What lumens should I go for?

[cambsno]

Am looking to get a new set of lights which will be shared between 2 bikes - new road bike, tbh I don't expect to use this when dark but coming into winter I may go out as its getting light or getting dark - had thought https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Lezyne-Zecto-Drive-250-80-USB-Rechargeable-Light-Set_111998.htm looked a good quality lightweight set and easy to take on and off. 250 lumens for the front.

The other use would be on my hybrid, night rides are normally to/from pub on a mixture of roads, sometimes unlit, others very well lit, normally road or cycle path. Current light on hybrid is a £20 set from Amazon, its rated at 400 lumens but don't believe thats true! Gut feeling is I should be going for 500 lumens.

 

[si_c]

The number of lumens is largely irrelevant, it's the quality of the lenses which define how well the light works... This is why good lights are expensive as glass is more expensive to work with than electronics.

200 lumens with good optics is enough, 500 lumens might just give you a very bright spot on the road and nothing else.

Lezyne do good lights but the ones you've linked are designed for being seen rather than seeing with. Look at some of their other lights for the latter.

 

[steveindenmark]

Look for good light manufacturers, Lezyne, Hope, Exposure.
Having a blinding light is no good to you if it does not shine where you want it and blinds oncoming vehicles.
It also depends how far you intend to travel before you charge it up. You need a good run time. I would rather lose a little brightness and have an hour extra light.

You will find that some of the Chinese made lights on Amazon will light the sky for an hour and then stop. Do some research and read a lot of reviews.

I use an Exposure Joystick. It is expensive. but has been superb for about 4 years.

 

[rogerzilla]

Lux (the light on the road at a specified dutrance) is more meaningful than lumens, but only German manufacturers seem to use it. You need 40 lux or more for unlit lanes if you are repeatedly dazzled by oncoming cars, or passing in and out of lit areas. Out in the wilds at 3am, you don't need much power as your eyes will adapt. I did much of the Dunwich Dynamo with my Ixon IQ Premium on the 15 lux, rather than 80 lux, setting.

 

[vickster]

These are good for being seen and for seeing the road where there is street lighting.

https://www.fawkes-cycles.co.uk/2497196/products/moon-meteor-x-auto-rechargeable-light--black.aspx
or the next model up
https://www.fawkes-cycles.co.uk/249...auto-pro-rechargeable-front-light--black.aspx

May need something with more welly for country unlit potholey roads

Smart make good rear lights (and they sell brackets for fixing to racks)

I also got one of these as secondary light for seatpost and it’s really good, easy to put on and take off when parked

View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CVT5KJM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JH2rFbR3YJA1A

 

[Blue Hills]

Lux (the light on the road at a specified dutrance) is more meaningful than lumens, but only German manufacturers seem to use it. You need 40 lux or more for unlit lanes if you are repeatedly dazzled by oncoming cars, or passing in and out of lit areas. Out in the wilds at 3am, you don't need much power as your eyes will adapt. I did much of the Dunwich Dynamo with my Ixon IQ Premium on the 15 lux, rather than 80 lux, setting.

braver than me. I need the 80 (not criticising the light - it's great) to be confident of seeing pot holes/bends when in deep dark country.

 

[rogerzilla]

The 80 lux is nowhere near as bright as the 100 lux from my (dynamo) IQ-X, although an increase of only 25% should barely be detectable by eye. I question the accuracy of their measurement!

 

[si_c]

The 80 lux is nowhere near as bright as the 100 lux from my (dynamo) IQ-X, although an increase of only 25% should barely be detectable by eye. I question the accuracy of their measurement!

The IQ-X had phenomenon spread though too do it's possible that your eye is confusing brightness with the total illumination.

Edit: I've not seen the Icon though so I'm guessing a little.

 

[mjr]

Lumens are bunk. Go lux. I'm OK with 40lux on dark roads.

 

[cambsno]

Thanks

Think I will go with my original thought for the rear of the Lezyne one I posted as that is bright, good make and good size - for the front will look around at bigger units - something like this I guess - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-micro-drive-600xl-front-light

 

[Pale Rider]

When Volta designed his battery it was big heavy.

Fast forward 200 years and batteries are still big and heavy, or at least ones with a decent capacity are.

The front light of a matched pair of bike lights - like the Lezyne ones in the OP - will inevitably be more for being seen than for seeing by.

Very neat, and well suited for their purpose, but not good at illuminating the road ahead.

For that you need a light which has a casing big enough to take a suitable battery, or a separate battery pack.

The optics is another question.

I am increasingly of the view the only reliable way of getting something suitable is to buy a light made to the German road standard.

That gets you illumination while tending not to dazzle other road - or cycle path - users.

This Busch and Muller ticks all the boxes and is good value at thirty quid.

It uses AA rechargeable batteries which means you can also use ordinary AA batteries - handy because you can buy some from a late night shop if you get caught out.

https://www.bikester.co.uk/busch-mu...-light-with-battery-charger-black-323419.html

 

[si_c]

I am increasingly of the view the only reliable way of getting something suitable is to buy a light made to the German road standard.

I came to the same conclusion years ago, Supernova dynamo lights front & rear with Lezyne battery backups are my winter commuting setup.

 

[si_c]

Thanks

Think I will go with my original thought for the rear of the Lezyne one I posted as that is bright, good make and good size - for the front will look around at bigger units - something like this I guess - https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-micro-drive-600xl-front-light

Looks good to me.

 

[rogerzilla]

Amazon were knocking out the Ixon IQ Premium for £25 a while back. Goodness knows how. That must be less than the factory gate price.

 

[Pale Rider]

I came to the same conclusion years ago, Supernova dynamo lights front & rear with Lezyne battery backups are my winter commuting setup.

I have what looks like a Supernova E3 on the front of my Riese and Muller/Bosch ebike.

It's powered from the ebike battery, which is 36 volt.

Unlikely to be a special Supernova for ebikes, so I suspect there is electronics to regulate the lighting circuit power output to enable the bike to take standard lights which run on whatever a dynamo produces.

The rear is what looks like a standard Busch and Muller Toplight, although it does have a brake light/speed reduction feature.

All Bosch say is the motor will cut out before the battery is fully flat, which means you will still have several hours of lighting.

Might be a small compensation as I limp home on pedal power.

I also carry Lezynes for back ups on longer rides, and the front is handy to use as a torch for mechanicals, or to shine on maps or road signs if I get lost.