Headlights

[Tynan]

OK disagree, that's your prerogative, but you haven't given readers any decent analysis. In fact you make a pretty dangerous claim that "you don;t need anything like as sexy on a rear light as a front."

Why would one not want to be especially visible to traffic approaching from the rear? Certainly I would want to be -- and am -- lit up like a Christmas tree. That's why I run three rear lights -- two high-quality (battery) lights on seat stays, one on rack bracket, fly a reflective triangle and wear reflective clothing.

Yes, cheap battery lighting is ubiquitous, but a lot of it shouldn't be allowed on the road, IMO. There are certainly good battery headlights available (and I review some on my lighting page referred to above) but if you consider the overall cost (incl spare/replacement batteries) there is not ultimately not much difference in overall cost. Again, I say, dynamo systems are just the thing for busy commuters. No hassle with batteries, reliable and ultimate cost/benefit.

Have you actually tried and compared different systems?

just my opinion, the simple words, no more no less

because every accident I've ever had happened from the front when people in front of me did;t see me coming, that's cars, scooters and bikes

I use rechargeable batteries for rear lights anyway

 

[hackbike 666]

Weird...but I can across a car tonight which seemed to have a badly adjusted headlight shining right in my eyes...

 

[Shut Up Legs]

not agreed

I have a cateye 10 led rear that's been running every ride for over five years ans wants 2 aa recahrageables abut once a month tops

dynamo s have a place on longer rides sure, but for commuting modern leds ligts are cheap and easily run on batteries, you don;t need anything like as sexy on a rear light as a front

The cost of batteries can start to add up when you're commuting for 10 hours per week, though, especially over the darker months. That's why I like my dynamo-powered lights, although I use battery-powered lights also, because I believe in redundancy, plus there's no such thing as being too visible on the road when you're cycling.

 

[ufkacbln]

The problem with bicycle lights is the design of the beam.

Vehicle headlights are designed so that the top of the beam is "cut off" and the beam pattern enhanced to the kerb side. This is a european image, but think of it flipped and it will give the idea:

Hence an equivalent vehicle beam will not blind as much as a cycle light of the same power.

I use a 720 Lumens Enduro Maxx and it has decreased my number of close calls dramatically.

(However there was the taxi driver who thought I was a motorbike and pulled out at point blank because a motorbike would have stopped quicker than a bicycle and therefore OK - no lights will sort this type of driver.)

I also use a DInotte rear in combination with a couple of Astrums of Blackburn Mars 4 depending on the bike.

 

[JoysOfSight]

I went down the rechargeables route and got myself Ay-Ups (in fact I got three sets - one for my better half, and two for me so that I could use them as bar + helmet lights at the 7stanes trails).

I got them in 2008, and to be fair they are excellent pieces of kit, with the sole exception that all of the batteries have broken cables where the line leaves the pack (so far, only the outer is destroyed and I've used electrician's tape to extend their lifespan). It's doubly annoying because now you have to pay £20 to get every 50p spare part shipped over from Australia - not a product I could recommend any more.

I wish I'd gone for a good hub dynamo, myself. Even though the Ay-Ups last 6 hours a charge, I could do with a system that I never had to think about.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

thanks for the advice but these area bit out of my price range! (which I should probably have mentioned!)
I'm willing to spend up to about £40 on a rear light which hopefully takes AA rechargeable batteries
James

I have the Cateye TL-LD1100 rear light which is that bright and effective I am constantly witnessing near misses as vehicles pass me and nearly collide with the oncomming traffic.

http://www.cateye.co...duct_detail/550

It lights up on 3 sides, takes 3 AA batteries and they seem to last for ages - calculate months here.
The 2 strips of lights have separate controls, so one can be constant and the other flashing etc. They range in price fro £30-£45 online.
I personally have never used rechargable batteries in them, but can't see why it would cause problems given that the new chargables have some serious power to them if you buy the right ones.

 

[benb]

The CatEye looks great, I think I'll invest.
Here's the link again, as the forum seems to have a problem with links sometimes.

 

[summerdays]

It's doubly annoying because now you have to pay £20 to get every 50p spare part shipped over from Australia - not a product I could recommend any more.

You do know that they have re-opened a UK branch?

Mr Summerdays loves his Ay-ups (though he had to replace the battery - from Australia after he left it on the bike and school kids stole it...)