Recommend a VERY bright light for on the canal paths.

[SuperHans123]

iZone 850 Lumens
USB Rechargeable
Decent Battery Life
All the light you will need for £38.99 (Fiver less with the Tredz discount):-
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Izone-ARC-...oq2nNy7qXEIg_FxaIwKTWQ7O1Ffd7edgaAvITEALw_wcB

 

[mustang1]

I don't like messing around with external battery packs and cables. I have a couple of exposure 1200 lights. One of these bad boys is way brighter than you can possibly need but I have two coz I'm badass (and I like even numbers).

 

[Hacienda71]

iZone 850 Lumens
USB Rechargeable
Decent Battery Life
All the light you will need for £38.99 (Fiver less with the Tredz discount):-
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Izone-ARC-...oq2nNy7qXEIg_FxaIwKTWQ7O1Ffd7edgaAvITEALw_wcB

I have one of those and they are good. Very well made lots of modes good battery life. Chinese lights are OK but the generic copies on eBay and amazon are not that well put together. I have had one battery pack fail totally and another fail to retain charge for more than an hour or so after less than one winter. The exception to that was my Magicshine mj808, which is still pretty good at five years old, if a bit bulky compared to the izone.

 

[Drago]

A bit of tape over the upper quadrant of the lens will make Chinese light beams sensible. Decent lenses are only a couple of quid.

 

[SuperHans123]

I have one of those and they are good. Very well made lots of modes good battery life. Chinese lights are OK but the generic copies on eBay and amazon are not that well put together. I have had one battery pack fail totally and another fail to retain charge for more than an hour or so after less than one winter. The exception to that was my Magicshine mj808, which is still pretty good at five years old, if a bit bulky compared to the izone.

What I found with my iZone lights (I have two of the 650 lumen models) is that the fixing strap that comes with them is cack so I bought 2x 99p generic bike light holders from Ebay with thumbscrews and they fit lovely in those with a little light fettling. (And I am no fettler)

 

[SuperHans123]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bike-Cycl...709671&hash=item58d7dba0e7:g:VF4AAOSwuhhXW0eX

 

[night cycler]

A lot of helpful information there guys, and lots of options to look through-much appreciated.

With hindsight, I probabaly should have phrased the initial post differently, or at least been clearer.

I have two small identical RSPZ lights. (see photos). The lense area is just 25mm dia, and they are each powered by 4x AAA 1.5v batteries. There is just one LED (about 3mm dia) in the center of the light. They were bought with the single intention of road cycling which they are very good for-one in steady mode & the other in flashing mode. I always use them in this mode on the road, even in the daytime-I want to be seen by vehicles waiting to pull out, or oncoming vehicles wanting to turn right (in front of me).

Although I am easily seen on the canal day or night, they are not good enough to light the route in front of me at night.

I acknowledge that what I originally enquired about is akin to driving a car with full beam on constantly , along a country lane towards other road uses.

I simply want and need to be able to see the canal route ahead, inluding pot holes/uneven areas, debris and tree branches etc. I would be cycling at no more than 20mph, (12mph to 15mp most of the time).

If I am doing the canal run all within the day time, I won't need to have the "canal light" with me. So one with a quick release method would be ideal.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

one in steady mode & the other in flashing mode. I always use them in this mode on the road, even in the daytime

That's done it.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Please don't get a high power light with a torch-like symmetrical beam (ie. almost all of them). I get blinded by every cyclist I pass at night. The reason they make them that way is that powerful LEDs are cheap but good lenses are expensive. Plus you can put an impressive lux figure on the packet.

Don't know about you but a circular beam is exactly what I want, wide where you need it e.g. a few metres up the road so you can avoid things with enough time.

The council around here have a habit of putting grey steel bollards and fences across cycle paths which show up sort-of-nicely because they are centre beam.

 

[Vantage]

The council around here have a habit of putting grey steel bollards and fences across cycle paths which show up sort-of-nicely because they are centre beam.

This is one area where the German built shaped beam b&m's fail miserably. Unfortunately.

 

[SuperHans123]

My solution with the iZones fits your stated use case.
They just pop straight out of the cheapo Ebay holders and also instantly double as a torch, what with the shape of them.
Also, they are USB rechargeable, so no battery hassle to consider and the battery life is really decent.

More than all of this though, they give off a great beam/shape.

 

[night cycler]

I have ordered a Lezyne lite drive 700XL. Something that will light up the short stretch of unlit canal path, and hopefully not dazzle anyone. I just need to source a 3amp mains charger now. Preferably one that is not going to start a fire while I am in bed.

There are a few to choose from on flea bay, but it is difficult to know which are the dodgy ones and which are ok.

 

[User482]

I use a B&M Ixon IQ Premium, which is plenty bright enough for unlit paths. It puts the beam on the ground and not in other people's eyes, something which is an increasing problem on my commute - it wrecks my night vision and makes it very hard to see pedestrians ahead.

 

[gaijintendo]

... I just need to source a 3amp mains charger now. Preferably one that is not going to start a fire while I am in bed.

There are a few to choose from on flea bay, but it is difficult to know which are the dodgy ones and which are ok.

I can recommend the brand Anker. Their unfortunately chosen URL is www.anker.com but they are well stocked my Amazon.

 

[KnackeredBike]

I use a B&M Ixon IQ Premium, which is plenty bright enough for unlit paths. It puts the beam on the ground and not in other people's eyes, something which is an increasing problem on my commute - it wrecks my night vision and makes it very hard to see pedestrians ahead.

Get a light bright enough that you don't need night vision. Otherwise when you are on the road and Mr Fockwit BMW driver comes around the corner with thermo-nuclear xenon headlamps and fog lights then you will still be able to see where you are going.