Lights?

[SquareDaff]

As the weather draws in I realize I need to invest in some better lights. Over the summer I've had a set of the "windup" variety fitted to ensure I'm always covered for cases of poor visability (£4 from B&Q = bargain!!!). I doubt they'll cut it over the winter although I will leave them on as a "backup system".

Can anyone recommend a decent system? My ride is 16 miles (about 1h 10 mins each day), all on road with a couple of dark country lanes. Have been looking at the Cateye TL-LD600 as a rear (is that anygood) but open to all suggestions for the front!!

 

[fossyant]

Go and look in know how and search there - tonnes of recommendations !

 

[marinyork]

Can anyone recommend a decent system? My ride is 16 miles (about 1h 10 mins each day), all on road with a couple of dark country lanes. Have been looking at the Cateye TL-LD600 as a rear (is that anygood) but open to all suggestions for the front!!

It depends what price you can get hold of it for really. It's a bit old now and can be overpriced. Imho the blackburn 4, smart 7 and smart 1/2 watt are all better lights for the money. Nothing wrong with the 600, just very overpriced. Prices vary for all of these though.

 

[SquareDaff]

Imho the blackburn 4, smart 7 and smart 1/2 watt are all better lights for the money. Nothing wrong with the 600, just very overpriced. Prices vary for all of these though.

Cheers - will go and have a look at these. After the 10 years or so since I've given up cycling this seems to be the area that's changed most dramatically and I'm totally clueless. As for cost - willing to spend around the £100 mark for a decent pair. You can't scrimp when it comes to being seen!

 

[pauljonhaz]

I would definitely recommend the blackburn mars 4 I bought one last year and has been brilliant, I think marinyork also suggests this above (Blackburn 4). For my front light I use Revolution Vision which I got from Edinburgh cycles which again I used all last winter and still going strong.

 

[nightoff]

Smart lunar superflash for the rear. I have 2 of these @ just over a tenner each. They are well made and extremely bright. They came on top in a recent Mountain bike mag group test.
I have a Magicshine 900 lumen on the front @ approx £50. This light is seriously bright compared to anything of a similar price. It comes with a rechargeable battery pack + charger. I suppliment this with a RSP light on flash also very good and highly rated in a Bikeradar group test.
That set up cost me about £85 for the lot and I have enough light to ride by on unlit rural roads at full speed.
I get 4 days per charge with the Magic shine @ 15 miles a day. The others are on their original batteries so don't know run times.

I recently added a helmet LED and saddle bag LED but thats probably overkill. I'm just cautious and like to be seen.

The Blackburn Mars 4 is also a good light and was on my short list

 

[DrSquirrel]

2 places online (one known one not so known) sell the Smart Lunar 1/2W for just under £10. Get a pair. One flash one static. If you wanted longer run time you could swap one with the Smart 7 (7 little LEDs) you could once get these for £4 delivered but they are now more like £8 so better to get the 1/2W for £2 more (unless you really want the run time).

+1 Magicshine up front (they also have a very bright rear light now for £38 with battery, can share battery with the front light too with a Y cable.

 

[jig-sore]

hope vision 1

 

[rusky]

Hope Vision 1 & Smart 1/2W

 

[HJ]

If you really want to seen then get the Dinotte 400L road ride experience, also useful seeing where you are going...

 

[knonist]

A pair of Fenix LD20 + bike mount
Each set of batteries will last you for 4hrs on medium, wont dim at all until the last minute or so of the battery life.
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix_LD20.html

For rear go for cateye LD1100
http://www.cateye.com/uk/product_detail/359

 

[battered]

The technologyis advancing all the time so research carefully if you plan to spend a lot. I favour multiple cheap ones, having seen a cheap clipon helmet light that a friend goit in Clas Olson, I'm getting a pair of those to add to the others. If you ride lit streets it's about being seen, which is a different brief from someone who has a 10 mile commute through unlit countryside.

 

[Sysagent]

Hope Vision 1 front light and a pair of Smart ½Watt rear lights...

Got my Hope Vision 1 from Ribblecycles and the Smarts from here:-

Smart ½W Lights

 

[DrSquirrel]

Can get the 1/2W Smart for under a tenner...
Highonbikes £9.95+Free P&P http://www.highonbikes.com/smart-lunar-r-led-superflash-rear-light-flash-constant.html

 

[scouserinlondon]

I opted for overkill.

I have a hope 1 on the bike, a fenix ld20 on my helmet. A blackburn mars 4 and cateye ld 600 bring up the rear.

I commute on urban roads and across the odd bit of grass, but I don't want SMIDSY to be an excuse in the dark.