Lights ???
-
scottycooper
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 20 Apr 2014, 11:35am
Lights ???
Any1 recommend any reasonably priced good lights for my boardman cx
Re: Lights ???
What do you mean by good? And what will the lights be doing e.g.. let you be seen in well lit conditions or training at 25+ mph on unlit country roads.
Re: Lights ???
And what do you mean by reasonably priced? Are these lights to see by or to be seen?
Re: Lights ???
How much do you plan to use them?
I run a hub dynamo with B&M lights which is a cheap solution if used frequently enough, but very expensive for occasional use.
I run a hub dynamo with B&M lights which is a cheap solution if used frequently enough, but very expensive for occasional use.
Re: Lights ???
Four categories of front light: cheap poundshop blinkies (useless), lights for being seen (fine for most people's nightime urban trips), lights for seeing with (for unlit roads, paths), Off-road lights/torches (blindingly bright, powerful light sources for mountain biking but too anti-social to use on the road). You need to decide which of the middle two you need.
Lights use either batteries or dynamos. Some have internal rechargeable batteries like a phone but you can always use AA rechargeables in a lamp designed for normal batteries. Either way, rechargeable batteries are very useful for regular night use. Dynamos are popular for daily commuting or long night rides and mean you don't have to worry about charging or replacing batteries. Ignore what you may have heard from the last century about dynamos ruining tyres and going off when you stop. The most popular hub type of dynamo setup is fairly pricey and requires a new front wheel, budget £100+.
Rear lights can also work off the same dynamo as the front light if you have one of those but many just use battery lights as they last quite a long time on a set of batteries. These tend to be quite a bit cheaper than front lights. I'm sure somebody who has experience with more recent models will come along and recommend one. Many people like to have two for greater visibility.
Legality: UK law on bicycle lights and reflectors is a mess and rather outdated. Nearly all lights you can buy in the UK are not actually legal to use on their own as bike lights (!) This article explains more if you are interested http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... egulations. Realistically, it's not something the police are going to be interested in as long as you have lights front and rear and they are the right colour. There are legal options if you want to seek them out.
If you tell us what your budget is, where you ride at night and how frequently you do that we can suggest something.
Lights use either batteries or dynamos. Some have internal rechargeable batteries like a phone but you can always use AA rechargeables in a lamp designed for normal batteries. Either way, rechargeable batteries are very useful for regular night use. Dynamos are popular for daily commuting or long night rides and mean you don't have to worry about charging or replacing batteries. Ignore what you may have heard from the last century about dynamos ruining tyres and going off when you stop. The most popular hub type of dynamo setup is fairly pricey and requires a new front wheel, budget £100+.
Rear lights can also work off the same dynamo as the front light if you have one of those but many just use battery lights as they last quite a long time on a set of batteries. These tend to be quite a bit cheaper than front lights. I'm sure somebody who has experience with more recent models will come along and recommend one. Many people like to have two for greater visibility.
Legality: UK law on bicycle lights and reflectors is a mess and rather outdated. Nearly all lights you can buy in the UK are not actually legal to use on their own as bike lights (!) This article explains more if you are interested http://www.ctc.org.uk/cyclists-library/ ... egulations. Realistically, it's not something the police are going to be interested in as long as you have lights front and rear and they are the right colour. There are legal options if you want to seek them out.
If you tell us what your budget is, where you ride at night and how frequently you do that we can suggest something.
Re: Lights ???
KK-LIGHT 3x CREE XML T6 LED Bicycle Headlight 4 Modes 3600 Lumens + Battery + Charger KK-LIGHT http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DHZKOQ0/r ... vtb0J2J10K
I've been using an older 1200 lumen model that cost just over £50 when I bought it in 2012. The original light overheated and died last year and C&B Seen replaced it under warranty with hesitation.
From the reviews I've read it seems they still send out the odd dud one, but name a company that doesn't.
My own puts out enough light on its lowest setting to comfortably ride at 15mph an unlit riverside cycle path at midnight.
Finding somewhere to plonk the external heavy-ish battery and it's cable can mess up the lines on your bike, but at night, who's gonna see it?
Thoroughly recommended, especially at that price.
Edit: the light puts out a somewhat focused spotlight but Cree do their own diffuser lens which spreads the beam quite a bit, also available from Amazon.
I've been using an older 1200 lumen model that cost just over £50 when I bought it in 2012. The original light overheated and died last year and C&B Seen replaced it under warranty with hesitation.
From the reviews I've read it seems they still send out the odd dud one, but name a company that doesn't.
My own puts out enough light on its lowest setting to comfortably ride at 15mph an unlit riverside cycle path at midnight.
Finding somewhere to plonk the external heavy-ish battery and it's cable can mess up the lines on your bike, but at night, who's gonna see it?
Thoroughly recommended, especially at that price.
Edit: the light puts out a somewhat focused spotlight but Cree do their own diffuser lens which spreads the beam quite a bit, also available from Amazon.
Bill
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.” ~ Eddy Merckx
It's a rich man whos children run to him when his pockets are empty.