Commuting lights for unlit country roads?

[MattR2011]

I've just started commuting to university by bike a couple of times a week, and it's about 10 miles, with the majority of the trip being unlit country roads. Due to the last bit near my university's campus being extremely busy, I'd rather not do the trip back during rush hour, which due to having cheap £10 argos lights at the moment, pretty much restricts me to coming back before rush hour (which restricts the days I can do it to pretty much 2 days a week), and it'll only get worse as the days get shorter.

Can anyone suggest some lights that would be suitable for commuting in the evening (8-9pm would be latest most likely) on unlit roads? As cheap as possible please

 

[rusky]

Welcome to the forums

If you want stupid bright, then for £50 get the DX magicshine http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mj-808...3-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-904444459

 

[funnymummy]

This one... Light was waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home today, It's advertsied as 1200 lumens, but the box says 900
It's ready charged & I shut myself in the understair cupborad to see just how brigh it was.. Its BRIGHT!
But one teeny prob, it has a 2 pin plug, which yes I know it says that in the listing & yes, I have a 2 pin plug adapter..But the pins on it are flat not round..So far i've been to 4 shops & no-one sells the adapter I need!!

 

[colly]

I have just bought a set of these from the same site:

http://www.dealextre...-pack-set-82510

They actually sent a set rated at 900 lumen rather than 1200 and they are organising a replacement set but even the 900 lumen light is just BRILLIANT.

I went out on Sunday am 5am in pitch black and on unlit roads it was like riding with car headlamps on.

Deal Extreme have some fantastic deals but it seems you do need to scan the site thoroughly because as you can see from the examples some deals are better than others for pretty much the same stuff.

Anyway for just over 30 quid I have a great new set of lights.

 

[colly]

This one... Light was waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home today, It's advertsied as 1200 lumens, but the box says 900
It's ready charged & I shut myself in the understair cupborad to see just how brigh it was.. Its BRIGHT!
But one teeny prob, it has a 2 pin plug, which yes I know it says that in the listing & yes, I have a 2 pin plug adapter..But the pins on it are flat not round..So far i've been to 4 shops & no-one sells the adapter I need!!

Fortunately I do have an adaptor that takes the flat two pin so they are about.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

This one... Light was waiting for me on my doorstep when I got home today, It's advertsied as 1200 lumens, but the box says 900
It's ready charged & I shut myself in the understair cupborad to see just how brigh it was.. Its BRIGHT!
But one teeny prob, it has a 2 pin plug, which yes I know it says that in the listing & yes, I have a 2 pin plug adapter..But the pins on it are flat not round..So far i've been to 4 shops & no-one sells the adapter I need!!

travel adapter of the universal sort should see you right

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Can anyone suggest some lights that would be suitable for commuting in the evening (8-9pm would be latest most likely) on unlit roads? As cheap as possible please

cheap is a relative term. I use AyUps. Not cheap, but very very good.

 

[MattR2011]

Thanks, I like the specifications + price of the T6 front light, will probably order soon - still need suggestions for a rear light though.

 

[marshmella]

Have a look at this before choosing a front light My link

 

[funnymummy]

I have just bought a set of these from the same site:

http://www.dealextre...-pack-set-82510

They actually sent a set rated at 900 lumen rather than 1200 and they are organising a replacement set but even the 900 lumen light is just BRILLIANT.

That's the same as I got, have they asked you to return the 900 set before they'll send the 1200? And if so how much was the postage?
I'm not prepared to send mine back, if it's going to cost me as much in P&P, & then have to wait another 4 weeks!

travel adapter of the universal sort should see you right

Tesco, Co-Op, Boots & Asda only sell travel adapters that do the round pins, not flat. Just went to Currys & they had them...for £20.99...! The young las who'd showed me where the were, looked at me, winked & whispered "Try Argos" I winked back & left
I now have my 2 (flat) pin adapater £4.99
I

 

[theloafer]

hi matt
to the forum ....Blackburn mars 4.0 seem well liked


larry

 

[Tynan]

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/rsp-night-sabre-1w-front-astrum-twin-1-2w-rear-id54230.html

using these at the moment, proper bright, rechargeable front, compact, decent mounts, £25 if you look

excellent lights for the money

 

[colly]

I'm not prepared to send mine back, if it's going to cost me as much in P&P, & then have to wait another 4 weeks!

I have asked them for a returns label and so there should be no charge. It was/is a bit of a palaver getting things sorted ( they wanted pics of the box it came in, the label on the box etc) and something called a SKU number which I had no idea what it was.

Having said that they got right back to me via email (within an hour or so) to let me know what I needed to do so it seems they aren't tardy about customer services. They mailed me back today to let me know they are looking into why I have the wrong light.

TBH I am tempted to tell them not to bother because I am more than satisfied with the light as it is.

It's so good I'm going out early tomorrow just so I can use it again.

Edit:
Just to add. If it means being without the light for 3 weeks or so I will not bother exchanging it.

 

[funnymummy]

I have asked them for a returns label and so there should be no charge. It was/is a bit of a palaver getting things sorted ( they wanted pics of the box it came in, the label on the box etc) and something called a SKU number which I had no idea what it was.

Having said that they got right back to me via email (within an hour or so) to let me know what I needed to do so it seems they aren't tardy about customer services. They mailed me back today to let me know they are looking into why I have the wrong light.

TBH I am tempted to tell them not to bother because I am more than satisfied with the light as it is.

It's so good I'm going out early tomorrow just so I can use it again.

Edit:
Just to add. If it means being without the light for 3 weeks or so I will not bother exchanging it.

I've not had chance to try mine out on the bike/in the dark yet, just shut myself in the cupboard LOL! And of course the battery probably wsn't fully charged.
Now i've got the adapater i'll test them out tommorrow night & see how they fare.
I have no idea on how long it would take for them to send replacments, but sort of estimated 4 weeks.
It's taken 2 weeks from me ordering them for the lighst to arrive, so I just used thatv as an estimate as to how long they'd take to go back, then another 2 weeks to get new ones bcak here agin.

 

[MattR2011]

I think now I'm more than likely going for the "T6 Water Resistant XML-T6 3-mode 1200 Lumen White LED Bike Light with Battery Pack Set" from deal extreme for the front, and a Blackburn Mars 4.0 for the rear (having a quick check on ebay though for UK suppliers for the front light). I have a question - how does the airmail service deal extreme uses work? Do they just pass it to royal mail in this country? If I miss the delivery and it doesn't fit through the letterbox, will they just keep it at the nearest royal mail depot?