively driving blind with nothing except the light as a point of reference. Doesn't sound like such a good idea now does it? If it were cars putting out such intense and uncontrolled light we would all be moaning like hell, but few people seem to comment when it is a cyclist that is being so dangerous....

That is the light I have, and I don't agree at all about it being dangerous, or about being totally unsuitable for riding on the road.

It would be dangerous, if I angled it so that it was pointing too high and/or too far right, and yes, most of the time it is on the 2nd level, not the brightest, though I will make sure it is on the brightest before I hit any fast downhills on minor roads.

I am sure that the "selfish nobbers" you talk of are more caused by them angling the lights incorrectly than it being an inherent issue with the lights themselves. I've certainly never had any car drivers flashing their lights to main beam at me due to being dazzled, nor any complaints from other cyclists going the other way.

 

[Alex321]

For urban commuting I have two of THESE on the front, one steady on and one flashing. No idea what the output is but they are sufficiently bright and easily seen (if they bother looking!). They fade slowly if I allow the rechargeable batteries to get to the end of charge and the 2 x AAAs can be replaced in a minute if I need to do this during a journey.

A very large majority of my night time riding is on unlit lanes. Even my commute is about 8.5 miles on unlit lanes with only about 6.5 through te city.

Those would be completely useless for me. I don't need lights to be seen by, I need lights to see with.

 

[I like Skol]

That is the light I have, and I don't agree at all about it being dangerous, or about being totally unsuitable for riding on the road.

It would be dangerous, if I angled it so that it was pointing too high and/or too far right, and yes, most of the time it is on the 2nd level, not the brightest, though I will make sure it is on the brightest before I hit any fast downhills on minor roads.

I am sure that the "selfish nobbers" you talk of are more caused by them angling the lights incorrectly than it being an inherent issue with the lights themselves. I've certainly never had any car drivers flashing their lights to main beam at me due to being dazzled, nor any complaints from other cyclists going the other way.

I'm sorry, but you are wrong. That light really is a blunt instrument and is totally unsuitable for road use unless pointed down to the ground at about 45 degrees. It has no beam pattern but has huge output and spread, so much so that when riding on narrow tracks in trees the intensity has to be turned down 2 or 3 clicks because the light thrown into the surrounding foliage just reflects back and blinds you so much that you struggle to see what is being illuminated further up the trail.

I've never shouted at any of these nobbers either. I have no wish to be told to F'off and besides, I'm far too busy trying to sheild my eyes and make sure I don't ride into the pavement or a parked car or something!!!!

Do us all a favour and get a more suitable light for riding on the road.

 

[Alex321]

well I've ridden through pitch dark nights with it. It lights far enough ahead for me to be totally confident (I'm not racing) and also lights close enough to the front wheel that I can see potholes etc. I think the real test of whether a light is good enough is whether you are confident descending a pitch black country lane with it.

Agreed. But I do tend to want to go quite fast on some of the downhill stretches. In daylight, 30mph doesn't even really feel particularly fast any more.

It also doesn't dazzle drivers.

I don't need a light meter - that way lies tech and spec fetishism - part of/a big part of the fashion for built-in battery retina burners I think. Spec oneupmanship. I don't think nights are getting any darker.

I'm not suggesting I need (or want) a light meter generally, and have no intention of getting one.

But I would need a light meter to be able to relate a lux value to what I currently have. I have no idea how many lux my current light provides at 10m, so can't mentally compare that light to what I have.

I know my current light is good enough - and most of the time is good enough on the second setting (which I think is 1000 or 1100 lumens). It is only on those fast downhill stretches I want full power. But does it produce 80 lux at 10m? I have no idea.

 

[Alex321]

I'm sorry, but you are wrong. That light really is a blunt instrument and is totally unsuitable for road use unless pointed down to the ground at about 45 degrees. It has no beam pattern but has huge output and spread, so much so that when riding on narrow tracks in trees the intensity has to be turned down 2 or 3 clicks because the light thrown into the surrounding foliage just reflects back and blinds you so much that you struggle to see what is being illuminated further up the trail.

Maybe yours is a different version to mine, or maybe there is something wrong with it.

If mine was as bad as that, I would be having issues with how much of the hedges were being lit up on narrow lanes, and I don't.

I've never shouted at any of these nobbers either. I have no wish to be told to F'off and besides, I'm far too busy trying to sheild my eyes and make sure I don't ride into the pavement or a parked car or something!!!!

Well I have usually has a cheery "Hi", or "good evening" from them - not that there *are* any pavements or parked cars where I mostly ride.

Do us all a favour and get a more suitable light for riding on the road.

Such as?

There are hardly any easily available that give any more useful information about beam spread or things like lux values.

I'm not spending £100+, and I want one I can get from a shop which local-ish to me mainly means Halfords or Tredz. There is an Evans and a few other independent shops in Cardiff, but harder to reach from the office.

And it must light enough of the road for me to be able to ride comfortably at 25mph+.

 

[Svendo]

Agreed. But I do tend to want to go quite fast on some of the downhill stretches. In daylight, 30mph doesn't even really feel particularly fast any more.



I'm not suggesting I need (or want) a light meter generally, and have no intention of getting one.

But I would need a light meter to be able to relate a lux value to what I currently have. I have no idea how many lux my current light provides at 10m, so can't mentally compare that light to what I have.

I know my current light is good enough - and most of the time is good enough on the second setting (which I think is 1000 or 1100 lumens). It is only on those fast downhill stretches I want full power. But does it produce 80 lux at 10m? I have no idea.

This thread prompted me to download a Lux Meter App for my iPhone so I can test my lights/Chinese torches etc.
FWIW I have now quite old an hard to obtain Smart R1s (2xAAA) on the rear, one flashing in daytime, one flashing one steady at night. On the front as I’m currently commuting on my road bike I’ve squeezed the Hope 1 onto the bars (4xAA) and have a Lezyne Xecto drive USB with it (originally a discrete be seen light for low light/fog etc. as I didn’t usually use the best bike at night). I play around with the settings but usually have one flashing one steady unless on unlit roads when both are on steady so I can see!
The Hope usually lasts longer than a 2 weeks, six commutes. The Smarts are similar, but the Lezyne does 1 1/2 to 2 commutes depending how I use it. The daytime flash is great but drains quicker than it’s normal flash.

 

[Alex321]

This thread prompted me to download a Lux Meter App for my iPhone so I can test my lights/Chinese torches etc.

Good idea. I never even thought of that as something that might be available.

Just downloaded one for my android phone, so I can check out my bike light.

 

[I like Skol]

Agreed. But I do tend to want to go quite fast on some of the downhill stretches. In daylight, 30mph doesn't even really feel particularly fast any more.

Maybe consider using a more suitable speed rather than spec'ing a light that allows you to think you are invincible and F'k everyone else? It could be appropriate to slow down a bit, considering you are going downhill, in the dark, on country lanes. Or maybe you are one of those car driver types who drive at or over the speed limit, regardless of road conditions, time of day or weather, sound familiar?

Maybe yours is a different version to mine, or maybe there is something wrong with it.

Nothing wrong with my light, it does exactly what it says on the tin. And nowhere on that tin does it say it is approved for road use. In fact they do suggest it is most suitable for off-road use, with being over 1200 lumens. I just hope you can very quickly switch it to a low setting when meeting oncoming road users? I know I can't, the buttons are not easy to operate in the dark while watching were you are going and trying to toggle through the 8(?) settings with repeated button presses to get to the dimmed output, and if you are wearing full finger gloves forget it!

Like I said before, that light is totally unsuitable to be used on the road. I don't have an answer for one that is but you are endangering yourself and others by using the Halfords 1600 lumen one.

 

[Twilkes]

As someone who uses USB rechargeable lights, the key point for me is USB, it makes everything so easy and flexible - I've got a couple of mains USB chargers in the house, I can plug it into my laptop at work, I can generally charge it up at someone's house if I'm visiting as it's a standard connection they're likely to have. By contrast, I had some of the lithium battery Chinese bike torches (can't remember the LED name but they were popular about 10 years back) and never quite trusted the charger, and it just seemed like a hassle as part of a regular commuting pattern. It could take 3xAAA instead (I think) but consensus at the time was performance would be noticeably affected.

In addition, between lights getting stolen and the last few AA rear lights I had falling apart on the bike over rough roads (the kind where the plastic front was removed to put in the batteries which seemed to cause a structural weakness) a couple of £4 rear USB strap-on lights is the best balance for my use. I have a much stronger Magic Shine on the front which is USB charged, but it's very compact and I doubt a similar sized light that took standard batteries would shine as bright or for as long, nor anywhere near. I once tested the battery life indoors, pointing it at a cardboard box so we didn't all get blinded, not realising that it was bright enough to singe the cardboard and probably set it alight if I'd left it much longer!

So the key point is replaceability - there's a drive for appliances to be home-repairable, so maybe manufacturers should be obliged to supply replacement battery units, but the cost would make it pretty much prohibitive, people would just buy a new unit, like they do with other electronics, shoes that never get repaired etc. Maybe there's a standard, large capacity rechargeable battery that could be used in such lights but still enable them to be plugged directly into a USB port, so you get the flexibility plus standard replaceability.

There's an environmental aspect to it, but if I put all the lights I've owned over the last 30 years in a pile together I could probably hold them all in one hand, and there are other choices we make that have more of an impact, so I'm okay with it.

 

[Alex321]

Maybe consider using a more suitable speed rather than spec'ing a light that allows you to think you are invincible and F'k everyone else? It could be appropriate to slow down a bit, considering you are going downhill, in the dark, on country lanes. Or maybe you are one of those car driver types who drive at or over the speed limit, regardless of road conditions, time of day or weather, sound familiar?

Throwing around unfounded personal attacks does nothing to advance your argument. And no, of course that ludicrous suggestion doesn't sound the least bit familiar.

And I DO slow down a bit in the dark, but I see no reason to slow down excessively, when I have a light which provides sufficient for me to see at that speed.

And so does every car on the road. Most modern cars passing me have brighter lights on dip than my light is.

Nothing wrong with my light, it does exactly what it says on the tin. And nowhere on that tin does it say it is approved for road use.

False
"Halfords Advanced 1600 Lumen Front Bike Light
Developing a massive 1600 lumens from three CREE XM-L2 LED's & three LG lithium-ion batteries in a premium brushed aluminium body, the Halfords Advanced 1600 Lumen Front Bike Light illuminates the darkest night rides. This is our recommended light for riding pitch black forest trails and country lanes."


Most of my riding is on country lanes. Exactly what they recommend it for.

In fact they do suggest it is most suitable for off-road use, with being over 1200 lumens.

The chart says 800+ for unlit roads. It doesn't say 800-1200

But yes, they do indicate it would also be suitable for trails - though frankly I wouldn't fancy using it on anything but very easy (not that I would ride much more than that even in daylight).

I just hope you can very quickly switch it to a low setting when meeting oncoming road users? I know I can't, the buttons are not easy to operate in the dark while watching were you are going and trying to toggle through the 8(?) settings with repeated button presses to get to the dimmed output, and if you are wearing full finger gloves forget it!


View attachment 626987

Like I said before, that light is totally unsuitable to be used on the road. I don't have an answer for one that is but you are endangering yourself and others by using the Halfords 1600 lumen one.

That is your opinion. I don't believe it to be correct.

Halfords themselves think it is suitable for unlit country lanes. I have never had anybody else complain about it - even when squeezing through pretty tight gaps where cars have slowed or stopped for me.

I am quite sure that if I were dazzling drivers, then at least some would be flashing lights at me, and yelling or at least speaking to me about it as I squeeze past.

Having said all of which, I have now downloaded a lux meter app for my phone, and want to see how many lux it is producing at 10m so I have something to compare. So next time I'm out in the dark and can find somewhere to prop the bike suitably, I will be measuring lux at 10m and will also walk a bit further down the road and see just how dazzling it is.

 

[I like Skol]

And so does every car on the road. Most modern cars passing me have brighter lights on dip than my light is.

Last word from me now as you clearly aren't listening or going to accept an alternative view that doesn't suit you.
Car lights have an engineered beam pattern that is checked annually at the MOT. Car lights can be switched from main beam to dipped in an instant at the flick of a switch when meeting oncoming road users.
Your Halfords light satisfies neither of those criteria. I accept it is a good light for you to see on unlit country lanes. I still wish you would accept that it is not good for the other road users you meet. How many of these do you expect to turn around and chase you down to tell you that you just dazzled/blinded them?

 

[Alex321]

Last word from me now as you clearly aren't listening or going to accept an alternative view that doesn't suit you.

Another completely unfounded and unwarranted personal attack.

Car lights have an engineered beam pattern that is checked annually at the MOT. Car lights can be switched from main beam to dipped in an instant at the flick of a switch when meeting oncoming road users.
Your Halfords light satisfies neither of those criteria

Well as I said, the light from it is less than from a car dipped headlight, so that part is not necessary unless the beam is as wild as you suggest.

. I accept it is a good light for you to see on unlit country lanes. I still wish you would accept that it is not good for the other road users you meet.

I have seen no evidence to support that argument, which is why I won't accept it at present.

As I said, next time I'm out after dark and can find somewhere suitable to prop the bike up, I will have a look for myself.

How many of these do you expect to turn around and chase you down to tell you that you just dazzled/blinded them?

None.

I do however, expect that that least some of them would react in some obvious way, such as flashing their lights, or yelling at me as they pass. I would also expect that other cyclists I meet might some of them make some remark on it.

None of that has never happened.

 

[Tenkaykev]

I've been very happy with it for more than a dozen years. It charges both AA and AAA. I think it's got a feature to recondition cells but I've never tried that. BTW, I have no idea what it cost's now but I think it was about twenty-something quid when I bought it, not cheap at the time. I think @ianrauk has one as well.

I’ve got the same model of charger and it’s worked really well for many years. I like the ability to alter the charging current for each cell.