Lighting minefield

[Peugeotrider]

Browsing through eBay,Amazon etc....how does one choose a light these days with the selection available! There are loads to choose from!
I'm planning to ride a local towpath at night,about 35 miles all in and it's pitch black,no lighting at all.
Since I'm not a regular night rider, I don't want the latest 100 pound light set,just something with half decent front light that will hold up for 2 hours so I can do the tow path.
What's anyone tried on a budget and had good experiences and what are the ones to avoid
Tia

 

[fossyant]

Halfords 1600 lumen light is very good for £60.

 

[Dogtrousers]

1) figure out what power option you want (rechargeable/battery etc ... See recent thread).
2) Figure out how much you are prepared to spend.
3) Spend that much

 

[Peugeotrider]

Halfords 1600 lumen light is very good for £60.

60... I'm thinking 20-30 is what I wanna spend.
60 pound lamp seems more of a top end lamp IMO

 

[fossyant]

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/accessories/lights/front

Fill your boots.

 

[cyberknight]

60... I'm thinking 20-30 is what I wanna spend.
60 pound lamp seems more of a top end lamp IMO

if you dont mind a separate battery pack i have had good experience with the cree solar storm lights as long as you dont believe the claimed lumen hype , still bright enough for unlit country lanes at speed

 

[Sharky]

It's probable that a decent/basic set is now getting close to £100.
A front light, now £50 - 60, a rear light £10-20

But you need backup, for both front and rear, but these could be a much cheaper set, so in total you will be hitting £100

Towards the end of my commuting days, I was using a Cateye Volt 300. This was by far the best light I've ever had and still using it. This model is now obsolete, but you wont go wrong with the Volt range.

I've always stuck to known brands as brackets are usually forward compatible between models and easy to purchase for more than one bike.

If you are riding for 2 hrs, using the high intensity beams, it could be getting close to the range limit, so backups important.
Rechargeable ones are great, but battery ones probably better for really long rides in the dark or touring, as you can always pick up batteries in most shops.

 

[cyberknight]

https://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/accessories/lights/front

Fill your boots.

similar to what i have although mine has a 4 pack battery
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIPXBBB10W/planet-x-strix-dual-led-10w-700-lumen-front-bike-light

 

[DiggyGun]

60... I'm thinking 20-30 is what I wanna spend.
60 pound lamp seems more of a top end lamp IMO

£60 is not top end, many lights far more expensive than that

As others have stated, decide what your requirements are and look at models that fit that.

Personally, I use Moon lights as they are good quality lights.

 

[Peugeotrider]

Criteria...lasts 2 hours on a charge( really do not want a front lamp that needs a disposable battery) and bright enough so I don't take myself out on the bollards in the middle of the towpath 🤣
Already have a small rear sufficient for this job.
Seems to be a lot of Chinese lamps online but like most Chinese stuff...💩 Of the highest calibre

 

[MontyVeda]

You've just missed Aldi's recent cycling specials... you'd have got a front light to suit your needs for around £15 (including a rear light too)

 

[numbnuts]

This one cheap and cheerful, had mine for 3 years +
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154494188867?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item23f8923d43:g:figAAOSw4AdfIRUw&amdata=enc:AQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%2B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsStEKTPzZMfQmny3knR97t0IZ9YsQPril9ihYd4xPFPTFOtR8%2FM6VG69nOjzz5D%2FCWZZB%2F0Zk1LuVty6KTOPAqwGMfNo6x%2FwIgr6J164lGLkQq7%2BIyK%2Fu8XudXPpJXVzbZV0686Z9yx78V549mRCvs9pUdZPd72BS6QKpzZzQ%2BIi8IbT%2Ff%2BNRAEa775bH9HPr8qxQqn%2F1HFmLdBIqvykpJRCpSIt0m83I4RxxoGu2%2BnHcnTjbgnyY06MIHMVHvVR0FY4SLdf7XJNhmF2gOHrlfWGkI7b6RU%2BaDWAWZz1cUv291NmVZmOnchlqEYjwwdTYwYdF727%2BqlUHLExlAIWFFuWIv1K5PpVN%2BjFGK1jFQqXtPkHuCl%2BDLkgplrE0MOrNOO5FEdXaE9VoUXtpIqfXGeT2vqshO7mZ5EUssrn7tXuFp2245GHNZ3yn7AfpY5mWrUudm5gp5UjQmAe7jmfabnFI9HORmxbLNR2f9Kr%2FBKqGOtkuuqhiYNmBeH8U9NwBvAFUI2RvJ%2Fuu02ZpxdchpRCn8s10cWLoZBPsmONpDWJ3f1XhedeF5Zx4l6OACBu7ZhoLUdTI%2Ftm8OaIATlKtRaG32wvMKcQ052d9zA189FUs5sCeNp3EQakmmzMxkW8V3gr2jnmAILaRhJx3OFa4WPLSIstDFLvMr8oXvaON1XNk0msLveeuRCunR9vfU%2FwGy%2Fzhd3%2B9kTLJ7lv7I6y8rbOXMsSIAIMIvkAwFUebnZr%2F7rhg0MKLiQD39goikvNA6yQduazfvxsLlo4vsy8bi7%2FGaxmMCSMfB82s2lpGMicIU2tYmfppd1BSQVbuDLD%2BrbiMLfR0H%2FULlrvLTHcrShw%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMxLuMm6Nf
Fit one of these as well
https://www.candb-seen.co.uk/product-39mm-diffused-lens.html

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to ride tow paths with a pathetic Never Ready lamp, then a 1990s ni/cad-bulb lamp. Almost any modern LED lamp is far superior.
Get 2 and have a backup using the same mount.

 

[faster]

This one cheap and cheerful, had mine for 3 years +
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154494188867?_trkparms=ispr=1&hash=item23f8923d43:g:figAAOSw4AdfIRUw&amdata=enc:AQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%2B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsStEKTPzZMfQmny3knR97t0IZ9YsQPril9ihYd4xPFPTFOtR8%2FM6VG69nOjzz5D%2FCWZZB%2F0Zk1LuVty6KTOPAqwGMfNo6x%2FwIgr6J164lGLkQq7%2BIyK%2Fu8XudXPpJXVzbZV0686Z9yx78V549mRCvs9pUdZPd72BS6QKpzZzQ%2BIi8IbT%2Ff%2BNRAEa775bH9HPr8qxQqn%2F1HFmLdBIqvykpJRCpSIt0m83I4RxxoGu2%2BnHcnTjbgnyY06MIHMVHvVR0FY4SLdf7XJNhmF2gOHrlfWGkI7b6RU%2BaDWAWZz1cUv291NmVZmOnchlqEYjwwdTYwYdF727%2BqlUHLExlAIWFFuWIv1K5PpVN%2BjFGK1jFQqXtPkHuCl%2BDLkgplrE0MOrNOO5FEdXaE9VoUXtpIqfXGeT2vqshO7mZ5EUssrn7tXuFp2245GHNZ3yn7AfpY5mWrUudm5gp5UjQmAe7jmfabnFI9HORmxbLNR2f9Kr%2FBKqGOtkuuqhiYNmBeH8U9NwBvAFUI2RvJ%2Fuu02ZpxdchpRCn8s10cWLoZBPsmONpDWJ3f1XhedeF5Zx4l6OACBu7ZhoLUdTI%2Ftm8OaIATlKtRaG32wvMKcQ052d9zA189FUs5sCeNp3EQakmmzMxkW8V3gr2jnmAILaRhJx3OFa4WPLSIstDFLvMr8oXvaON1XNk0msLveeuRCunR9vfU%2FwGy%2Fzhd3%2B9kTLJ7lv7I6y8rbOXMsSIAIMIvkAwFUebnZr%2F7rhg0MKLiQD39goikvNA6yQduazfvxsLlo4vsy8bi7%2FGaxmMCSMfB82s2lpGMicIU2tYmfppd1BSQVbuDLD%2BrbiMLfR0H%2FULlrvLTHcrShw%3D%3D|clp:2334524|tkp:BFBMxLuMm6Nf
Fit one of these as well
https://www.candb-seen.co.uk/product-39mm-diffused-lens.html

This.

I've used both one of these and a previously mentioned solar storm for years and many thousands of miles in all weathers they've both been superb - I wouldn't swap them for any other light.

Very bright, they seem completely water tight and you should have no problem with getting the required 2 hour battery life with the supplied battery.

Avoid more expensive lights with the batteries on board like the plague - especially for a towpath, as the extra weight of the unit makes them susceptible to change their aim every time you hit a bump.

To give an idea of battery life with a better quality battery (a fluxient I think), I did all of a Manchester to Blackpool night ride with the light on full beam all the way, and with a solar storm, I managed to get from Knutsford to Barnsley very slowly on the trans pennine trail on low beam (still very bright!). That was probably the best part of 6 hours - although the battery indicator showed low battery almost all the way.

The separate battery pack seems like a faff, but I just zip tie it to the underside of the stem and recharge whilst still attached to the bike.

The only thing I can't vouch for is whether the ones coming out of China now are as good as they used to be, but for the price, it's probably worth a punt.

The rear light that comes with these is only fit for the bin. Don't even bother fitting it.

 

[Kingfisher101]

I have the Halfords 1600 and it was £45.00 when I bought it, this light is amazing and I use it as a torch as well. Then i have various others (cheapies) from Halfords, eBay etc for back ups and back lights etc.
If you don't want to spend much then the cree lights/torches with mount from Ebay are the way to go. But you will need a charger for the 18650 batteries as well. Its like with everything you get what you pay for.. usually.