Cycling at night

[G3CWI]

Having established that I can cycle to work quite easily (10 miles each way on quiet country lanes) my mind is turning to later in the year. I want to cycle at least occasionally in the dark. I picked up a "4000 lumens" light off ebay today for £30 but I am wondering if it might be too bright? Is it best mounted on the bike or used as a headlamp? Should I have a second "fill in" light and if so what would be good? My ride takes about 40 minutes, will I get there and back safely on one charge? Cheers.

 

[vernon]

Having established that I can cycle to work quite easily (10 miles each way on quiet country lanes) my mind is turning to later in the year. I want to cycle at least occasionally in the dark. I picked up a "4000 lumens" light off ebay today for £30 but I am wondering if it might be too bright? Is it best mounted on the bike or used as a headlamp? Should I have a second "fill in" light and if so what would be good? My ride takes about 40 minutes, will I get there and back safely on one charge? Cheers.

Try it and see!

It would be a crap lamp if it doesn't last an hour and twenty minutes. There's nothing stopping you from doing a dry run during daylight hours to see if the lamp lasts an hour and twenty minutes. In fact I'd ride for longer to factor in delays caused by a puncture repair or two. The lamp will not be too bright if it's aimed in the right direction.

 

[classic33]

Main light on the bike, "second fill in light" on the person if you feel you need one. Just because you have it doesn't mean that they will actually "see you" any more than they would with just a main light..
Batteries vary with regards the charge they'll hold. I managed a similar distance on low end rechargable batteries, but always carried a set of none rechargable batteries because I'd no means of charging at work.

 

[grolyat]

Rechargables are OK, up to a point, but the best set up for all-year-round commuters, IMHO, is a dynohub with one of the B&M LED front lights. It's a big investment, sure, but having an amazing beam available anytime at the flick of a switch is very relaxing.

 

[hotfuzzrj]

I do most of my commuting at darkness on unlit country roads and I have a Lezyne macro drive
http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/led-lights/sport#!macro-drive-front

The site says its only 300 lumens. It has several light settings including mega bright, slightly less bright, and good brightness (my words not theirs!) and two modes of flashy. The good brightness is more than adequate to light up road in front of me and I believe it prolongs the battery life, which is why I use it. I think I used mega bright once in the fog but it just seemed to light up fog all around me like a horror film and cycling in pitch black through woods with dense white fog is, whilst conducive to fast pedalling, not enjoyable after a stressful days work!
It is rechargeable and I think one full charge lasts at least over three hours. It has a microUSB charger point thing so it works with my phone charger and therefore I often charge it up in the car during the day.
Anyway in my opinion it can never be too bright; the more bright the less likely drivers will fail to see you. A suitably pointed light can light the road and at the same time indicate your presence for other road users.
Good luck!

 

[hoopdriver]

I doubt very much it is really 4000 lumens no matter what it says on the box. This is a field where exaggeration rules. I do a lot of night riding and enjoy it immensely. I use a very good rechargeable light - a Lupine, which I know is expensive but given the amount of night riding I do is worth it to me. What you want in a light is a good burn time, weatherproofing, reliability, and a nice spread and colour of the beam. Contrary to the opinion voiced above, you most certainly can have a Light that is too bright. There is no point, and much danger, in dazzling on-coming traffic.

My light has three settings - as I recall they are 700 lumens, 1150 and 1850. On street-lit roads with traffic I use the lowest setting, going up a notch on darker lanes. I seldom need 1850 but it is nice to have it. The super bright lights are more for night riding in the MBT world, not commuting and road riding.

 

[grolyat]

I sometimes get blinded by oncoming cyclists on my winter country lane commute. So much so that I have to stop and put a foot down because I can't see the road.

They're morons. IMHO.

 

[vernon]

I sometimes get blinded by oncoming cyclists on my winter country lane commute. So much so that I have to stop and put a foot down because I can't see the road.

Wear sun glasses then. Sorted.

 

[hoopdriver]

The advent of cheap blindingly bright headlights from China has meant there is an increasing number of these morons on the roads.

 

[goody]

I'd always recommend two lights on the front and rear in case one of them fails.

 

[BSRU]

In winter I use a seriously bright light, like a car main beam, out on the unlit country lanes but I turn it off when other road traffic is around and rely on my other far less powerful lights until the other road user is not going to be dazzle by my powerful light.

 

[tyred]

Dynamos are the way to go imo.

 

[hoopdriver]

I prefer rechargeables, having used both in my time. You can just put them on or take them off in seconds and, generally, you get a brighter light with a rechargeable than you will with a dynamo although they have made some big headway with dynamo lamps lately. As for longer rides and commutes, my Lupin has a long burn time - up to 8 hours - and so I have no concerns about running out of juice.

In any event - dynamo or rechargeable - you get what you pay for. If you are doing a lot of night riding or commuting, get the best you can afford.

 

[vernon]

Dynamos are the way to go imo.

The citizens of Kiev are so convinced of this that their football team bears testimony to their belief.

 

[hotfuzzrj]

It sounds as though many people are using bright lights but not angling them sympathetically for other road users. Such a shame. Just like idiots who keep their full beams on and those who drive with fog lighs on!