Front Lights to 'see' with

[jamesxyz]

Seen quite a few threads about lights but a lot regarding commuter use.
Can anyone recommend a good front light for using in country lanes.
Budget around £50-60 so can't afford any of those superbright £500 jobs!
Have looked at Cateye EL-530 but some reviews suggest this wouldn't be bright enough for my use.

Any suggestions would be garatefull appreciated.

Cheers

 

[BentMikey]

I have a USE Exposure Maxx-D and a Joystick, but that's a bit over budget for you. If you could double your budget, you can get the Joystick. This is super bright, brighter than a Fenix on turbo, and a very high quality light. £125 from Bigfoot Bikes in Hayes, Kent.

You can ride with a Cateye EL530, but only slowly on dark country lanes.

 

[Bollo]

Another option is to find a super-bright hand torch and strap it to your bars. Not elegant, but more bang per buck than a dedicated cycle light. I'm sure there was a thread knocking about a couple of months back about mounts for non-cycle torches, but I cant find it.

Our office engineer/tight-arse rigged up a reasonable gaffer-tape based solution for his bike. Personally I'd try and save the pennies and get a set-up as BM (aka 'Bitch') suggested.

 

[HJ]

Depends on how fast you want to go, if you want to faster than walking pace you need a brighter light, trouble is there is bright and there is cheap. There are a few lights here on the cheaper end of the bright scale. If you are whiling to push the budget a wee bit there are plenty more, and you don't need to stretch to £500 either, once you get above about £150 there are lots of options...

 

[Origamist]

With that kind of budget, I'd be looking at a torch. Fenix, Eagletac, etc. However, you will have to factor in batteries and a charger. You can get cheaper torches via Deal Extreme, but reliability and workmanship are more likely to be a concern.

If you can stretch a bit more, a Hope Vision 1 is pretty good value.

I run an an Eagletac M2XC4 torch (3x R2 LEDs). It costs £110.

Here it is attached to my stem:

 

[TheDoctor]

I use a Tesco 3W LED torch (takes 2 AAs) and I've gaffer-taped it to an old bike light bracket. Best £9 light ever IMHO. Angle it right and you'll see well and illuminate signs half a mile up the road. It was fantastic on the FNRttC a while back!

It's the one that looks like a small Maglite - black alloy with a knurled body.

 

[marooncat]

I used a Catseye 610 & Catseye 530 along unlit cycle paths all of last winter and was happy enough with that setup. However the only reason I ended up with the two of them was I got the 530 first and realised it was not enough for me so got the 610 as well.

If I was to need to replace either of them I would strongly consider the torch option that people have suggested.

 

[Browser]

I used a Catseye 610 & Catseye 530 along unlit cycle paths all of last winter and was happy enough with that setup. However the only reason I ended up with the two of them was I got the 530 first and realised it was not enough for me so got the 610 as well.

Oh, I wasn't the only one to get caught that way then?
I took the advice of an LBS and saw a mates on the way into work, both of which convinced me the 610 would be fine, sadly not the case.

 

[andrew_s]

Fenix L2D torch - £43 2xAA, 2h on max, 4h on "normal riding". Leaves a bit of change for some rechargable AA and a charger. I mount mine with a tent elastic, Dinotte O-ring fashion, but most people use the lockblock velcro & rubber thing (in "accessories", same site).

Also consider...
B+M Ixon IQ £83 inc AA batteries and charger, 4xAA, 5h or 10h.
Hope Vision 1 £71 4xAA, 3h15 on max

 

[BentMikey]

I like the Fenix's a lot too, they are certainly a good option. I did find that they eventually start to fail with intermittent contact. I do a lot of miles though, with loads of vibration.

 

[Farky]

I have a fenix P1D and although it is very small and bright (max 175 lumens), it eats the CR123a batteries (max power lasts an hour). I would go for a good balance of battery life and power. AA or AAA batteries are always good as you can get rechargeable.

I also have a TK40 which uses 8 AA's but I don't think you'd fancy strapping that to your bars...

 

[BentMikey]

The Exposure Joystick lasts 3 hours on full power, 240 lumens, is just as small and light, and has lithium ion rechargeable batteries. It'll do 10 hours and 24 hours on the medium and low settings, and days on the flash setting. It's noticeably brighter than my Fenix P3D when both are on max.

 

[wafflycat]

The EL530 is rubbish to see with.

Get a couple of the Tesco 3W LED torches. They'll do fine.

Or get Ayups.

Funny that... I've been using two Cateye EL530s to cycle the unlit rural lanes of Norfolk with no problem for a couple of years. Even one on its own is fine for an unlit country lane in my experience.

If I was buying lights now and had the money, I'd be buying some AyUps.

But seriously, whilst there are brighter lights out there, if you can't see where you're going with EL530s, you need to get your eyesight checked. Or eat a lot more carrots...

 

[Origamist]

I have a fenix P1D and although it is very small and bright (max 175 lumens), it eats the CR123a batteries (max power lasts an hour). I would go for a good balance of battery life and power. AA or AAA batteries are always good as you can get rechargeable.

I also have a TK40 which uses 8 AA's but I don't think you'd fancy strapping that to your bars...

I'd attach it to my stem! The reason I did not go for the TK40 was the thought of carrying 8 spare batteries...It's an immense light though.

 

[ACS]

There is some discussion 'in another place' that the Tesco Cree 3W LED torches AA size are now longer been supplied to Tesco stores.

I visited 3 Tesco Extra stores on West Coast of Scotland last Sunday and had no joy.

Some stores may have legacy stock so if you see any when following the SWMBO around grab them while you can.